The family members of three men detained for "believing in Jesus and worshipping God" in the village of Boukham, Savannakhet province on August 3 (click here for more information) were pressured by police to renounce their faith, according to an August 28 report from Compass Direct. On August 24, the three detained men -- Pastor Sompong, Boot and Khamsavan -- received a visit from their families. When they arrived, officers tightened the handcuffs and wooden stocks restraining the detained believers, causing them severe pain. They told the visitors, "This is the consequence of not signing documents to renounce your faith. We have already given you three opportunities to do this, but you have refused." A few days later, the village chief ordered the families of the men to sign documents renouncing their faith. The believers refused to do so.
In other regions of the country, authorities are cracking down on churches. In mid-August, twenty-two families were reprimanded by authorities for holding worship services in a private home after their church building was torn down by officials in January. At last report, however, they were continuing to meet together in a church member's home and their requests to rebuild have been denied. On August 25, the chief of Donphai village, Attapue province fined local Christians for holding a worship service during local animistic ceremonies. The Christians refused to pay the fine and are continuing their weekly worship services.
Pray for the release of Pastor Sompong, Boot, and Khamsavan. Pray that Christians in Laos will be emboldened to obey God regardless of what man says (Acts 5:29).
For more information on the situation facing Christians in Laos, click here.
VOMC is working with an international partner to provide New Testaments to persecuted Christians, new believers, and those who are earnestly seeking Christ. We believe that the Word of God is a vital tool in combating persecution by helping believers grow in maturity to the fullness of Christ.
Legal system Civil law system similar in form to the French system
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Laos
Pray for strength and courage for Christians as they continue to face pressure and imprisonment for their faith.
Pray for the government of Laos -- that those in power will continue to improve policies and activities, recognizing the need for freedom for all their citizens.
Thongkham Philavanh was a pastor among the Khmu people of northern Laos, where he also served as the provincial head of the Lao Evangelical Church. Actively involved in ministry throughout the province of Oudomxai, he was closely monitored by authorities and had been repeatedly warned to stop his Christian activities.
On June 22nd, believers from the village of Tahae gathered at the home of Pastor Mum for a time of prayer in preparation for their Sunday worship service the next day. While the followers of Jesus were praying, the village chief – along with four other community officials – suddenly entered the home before arresting the pastor and five believers because of their Christian faith.
For the second time within the past five months, the homes belonging to a group of believers in Laos were demolished by angry villagers. The village is located in an area of the country considered a "hot spot" for persecution because of the increasing number of Christians.
More than a dozen Christian families from the village of Mai in northwestern Laos were driven from their homes by other members of the majority-Buddhist community. This recent incident is the latest in a string of similar attacks against Laotian followers of Jesus, despite the fact that laws have been instituted in this country to protect the free exercise of religion.
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