Vietnamese Christian Center pastor shares journey of faith from immigrant to leader

The new AG Vietnamese Fellowship president shared her struggles as an immigrant in a foreign land. (Photo by Tran Phu on Unsplash)

Que N. Nguyen was 17-year-old when she boarded a plane leaving Vietnam. The teenager wanted to lead a new life in America following her mother's death. 

Finding Hope in America 

In a report with AG News, the family packed their suitcases and flew to America, hoping for a better life. Her father, Vy, only had $50 to his name at the time. 

As narrated, Vy spent years working in a labor camp. He knew that bringing his three children to the United States would be the best decision he would make for them. 

It was not easy adjusting to a new country, as Que would soon find out. Still grieving the loss of her mother, the teenager felt alone, having left everything familiar back in Vietnam. 

Becoming Leader

She would soon find Christ in her grief. Que would soon become a leader in her ministry. 

Que is the pastor of the Vietnamese Christian Center in Worcester, Massachusetts. She is currently the president of the Assemblies of God Vietnamese Fellowship.

According to the website, the AG Vietnamese Fellowship was recognized in 2007. 

Childhood Days 

As reported on the news site, Que was born in 1974 in Ho Chi Minh City. Her father was a captain in the South Vietnamese Army. 

Her father was then sent to a prison reeducation camp when the war ended. The government also captured her grandmother, who served as a colonel in the women's armed forces corps.

She would only meet her father again when she was seven. Que recalled that she was unsure what to do with the man she viewed as a stranger. 

While polite to her father, she did not embrace him during their first meeting. 

Que would be exposed to Christianity in bits and pieces growing up in Vietnam. Looking back, the pastor believed these past experiences were God's way of planting the seeds in her heart. 

Her mother grew ill and passed away. The loss made Que feel depressed and lonely. 

It took years for Que to find God again when she was in Worcester. At their pastor's urging, she attended the church picnic of the Vietnamese Christian Center.

Taking up Role of Pastor 

She would soon be baptized in the faith. Que met the pastor's son, Phuong Truong. The two would later marry. 

Que took different roles in the church. When the old pastor resigned, she wanted to take his place in the leadership role. 

She explained that she felt God called her to lead his people. Que admitted that there was some hesitancy on her part. 

Que knew that being a pastor was what God wanted for her. 

As the interim president of the AG's Vietnamese Fellowship, she knew that she wanted to connect ethnic churches. 

Daniel T. Lam, the treasurer of the AG's Vietnamese Fellowship, commended her brand of leadership. 

Lam called Que an excellent leader. He added that many people looked up to her and respected her. 

He told the news outlet that Que was always easy to talk with, which was why people felt at ease with her. 

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