Stories That Won't Go Away: Women in Vietnam 1959-1975

At varying times between 1959-75, 38 women wound their way from different parts of the United States to South Vietnam. Twenty-three of us were accompanied by husbands; foutrteen were single women. It was a unique time and this was a unique line of people who marched in and out of what the world perceived as a war zone. Each of the women went there out of a sense of call and mission. Twenty-eight of our daughters lived with us. They spennt their growing up years in Vietnam. As you begin to live our experiences through the pages of this book, you can imagine what a relief it is to breathe out loud some of our best and worst times. Before you're through reading, you will have sensed our unanimity of vision that south Vietnam was a beautiful place, a wonderful place, a hard place.... When the government of South Vietnam came under Communist rule April 30, 1975, missionaries and Vietnam Christians agreed that as missionaries, we would no longer be welcome or safe within its borders. So we left, but we did not forget its people, its color, or its culture. We left some pieces of our hearts there; we've carried other pieces - the symbols, images and stories - with us wherever we've traveled or settled during the 20 years since our exodus.... The 100 stories herein are but a few of those that come back to clog the pathways of our minds. They are representative of our myriad experiences as we "walked before God in the land of the living" in South Vietnam (Psalm 116:9). They are as we've remembered them for 20 years. They encompass stories of those with whom we walked: Vietnamese, American, missionaries of all groups present there, and persons of many countries who volunteered or were sent. The rememberances are valid - they could have happened to anyone, anywhere, anytime. We hope they will happen again in you as you read. --- excerpts from book's Preface