Viet Nam is a southeast asian country slightly larger than New Mexico that borders on China, Cambodia and Laos.

Formerly a French colony, according the the CIA World Factbook:

Since 2001, Vietnamese authorities have committed to economic liberalization and enacted structural reforms needed to modernize the economy and to produce more competitive, export-driven industries. The country continues to experience protests from the Montagnard ethnic minority population of the Central Highlands over loss of land to Vietnamese settlers and religious persecution.

The population of 83.5 million live under a communist government. The country lags behind several of it’s neighbours, with continued migration into it’s major cities, although 70% of the workers are agricultural. It’s transportation, agriculture and communication infrastructures remain behind those of it’s neighbours.

According to the 1999 census, religions break down to Buddhist 9.3%, Catholic 6.7%, Hoa Hao 1.5%, Cao Dai 1.1%, Protestant 0.5%, Muslim 0.1%, none 80.8%

All religious activity is monitored by the state - as is media.
Reporters without Borders says 7 cyber-dissidents have received severe sentences and rates the stituation in the country as very serious.
Politics and religion are particular targets of the government and police, and peaceful and none peaceful dissent is not distinguished. It is estimated nearly 3 million residents have access to a tightly controlled internet through cyber cafes.
See Amnesty International

In North America we don’t grasp how dangerous it can be to declare faith, or to worship, or to speak to foreigners about worship and faith. Gatherings mean monitoring, and can lead to imprisonment and death.

In both Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City there are international groups that meet each Sunday in hotels. They do not have to meet secretly, and their leaders are western and some Vietnam citizens are permitted to attend.
In Ho Chi Ming City, one group is known as the New Life Fellowship.

President G.W. Bush visited the country in 2000.
As part of the next official visit, government officials have decided that the US President be permitted to attend a hotel group in Ho Chi Minh City to demonstrate their easing of religious freedom.

A few weeks ago worshippers arrived at the hotel for the usual weekly meeting and found the police waiting. The meeting had been closed.
Tearfully, the clergyman was forced to turn hundreds of people away. Furthermore, the clergy-leader (who is a westerner) was directed to appear before the immigration authorities that same afternoon.
The US Consulate has asked the clergy not to make a fuss.

This group has been meeting for over eight years.
Over the past eight years, numerous letters of request for such permission have been written, but the authorities have never replied to the requests, nor even acknowledged the letters were received. Why the requests were spurned is speculation, but it may simply be that keeping the group unregistered is a way of hanging an anvil over the head of the group in case they were seen as spreading the good news or dissent.

After the meeting with the immigration authorities, it became evident that there was a severe miscommunication between the central authorities, and the city law enforcement personnel. The local people closed down the gathering merely because they were meeting without a permit, without knowing the central authorities had never responded to the numerous requests over the past eight years. The western leader has been told he was still welcome in Viet Nam, but his work remains hampered.

It has been a month. And the hotel church is still not allowed to meet.
It is apparent the bureaucracies must share information and solve their impasse.
It is however, a potential problem for President Bush’s visit if it isn’t remedied soon.
Religious freedom has been a major sticking point between the two governments, this could prove an embarrassment for the Viet Nam government.
Bush is expected to visit Southeast Asia in early 2006.

In the meantime, not all Sunday meetings are cloak and dagger.
If groups manage to become registered, they meet openly, and are merely monitored to see if they are spreading the good news.
If they are not - they have permission to operate.
Simply put they may operate if the paper work is in order, and at the whim of officials who believe dissent and faith are subversive.
People literally risk their lives to let us know the dangers they face.
It’s sobering.
What can we do to help?