Call for prayer for detained Mennonites in Vietnam
The Mennonite Church in Vietnam has appealed to Mennonites in North America and in the Mennonite World Conference to pray on their behalf, and in particular for Nguyen Hong Quang, Mennonite Church leader who was arrested on June 8, 2004.
In a message sent to a friend one day before his arrest, Pastor Quang wrote: "The Church is now on stormy seas but the boat still goes out. The Lord enables us to row together. Be at peace. I ask you and the Church to pray for us."
Because of United States' history with Vietnam, we do not currently think it helpful for US citizens to write letters to either Vietnamese or US legislators. Watch for updates on this view (below). If you would like to write brief letters of support to the families of those imprisoned, follow this link:
 | Information on how to write letters of support |
| | Financial support for Vietnamese Mennonites: letter from Nhien Huu Pham, President of North American Vietnamese Mennonite Fellowship |
| | Word of Thanks from Nguyen Van Phuong after being released. |
Please check back for new resources or watch the MennoLink Peace.news list
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Mennonite Church USA resources |
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| | Letter to congregations from Jim Schrag, Mennonite Church USA Executive Director |
| | Bulletin insert (50k PDF) with information and prayer |
| | Posters (38k PDF) (several layouts in one file, print the page you wish to use) |
| | Logo Color and Logo B/W for use in publicity |
| | Fax from Mennonite Church USA Executive Board to Raymond F. Burghardt, Ambassador to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam |
| | Appeal for prayer from Mennonite Church Vietnam (June 15, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040615rls1.html |
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Mennonite World Conference News Releases |
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| | Pastor Quang Released for Vietnam Prison (August 30, 2005) http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/vietnammwc4.html |
| | Part of Vietnam Mennonite Church Center Torn Down (July 23, 2005) http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/vietnammwc3.html |
| | Mennonites in Vietnam: Light and Shadow (July 23, 2005) http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/vietnammwc2.html |
| | Ms. Lien Released from Prison (May 2, 2005) http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/vietnammwc1.html |
| | Ho Chi Minh City Court Upholds Sentences (April 13, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050413rls2.html |
| | Vietnam Church Requests Prayer Support (April 7, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050407rls1.html |
| | Vietnam Prisoner Transerred to Hospital (March 24, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050324rls1.html |
| | Another Vietnam Mennonite Leader Released from Prison; Continued Concern for Ms. Lien (March 7, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050307rls1.html Photo's of Phuong's release |
| | Vietnam Mennonite Church Experiences Dissension (February 14, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050214rls2.html |
| | Vietnam Prime Minister Issues New Statement Regarding Protestants (February 14, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050214rls1.html |
| | Court Appeal Delayed, Vietnam Church Asks for Prayer (January 31, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050131rls1.html |
| | Court Sets Appeal Date for Imprisoned Leaders (January 18, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050118rls1.html |
| | Amnesty International Urges Appeals to President of Vietnam (January 12, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050112rls1.html |
| | Christmas Observed by Vietnam Churches (January 10, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050110rls1.html |
| | Released church leaders speak out on prison abuse (January 5, 2005) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/050105rls1.html |
| | MWC Executive Reflects on Vietnam Visit (December 14, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041214rls1.html |
| | Ho Chi Minh City Authorities Target Mennonite Congregation (December 13, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041213rls2.html |
| | Two Vietnamese Mennonites Released from Prison (December 13, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041213rls1.html |
| | Vietnamese Court Sentences Quang and other Mennonite Church Workers (November 16,2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041116rls1.html |
| | Mennonite Leaders Harassed in the Central Highlands (November 16,2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041116rls2.html |
| | New law restricts Vietnam house churches (November 16,2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041116rls3.html |
| | Six people sentenced for opposing officials on duty (November 13,2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041113rls1.html |
| | Harsh Sentences for Vietnamese Mennonites (November 12,2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041112rls2.html |
| | Mennonite pastor, five followers sentenced to jail in Vietnam (November 12,2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041112rls1.html |
| | Trial date set for Pastor Quang; persecution continues for Mennonite house church Christians (November 6, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/041106rls1.html |
| | Quang trial may come in September; some detainees allowed visits (September 1, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040901rls1.html |
| | Wife of Jailed Vietnamese Pastor Briefly Sees Husband (August 14, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040814rls1.html |
| | Church life continues in Vietnam in spite of arrests (July 25, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040725rls1.html |
| | Vietnamese Pastors Ordained in the U.S.A. (July 25, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040725rls2.html |
| | Seek Ambassadors' Help for Vietnamese Mennonites (June 30, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040630rls1.html |
| | MWC President Meets with Vietnamese Officials in Washington (June 30, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040630rls2.html |
| | Vietnam Pastor Visits the United States (June 30, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040630rls3.html |
| | Nguyen Hong Quang, General Secretary of the Mennonite Church in Vietnam, Arrested: Calls on "the Church to Pray for Us" (June 10, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040610rls1.html |
| | Vietnam Mennonite Church Leaders Appeal to Their Government (April 23, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040423rls1.html |
| | Unrest in Vietnam's Central Highlands (April 23, 2004) http://www.mwc-cmm.org/News/MWC/040423rls2.html |
| | Mennonite Church Canada news and resources on the call http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/programs/peace/vietnam/ |
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Updates |
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| | Officials destroy part of jailed pastor's church, apartment by Mennonite Weekly Review staff (July 25, 2005) |
| | Church faces escalating cycle of persecution from communists by Robert Rhodes |
| | A Call to Action: To all the Pastors, Preachers and Members of The Vietnam Evangelical Fellowship. (August 30, 2004) |
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Further contacts |
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Pastor Nhien Pham, North American Vietnamese Fellowship:
Lora Steiner, Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office
Jan Siemens, MCC Southeast Asia desk
Susan Mark Landis, peace advocate, Mennonite Church USA Executive Board