"For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness" made His light shine
in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ."
(2 Corinthians 4:6 )
"Communism in Southeast Asia may seem like old or insignificant news in the
light of the violent spread of radical Islam. But this is exactly how Vietnam's
Communists intend to win-by convincing the world that oppression does not exist
in their country. After all, their constitution guarantees that, "all individuals
have the right to freedom of belief and religion."
-Cole Richards
President of The Voice of the Martyrs
Everyone in Vietnam is guaranteed the right to freedom of belief and religion,
so says the government there. But there are exceptions to this so-called, "right".
Those who profess and believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
According to VOM, the atheistic Communist government of Vietnam
regards Christianity as a tool of the West, and a significant threat
to it's power and control. Their primary weapon against new Christians
in tribal areas who rely on farming as a means of making a living
is to confiscate their land. Christians are often evicted
from their homes and villages.
Image courtesy/Global Outreach Inc.
faith in Jesus Christ to his wife, Ninh. The couple lived in a village
dominated by the Hre tribal religion, which includes the
practices of ancestor worship and sacrifice to spirits.
in Jesus Christ had liberated him from the subjugation and requirements of
The couple and their family began to attend church in a distant village,
walking for hours each way every Sunday. But when their curious
neighbors began asking questions, some were suspicious.
"Isn't Christianity an American religion?" they asked the couple.
To which Doan simply responded, "I've never met an American."
He then told his neighbors that a village pastor had shared with
him about the love of Jesus, salvation, and about the Bible.
"I just believed," he said.
After three more families from their village accepted Christ,
Doan and Ninh decided to host a small fellowship inside their home.
However, when local authorities found out about these meetings
being held every Sunday they tried to put a stop to it.
The couple received a written notice: "This religion is from the U.S.
It is not Vietnamese. This is your first warning. If you continue to
worship Jesus, we will beat you."
When this threat did not work, the government confiscated their land.
Every time Doan and Ninh tried to clear a new piece of land for themselves,
the authorities came and took it away from them. Although the couple hired
themselves out as farm laborers, Doan had a heart for evangelism and
continued to openly share the gospel with anyone who would listen.
Furthermore, the church he and Ninh founded still met in their home
every week, despite the increasing persecution from men in the village
who tried to start fights with Doan by insulting his faith and his family.
Ninh often suffered the sting of persecution too. Sometimes she felt as if she
was losing her faith. "But whenever I read the Bible, especially when I read
God's promise that He will never leave or forsake us...I had more strength
to stand up and continue to follow Christ," she said.
On the evening of April 19, 2022 Doan and Ninh's neighbors heard shouting
outside the couple's home. According to witnesses, someone was angrily
demanding that Doan give up his faith in Christ.
"We are going to take your faith from you," a man's voice threatened.
"We are beating you because you won't listen."
By the time help arrived, Doan was lying on the ground. He had fallen and
hit his head on a wooden ladder and was bleeding heavily from his wound.
His body was covered with a mass of dark bruises. Although he was later
taken to a local hospital, there was nothing doctors there could do to save
his life. Having never regained consciousness, he died a short time later.
His grief-stricken wife arranged for his body to be returned home. With the
help of some Christians in a nearby village, Ninh managed to arrange her
husband's funeral. Meanwhile, after learning that Doan was a Christian,
the police in the village refused to investigate his murder. Not long after
this, Doan's parents demanded that Ninh return the home they had given
to the couple as a wedding present. They also took Doan and Ninh's
16 year old son, Thai, to live with them in their distant village.
Ninh and her 5 year old daughter, Mira, moved in with her mother
and sister for two months. But they became angry when Ninh
refused to give up her faith in Christ, and later kicked her
and her little girl out of the house.
A compassionate neighbor allowed Ninh to rent his empty pigpen
as a temporary shelter. With the help from the local church and
the global body of Christ, she cleaned and repaired the structure
to make a new home for herself and her daughter. Since this time,
local Christians have helped her purchase land where a small
house was built for her and her children.
She dreams one day of having a home which can once again
serve as a local church fellowship. "I want to continue what
my husband and I did before his death," Ninh said.
"When I am at the church, I receive care, help, and support from
my brothers and sister in Christ," she added. I feel more encouraged...
and more security in my heart to keep going and following Jesus."
Please pray for Ninh and her family and for all our brothers and sisters
in the Lord living in Vietnam. Pray that the glorious message of salvation
will continue to bring light out of darkness there, and in all countries where
the gospel is restricted, and even the name of Jesus Christ is a forbidden subject.
The Voice of the Martyrs
(October 2024)
No comments:
Post a Comment