Nguyễn Thị Thuấn

Nguyễn Thị Thuấn (February 5, 1916 – January 4, 2015) was a prominent Christian missionary and educator in Vietnam. She dedicated her life to spreading the gospel, initially influenced by missionary Irving Stebbins in 1922. In 1938, she married Phạm Văn Năm, and together they embarked on missionary work, including Bible translation efforts for the K’ho people in Vietnam's Central Highlands. Thuấn was deeply involved in the Evangelical Church of Vietnam, where she promoted women’s roles in ministry and, in 1974, represented South Vietnam at the First International Congress on World Evangelization in Switzerland. She also studied Library Management at the Union Biblical Seminary in India and worked to support international mission efforts. Thuấn continued her ministry until her later years, leaving a significant legacy in both local and international Christian communities.

Early life and Spiritual Awakening Nguyễn Thị Thuấn was born in 1916 in Mỹ Trà village, Cao Lãnh district, Đồng Tháp province, French Cochinchina (now part of southern Vietnam). She was born into a middle-class family, and her parents were not particularly religious. Her father, Phạm Văn Lộc, was involved in gambling, and her mother, Trần Thị Kiều, managed the household, supporting traditional cultural performances such as cải lương. Due to her parents' limited view on education, Thuấn was only allowed to attend school until the end of elementary school, despite her obvious intelligence. She often accompanied her grandfather to watch people play cards and learned to play various games like scratch cards, poker, and tứ sắc. She also absorbed many folk stories, which were part of her cultural upbringing.

At the age of 6, Thuấn was first introduced to Christianity when her grandmother took her to a Protestant church. At that time, she didn’t understand much of the services and often fell asleep during prayers and lectures, but she enjoyed the gatherings because of the people and the lively atmosphere. This exposure left a lasting impression, and the seeds of faith were planted in her heart. By the age of 10, she expressed a desire to pray and accept Christ, but her grandmother advised her to wait, since her parents were not yet believers. In 1927, after much prayer and encouragement from the missionary Nguyễn Tân, she formally accepted Christ and was baptized by Pastor Robinson.

Conversion and Faith Journey As a teenager, Thuấn shared her faith with friends, relatives, and elders, although she faced mockery and criticism for her strong commitment, with some calling her a "religious fanatic." These early challenges deeply discouraged her. However, a pivotal moment came on January 15, 1932, during a revival meeting at the Cao Lãnh church led by Pastor D.J. Jeffrey and Pastor Nguyễn Hữu Khanh. The sermon on the spiritual discouragement of the Israelites profoundly impacted her, leading her to a renewed dedication to God through fasting and prayer.

Calling to Ministry and Marriage In 1951, Nguyễn Thị Thuấn and her husband, Pham Van Nam, are pictured riding horseback in rural Vietnam, reflecting their commitment to missionary work. In October 1934, she attended another revival conference in Sa Đéc where she was inspired by missionary reports from the Central Highlands. Feeling a divine calling, she pledged her life to missionary work. However, a significant obstacle was that the Đà Nẵng Bible School (Trường Thánh Kinh Đà Nẵng) did not accept unmarried female students at the time.

Through a providential turn of events at the same conference, she was invited to recite Psalm 23 in front of the congregation, catching the attention of a Christian family seeking a wife for their son, a Bible student named Phạm Văn Năm. This introduction led to their marriage, and through this union, she gained access to theological education.

From 1935 to 1940, she and her husband studied and ministered across several churches in Vietnam. They trained at the Đà Nẵng Bible School (1935–1936), did fieldwork in Trà Ôn (1936–1938), served at Phú Nhuận Church in Saigon (1938–1939), and returned for a final year at Bible school before serving in Bình Long, Châu Đốc (1940–1941).

The couple's journey to Bao Loc was physically demanding and spiritually heavy, yet it reaffirmed their lifelong commitment to serving God in this challenging area. Upon arrival, they found a community still recovering from the ravages of war and displacement. Bao Loc, surrounded by dense forests and rugged mountain paths, had minimal infrastructure and few resources. However, it had a profound spiritual need, prompting the Pham family to begin their work by rebuilding relationships with local tribal groups, particularly the K’Ho and Ma people. Their efforts centered around reestablishing the presence of the church through small group worship and home visits.

Daily Life and Ministry Challenges Adapting to life in the Central Highlands was not easy. The couple faced numerous challenges, including nearly impassable roads, rare communication with the outside world, and the prevalence of disease. Harsh weather, poor nutrition, and long periods of isolation tested their resolve. During the wet season of 1948, flooding cut off their mission station for several weeks, leaving them to rely solely on prayer, foraging, and the generosity of local villagers.

Despite these hardships, their ministry began to thrive. Pham Van Nam traveled on foot or horseback to visit villages, preach the Gospel, and train new believers. He emphasized the importance of raising local leaders, believing that the most sustainable faith communities would be led by the people themselves. Nguyễn Thị Thuấn focused on nurturing women and children, teaching Scripture, and launching practical programs in sewing and hygiene to meet everyday needs. She also began translating Bible verses and hymns into the K’Ho language to help the people connect more deeply with their faith. thumb

Preparing the Next Generation As they grew older, Nguyễn Thị Thuấn and her husband became increasingly focused on ensuring the sustainability of their work. They began mentoring younger missionaries and local workers, encouraging the Evangelical Church of Vietnam to allocate more resources and personnel to the Central Highlands. Their reports and experiences shaped the training curriculum for future missionaries, especially those called to serve in rural and ethnic areas.

After years of physically demanding ministry, the couple retired from full-time service in the highlands in 1953 and returned to Saigon. However, even in retirement, they continued to support the church through advisory roles, mentorship, and teaching. Their advocacy for mission work among Vietnam’s ethnic peoples remained a cornerstone of their ministry.

It was Nguyễn Thị Thuấn’s son, Phạm Quang Khiêm, who first recognized the danger and saw the impending collapse of South Vietnam. He convinced his mother and the rest of the family to flee the country, urging them to leave immediately and seek safety abroad.

Flight In 1975, as North Vietnamese forces advanced, the Pham family faced an urgent need to escape. With the situation growing more dire, Nguyễn Thị Thuấn’s son, Phạm Quang Khiêm, who was serving in the South Vietnamese Air Force, managed to steal a C-130a plane to help the family flee. They flew to Singapore, hoping to find refuge. Upon arrival, however, the family was detained for three weeks, facing immense uncertainty and fear for their futures. During this time, they were in a limbo of waiting for a chance to continue their journey.

Each night, the family prayed and sang hymns, while the chief jailer, also Christian, bonded with them. After 19 days of captivity, Richard Pendell, an American pastor and close family friend, intervened by sending $30,000 to a lawyer in Singapore to ensure their release and well-being. The following day, they were taken to an island resort, where the Singaporean Interior Minister, Chua Sian Chin, apologized and offered gifts, before being flown to Saipan in first class and then on to Camp Pendleton in the U.S. for a new life.

During this journey, another one of Nguyễn Thị Thuấn’s sons, stationed at Vung Tau with the ARVN, was left behind. He was unable to join the family due to his military obligations, marking a painful separation in their escape. After the fall of South Vietnam, he was sent to a re-education camp, where he remained for two years. On August 1, 1992, through the Orderly Departure Program (ODP), he was finally reunited with his mother and the rest of the family.

By early 1976, the Pham family had resettled in the United States, where they faced the challenges of starting anew. Nguyễn Thị Thuấn continued her life of service, adjusting to a new environment while helping the Vietnamese refugee community in the U.S. to integrate into American society. She was dedicated to preserving their cultural and spiritual heritage, and her resilience, faith, and commitment left a lasting legacy within the community.

Legacy

Global Ministry After 1975 After the Fall of Saigon in 1975, Nguyễn Thị Thuấn and her husband ministered to the Vietnamese diaspora across the globe. Their journey included stops in San Clemente, Chicago, Long Beach, Anaheim, France, the Netherlands, Germany, Egypt, Canada, Australia, and even the Soviet Union. Throughout this period, many credited Nguyễn Thị Thuấn’s encouragement and quiet strength as essential to her husband's tireless global ministry.

Lasting Impact Her tireless efforts helped establish a nationwide women’s network and solidified her as a central figure in the spiritual formation of Vietnamese Christian women. Although she did not advocate for women to become pastors, her example opened doors for future women leaders within the church. By the 1990s, women such as Dang Van Sung and Phung Quang Huyen had become leaders of two of the largest churches in Vietnam, continuing the legacy of leadership that Nguyễn Thị Thuấn had helped establish.

Even after her husband's passing in 1995, well into her seventies, Nguyễn Thị Thuấn remained actively engaged in ministry. Despite health challenges such as high blood pressure, her commitment to God’s work never wavered. Her life became a testament to enduring faith, pioneering leadership, and the transformative power of women's ministry in the Vietnamese Protestant Church.