March 29, 2026
Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Or is it Saigon, Vietnam? Tourists have come to know this city as Ho Chi Minh City but many Vietnamese, because of their fractured relationship with China still call the city Saigon. Also, many Vietnamese want to memorialize what they consider the most heroic act of Thich Quang Duc the Buddhist monk who died by self-immolation on a busy road in than named Saigon. John F Kennedy said of the photo that circulated around the world of this monk setting himself on fire to protest the harsh treatment of Buddhists, “no photo in history has generated more emotion than that one”. In respect to the Vietnamese, I will refer to the city as Saigon.
It’s hard today to imagine what Saigon was like 50 years ago. Every time I looked up, I saw modern high-rise buildings hovering over streets full of scooters, coffee shops and pedestrians.
And scoters are used for everything: commerce, family outings and transportation from the local Home Depot!
Of the many traditions that are changing in Vietnam is how fish are caught. Below is a photo I took 2 years ago of women fishing in Hoi An. I was told that even that long standing tradition is being challenged by “fish farms” that are being developed throughout Vietnam. On the way out of Saigon, I took a video of one of those massive fish farms. Fish are no longer caught but harvested.
Thirdmill Update: While in Saigon I was able to contact David Tran who partners with Thirdmill. David has an amazing story of how his life has changed after making the decision to attend Bible College in the United States. David’s family are Buddhists who practice ancestor worship and were deeply upset by his choice. Yet just a week before his departure their hearts softened, and they told him they would support him. He flew to the U.S. in 2016 knowing that “if God calls you to a place, He will handle the obstacles in your way.”
Now David is involved in medical missions and clean water projects. David recently helped install a clean water system for a church in Duc My, Nha Trang, a community in the middle of Vietnam.
Read David’s amazing story below:
Thanks for traveling with us.
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