Families in two villages have been asked to leave their homes and resettle elsewhere because they have turned to Christ. Village chief Keang Khean of north-central Laos has asked all Christians to leave immediately. Tensions are high in the village, which is located in the Chomphet district of Luang Prabang province. Meanwhile, three families in the village of Sanam have been given official notice that they should leave, after experiencing two years of persecution. The 18 members of the Ser, Taam and Thong families had their papers confiscated last year and still have not had them returned.
Prayer has also been requested for a house church in the Hom district of Vientiane province. The four families who founded this church came to Christ after a woman was healed of a serious illness in 2005 when a pastor prayed for her. The families had been attending a church which was a six-mile walk away, but decided to begin a house church in their own village, a congregation that has since grown to include 16 families. However, these believers have faced stiff opposition from others in the village, including accusations that their worship creates disharmony. On one occasion, a police officer threatened them with violence unless they recanted their faith. For more information on the suffering of Christians in Laos, go to the Laos Country Report.
Thank God for the resilience and courage of these Christian families who are risking everything as they bear witness of God's love. May many others be drawn to Christ as a result. Pray for the officials who are demanding these believers to leave their villages...that they will realize how Christianity can serve to actually bring about positive changes to their communities, rather than discord.