As many of you know, Vietnam is a place very dear to me. I feel drawn to the entire region of southeast Asia, but one of my dear friends is there a missionary (or ‘Associate Missionary’). For those of you who don’t know, Vietnam is one of five remaining Communist nations. This influences religious freedom in different ways and amounts. Missionaries are not always able to openly speak of their religious beliefs. Christian churches are not always allowed to exist freely. This made me wonder what Christmas is like in a place that limits Christianity.
Christmas in Vietnam
I have never been to Vietnam, so all I can tell you is what I’ve discovered by researching. Apparently, Christmas is one of the four biggest holidays/festivals of the year. It is rich in tradition and a very festive time of year. Most, though, are not Christians and therefore, don’t always consider it a religious event. However, many attend mass, which usually entails a nativity play. Despite the low number of Christians, many still display the nativity as a symbol of the holiday.
So what does this mean for us, who are able and free to express ourselves as Christians on a daily basis? While we can’t exactly drop everything and head to Vietnam, we can still make a difference through prayer. While it is easy to hear the Christmas story and not retain the message, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Join me in praying for Vietnam so that this opportunity for many to hear the nativity story does not go wasted. Perhaps this can be the year that they feel the full impact of the holiday. Perhaps this will be the year they feel drawn to learn more.
