Vietnamese in New Zealand

People Name:	Vietnamese
Country:	New Zealand
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	7,600
World Population:	86,819,200
Primary Language:	Vietnamese
Primary Religion:	Buddhism
Christian Adherents:	9.00 %
Evangelicals:	1.80 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Vietnamese
Affinity Bloc:	Southeast Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

For over two thousand years, people in the land of Vietnam have recognized their national identity. During those two millennia China controlled Vietnam about one half of the time.
In 1887 Vietnam became part of French Indochina. From 1939 to 1975 the Vietnamese fought the Japanese, French and then the Americans.
The communists under Ho Chi Minh overthrew the French in 1954. The Geneva Accord of 1954 split the country into North and South Vietnam along the 17th parallel. The US gave aid to South Vietnam. The US military withdrew from the country in 1973. Two years later the communist north overtook the south and "re-united" the country. Under state socialism the nation's economy floundered. In the 1990s the government began to allow market reforms and the economy has grown to become one of the leading economies of Southeast Asia.
People who worked with the South Vietnamese government were severely persecuted and had to flee. Most of the ethnic Vietnamese who left their country fled during the wars and in the 1970s and 1980s. Thousands of Vietnamese now live in France, the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, and New Zealand, where most live in Auckland.

What Are Their Lives Like?

There was such a small Vietnamese community in New Zealand that a large percentage moved to Australia, where more of them lived. Others moved to urban centers to find other Vietnamese people. These urban Vietnamese communities make it a point to have cultural events where they include the children.
Today the Vietnamese in that country work in factories or own small family-run businesses such as bakeries. Extended family is important to the Vietnamese and that includes cousins. In New Zealand, Vietnamese young adults usually stay with their families until they marry.

What Are Their Beliefs?

About 2/5 of the Vietnamese in New Zealand are Mahayana Buddhist. One-fifth are Christian, usually Roman Catholic.

What Are Their Needs?

The Vietnamese must see that Christianity is not a foreign religion imposed on them by outsiders. They need to see the love of Christ lived out among them by Spirit-filled disciples.

Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to send loving disciplers to the Vietnamese in New Zealand.
Pray for a spiritual hunger among the Vietnamese that drives them to read the Bible and listen to Christian radio programs.
Pray for a church planting movement that affects every Diaspora Vietnamese community.