New Beginning

My momma left today.

The house feels a bit quiet and empty, but I think I'll be okay :)

Feels like a brand new beginning.

Part II of Vietnam, here we go ~

Farewell Feast

Had two lunches today......

(and still managed to eat dinner)

1. Ngon Restaurant

A restaurant located in Ho Chi Minh City, popular among tourists.

 It has an extensive menu of a variety of food from all over Vietnam.

My mom did the treating out on Sunday, and P.Paul Hahn did the treating out today.

He said he always brings guests from overseas to this restaurant, and he wanted to treat my mom out before she leaves.

It's not a buffet, but you walk around and order the food you want. There are stations circling the restaurant that are supposed to be like street vendors selling one or two special dishes. 

Doesn't it look like a family picture, celebrating our grandpa's 70th birthday? LOL.
That's P.Paul & SMN in the middle, and P.Paul's mother on the far left. (She's 90 something, but so healthy. No problems walking, hearing, eating. It's shocking and amazing.)

2. Pho Hoa Pasteur

As we were finishing up at Ngon, everyone looked unsatisfied. We decided to order pho from one of the stations, but P. Hahn suggested we might as well go to a pho restaurant.
They said Pho Hoa's the best pho place in town, and that my mom MUST try it, so we went.

Couple people shared a bowl, but I thought I might as well eat a whole one if I'm gonna eat it anyway.

It was good! The best I've tried so far in Ho Chi Minh City, but I wouldn't say it's the best of the best. 

--

We finished lunch and got dropped off back at church. 

A couple of us remained at church just to cool off, but we ended up deciding to eat dinner together.

Domino's Pizza

Tuesday, buy one get one free :)

Ate four slices......

Literally felt like my stomach was going to pop.

Ears to Hear

And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Mark 4:9

Lead Me, Oh Lord

주님 말씀하시면 

내가 나아가리라

주님 뜻이아니면

내가 멈춰서리다

나의 가고 서는 것

주님 뜻에 있으니

오 주님 나를 이끄소서 

뜻하신 그곳에

나 있기원합니다

이끄시는대로 

순종하며 살리니

연약한 내영혼

통하여 일하소서

주님 나라와 그 뜻을 위하여 

Eczema

I've been having some skin problems on my index finger..

Approximately two months ago, I noticed a small blister-like bubble on my index finger.

It was really small, almost like a dot, but it started to grow bigger by the day.

But eventually the blister popped, my skin began to peel, and it healed.

Started happening again about a two weeks ago.

But this time.... it got even bigger and nastier.

I figured it was eczema, so I asked my mom to bring me ointment from Korea.

I've been using that, but we decided it might be better to see a dermatologist.

Went to see a dermatologist today, and got diagnosed with eczema. 

Received "Diprosalic" Ointment, and a week's worth of Vitamin tablets.

Gotta go back and get checked up in a week.

2/13 - Beginning to spread
 2/16 - Getting worse
2/21- Scabbing/peeling, healing process

Hopefully it doesn't spread elsewhere..

Praise God for cheap and easily accessible hospitals in Vietnam :)

Chicken Feet

This is by far the biggest chicken feet I've ever seen.

My mom and I were still full from lunch, so we didn't eat dinner before Wednesday Service.

After service we went to go eat with a couple people that were hungry - Pastor Kim, SMN, and Deacon Baek - at a Korean restaurant.

We placed our order and as we were waiting, I noticed a dish of chicken feet on the table behind us.

I asked, "IS THAT CHICKEN FEET?!" (Not because I've never seen chicken feet before, but because I've never seen such BIG ones before!)

The waitress confirmed for us that it was chicken feet, and Deacon Baek decided to order a dish.

Chicken feet is usually steamed and marinated, but this one was grilled.

To be honest, it looked really disgusting and less appealing because it was so big, 

BUT it was super delicious.

Bún Chả

Every time I came to Vietnam for summer missions, the Vietnamese students we worked with took us to go eat Bun Cha. So I thought it was a common food all around Vietnam.

After moving to Vietnam, I've learned that Bun Cha originated from Hanoi, so it's not as common here in HCMC.

My mom and I went out for a walk around 5:30PM, having in mind that eventually we'll think of, or find, a place to eat.

I insisted we must go somewhere new, so we planned to go to a Thai Restaurant.

BUT on our way, this Vietnamese restaurant caught our eyes.

I read the sign "Bun Cha," and knowing it was something familiar, decided to go check it out.

It was good! And of course, cheap.

But... I think it's better in Hanoi.

I guess I gotta go to Hanoi to get some real Bun Cha :)

--

Bun Cha

Grilled Pork Noodle Soup

white rice noodle (bun), grilled pork (cha), lettuce & herbs, and a steamy broth of fish sauce.