This month, I was supposed to be doing ministry in Cambodia with the rest of my squad, but my new team and I were placed in Laos (no worries, I had to google it too)! Laos is known for being landlocked by Thailand, Cambodia, Burma and Vietnam, communism, mounds and mounds of sticky rice, flavorful food (every good dish has the 4 S’s: sweet, spicy, savory, sour), a strong Buddhist background, and some sketchy encounters with the U.S. during the Vietnam War.
The biggest thing to note is that Laos is a closed country, which means no evangelizing or you run the risk of being kicked out…or worse, you risk hurting the investment of the contact you are working with.
When we heard the news of being placed in Laos for the month…we all began to speculate about what underground church we would work with and the crazy stories we would have…but I quickly learned that serving in a closed country isn’t as “sexy” as some people make it look.
I have quickly mastered how to pray with my eyes open, never saying the “m word,” and looking for ways to hint at the fact that I am a Christian and would love to share more about it…if you just ask about…you should ask about it…hint hint.
Working in Laos as an “m” is no joke. It’s hard work. The persecution is real. Working here and not being able to fully share the victories, challenges, and needs is an amazing sacrifice that these people make daily.
Needless to say, I’m blown away by all of these servants of God that I’ve been able to meet this month. I truly feel blessed to serve alongside them and do every form of manual labor that you could possibly imagine. To prove that statement, here is a list of every tool I’ve used so far this month:
- Machete (that was a first)
- Saw
- Sickle
- Paint roller
- Paintbrush
- Rake
- Broom
- Mop
- Weed eater
- Screw driver
- You get the point…
This month hasn’t been anything that I expected it to be. I haven’t had so many blisters on my hands since college lifts! Before heading here, we had team changes, changes in roles, and a change in our team’s placement. Although we are not doing the “super mysterious or attractive” work that some describe, we are working our tails off for Jesus. Each day we do another form of labor and are meeting so many beautiful people.
This might sound like an oxymoron, but this has also been a month full of rest. Like real rest. That good-good rest. Coming from Africa, God knew how much I needed a spiritual breather. It is so refreshing to work with our hands and bless those here who don’t have time to paint or pull weeds. God has been refreshing me through quality friendships, organic meals, loving on the cutest baby you could ever imagine, and connecting with friends and family (holla for the good Wi-Fi!).
I hope you will join me in praying for those serving in Laos as they continue sacrificing, struggling, and learning how to share well.
Check out the recap video that my teammate Anna and I put together from our time here:
Laos // Month 5 from Anna Norman on Vimeo.
