Nguyen, Quyen Lap Bich
Quyen Lap Bich Nguyen is an international Global Mission Fellow with the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries, engaged in a two-year term of service.
The Global Mission Fellows program takes young adults ages 20-30 out of their home environments and places them in new contexts for mission experience and service. The program has a strong emphasis on faith and justice. Global Mission Fellows become active parts of their new local communities. They connect the church in mission across cultural and geographical boundaries. They grow in personal and social holiness and become strong young leaders working to build just communities in a peaceful world.
Quyen is a member of Nga Nam United Methodist Church, Nga Nam Town, part of the Vietnam Methodist Mission. In her local church, Quyen taught Sunday school, and she and her sister played the piano. As a choir member, she choreographed dances for church services and was the MC in festival programs.
Quyen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in international business from Can Tho University in Vietnam.
“I was born and raised in a godly family,” Quyen said. “From a young age, I went to the church to study the Bible. One of the most important commandments in the Bible is to go and make disciples of all nations. (Matthew 28:19) I have always been motivated to do this in love.”
As she matured, Quyen found different ways to follow that commandment.
“As a child,” she recalled, “I was passionate about talking about God to my friends. I wanted to conquer the whole world for God. With the aggressiveness of a child, I argued with my peers in the hope of defeating them with the arguments I learned at church. But the result was not what I expected.
“In secondary school,” Quyen said, “I understood God more. I learned that arguing made my relationship with everyone worse. I changed the way I evangelized my friends. I invited them to church programs to see my performances. This would make those who were afraid of hearing about religion less wary, thinking they were merely coming to support my spirit.”
When Quyen entered high school and the university, she again felt God’s nudge “to conquer the world.
“At first,” she said, “I was very hesitant because I thought I did not have the ability and confidence to do this. But God showed me how he uses seemingly flawed people to do God’s work successfully. At that time, I committed my life to him. I pledged that I would take advantage of every opportunity the Lord brings to serve him.”
At Can Tho University, Quyen participated in IB Show, a music program organized annually by students majoring in international business to raise funds to help disadvantaged students. Her team raised the most money in IB Show history. As a Global Mission Fellow, she hopes to use her negotiation, communication and teamwork skills to convince donors to help the local community she serves.
“The Global Mission Fellows program is an opportunity to serve God,” Quyen said. “I know I have many shortcomings, but I believe that God has chosen me and will give me strength to complete the task that God has assigned.”