Preparing coconut candy for TET in the Thao Dien building. The woman in the apron is the birth mother of one of our missionaries. Such a wonderful story: this elder was adopted as a baby from Vietnam by a couple in Colorado. At 18, he was called on a mission here in VN when Sister Cuc Nga (another senior missionary who makes it here mission to find lost members here) heard his story, she searched the villages in southern VN until she found his birth mother. She was able to re-unite the two. The mother moved to HCMC, where her son was able to teach her the gospel. She was recently baptised into the church.
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| Viet Anh School dressed up for Tet |
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| Doug was selected to be a judge for the Bahn Tet contest at school. Families work hard to get together and make this specialty, which takes many hours of preparation. |
Families preparing Bahn Tet
I was asked to host a booth with american food for the school festival. I decided to do frost-your-own Valentine cookies. It was a huge success, and we sold out of cookies early in the day
This little guy is delighted with his purchase of slime.
Me and my teacher friend holding Bahn Tet (very heavy delicacy!)
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| The Missionaries came with us to the school Tet festival, and became rock stars with their Kareoke performance. |
A huge meal after the contests and festival, with our english teachers and families.
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These are just some of the beautiful teachers at our school, dressed in the traditional Ao Dais. Lined up to get Tet gifts from the school, before going over to the lucky money tree to pluck an envelope filled with money from its branches.
For many reasons, we have loved being part of the faculty of this amazing school! |
Flowers everywhere are the hallmark of Tet. Flower stands seemed to spring up overnight in empty lots and on the streets. Everywhere the symbolic yellow and pink flowers are displayed.
Topiaries are part of the Tet celebration too. This is an orange tree shaped into a dog to honour the incoming year of the dog.
The dogs seem to know it is festival time too. We were invited to eat a meal at one of my teacher friends, Mai's, home.
After the meal, Mai's children wait for the adults to leave so they can finish the leftover soda (which they never get any other time)
Children enjoying a trip down the Walking Street in Saigon, full of flowers
After zone conference, the senior missionaries went to Nguyen Hue - the Walking Street -to enjoy all the Tet displays
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| Another Tet invitation for a meal with more of our friends. This is a typical meal, one we had many times. |
One of the Tet traditions is to burn "money" for luck
Dragon ceremony, where businesses hire a company who bring dancers and dragon kites and dogs to parade through their stores to bring luck to the business for the coming year.
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