According to scientists in Vietnam, you can become a telepath in four ways:
be born as one (rare); experience personal trauma (electric shock, serious
illness); be a veteran monk (more prevalent); or be trained (a subject of
classified ongoing research). Vietnam recognizes nearly 100 people with such
abilities. Here is the story of one of the most famous telepaths, Phan Thi Bich Hang.
 
Aged 17, she is bitten by a rabid dog and about to die, but a Catholic
healer says, 'God will protect you.' He feeds her medicines including a
piece of exhumed coffin, and predicts specific symptoms. These occur right
on schedule. If the symptoms cease by the third day, she will live. On the
third day, Hang stops breathing (medically dead). But another old man (good
at horoscopes) says, 'You have modern medical technology while I have only
incense and holy water, but I'm sure that she won't die.' Her parents delay
the funeral rites.
 
Her father remembers his promise to shoot seven battery salvos when she
dies, speeding the return of her soul to her family. He fires seven times,
she jumps up and runs to him, but trips on the bullet casings and knocks
herself out! In the following out-of-body experience, she realizes that she
knows, on sight, if a person will live long or die soon, and even what
they're thinking.
 
As she is a harbinger of bad news, she is routinely beaten. She travels from
hospital to hospital, sorcerer to sorcerer, longing to be 'cured'.
 
Then she sees her beloved dead grandmother, leading two others who had died
as children (and of whom Hang had never heard). She tells her uncle,
'There's a human in your garden!' And lo and behold, a 700-year-old tomb is
found. And then on the death anniversary of her ancestors, she locates their
long-lost tomb under a road. This 'gift' is getting useful...
 
Soon after, Phan proves herself 'normal' to her skeptical father by passing
a university entrance exam with flying colors, after just 15 days of study
in science subjects.
 
Her fame grows as she collaborates with the Ministry of Culture and
Information in their research and gives a detailed description of an ancient
pagoda in her village by communicating with the original builders who died
seven centuries ago. This is verified by archaeological studies, and the
pagoda is named an historical site! Since then she helps thousands find the
lost tombs of family members and martyrs.
 
Cat what?
Cat tien duyen. Haven't you heard? Everyone's talking about it - the latest
solution for independent career women too busy to find a husband. -Or for
their male counterparts, who just can't find a nice girl to settle down
with. Anxious mammas are more than happy to dole out the fee of 500,000-3
million VND (£16-£93) to experienced fortune-tellers, though results are not
guaranteed. During the ceremony, the prowling spirit of a deep and
passionate lover in a previous life is offered paper money, paper houses,
paper concubines, etc, and then is entreated to relinquish his or her hold
on the bachelor/ette. 'The most important thing is to believe in what you're
begging for, otherwise your wish won't come true,' says the fortune-teller.
'Your faith represents the desire and resolution inside your heart. God
helps when you believe in him.'
 
* The trials and tribulations of finding a spouse plague most modern
societies, yet the Vietnamese 'solution' points to a crisis even more grave
than singleness - a culture in spiritual bondage. Pray for freedom. Also ask
that Christian singles be guarded against the temptation to try this latest
fad. Lord, grant them courage and patience, even when pressured by concerned
parents or their own sense of the clock ticking.
 
Zoom, zoom!
School uniform hidden under overcoats. Zipping down side streets on their
motorbikes. Is this the latest trend in truancy? Quite the opposite! Since
September, students under 18 have been banned from riding their motorbikes
to school in an effort to curb teenage traffic accidents. However, some
parents justify their children's illegal activity, because how else will
they fit in all those extra classes, often at opposite ends of town? Cycling
would leave the poor dears with no energy left to study! Well, at least the
teens follow the new rule to wear helmets on major roads, if only to keep
their identities hidden. Some families have bought electric bikes as an
alternative.
 
Also on the topic of traffic: last month, schools in Ho Chi Minh City agreed
to stagger their start and end times to reduce congestion during rush hours.
 
* Again, bring before the Lord the safety of those traveling on the roads.
 
Tough times
A partly-built bridge collapsed on 26 September in southern Vietnam, leaving
53 dead and injuring many other construction workers. In Central Vietnam,
Typhoon Lekima prompted the evacuation of 300,000 people, killing one, and
destroying houses and boats. It was the fifth typhoon to hit Vietnam this
year.
 
* Uphold those who grieve and struggle to rebuild.
* When Vietnamese hear of tragedies like these, they are quickly afraid and
talk of the fragility of life, even though they seemingly ignore the fact
that scores of people die every day on the roads.