April 30th, 2024: A Reflection on The End of The Vietnam War

It was 49 years ago the war in Vietnam ended. The following 25 years was a very dark period of time economically for Vietnam because of the American embargo. As one of my friends from Vietnam told me recently people had to learn to be content with less because there was little to go around. They had almost no contact with the outside world during those years. They just struggled to survive. 

Now it is a different story. Since the economic normalization in 2000 Vietnam's economy has risen to be one of the fastest growing economy in Asia. That also comes with some serious challenges, growth without a clear moral framework can also bring corruption. It is also a challenge to reconcile a political system with communist flavors with an economic reality dominated by capitalism. It is like a Christian claim to be fully submitted to God while living a life of deliberate disobedience.

Some Vietnamese still long for the days of the old South Vietnam before 1975. Some have moved on in some ways because they have no other option. We can see that tension in many Vietnamese community in the US and Canada. Some experienced tremendous loss during the war and try to find meaning in it. Humanity in many ways endures similar challenges. We have lost our innocence and yet we constantly look for our notions of heaven. Trying to make sense out of our existence is both humbling and trying task.

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:16-18