Mar 28, 2020
The growing network of Spaniard contacts led to Dr. Jim Rentz, Sr., a retired marriage & family therapist inspired to help work toward peace after serving as a U.S. Army Chaplain during the Vietnam War. Perhaps destiny led here as well, since Jim is a stroke survivor, because this talk happened 9 years to the day after Spanny’s own stroke. Jim discusses the turmoil that led him and his wife to adopt a Vietnamese orphan … surviving bitterness as a scorned veteran … appreciating the resilience of his father after tuberculosis … and more.
MDiv
MTheology
D Min
Bronze Star
military service, faith, parenting, counseling, spirituality, Vietnam conflict, adoption
9:20
On serving as the only chaplain in an aid station with many wounded and dying, serving all as best he could
9:55
10:00
On questioning God and the church amid the mayhem of war and promising to work toward peace
10:50
16:15
On finding trauma bubbling to the surface among military veterans who avoid counseling, and trying to help
17:25
19:20
On coming to see the toll on families in Vietnam when visiting orphanages there, and finding ways to provide aid.
21:35
22:35
On coming to care for the Vietnamese people and one girl in particular, who he and his wife adopted.
23:23
27:00
On feeling led to adopt his daughter Kim
27:20
29:53
On the disappointing reception when he returned from war
33:35
36:05
On how helping others and working through his faith has helped him overcome his own anger
37:38
44:25
On telling his father that his example (achieving success after battling tuberculosis) was a priceless gift.
44:47
46:20
On his father’s perspective on prayers as already answered
46:33
53:50
On focusing on what you have and not what you don’t
54:15