Update: Orphans remain faithful


Children in a village in Laos

A group of 11 orphans in Laos who were threatened with expulsion from school for attending church have shown remarkable faith. The children have continued to attend church, slipping away one at a time to avoid being detained by school officials on their way to worship.

Last August, the headmaster of the government-sponsored school called the boys into his office and told them if they did not stop attending church they would be expelled (for more, click here). Initially only four of the boys dared to defy the headmaster, but after witnessing the faithfulness of the four, all the boys began attending church again.

The boys have not been confronted by school officials in several months, and those who care for the orphans believe that their steadfast faith has deterred officials from trying to prevent the boys from going to church.

Praise God for these orphans who indeed have the "faith of a child" (Mark 10:15). Please pray that their faithfulness will draw school administrators to Christ and make them open to receiving the gospel.

For more information on the trials Christians face in Laos, go to the Laos Country Report.

Laos Information

  • Current Ministry Project

    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.

    Project Fund: Bibles

  • Country Information

    Population
    7,852,377 (2023 est.)

    Ethnicity (%)
    Lao (53.2), Khmou (11), Hmong (9.2), Phouthay (3.4), Tai (3.1), Makong (2.5), Katong (2.2), Lue (2), Akha (1.8), other (11.6)

    Religion (%)
    Buddhism (64.7), Christianity (1.7), none (31.4), unspecified (2.1)

    Leader
    President Thongloun Sisoulith (2021)

    Government type
    Communist state

    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.

Laos News

  • Six Christians Arrested by Village Chief
    A large wooded area partially hides a village in the mountains of Laos.
     

    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.

  • Homes Demolished for the Second Time
    Laotian village
    A village in Laos.
    Photo: Vinko Rajic (cc)

    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.

  • Converts Driven from Their Homes
    A village
    A village in Laos.
    Photo: VOMC

    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.