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They Are Here!

An email sent by Sister Chiles December 17, 2019


Dear Families - 
It is the wee hours of the morning here in Hanoi, but I know you are probably anxious to know that your missionaries have arrived safe and sound. Well, they are here!   

We had three airport pickups tonight! Our new Assistant to the President, Anh Cả Sáng, arrived from Ho Chi Minh City first, then Anh Cả Kiên (Smith) arrived from Cambodia.  He is on temporary assignment in our mission for a transfer or two to get some more experience with Vietnamese before he heads back to work in the Vietnamese branch in Phnom Phenh.  We think it is great to have him!  Our 3 sisters and 4 elders from the MTC arrived shortly afterward. We have been anticipating and preparing for their arrival, and are SOO excited to have them here.    

Everyone arrived safely; and all the luggage did as well; so that is wonderful!  

Hugs all around, a quick picture, and then headed to the bus. 





After a 20 minute ride, we arrived at the Mission Home, had a quick snack, sang I am a Child of God (in Vietnamese of course!), family prayer, family hugs (A Chiles tradition - but adapted for appropriate missionary contact!) and I shuffled them all off to bed.  We are so happy that we have rooms and showers enough for everyone to stay here with us at the Mission Home! They are excited, but exhausted!  We hope they sleep well tonight as tomorrow is a busy day!  
 
They will start their day early tomorrow morning with breakfast and then an early outing to the rice fields where we see and talk about what it means to labor in the Lord’s work of planting and harvesting. There are some powerful symbols. They also will have an opportunity to dedicate their mission to the Lord while we are there.  

We then return to the Mission Home for the second session of orientation, followed lunch at a very authentic local bún chả place near the Mission Office with the Assistants to the President.  In the afternoon, they will have their first interview with President Chiles, and have more training and orienting at the Mission Office. 

Around 3 pm they will be starting to fade as the jet lag sets in... but they will perk up because this is about the time they will meet their new companions! The trainers from Hanoi will come to the Mission Office in person to meet and pick up their new companion.  If the trainer is in HCMC, they will join us by video conference call.   The trainers also find out who they are going to be training at this meeting, so it is exciting for everyone.  Those heading south will join the other transfer missionaries and together they will head off to the airport for the 2 hour flight to Ho Chi Minh City.  Everyone will be settled into their new apartments with their new companions by tomorrow night.  Whew! It will be quite a day. 

The burning question is who will stay in Hanoi and who will travel south to Ho Chi Minh City for their training and first area of service??  They will have to wait until tomorrow to find out, and they will be able to tell you more about that when they call for Christmas. 

Thank you for sharing them with us. We love them already. 

Sister Carrie Chiles

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