May God Forgive Those Who Persecuted Us
When three believers from northern Laos were imprisoned last year because of their faith, their families who were left behind not only had to suffer the absence of a father and husband, but also the oppression they received from their community.
'This is Our First Time to be Visited By CO-Believers'
The location of this village is two hours past the mountains of northern Laos. As the Open Doors team travelled further, thick dark smoke replaced the morning mist and the putrid smell of burnt trees greeted us. The hills, near and far, looked lifeless.
Behind the smoke and the arid mountains, we arrived in a village where three believers were imprisoned last year for their burning passion for Christ. Children began to flock around, and heads of curious villagers peeped through doors and windows as we walked towards the house of Saengchan*, one of the three imprisoned believers.
He was released in November of 2020, along with the other two Christian prisoners, Sithat* and Sombaht*. As we entered his home, which is also a church, we were welcomed by a crowd of men and women and their children— some of the 13 Christian families living in the village. To avoid unnecessary attention, the team had organized to only meet with Saengchan’s family and the families of the other two prisoners.
However, as our team settled around the table, more and more people filled the house. We only expected up to ten people, but more than 50 came. Whispers and giggles hinted at the anticipation and excitement of those who came and quickly replaced the tension the team was feeling.
“For many of us, this is our first time to be visited by co-believers,” explained Saengchan, who also looked thrilled, and not worried about the consequences our gathering may bring.
Traitors
Saengchan’s village is an Akha village. The Akha are an ethnic hill-tribe that originally came from South China, and are known for their slash-and-burn farming practices. The village is tucked away from modern developments and has little connection to other communities. The roads are unpaved, and no one from outside the village seems to care for their wellbeing and education, or to be aware of their needs.
The village is adorned with figures and emblems made of sticks and straw, that are supposed to
safeguard the village from evil spirits. The people there are animists. They believe that living and inanimate objects are possessed by spirits or gods. They also worship their ancestors and believe that, although already dead, they can guide them.
Those who find another religion are considered traitors of the tribe who cause disunity among them. They are loathed by the community.
Saengchan, Sithat and Sombaht faced imprisonment for leaving their traditional beliefs. After coming to faith in Jesus, they were all keen to share the gospel with others, but their village chief and others from their community told them to stop. When they wouldn’t give up their faith, the chief told the authorities that Saengchan and the other believers in the village were not willing to build relationships with their neighbours and were causing division in the community by not joining in with their traditional ceremonies.
Days after, Saengchan was apprehended and detained. Sithat and Sombaht were arrested just a few days later.
Meanwhile, their families who were left behind not only had to endure their absence but also the isolation, mocking, and attack from their community, all because they are followers of Jesus.
'I Knew This Day Would Come'
As the Open Doors local partners sat around the table with the Christian families, they began to tell their stories.
Caija* is Saengchan’s eldest son. He is just 19, a thin young man with the physique of a hard worker. He was left to take care of his mother and four siblings when his father was caught by the police in August 2020 for spreading Christianity in the village.
He told the team about the day his father was arrested. “Earlier that day, I went hunting in the forest while my dad went to the field to check our rice crops.When I went home, it was already dark. I learned that my dad had been captured by the police. They did not even let him have anything to eat or drink! They had him sleep in the police truck until the next day when the jail opened where they detained him.”
Caija immediately tried to visit his father but the officers did not allow him to see or speak to his father.
“If I attempted to speak to him, they would yell at me and speak harsh words against me. They kept him locked up in a dark room all day and night. I was so worried about him and concerned for his health.”
Paojer* is the wife of Sithat. She is softly spoken and sweet, her warm smile and excited gestures brightening up the room. She is in her late 20s, and a mother to a 4-year-old daughter.
She explained to the team, “Two days after Caija’s father was arrested, my daughter became terribly ill.
My husband took her to the hospital in the city and went to the market to buy some food for her, and for his elder brother Sombaht who was already in jail. While he was buying food, the police approached him and invited him to the police station.
“Once he got to the police station, the police handcuffed him. Sithat pleaded to let him see our daughter in the hospital and bring the food back to her, but the officers denied his request.
“Suddenly I received a call from him. He was apologizing and saying that he could not return home or to the hospital because the police had arrested him. He said he was not sure if he could return home anytime soon.
“I was so sad and hurt when they did this to him because he did nothing wrong, but I knew that this day would come. I knew that persecution would come because the police have tried to capture him many times before but were unable to until now. The people here do not accept their village having two religions in practice; they want everyone to worship their ancestors and not Christ.”
“My neighbors would always say to me, ‘Your husband is not coming back, he’s already dead!’ People seemed happy when my husband was arrested.” She paused while trying to hold back her tears. She continued, “Every time they saw me, they would smirk with satisfaction. Our neighbors would shut their doors when they saw me passing by and would not even invite us to their social activities. They treated us like we were nobody, less than humans.”
‘I Never Felt The gods Were On Our Side’
Most people in this village, even at a young age, are hooked on opium—a flowering plant that has become a source of addiction for the villagers.
Caija’s father Saengchan and Paojer’s husband Sithat were once prisoners to it. Before turning to Jesus Christ, both were seriously addicted to opium which hurt their families and left them with nothing for their needs.
“Before we made a commitment to Jesus Christ, my father had a severe drug addiction which made our lives worse. We were starving a lot of the time because my father would take the money we would earn for him to buy the drugs,” Caija shared.
“At one point he fell seriously ill and almost died; he no longer had the strength to walk or eat. We would sacrifice pigs and chickens to the gods as instructed by the local shaman so that our father could get better. However, I never felt the gods were on our side because my father did not recover.”
It was not until turning to Jesus Christ that things began to change for Caija’s family.
“Soon, my dad and our family accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We had new life! My dad refrained from further drug use and regained his health. Our living conditions got better, and my dad was fully healed by God’s power.”
Because of that miracle, Caija decided never to return to his old belief. He too decided to follow Jesus. “I love the new life I have in the hands of God almighty. He is above all things and nothing is impossible for him. I put all my faith and hope in the hands of God. In every moment, God is my only source of comfort and the One that lifts my spirits.
“I do not have a favourite Bible passage because my literacy skills are not very good, but I love singing the song ‘Come and Put Your Trust in the Lord’. This song brings me peace and joy; I trust the Lord with my everything.
The words of the song say: “God is everything, He is all you need, and you can trust in Him completely. Faith as small as a seed can move a mountain, and hard times can become easier. There is nothing that is too hard for God to accomplish.” dapibus leo.
Their Persecutors Shut Their Doors; you Opened One for Them
For Paojer, she knew that God was on their side. God had seen her husband through his addiction, and she felt assured that her husband would be delivered from prison.
“I was confident that one day my husband would be released because God is high and mighty and his power is great; and above all things, in everything, He is in control. No matter what happens, I will follow Him for the rest of my life”.
And her story is far from over. She still prays for her non-believing neighbours, “I feel sorry for those who persecute us as they may think what they’re doing is right. They look down on us and curse us, and I feel sorry that they devote so much energy to persecuting Christian believers. I feel sorry for their spiritual life and health. I pray for them.”
And no matter how many doors were shut in front of her because her family follows Christ, she is thankful for the many people who supported them. Through local partners, Open Doors was able to provide them with necessities like food and clothing while Saengchan, Sithat, and Sombaht were in prison. “I am so grateful for the help that other believers here in Laos have provided us.
Also, I am grateful for the help we have received from you—our foreign brothers and sisters in Christ. With God’s love, we were able to receive financial support and encouragement.”
Open Doors local partners were constantly in touch with their families, journeying with them through prayers and practical support while they were struggling.
“You have been so supportive towards our family during this time. You did not just provide for us financially, but we also felt your love and care. You have also helped us to get my husband and our relatives released from prison.
“I am so grateful for your help. Without it, I am not sure what our situation would be like right now. We would probably still be struggling to have our family member released from jail.
“I don’t know how else to express my feelings, but it means a lot that you are here for us, always providing care and support. Thank you and may God bless you with health and prosperity to continue serving Him.”
Please pray
Pray that their area will be blessed with biblical training to respond to the continuing need for
skilled workers to support the growing number of churches. Pray that God may open the eyes and hearts of the non-believers in their village so that they may see the truth and stop persecuting Christians and instead, follow Him.
*Names changed for security reasons.
