Letters From Grandpa #407

LETTERS FROM GRANDPA

• 407

Dearest grandchild,

Today’s letter is adapted from an article in the Suffolk New-Herald of May 21, 2021. It is the story of a Vietnamese man named Hein Pham who spoke at the Suffolk Leadership Prayer Breakfast on May 6, 2021. Hein was raised as a devout Buddhist but in 1971 he was given a Bible by an American soldier. Hein read the Bible, believed it, and became an energetic and devoted Christian. He was fluent in English and served as a civilian translator for American service men and Christian missionaries. Four year later when Vietnam fell to the communists he was arrested.

Accused of aiding Americans he was in and out of prison for several years. During one long prison term he was subjected to so much brainwashing that he came to question his faith. He was so discouraged that he vowed that the next day he would no longer pray or think of Christianity anymore. The next morning he was assigned to clean the latrines. Providentially, in a can filled with toilet paper he saw a soiled piece of paper in English. He quickly washed it off and put it in his hip pocket. That night, under the cover of his mosquito net, he discovered that the paper in English was a page from the Bible. It read: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:28-39).

The next day, Hien asked if he could clean the latrine again. It seems that some government official was using the Bible as toilet paper. Without knowing it this unbelieving enemy of God was providing page after page of Scripture to a discouraged Christian.

When Hien was finally released from prison he immediately made plans to escape. He and 53 others were planning to escape by boat. Shortly before their departure four Viet Cong knocked at his door and interrogated him about his plans to escape. Hien denied the accusation and fabricated a story to explain his unusual activities. When they left he was disappointed in himself for lying and vowed that if the men returned he would tell them the truth. They did return and when he confessed his plans. Instead of arresting him the men leaned forward and whispered that they wanted to escape with him. Soon all 58 were on the high seas en route to freedom. The four Viet Cong were fishermen, skilled in handling a boat. Hien said that when their boat was beset by a storm it probably would have sunk without the help and skill of these four fishermen.

They all made it safely to Thailand, and later Hien made it to the United States and became an American citizen. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of California at Berkeley and also has business degrees from Harvard and Stanford. He is now a successful businessman. Hien is grateful to America but recognizes dark clouds on our horizon. He sees in America the same seeds of tyranny that he saw in his beloved Vietnam. As a devout Christian he prays every day that America will turn to Christ and avoid the storm. He wants us to always be “One Nation under God”, and to be true to our motto, “In God we trust.”

Note that Hein’s faith began with the Bible, and was revived and sustained by the Bible. Truly the Bible is a book from God! John Wesley reasoned like this: “This book had to be written by one of three people: good men, bad men, or God. It couldn’t have been written by good men because they said it was inspired by the revelation of God. Good men don’t lie and deceive. It couldn’t have been written by bad men because bad men would not write something that would condemn themselves. It leaves only one conclusion. It was given by divine inspiration of God.”

Please read the Bible! It is a lamp to our feet and a light for our path (Ps. 119:105). What God has done for others He can also do for you!

I love you,

Grandpa Boyce