The Story behind the Mountains
Story of Mission Trip in Sapa, Vietnam
Sapa rises out of the mist in Vietnam's northern highlands, home to generations of ethnic Hmong villagers who have farmed these terraced slopes for centuries. Long before roads or electricity reached these hills, the Hmong carried their own spiritual traditions rooted in animism and ancestor veneration.
The first seeds of the Gospel among the Hmong here were planted in the 1920s, when a small handful of families quietly chose to follow Christ — a decision that set them apart from their community. For decades, growth was slow and often costly. Believers faced suspicion from neighbors, pressure from local authorities, and the difficulty of practicing an unregistered faith in a region where the government kept close watch over religious life.
Even today, following Jesus in Sapa is rarely easy. Many congregations remain unregistered, gathering quietly in homes rather than public buildings. Leadership is scarce, Bibles and training materials are hard to come by, and new believers often have nowhere to turn for discipleship. It is into this gap — the deep need for trained, equipped local leaders — that our team was called to serve.
OUR TEAM ON THE GROUND
This year, our mission team traveled into the mountains around Sapa with a clear and focused purpose: not simply to hold a one-time outreach, but to invest directly in the people who will carry the church forward long after we leave.
Over the course of the trip, our team ministered to and served 45 people from local Hmong communities — sharing the Gospel, praying with families, and building relationships.
But the heart of this trip was leadership training. Rather than simply bringing a message and leaving, our team walked alongside local believers to train them as leaders — equipping them with the tools and confidence to start and shepherd house churches within their own communities. This is how the Gospel takes root in a place like Sapa: not through outside missionaries running programs indefinitely, but through local leaders raised up to shepherd their own people.
FRUIT THAT IS ALREADY GROWING
Perhaps the clearest sign of lasting impact: 9 from the 12 leaders trained on this trip have now enrolled in our IFGF College, continuing their theological training and preparing to serve as pastors and leaders for the next generation of the Hmong church.
HOW YOU CAN PRAY WITH US
• For the 9 new IFGF College students — for endurance, provision, and clarity of calling as they train
• For wisdom and protection for local leaders as they navigate registration and community pressure
• For open doors to return and continue investing in this next generation of leaders
Thank you for standing with us in prayer and support. What is happening in the mountains of Sapa is not the work of one trip or one team — it is the continuation of a story that began a century ago, and you are now part of it.
