Who could believe that in 2009, 40,000 would gather to honor Christ in Vietnam
despite not receiving government approval. Requests had been filed with the
authorities in Vietnam to use a large stadium to gather to celebrate Christmas.
The authorities continually kept putting those requests aside and the religious
leaders thoughout Vietnam on. Some even went so far as to protest by camping out
in front of the governmental offices. Authorities often in the past have worked
to sabatoge these efforts but the organizers stood firm and sent out invitations
throughout the country and buses were rent to bring in the believers.  They told
the deputy majoy that refusal to grant permission would have far-ranging,
negative ramifications in Vietnam as well as internationally. Finally at the
close of business on Dec. 9, just 48 hours before the scheduled event, officials
granted permission that required clearance all the way to Hanoi. But the
permission was only for 3,000 people, and many more were invited. Buses were
stopped and people were told no, but buses and people kept on coming and by the
time of the event 2,000 people had been turned away but it has been now
estimated that 40,000 people were in attendance and around 8,000 people came
forward when asked if they wished to receive Christ. WOW!!
   In Hanoi it is estimated that somewhere around 12,000 did the same thing.
Fellas, it's happening in Vietnam believe it or not. I would have never believed
this would have taken place in my lifetime when I first returned to Vietnam in
1992.
  P.S. If you want to read and view it more, then go to www.hoithanh.com and view
it live.
curt

At times like this we sit and think of our departed comrades in arms.We think of
how they either stood for something or turned out to have 'feet of clay' at a
critical moment.

Then LTC Bob Howard was sent to Korea to 'square away' one person,ME. It was
figured that he had the awards to get that done.He asked me�for a briefing and
then said 'They are out of their minds,we must do whatever is required to bring
these men home from terrible prisons.' He went with me to Southeast Asia and the
Thais opened the intelligence door on Americans left behind in the communist
countries of Asia. Bob was stunned and was determined to do whatever was
required to bring home his fellow soldiers from a long ago war. He was certain
once the chain of command knew the truth they would move to rescue them.

In a word the treatment America's most decorated soldier received after
demanding action was 'shabby' and downright cruel. Threats meant nothing to Bob
so he was shipped off to the VIP drunk tank and was the only individual to
arrive sober at the door. Did Bob drink? He sure did but that had nothing to do
with him being shipped out. He had become the naysayers on live POWS most feared
adversary.

He flew to America from Germany and gave my lawyer a sworn statement and then
was brought before the Senate.He stated when asked why he was there; 'To tell
you that you can believe everything Major Mark Smith tells you.' You expected
courage from Bob Howard and he once again delivered.

Bob was a country boy and told me he had been drinking moonshine since age nine.
None of that mattered until Bob believed we had left American POWS in Asia.

To my fellow soldier I say simply;' God Bless brave friend and 'Well done, good
and faithful servant.'

People ask why I refuse to participate in certain things. Because to participate
would mean an association with those behind the shabby treatment of this hero of
heroes. I honor him with this stand.

God has a true warrior in the ranks tonight because as much as Bob believed in
America,he first and foremost believed in God.

Major Mark A. Smith,USA,Retired

Every Christmas I send this poem about Christmas in a terrible place.'JUST
THANKFUL TO STILL BE HERE LORD.' MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!



Subject: A PROMISE MADE ON CHRISTMAS DAY

Note: Forwarded message is attached.

Note: forwarded message attached.


__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Tired of spam?� Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around
http://mail.yahoo.com

I've been trying to convey what's happening in Vietnam for quite some time but
no one seems to be listening. This is not the first gathering for several months
earlier thousands gathered at a revival inwhich the mayor of Saigon actually
spoke. I was at that gathering in Feburary of this year but not one news
organization told of  the event. Actually a group of people outside of Vietnam
tried to say there were only a few hundred, while I randomly counted thousands.
I have pictures and video of that event that I took to verify to any unbeliever.
Sure there is persecution of Christians going on but when Christ is in it, no
man, woman or organization can stop. One must not underestimate what Christ can
do!
   I've been amoungst the Muong and tribes throughout the entire country and as
unbelievable as you may think or have heard there is a huge revival taking place
in Vietnam. Believe me it's happening in homes and churches. Now, we must pray
to God that his Spirit will continue, as it will all over the country. One
organization that I am a member of has 10 groups of men scattered throughout the
country, in places like Saigon, Hanoi and Hai Long etc and what they've asking
is for Christians to step up and assist them in getting Scriptures. The most
important thing for we Christians to do, is pray. When we step aside from our
aims let God work, miracles do happen. We don't need weapons or military we need
Christians to pray, step up and go.
   Please notice I didn't ask for any money from you, just to pray. How difficult
is that
curt


--- In blacklions28thinfantry@yahoogroups.com, zippo smith <majorzippo@...>
wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Forwarded Message ----
> From: "majorzippo@..." <majorzippo@...>
> To: majorzippo@...
> Sent: Tue, December 22, 2009 1:52:19 PM
> Subject: Unprecedented Christmas Gathering Held in Vietnam
>
>
> Unprecedented Christmas Gathering Held in Vietnam
>
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20091215/unprecedented-christmas-gathering-\
held-in-vietnam/index.html
> HO CHI MINH CITY (Compass Direct News) �" On Friday evening (Dec. 11),
history was made in communist Vietnam.
> Christian sources reported that some 40,000 people gathered in a hastily
constructed venue in Ho Chi Minh City to worship God, celebrate Christmas, and
hear a gospel message �" an event of unprecedented magnitude in Vietnam.
> A popular Vietnamese Christian website and other reports indicated up to 8,000
people responded to the gospel message indicating a desire to follow Christ.
> For the last two years, authorities surprisingly granted permission to
unregistered house churches in Ho Chi Minh City to hold public Christmas
rallies, and last year more than 10,000 people participated in one in Tao Dan
Stadium.
> This year visionary house church leaders approached the government in October
and asked for a sports stadium seating 30,000; they were refused. Authorities
offered a sports venue holding only 3,000, located 13 kilometers (eight miles)
out of the city. This was unacceptable to the organizers. They pressed for
another stadium in the city holding about 15,000, and officials gave them a
verbal promise that they could have it.
> The verbal promise did not translate into the written permission that is
critical in the country �" church leaders say such promises are empty until
“we have the permission paper in our hand.” Christian leaders believed event
planning had to proceed without permission and sent out invitations far and wide
�" only to have authorities deny the stadium they had promised.
> Led by Pastor Ho Tan Khoa, chairman of a large fellowship of house church
organizations, organizers were forced to look for alternatives. They found a
large open field in the Go Vap district of the city. When permission was still
not granted five days before the planned event, several church leaders literally
camped for three days outside city hall, pressing for an answer.
> Authorities, who often work to sabotage united action among Christians, tried
urgently to find ways to talk the leaders out of going ahead, promising future
concessions if they would cancel the event. Organizers stood firm. Ultimately
they told the deputy mayor that refusal to grant permission at that point would
have far-ranging, negative ramifications in Vietnam as well as internationally.
> Finally, at the close of business on Dec. 9, just 48 hours before the
scheduled event, officials granted permission that required clearance all the
way to Hanoi. But the permission was only for 3,000 people, and many more had
been invited.
> Organizers had less than two days to turn a vacant field into something that
would accommodate a stadium-size crowd. They had to bring in ample electricity,
construct a giant stage, rent 20,000 chairs, and set up the sound and lighting.
The extremely short time frame caused contractors to double the prices they
would have charged with ample time.
> Organizers also rented hundreds of busses to bring Christians and their
non-Christian friends from provinces near the city. Thousands of students
sacrificed classes to help with last-minute preparations and to join the
celebration.
> Just after noon on Friday (Dec. 11), word came that police had stopped busses
carrying 300 Steing minority people from the west to the event scheduled for
that day. Organizers, fearing all busses would be stopped, put out an emergency
worldwide prayer request.
> Christian sources said that authorities either did not or could not stop
busses from other directions, and that by evening the venue became the biggest
“bus station” in all of Vietnam. By 6 p.m. the venue was full to capacity,
and at least 2,000 had to be turned away.
> Christians described the event, entitled, “With Our Whole Hearts,” in
superlative terms. For house churches, large gatherings are both very rare and
very special, and for many this was their first glimpse of the strength of
Vietnam’s growing Christian movement. Thousands of Christians joined a choir
of more 1,000 singers in loud and joyful praise.
> Sources said that the main speaker, the Rev. Duong Thanh Lam, head of the
Assemblies of God house churches “preached with anointing” and people
responding to his gospel invitation poured to the front of the stage “like a
waterfall.” With space in front of the stage insufficient, the sources said,
many others in their seats also indicated their desire to receive Christ.
> Organizers along with many participants were overwhelmed with emotion and
gratitude as the event closed. People spontaneously hugged each other and cried,
“Lord, bring revival to all of Vietnam!” Other comments included, “Beyond
our fondest imagination,” and, “Nothing could stop the hand of the Lord.”
> The event raised more than 60 million dong (US$3,280) for a charity helping
needy children. People were quite surprised to read a positive article on the
event in the state-controlled press, which often vilifies Christians.
> House churches in the north were hopeful that they could hold a similar event.
Organizers in Hanoi have heard encouraging reports that they will get permission
to use the national My Dinh sports stadium for a Christmas celebration, though
they do not have it in hand. Sources said they have sent out invitations across
a broad area to an event scheduled for Dec. 20.
> Friday’s event also made history in that it was streamed live on the
Vietnamese website www.hoithanh.com and viewed by thousands more in Vietnam and
by Vietnamese people around the world.
>

information direct from a fella who was there on what has happened and is
happening concerning Christ in Vietnam, email me. Would you believe 30,000
worshipers in one place giving honor to HIM? Some probably won't. Would you
believe the praising of Christ, through songs and gathering in middle of
downtown Saigon. If you want the latest on what is happening, email me and I'll
give you the latest or you can go to Baptist Press and type in Bobby Welch and
Grace Baptist's celebration and read for yourself.
   Thought, some of you might want to know,
                  curt

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: zippo smith
To: editor
Sent: Tue, December 22, 2009 10:27:35 AM
Subject: Letters To The Editor Daily Breeze

Letters To The Editor, Daily Breeze

Dear Sir,
I never cease to be amazed at some of the articles and letters contained in your
newspaper on a daily basis.Today we were treated to everything from helicopters
making conversations on the ground impossible to the ‘rights’ of a virtual
‘Beggars Brigade’ haunting the exits of our international airport.

I have flown in and jumped out of via parachute nearly every helicopter in the
U.S. inventory. One of the reasons they are used is they are relatively quiet in
flight and only make excess noise during take-off and landing. Since the debate
seems to be about choppers flying at one thousand feet I can speak with some
expertise in this arena. I have been on enumerable drop zones with choppers
flying over to drop jumpers from one thousand feet and even a bit lower and
never had to raise my voice to be heard by my fellow soldiers. The only way they
interrupt conversation at that altitude is for those on the ground talking to
you to stop speaking to gape at the ‘whirly birds.’  In daytime or at night
I take some solace in knowing my mother’s house is guarded by an available
‘eye-in-the sky’ to ward off prowling scum. The presence of a Coast Guard
chopper should reassure anyone with a child at the beach or out boating. For
years I knew I was coming
  home as a jetliner passed over the old Standard Brands Paint Store on Prairie
as it made its final approach into LAX. People living near to LAX either got
used to it or moved. No helicopter ever approached the sound those jets made.
The argument is specious, arrogant and certainly self-serving.

At the airport we from the area have grown used to ignoring the group of beggars
hanging around. Thus they have ensconced near the doorways of the international
area to prey and I mean prey on unsuspecting foreigners from around the world.
 What kind of country do they believe they have landed in when nurses in
uniform must be at the airport begging rather than treating the sick? Our
children obviously have no social services because there is an entire brigade at
the airport asking foreigners to help feed them. ‘Veterans’ hang out asking
for help in getting over this war or the last one because they get no help from
us. You embarrass me people because I have spent years dealing with these same
types of people around the world. We are now no different than those who drug
and maim children in Asia so that foreigners will give them money. Tourists are
never up in the wee hours in Bangkok and other places when the vans drop them
off.

Over there and here we are not subjecting foreigners to our ‘cold, hungry and
neglected’ but to the same type of scams they see daily overseas. They expect
better coming to our shores and we still cannot figure out if these people do
not have a ‘right’ to scam them. The vast majority of our ‘poor, hungry
and neglected’ at the airport or in front of a super market, waiting to prey
on the old, are scammers and that includes the wannabe ‘veterans’ who never
heard a shot fired in anger(See the book Stolen Valor for that one).

How about a tad of national and state pride in the fact we still have choppers
flying and will not have our good name and image besmirched by charlatans at our
airport.

Mark A. Smith, Major, USA, Retired

Jack Bauer Interrogates Santa Claus

   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp19qiash2U