Laos Christians Face Crisis

[Keith]

Laos Christians Face Crisis As Government Bans Bibles

Wednesday, 10 August 2005

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent BosNewsLife reporting from Laos

NAM TEE, LAOS A lack of Bibles and Christian literature in Laos is now becoming "the biggest threat" to rapidly growing Christian communities in rural areas of the Communist Asian nation, evangelical leaders said Wednesday, August 10.

The Communist government imposed restrictions on the distribution of Bibles effected villages near the border with Thailand, where churches experience unprecedented growth,

BosNewsLife established.

"But without Bibles and Christian literature, the many new Christians can not grow in their faith and study Gods word," said 38-year old Pastor Khampet Deesakoun of an evangelical church in Namtee, a remote village of roughly 700 people, about 150 kilometers from the capital Vientiane.

The father of six children became "a born again Christian" 10 years ago and said the small church he started with a handful families grew into a thriving congregation of over 400 people. "About half of the villagers have become Christians, while the rest are still Buddhists or pray to ghosts," he explained.

For full article, click below....

http://www.bosnewslife.com/index.php?$...4/1&country=244

[nebula]

Lord, bless them!

[seraph]

Laos is one of the poorest Asian countries. 85% of the population are subsistence farmers (chief crops are sweet potatoes, corn, cotton, vegetables, coffee and opium). Typically people live in stilt houses along a river with electricity available only in a few urban areas.

The Laotian Constitution "guarantees" the right to believe in any religion, yet Communist leaders in some districts have instituted a program called "New Mechanism" which expels many people from their district when they don't convert to Buddhism or animism.

The majority of the people are Buddhist... most Lao youth are Buddhist monks for some amount of time. 5% practice no religion (many in this percentage are Communist). Only about 2% of the population are Christian who face persecution (worse in the North) and meet in secret.

All churches except for a few in Vientiane were closed. Many must choose between denying their faith or prison (or even death).

Evangelism, training and church planting are illegal as the government says "The Jesus Religion" seeks to undermine the country. There are an estimated 30,000 Evangelical Christians and 32,000 Catholics.

They certainly need our prayers!

[Scarletprayers]

You read things like this and you look around and you go, why am I not doing more...................we have it so easy here, even with all of the little things that are happening to curtail our freedoms, in comparison we are richly blessed. This type of thing is whats going to end up happening everywhere I'm afraid.

I pray for those that are persecuted for their faith every night, these are the people I'm praying for, now I have a name to put to some of them.

Dear Father keep in your mighty hands, your children in Laos who are trying through poverty and intimidation to follow your word. Surround them with your love and strength and keep them safe.

In Christ Name I pray Amen.

[other one]

I feel sooooo blessed to be somewhere where we can openly proclaim and study the Word. I know that if we live long enough that will be taken away. We should all read and learn as much as possible while we can.