When I had the chance to interview Kim Phuc – a woman from Vietnam who survived a bomb attack in 1972 – I learned so much about God’s peace. He delivered her from all the negative feelings she had after going through a time of war.

Life in Vietnam

At nine years old, she miraculously survived a bombing. Unfortunately, she suffered from burns and experienced a lot of pain. The scars and the results of this tragedy would be more significant than she could have ever imagined.

Kim had to deal with marks on her skin and also with her image still being used by the government of her own country. She began to feel an immense anger that was killing her inside.

All the sorrow, pain, hurt, and hatred kept her away from the peace she needed. But one day when she was 19 years old, her life began to change. Kim found a book in a library and this book was The New Testament.

An impossible task

Kim told me that at first those words – God’s Word – confronted her. She felt like she would never be able to follow “that religion”. Forgiving her enemies seemed impossible. Besides, she would have to forgive so many people who had hurt her – and most of them she would never meet again. So she concluded that the whole religious thing just couldn’t work for her.

Still, she was curious. After moving into her sister’s home in Saigon, she learned that the sibling of her brother in law was a Christian. Kim looked for him to clear some doubts she had after reading the New Testament. She asked many questions so he invited her to a church service. Kim began to attend this church but she wasn’t a Christian; she was just going out of curiosity.

One day she heard a message about Christ. It was during a Christmas service about His birth. She now understood that His sufferings were greater than hers. Kim decided to give her heart to God but she still needed to forgive others.

She wanted to experience peace so she began to pray and ask for God’s help. She was led to pray for her enemies and forgive each of them. Through prayer, a process of peace and healing had begun.

Fire Road

She was sent to other countries like Russia and Cuba where she met the man who became her husband. To escape communism, she and her husband ran away to Canada where they started a new life from scratch. In her book Fire Road she shares more details of her path  towards the true healing that is found in Christ.

Kim is a woman who knows what it is to be in need. She has learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want (Philippians 4:12).

By the end of the interview she told me her book would bring a message of hope and peace that only God brings. I remained professional and didn’t cry but knew that this woman was very special – known worldwide yet so kind and simple. I could see Jesus’ peace in her. She taught me many lessons, more than I could ever write here. With a beautiful smile and tears of joy, she is now free to love. She is a true example of the peace Christ gives.

Know that Christ can give you this peace. And who knows: perhaps this Christmas can be one where your life begins to change as you seek in Jesus the power to forgive those who have hurt you.  

In closing, I want to share the same verse Kim shared with me: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who  have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

2 thoughts on “Finding Peace Through the Fire”

  1. Pingback: How true success can transform a life | VOKE

  2. Pingback: 12 Ways to Inspire Hope With Friends | VOKE

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