Almost Home: Reflections from Vietnam

by Penny Taylor

Finding Purpose in the In-Between

I’m sitting in the airport terminal, waiting for our final flight home from Vietnam, and I’ve found myself captivated by the art of people-watching. Around me, travelers have settled into their own rhythms—some buried in books or typing away on laptops, others scrolling mindlessly through their phones or browsing overpriced souvenirs in the gift shops. There’s something oddly comforting about this liminal space where everyone processes their journey differently. No one way is better than another; it’s simply fascinating to observe how we each choose to spend these in-between moments.

After a week of profound experiences, I find myself ready to simply be—to disengage and let my mind rest. We’re almost home.

A Week That Changed Our Perspective

This past week transported us from the comfortable predictability of our American routines into something entirely different. We stepped into a world where a remarkable community of pastors, social workers, and families have built their entire lives around one central purpose: serving Christ with every resource they have.

Their generosity isn’t the kind you see once in a while—it’s woven into the fabric of their daily existence. These families pour out their time, energy, and material resources without reservation, investing deeply in the communities surrounding them. Their days are filled with purpose: walking alongside people in addiction recovery, studying Scripture with diligence to preach with power, practicing instruments for hours to lead worship with excellence, and perhaps most movingly, caring for the most vulnerable among them—orphaned children from remote Hmong communities nestled in the mountains of Northern Vietnam.

The Mirror of Comparison

Throughout our journey, a common theme emerged in our team’s conversations. Again and again, someone would express amazement—even bewilderment—at the level of commitment these Vietnamese families demonstrate. And inevitably, that observation would turn inward, becoming a mirror reflecting our own lives back home.

By comparison, many of us felt our American lifestyles seemed lackluster, even comfortable to the point of complacency. It’s a sobering realization: we have one life to live, one chance to make our days count, and the way we choose to spend our time carries eternal significance. These aren’t just philosophical musings—they’re truths that confronted us daily as we witnessed radical, joyful obedience lived out in real time.

The Tension of Going Home

Now, as I sit here waiting to board, I can feel a renewed passion stirring in each of us. We’re returning home with a desire to live more intentionally, to align our calendars and our choices with what truly matters. The question is: will it last?

I know myself well enough to recognize my natural tendency. Within days—maybe even hours—of returning home, the gravitational pull of my old routines will begin tugging at me. The comfortable patterns, the easy distractions, the “normal” life I left behind will be waiting, ready to absorb me back into its rhythm as if I never left.

But here’s the perspective shift I can’t shake: as Christians, we are almost “home” in the truest sense. Our time on this earth is limited, a brief chapter in the context of eternity. This reality should fundamentally shape how we spend our days.

Living in Light of Eternity

The families we met in Vietnam seem to grasp this truth in a way that has transformed their everyday lives. They understand that loving God and loving others isn’t just a Sunday morning activity—it’s the purpose that drives every decision, every sacrifice, every moment of service.

When we truly internalize that we’re sojourners here, that our real home awaits us in eternity, it reframes everything. Suddenly, the temporary comforts and distractions that consume so much of our attention seem less important. The opinions of others, the pursuit of more possessions, the endless scroll through social media—these things fade in significance when held up against the eternal weight of how we love God and serve others.

The Challenge Ahead

So here’s my prayer—for myself and for everyone on this journey: May we spend our limited time well. May we love others with the same unreserved generosity we witnessed this week. May we not let the fire of inspiration cool as we settle back into our routines.

The Christians in Vietnam have shown us what radical obedience looks like, not in extraordinary moments, but in the faithful, daily grind of following Jesus. They’ve challenged us to ask ourselves: What would my life look like if I truly believed my time here is short? How would I spend my days differently if I lived with eternity in view?

These aren’t easy questions, and the answers will require real sacrifice. But as we prepare to board this final flight, I’m convinced of one thing: we’re not meant to stay the same. This week was meant to change us, to recalibrate our hearts toward what matters most.

We’re almost home to our houses, our beds, our routines. But more importantly, we’re almost Home to eternity.

May we live like we believe it.

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Scripture Reflection

Matthew 22:37-39
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”

1 Peter 4:10-11
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”