A Faith That Crossed An Ocean





Mai Vu doesn’t remember much about leaving Vietnam in 1975 as the war was ending. She only knows the story the way her family tells it: climbing aboard her uncle’s small fishing boat with more than 300 people, few possessions, little food, but filled with faith and hope. 

“From what my mom told me, it was traumatic,” Mai says. “People died, but we were blessed to be able to come here safely. I don’t remember much because I blocked out most of it.”

After weeks at sea, the boat was rescued. Mai and her family were brought to Fort Chaffee in Arkansas, a refugee camp often called the “Ellis Island” for Vietnamese families. More than 50,000 refugees passed through the camp as they began new lives in the United States.

After a year there, a Catholic priest sponsored Mai’s family and helped them settle in Algiers, a growing refugee community where her parents still live today.

“That’s where my memories really begin,” she says.

Growing up in a Vietnamese Catholic family, faith was always part of daily life. “Having a good relationship with God and staying connected with Him has always been very important to me,” Mai says.

That faith eventually led her to Christ the King, where she has served as a lector for more than 20 years. It’s a job she approaches with veneration. 

“You have to read with your heart,” she says. “You can’t just go up there and read a bunch of words that don’t mean anything to you. If you proclaim the Word of God with your heart and you feel it, people will feel it too.”

Like many people, Mai’s faith was tested during COVID when her daughter became seriously ill.

“She had COVID, and it was really bad,” Mai recalls. “I feared for her life. I was so scared during that time.”

Her daughter went to the emergency room and spent three weeks quarantined and recovering. During those difficult days, Mai turned to prayer.

“My faith helped me to overcome a lot of things in my life, and I was constantly praying for her healing,” she says. “All I did was pray and say the rosary. I spent a lot of time sitting on my porch, just praying.”

In the end, her daughter recovered, a blessing Mai attributes to faith and perseverance in prayer.

“God got me through it,” she says. “I’m just so happy and thankful my daughter is okay.”

In addition to serving as a lector, Mai continues to expand her faith through leadership in Christ the King’s “Come, Lord Jesus” Bible study and prayer group. Founded in 1969 by Father Connolly Bertrand as a national program, it follows a structured 12-step format for prayerful reflection on Scripture. Each week, members gather to discuss the upcoming Sunday readings, offer prayers and thanksgiving to God, and share faith witness stories

The program transformed the way Mai approaches the Bible.

“‘Come, Lord Jesus’” has helped me grow in my faith because it helped me to be more disciplined in reading the Scriptures,” she says. “Before, I was intimidated to open the Bible because it seemed like something hard and complicated to understand. I think a lot of people feel intimidated by it.”

Each week, members read the Scripture passages, reflect on the commentary, answer questions, and share their thoughts together in fellowship.

“We break the readings down and discuss them,” Mai explains. “Everyone brings a different perspective, and we learn from each other. It helps us to better understand the Word of God.”

From a crowded fishing boat leaving Vietnam to a quiet porch where she prayed for her daughter’s healing, to the lectern at Christ the King, to being a leader of “Come, Lord Jesus,” Mai’s faith has never wavered, and it continues to be strengthened by the grace and love of God. 

Thank you, Mai, for your dedication and contributions to Christ the King. 

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