There Runs A Quiet River

There Runs a Quiet River is a compelling story of life in Vietnam during most of the 20th Century. It shares the true story of the author's father, Pastor Xuyen, his faithfulness in living his Christian faith and the resilience of his family as they face numerous challenges and setbacks. There Runs a Quiet River has a social rather than a military focus. It covers the life of a poor family and the impact of the Vietnam conflict on the family. The memoir shares Pastor Xuyen's dedication, courage and persistence in his venture of winning souls for Christ and of avoiding premature death. It also reveals something of the secret activities of the Viet Minh and the pressure from all sides of the long conflict on ordinary people. It is the intimate story of an average Vietnamese family enjoying simple life pleasures in urban and rural settings. In April 1975 Saigon falls and Vietnam comes under Communist rule. The memoir describes firsthand the impact of this change on the lives of ordinary people, the dilemma of trying to escape and the cost a Christian minister has to pay in order to maintain a true Christian witness.

About the Author :
Lien Nguyen Walker, was born in Vietnam, and is now an Australian citizen. She worked with the Australian medical team in the 1960s as a translator, before working as manager for sponsorship for World Vision in Vietnam, 1968--1975. She escaped Vietnam as a refugee in 1981, after six failed attempts. Settling in Australia in 1981, she worked for World Vision Australia, before marrying and moving to Bangkok. She and her husband returned to Australia in 2007. She is also the author of two previous books.

Review :
"As a pastor, I love to read stories of men and women who have committed their lives to serving Christ and His church. In There Runs a Quiet River, author Lien Walker lovingly tells the remarkable story of the life and ministry of her dear father, a pastor in Vietnam through the most tumultuous and dangerous period in that nation's history. This is a story of dramatic conversion, supernatural call to ministry and a lifetime of faithful and fruitful service in the midst of hardship and opposition. The miraculous hand of God is evident throughout the pages of this compelling book, as it traces "a journey of almost 50 years following in Jesus' footsteps." I loved reading this book!" David Ratten, Senior Minister, One Community Church, Melbourne, Australia "Everyone has a story to tell. However, in her memoir entitled There Runs A Quiet River, Lien N. Walker tells her father's story rather than her own. In There Runs A Quiet River, the author metaphorically sees her father as "a river that quietly runs, carrying with it little boats of fresh fish that have provided simple but essential sustenance for people in need. Though at times the river cannot avoid the rocks that cause its current to tumble all around, splashing and twisting, yet always the river's waters join together again and go on ... And continually the river quietly runs ... back to its own deep Source, the Source of Eternal Living Water." Through the book, readers will learn how her father overcame difficulties and trials that seemed to have driven him into a bottomless pit of despair. He endured his impoverished childhood, his loss of both parents at a tender age, his poverty and struggles for survival... nevertheless, he also experienced hope and blessings in the midst of all these desperate situations. The background in her book also reflects the cultural traditions of the Vietnamese people as well as the political unrest that had a profound impact on her father's life and ministry. In all circumstances, her father always felt confident in pursuing the purpose of life that God called him, that is to share the Gospel of peace and bring people to reconciliation with God. He refused opportunities to make money and accepted a simple life in order to be faithful to his Lord. His ministry was very successful in bringing the living water to many, like a "quiet running river" as the author humbly puts it. The author, Lien N. Walker, has translated several English books into Vietnamese, including two classic devotionals My Utmost for His Highest and Streams in the Desert which have been widely welcomed by the Vietnamese Christian community. Now writing honestly and lovingly about her father in There Runs A Quiet River, L. N. Walker offers readers a deep moving and inspiring story of a man of faith, who trusted in a God who always guides, cares, provides and protects His children. Reading There Runs A Quiet River, certainly one can gain many precious lessons from a blessed man who lived and served as a dedicated and faithful soldier for Christ. This is a book definitely worth reading." Rev. Dung Thien Le, D. Min., is former Academic Dean of the Union College of California, currently he serves as President of Vietnam Ministries, Inc. [Van Pham Nguon Song] in Anaheim. "It's evident Pastor Xuyen was a remarkable man with a story worth telling". Phillip Yancey