Photo: VOM Australia
As members of the Hmong tribal group, Hien and his wife Binh were accustomed to worshipping ancestors and giving "gifts" to the village witch doctor to appease the spirits. But when one of Hien's own children became demon-possessed, he took him to visit a Christian pastor. This pastor prayed over Hien's son and he was healed. After witnessing such a miraculous event, Hien decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ.
Recognizing the power of the gift that had been extended to him, Hien became compelled to visit other villages to testify of how God had rescued his son. Yet this was something that the authorities did not take lightly. Once they were made aware of Hien's activities, a summons was sent to him. Hien decided not to go as he knew he had done nothing wrong.
Still, trouble for Hien and his family was only just beginning. First, Hien received a visit from his uncle who beat him with a long wooden stick. As Hien lay in pain on the ground from the surprise attack, his uncle took away his three children and sent them to live with other relatives. To make matters worse, Hien and Binh were subsequently evicted from their home. The villagers threw rocks and stones at them as they left.
Motivated by concern for their children's safety, Hien and Binh managed to find the whereabouts of their children and bring them to live with Hien's mother, who is a committed Christian. Although this was good news for the couple, it didn't bring an end to their difficulties. In addition to the numerous threats they have received from relatives, their belongings were taken and their home destroyed. Hien was also told that his land was confiscated because he was a Christian.
Despite all these forms of persecution, Hien and Binh refuse to give up. Every day they continue to pray that God will help them. They praise Him that they are no longer held captive by the devil, and have full confidence that their Lord will never let them down.
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