When we started out on the World Race back in January, I knew that there would be times when my faith was challenged and my circumstances would not be ideal. Also, I recognized that although safety is important, it’s not always guaranteed. Sometimes God puts us into situations where our physical security could potentially be compromised, in order to bring about eternal security in the lives of other people. And that’s a trade I’m willing to make any day of the week.
It’s a trade I almost had to make a couple of weeks ago (video linked at the end).
Here’s the story:
Every squad on the World Race goes through a period of time called “Manistry”. It’s where the men and women split up and work at different ministry sites for about a month (for us it was just two weeks). A few weeks ago the 5 men on our squad, along with a guy who is working on staff in Thailand, crossed the border into Laos. That’s where our “Manistry” month was going to take place.
Laos heavily persecutes the church, requiring all Christian churches to be registered and regulated by a communist/socialist government. Evangelism, missionaries, Christian literature, etc. — a lot of it is illegal. Christians living in Laos face real persecution on a daily basis and can end up having their houses/crops burned down by their neighbors who are fearful of their interference with their practices of Buddhism and ancestor worship.
Knowing this, our team went into Laos understanding that there was some level of risk involved. Our host was aware of this as well, fighting to maintain safety as a top priority. Our team was working on constructing a building that will one day be the home of a pastor, leading one of the homechurches that many Christians in the underground church will benefit from. We had an amazing time there in Laos, and got to meet with the pastor and grow together as we built up the house.
With only about 3 days left in the country, we were informed by our host that we could no longer stay in his home due to safety concerns. The authorities in the area had managed to find out that we were staying with our host and his family, and began questioning why we were there and what type of work we were doing.
It was a little alarming at first, because we had heard that locals could face years in jail as a consequence, and foreigners could also face jail time or deportation (depending on the circumstances). In the moment, it really set in that I had NO IDEA what was going to happen.
How serious was this situation actually? Are they making a big deal out of nothing, or are we going to be arrested or deported? Will any harm come to the family we are staying with? Or will everything just blow over and be perfectly fine? These were all questions that were floating around in my head as the situation unfolded.
One thing I am thankful for in this situation—God’s guidance and provision.
In this time, I could not help but remember the words that Moses spoke to Joshua in Deuteronomy 31:6
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
I don’t want to be overly dramatic about the situation, because (SPOILER ALERT) everything ended up being fine, and we are back safe and sound in Thailand now (this blog was started in Thailand, but I am posting from Cambodia). But I seriously had to consider what was going to happen, or how long it would be until I saw Katherine again. And that was a cost that I counted when we began this journey. But the focus of this blog isn’t meant to be about me. What I really want to focus on is the countless believers who are still in Laos suffering for their faith. They are still there right now as you are reading these words.
Each and every day they have to make a choice to follow Christ, even when the government and their own families and communities persecute them for it. That’s crazy!! My heart is with my brothers and sisters who are still in Laos. But I don’t feel sorry for them. God has them right where He wants them—and don’t be mistaken! The church in Laos is thriving. Despite oppression and persecution, God’s work is being done in that land, and His people are extremely passionate about accomplishing His purposes and bringing others to know the truth of the Gospel.
I will conclude with these three requests:
- Don’t overlook the privilege you have to worship and pray openly. If Christians around the globe can thrive under the weight of persecution, how much more should we be thriving in our faith as we live (mostly) unhindered lives free from religious persecution and oppression.
- Pray for the church in Laos. It isn’t easy for them. Please pray specifically for the hearts of those in government office and leaders within the church in Laos.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”(Philippians 4:6)
- Don’t read all of this, take it all in, and then walk away unchanged. My hope and prayer is that you gained SOMETHING from this, and that there is a change you can make TODAY in response. That might materialize by you having a conversation about your faith with somebody today, or it may be that you spend a few extra minutes worshipping the Lord in your own quiet time. Whatever it looks like for you, please read this in light of your own life and let God speak to you through it.
Thanks for reading!
“Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’”
(Matthew 16:24)
