August 24th, 2005 - Mud Pies or Trip to the Beach?
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Tai Dam Quick Facts:
-Population of 1 Million
-Religion of animism and ancestor  worship
-Settled agriculturists who cultivate wet  rice
-Less than 0.1% are Christian
C. S. Lewis, in talking about our "fallen state!"  said, "We are so content to sit at home and play with mud pies, when we are offered a trip to the beach!"

It was quite a week for S and E this past week. Going to Hanoi, N. Vietnam was familiar to E but to S, when the two bus attendants started playing tug-of-war with his bag to get him on to "their bus", he knew he was in for a real adventure.  I, too, was shocked at the true "nature" of the Vietnamese folks, that we were dealing with.  They thought nothing to lie right to your face, or to cause you problems, so they might gain an upper hand and even financial gain!  It was sad.  But then I realize what I look like to the Savior,  and how my nature is just exactly the same, apart from His grace in my life.

The week was discouraging for E this time as well. After only two days, they ran into problems with the local "police" near the Tai Dam village.  This was the second time that she had come to this area. The time before, she also had the police come and "bother" her.  This time, however, she was just visiting and not staying anywhere near the area.  Police were aware of  that though. However, when the police in Vietnam want to grab some cash from a foreigner, they ask for their passport.  This is not a problem normally, but when visiting Vietnam, the hotel keeps your passport at the hotel where you stay. The hotel can keep it "safe" and also prove that you are indeed staying there.

In E and S's case, the passports were at the hotel. When the police asked to see them, all they could produce was the photocopy that they carried.  This wasn't good enough and facing a $150 fine, E and S told the driver to go back to the hotel and bring the passports to the police.  However, the police said, "It is too late now. You have already broken the law!"  After two hours of talking, the officer cut the fine in half (still a fine considerably over the normal amount, according to other Vietnamese!)  I have heard this happening also to others.  E and S responded, "So essentially what you are saying is that you welcome us to come to Vietnam, but forbid us from  leaving the hotel!"  (Remember these were two Asian people being fined and not a white Westerner.)

After going through this, with the contact Tai Dam standing there and really not doing anything, E was discouraged. E was beginning to learn the contact's "true colors!"  The contact seemed to be after money and was not dealing with us honestly. Half of the amount of woven material had somehow "disappeared".  Another two ladies, who were trained in the previous training 2 months ago, have also said their "price" of weaving for us will be way beyond what we can produce profitably. So, they have sort of "shot themselves in the foot!"
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