After a 14-month hospital stay and 16 surgeries to deal with her severe burns, Phan left the hospital and faced a new reality: a war-torn home and constant physical pain. She tried finding solace in the Cao Dai religion, whose adherents worship the gods of every religion, and she was determined to one day become a doctor to help others. But after the war ended, Vietnamese officials decided to use “the girl in the picture” as a propaganda tool to demonize Americans and prop up the new Communist government. With handlers constantly pulling Phan out of her college classes for staged press conferences, the school finally kicked out Phan due to low attendance.
Phan was angry. The government had taken away her one dream in life, and no matter how much she prayed, the gods didn’t seem to hear her. She contemplated jumping out in front of traffic. “Why was I was still suffering?” Phan recalled wondering. “I didn’t have any peace or joy, I still struggled. My heart was so empty.” She concluded there must be no god.
She became curious about Christianity after picking up a Bible at her local library and reading about the God who was willing to die for His people. Later her brother-in-law’s cousin, an associate pastor, came to visit, and Phan peppered him with questions about the faith. He patiently answered her questions and pointed her to church, where she professed Christ.
Comments
momof 13
Posted: Wed, 04/18/2018 04:03 pmWhen I was a little girl, probably not much older than Phan, I remember sitting and staring at this picture with extreme sadness in my heart. My tears flowed as I thought of the pain & terror she must be feeling. My hearts burst with joy to know God gave her beauty from ashes! Only our God could redeem such suffering!
Leeper
Posted: Fri, 04/20/2018 07:25 amThis story is one of the many reasons that I like world news best. With all the suffering and corruption in our world you see the joy of salvation in Jesus Christ alone.
Slats
Posted: Thu, 04/26/2018 04:38 pmFor Reader Nick who was incomfortable with the original hideous photo, the answer is in part given by Reader “Momof13,” who expressed so well the horror we all experienced at the time. The horrors of war continued in South Viet Nam long after it ended for the US. These images should compel all of us to hope and pray wars end and dont get started. No one hates war more than those who were in it.
Nick Hathaway
Posted: Wed, 04/25/2018 11:26 am...but could we have just the story of someone coming to Christ without the nude pictures. I wasn't aware of this picture because it was before my time and so I was not expecting what I got on World's site. Could we have some sort of warning? Could we consider running the story with the photo edited? We can use words to describe the travesties of the effects of napalm without crossing some lines that the Lord has put in place for our good.
ForWordThinker
Posted: Fri, 04/27/2018 11:56 pmHas anyone tracked down the unknown victims that shared that horrific actual landscape with Ms. Phan (boy in foreground, kids in background)? Certainly her image is seared into our minds (those who've seen the iconic photo) and what a further miracle it would be if those accompanying kids eventually came to accept Messiah.