Over 100 police and security officials attacked Christians in Dong Hoi, the capital city of Quang Binh province in Vietnam, on the morning of July 20. Approximately 150 Catholics from Tam Toa parish were gathered at their church compound to set up a temporary worship structure when officials arrived, firing teargas into the crowd and assaulting believers with batons, sticks and stun guns. More than 20 believers were injured and dozens were loaded into police vans. At last report, the whereabouts of the detained Christians were unknown. A cross, building materials and two generators were removed from the site and cameras and video recorders were confiscated.
The Christians of Tam Toa parish have attended open-air services on the church compound or gathered in local homes since the end of the Vietnam War, when their church building was badly damaged. In 1996, the People's Committee of Quang Binh province confiscated the site and declared that it would become a memorial site. However, local Christians insist that the property belongs to the church.
Pray for healing for those injured. Pray that those in detention will be released. Pray that religious freedom will be recognized and justly upheld in Vietnam.
To find out more about the plight of Vietnamese believers, click here.
By helping to provide solid Biblical teaching and training uniquely suited to the needs of a specific tribal group, VOMC is able to equip members of Vietnam’s persecuted church to stand firm in their faith and reach out to others in their communities with the powerful message of the Gospel.
Religion (%) Catholic (6.1), Buddhist (7.9), Protestant (1), Other (0.8) none (86.3%)
Leader President To Lam (May 2024)
Government type Communist state
Legal system Civil law system
Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for Vietnam
We can thank the Lord for the tremendous witnessing efforts and steadfast faith demonstrated by the persecuted Christians of Vietnam. May they not be intimidated by governmental stipulations but rather encouraged to stand firm on the promises of God – relying on Him for the wisdom, diplomacy and favour required to deal appropriately with the authorities. Pray for radical changes to take place in the hearts of the country’s leaders, especially those who are responsible for implementing and administering Vietnam's laws, so that the work of the Gospel will continue to thrive.
Pray for Vietnam
We can thank the Lord for the tremendous witnessing efforts and steadfast faith demonstrated by the persecuted Christians of Vietnam. May they not be intimidated by governmental stipulations but rather encouraged to stand firm on the promises of God – relying on Him for the wisdom, diplomacy and favour required to deal appropriately with the authorities. Pray for radical changes to take place in the hearts of the country’s leaders, especially those who are responsible for implementing and administering Vietnam's laws, so that the work of the Gospel will continue to thrive.
A village in Vietnam. Photo: Flickr / Michael Mooney (cc)
In August of this year, a widower and father of two referred to as "Brother Man" came to faith in Christ. When news of the believer's conversion became known, he began to encounter intense pressure from local authorities.
In the first incident, Brother Man was ordered to leave his home. When he refused to do so, the local authorities then confiscated his land and forbade him from contacting any other Christians. Despite the opposition, the follower of Jesus remained firm in his newfound faith.
Human rights organizations around the world are raising concerns about the fate of 11 Christian prisoners in Vietnam. The Christian men were all sentenced to prison at different times between 2011 and 2016. It has recently come to light that their whereabouts remain a mystery, and that the believers who should have completed their sentences by now were not yet released to return home.
Pray that believers in Vietnam will remain faithful to Christ. Photo: VOMC
On March 8th, the body of Pastor Y Bum Bya was found hanging from a tree at a cemetery near his home in the Dak Lak Province of Vietnam. Though local authorities declared the Christian leader's death a suicide, reports indicate that his body showed signs of torture. The believer's death happened shortly after he had been summoned to meet with police.
Flags of Vietnam and the Communist Party of Vietnam. Photo: Wikipedia / Vuong Tri Binh (cc)
With the release of Decree 95, which took effect on March 30th, Vietnamese governing officials declared that the new regulations they were instituting would ensure freedom of belief for all people within the country, enhancing the responsibilities of individual agencies and organizations. The decree expands on the "Law on Belief and Religion" that was implemented in 2018, which outlines additional policies and procedures regulating religious activities in Vietnam.
Population
