Crazy Adventures in the Life of a Redhead

I had forgotten about the beauty and immensity of my own country before taking the opportunity to visit friends and family in the West. These wandering feet have taken me to more countries than states in the Union, so it seemed a fitting transition from abroad to back home in Wisconsin to check off a few more states I had been wanting to see, catching up with dear friends and family with whom I had not connected in a long while. Los Angeles LAX airport was the hub I chose for my Asian adventure, giving me a logical proximity to commence my western travels and to make my way eastward to Wisconsin.  Immediately following my arrival to the U.S. I took an eight-hour Amtrak ride to meet up with a dear friend from high school, who has been working in Folsom, CA, for nearly three years. I have been blessed to travel to see her several times since she moved out there, and I was no less excited this time around to share a weekend together.    Both loving t...

Finishing up our evening snack of noodles, sticky rice and sweet bean soup Three years ago I traveled to Vietnam as a tourist, and I left with an ambivalent impression of the country. This time around I returned to the country as the guest of my dear friends, redeeming my opinion of the country to the extent that I look forward to my next visit. What a difference being a guest makes! I stayed in the homes of my friends (two different homes and families) and visited their church communities and ate with their families and friends. I shared in the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection with them on Easter Sunday and was welcomed to be a part of their daily routines. My friend Kim and her parents, my first hosts I was blessed to have the chance to spend time with my friends and to see a more refreshing side of Vietnam. I prayed and read and ate a lot of good food, relaxing in the fellowship of my friends and their families (and bustling around on the back of...