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The Way of God Came to Vietnam

Only hold fast to what you have until I come
Revelation 2:25

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Dear ones in the name of Jesus Christ,

By chance, I get to know Cherie Kropp, a lady who owns the website “Telling The Truth” (TTT). She also asks me some questions concerning  the way of God in Vietnam. Truely to say, if these questions came to me 50 years ago, I would have been so happy to write, not now! After praying, thinking some months, I felt that I need to write, because this is the time, there are many people in Vietnam and in other countries misunderstand in many ways about God’s way in Vietnam.

Signed: Nguyen Huu Bau

Click Here to read full Account of the Vietnam Division compiled by Cherie Kropp from statements made during the years 2013 and 2014 by Nguyễn Huu Bau and his wife who were the first couple to profess in VN, his daughter Nguyễn Thị Minh Thanh and her husband Nguyễn Xuân Hoàn, who all reside in Saigon/HCMC; and Nguyễn Thanh Hoa, first person to profess and first native Brother Worker, who is no relation to the others.

Click Here to View Vietnam Photos

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When did the workers first arrive?  In 1957

Who were the first brother workers to arrive? Where were they from?
In 1957, Fred Allen from Queensland, Australia and Maurice Archer from New Zealand came to Saigon.
In 1959, Maurice Archer returned to New Zealand due to his health and George Pillay from Singapore arrived.
In 1961 Edwin Allen came to be with Fred Allen and George Pillay returned to Sinagpore.

Who were the first sister workers to arrive? Where were they from?
Phyllis Munn (Idaho) and Bonnie Dahlin (Washington) from USA in late 1959.

Who were the first native workers to go in the work and when?
First  native brother workers: Nguyen Thanh Hoa and Vu Ngoc Chau in 1967.
First native sister worker: Ho Thu Anh in 1973-1982

Who were the first to profess, what year and where?
Nguyen Thanh Hoa and Vu Ngoc Chau in June 1961 in Saigon; both 21 years old.

Who were the first married couple to profess?
Mr. & Mrs. Nguyen Huu Bau in late 1961.

When & where was the first Gospel meeting held?
At 123 Ba Huyen Thanh Quan Str., District 3, Saigon in 1958.

When & Where was the first Sunday fellowship meeting held?
At the brothers’ batch at 378D Đien Bien Phu Str, District 3, Saigon in 1961 from June to November because there were a few friends with 4 workers. The fellowship meeting began at 8:00 a.m. and the gospel meeting at 9:30 a.m. After their baptism, the fellowship and Bible study meetings were held in the house of Mr. & Mrs. Bau.

How many Sunday fellowship meetings are there now (2013)?
In Saigon/HCMC, there are 6 meetings total, but the meetings are divided into 2 groups. Five meetings who accept all workers--except brother worker Hoa; and one meeting which only accepts Hoa, which is held in Mr. & Mrs. Nguyen Huu Bau's home. There are other meetings in Vietnam such as Hanoi, Huế, Di Linh, Da Lat and Baria.

How many workers are there now (2013)?
There were and still are 22 workers in the field
Natives: (11 total) 1 brother, 9 sisters.  (Hoa and Chau not included)
Foreigners (9 total):  5 from Canada; 2 from Philippines; 1 from Singapore and 1 from Korea

When & Where was the first baptism held?
In early 1962 at a pool in Saigon, about ten people were baptized.

When and Where was the first convention held?
The first was held in 1962 at the brothers’ bach in Saigon. Four visiting workers were present.  It continued there until 1982.  Convention was held at Youth Hostel in Dalat from 1963-1966.
In 1964, conventions were held in both Saigon and Dalat.

Where the convention now held? No conventions since 1977, when the government would not allow large gatherings.  Since 1977, Special Meetings have been held twice a year.  Since 2006, Friends & Workers travel to conventions in Singapore and/or Port Dickson & Penang, Malaysia.

What is the registered name of the church in Vietnam?  Fred Allen registered the church in Vietnam in 1967 as Christian Mission VN. (the name translated into Vietnamese is "Sứ Mạng Các Thánh Đồ").  Right after Liberation Day (April 30, 1975), Uncle Hoa made a declaration to the Government that Uncle Hoa & Châu continue the mission in VN. Uncle Châu and Uncle Hoa were  leaders and now (2013) they are still  leaders registered with government. Foreign workers are not allowed to preach to native Vietnamese--only to foreigners.  One time when the authorities learned of the coming Special Meetings, they made Chau cancel them.

Who have the Overseers been?  Fred Allen (from Queensland, Australia), Vu Ngoc Chau (from Saigon, Vietnam), Cliff Toane (from Canada and Hong Kong), Jim Chafee (from China/Hong Kong and South Dakota USA); Morris Grovum, Darrel Turner, Lyle Shultz all from Canada.

-1957 to 1975 Fred Allen ( he had to leave Vietnam due to the communist occupied the South of Vietnam and handed the responsibility to Vu Ngoc Chau and Nguyen Thanh Hoa until 1992 when Cliff came…(a)

-1992  Cliff Toane from Canada came to visit, but couldn’t stay in Vietnam. When Fred Allen could not stay in VN, Cliff assumed the overseership in VN and Châu and Hoa cooperated with him.

-1997 (?) Cliff couldn’t continue due to his health and Jim Chafee became responsible for VN (from South Dakota, overseer of China/Hong Kong).  When Jim left China/VN Morris Grovum (from Canada) took the oversight; which later passed to Darrel Turner (from Canada). (b)

-2011 Darrel handed the responsibility to Lyle Shultz from Canada until 2013.

In 2014, the Friends are divided into 3 groups:  Originally, there were around 250 Friends in VN. Owing to the causes given above, the Friends and Workers are now divided into 3 groups. (1) Those who completely support the Canadian Overseers. (2) Those who are still in the fellowship but are not satisfied with the situation and choose to “wait and see” what will happen, waiting for a new future. (3) The Golden Friends who continue walk with God as before and do not fear what they will do, and are not under any rule of man.

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Saigon
November 10, 2013

Dear ones,

My name is Bau, 84 years old, my wife 81. Both of us used to belong The Protestant way. By chance I met the Way of God, so both of us professed the same night in 1961. We were the first couple in The Way in Vietnam. Our home also was the first place for the fellowship meeting with bread and cup.

We had 7 children, 11 grand children and 6 great grand children. Four of my children opened their houses for fellowship meetings with bread and cup, too.

I had had great privileges to meet thousands of friends and hundreds of workers in 9 countries such as London, Paris, Australia and USA...I used to send letters, email to 50 ones within 18 countries each time. Especially we had a very good opportunity to welcome many workers and friends from abroad, particularly the American soldiers by the time the war in Vietnam. We did enjoy so much in God’s Way. How wonderful it is!

But--how sad to say! These golden chapters couldn’t continue as it should! Since 2000, the Canadian workers came and overseer appeared as you see in the map, many things were changed...we pray for any miracles to happen to change the situation but hopeless. So last three years until now we have our own meetings, we keep on much better. Our fellowship meetings now are so good, so sweet.

We learn that the solution for any cases and anywhere that keep the truth and go on. Reading the church in Revelation we see clearly a lot of trouble but one verse was a comfort to us: “only hold fast to what you have till I come” Rev 2:25.

Best wishes

Nguyen Huu Bau

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Click Here to read full Account of the Vietnam Division

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Additional Information, photos and documents are welcome concerning the work in Vietnam.
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