Dear Friends:
Hello, again! Since I wrote to you in March, Dona and I have been to Viet Nam and stayed for ten weeks. It was a very wonderful and productive trip.
We were able to be used by the Lord to bring some people back together over there. Due to the events of past years, some of the Christians had lost contact with each other. Being part of reunions of brothers and sisters who had not seen each other since 1975 was very emotional! They all want us to come back and help them re-develop the church in Viet Nam.
Another fascinating situation is our introduction to an evangelist, the oldest son of my former co-worker in the village where we lived in the '60s, who has left his father's Pentecostal group and is out teaching people to go back to the Bible. It appears to be a restoration movement -- with some 5000 people involved already! Mr. Thinh wants us to come back to study and work with him.
Lord willing, we will return to Viet Nam in about a month. Our plan is to stay about eight months this time -- and then come back to further evaluate what is possible over there. Our goal is to go back each year for the next several years, spending the major portion of the year in Viet Nam. We are also talking with a couple of Christian universities about possibly helping them open in Viet Nam!
Enclosed are the first issue of the monthly newsletter which we have been creating and a page (on the back of this letter) listing some goals which we have established for the next year. We will plan to send you additional newsletters as they come off the press. There really is much to tell!
We are again looking for some financial assistance. While it seems that teaching part-time will be necessary to our obtaining the visas which we need in order to stay more than three months at a time, that will not provide the income which we need to exist adequately in Viet Nam. If you can help with this effort, or encourage your church or friends to assist, we would be happy for gifts to be designated to any of the categories of support shown on the "goals" list.
In the interest of time and expense, we are sending this "form letter", for which I do apologize. We would, however, love to hear from you and know how you are doing. We promise to respond individually to those who contact us.
We pray that all is well with you and yours. We solicit yours prayers for us.
In Christian love,
P.S. Contributions toward our work may be sent to: Englewood Church ofChrist, 4690 S. Logan, Englewood, CO 80110 -- marked for the Viet Nam work.
Goals Related to Leonard & Dona Blake Going Back to Viet Nam in 1997
Raise money to rent building for house and classes/worship for a year. (Purchase, if possible.)
Raise money to purchase used vehicle for transportation car or small van, preferably.
Raise money for traveI expenses round trip to VN and in-country travel.
Raise money for "working fund" to be used to assist brethren in VN in various ways.
Find employment in VN likely teaching English to provide most day-to-day living expenses.
Raise paitial support for 10/97 through 7/98, if possible. (Until going on Social Security.)
Begin recruitment of other persons
who might also go to VN to work and serve the church there:
Short-term Bible seminar leaders for
monthly study meetings for church leaders/members.
Teachers for English language kindergarten
in Ho Chi Minh City.
English teachers to work in various
schools in Viet Nam.
English teacher, possibly a nurse,
to teach English at District 4 Hospital, HCMC.
Financial Needs: (For one full year, beginning October 1, l997.)
Housing and Equipment Expenses:
Rent- $500/month (need one year in
advance)
$ 6,000
Utilities- $150/month (electricity,
water, local telephone)
$ 1,800
Appliances (refrigerator, stove, microwave,
washer, etc.)
$ 1,500
Equipment (TV, VCR, computer, fans,
chairs, tables, bookcases, etc.)$ 2,200
VehicIe:
Purchase small van or a car for transportation
of persons and goods $ 5,000
(to be left there as "the church's
vehicle")
Travel Expenses:
Round-trip airfare for Leonard and
Dona Blake (U.S. to Viet Nam) $ 3,500
Fund for travel within VN & possible
international travel
for visas, etc.)
$ 1,500
WorkingFund:
$500/month -- for such expenses as
interpreters, vehicle expense (owned,
rental, taxi, etc.), benevolence,
teaching materials, photos, etc. $ 6,000
Partial Personal Support:
$500/month from October 1, 1997 through
July, 1998.
$ 5,000
(I anticipate going on Social Security
at age 62 -
expecting first check to be August
3, 1998)
Total Funds Needed: $32,500
Tro+?-ve^` Trang
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