Well, I’m safely back in Thailand. And while I still can’t
give you too much detail about where I’ve been, or who I’ve met, I can tell you
that I just got back from spending about 10 days in the beautifully stunning
country of Laos!
I didn’t know too much about Laos before coming on the World
Race, but when it was one of the five options for Ask-the-Lord Asia month, I
immediately knew that this is where God was calling me for the month.
Laos is probably one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever
seen. But it is also one of the most heartbreaking. This country has been devastated
by the after-effects of a secret war. The northern region of the country is the
most heavily bombed place on the face of the Earth. It is a country of
contradictions – named the People’s Democratic Republic, but living under a
communist regime; the presence of laws protecting freedom of religion, yet
severe persecution of Christians.
We were able to travel around this country, visiting several
cities and villages. We went on many prayer walks around Buddhist temples,
visited several villages, and spent many, many hours on busses.
A major theme for me this year has been TRUST. Trusting in
the Lord and in His plan. This year, and especially this month, we have been
planting a lot of seeds, and it’s hard sometimes to not see the fruit. But the
Lord has been teaching me a lot about trusting
that He will take care of the people I am praying for, that He will show up in
the house I am praying for, or that He will protect the believers I am praying
for.
There was an afternoon this month that we were sitting in a
village talking to a group of women, and there were 2 small girls playing in
the yard. I started praying for the girls and over the house, at first feeling
a little silly. I didn’t really know what to pray for and I didn’t even know
their names. But then the Lord whispered to me that it didn’t matter what I
said. That I was the first person to ever
pray over those girls, and over that house.
I will never see those girls again. I will never know what
happens to them. I will never know if my prayers made a difference. But I
believe they did. The Lord asked me to pray for them and I did. I did my part,
and now they’re in the Lord’s hands. I need to trust that the Lord will be
faithful, and that someday He will send someone to take the next step with
those girls.
This month was unlike any other month we’ve had this year. For
nine months we’ve been evangelizing and preaching. This month we had to close all our doors and
windows before praying. It was such a different experience. It was challenging,
but it was so intriguing to see how some Christians in other countries have to
live.
My heart goes out to these persecuted Christians. The caution that we had
to live by and the fear that we could sense over the country were only with my
team for 10 days – and then we were able to leave it behind. But for so many
Christians, in Laos and in other closed countries, this is a daily reality for
them. They don’t get to cross the bridge
into Thailand and feel the weight lifted off their shoulders as they cross the
border. They don’t get to take a breather from the daily threat over their
lives.
My eyes have been opened to a harsh reality, and my heart breaks
for these persecuted Christians.
