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Laotian evangelists are Held in this Prison in Luang Prabang, Laos.
The Walk of Faith in Laos
As each new morning dawns in Laos, Pa Tood, a 46-year-old Laotian church leader, remains unaware of whether it is day or night. He is confined deep inside the remote Savannakhet Prison in Southern Laos. Pa Tood was imprisoned after he refused to recant his faith as ordered by the Laotian Communists. He has been incarcerated for more than a year.
A high-ranking local village leader offered to bail Pa Tood out of prison, if he would only recant his faith. Pa Tood replied, "If I wanted to give up my faith, I wouldn't be here." For this outright refusal, he was confined in stocks 24 hours a day. Pa Tood is given water each day, but his food rations have been severely limited. His legs are also swelling from the strain of the stocks.
Pa Tood is not the only one suffering in prison for refusing to deny his faith. Reports describe at least sixteen other Christians being held in Savannakhet Prison who have yet to be charged. Four more are being held in Udomaxy and have been there more than three years without official charges. Nine Christians are being held in Attepeu, six in Sam Neua, and four more in Phongsaly. Laotian officials even arrested a son of one of the prisoners who brought rice to twelve Christians who were arrested, including his father.
Since 1997, the persecution of Christians in Laos has been on the rise. Even though Christians comprise less than two percent of the general population, the government sees them as a threat. Imprisonments, inhumane detention, closure of churches, and forced displacement are on the rise. The main reasons why Christians are persecuted center around evangelism and fellowship. The latter has been labeled by Communist officials as "gathering together to create social turmoil." The officials are closer to the truth than they may realize. Only "social" turmoil is not what is being created, it is "spiritual" turmoil in the battle for the souls of man. In God's eyes, it is a "beautiful" act!
Following is the translation of the document that Laotian officials have tried to force Thongla and countless other Christians to sign:
Voluntary resignation from a foreign religion, into which the enemy has enticed us in past days.
Having familiarized myself with the documents, in which is rectified the misunderstanding produced by some malicious people, who spread religion and who joined the religion illegally and who were led by lies and allurements [on]: ..............day ....................month..............year.
I,....................(name), who live together with my family, wife and children in ....................Village in the ........................District, believe in a foreign religion, which the imperialists have used for their own benefit to divide the united front and to build power for themselves against the local authorities. Now I and my family clearly see these intentions of the enemy and regret the deeds, which we have committed. We have clearly seen the goodness of the Party and the Government and the fairness of the new government system.
Therefore, I and my family, my wife and my.......children, voluntarily and unequivocally resign from believing in this foreign religion. Below is my and my family's pledge:
1. We definitely do not believe in the foreign religion. We shall no longer participate in the movement of this religion, nor will we take part in its meetings, nor will we participate in its religious ceremonies.
2. We will concentrate on upholding our homeland's peace and order, and we will undertake to work for the initiatives of the Party and the Government and the local authorities for the benefit of the development of our country.
3. From this day onwards, should the state see me and my family still continuing in and participating in this foreign religion and its ceremonies, I accept that the government shall do to me whatever is required by its laws.
Place:...................................
Date:....................................
Confirmation of resignation, signed by the Village Chief (Head or Elder)
Signature and thumbprint of the resigned:
The retired President of Laos, President Nouhak Phoumsavan, is taking a government helicopter along with Communist police to villages with this renunciation document in an attempt to "stop Jesus."
This document has been taken door to door through villages where a Christian presence is known to exist. The results are also recorded on the families' ID cards.
Please remember to pray for our brothers and sisters in Laos who remain in a "den of lions." Only these lions are not satisfied to wait in a den. They are going door to door looking for the Christians. But some courageous believers like Thongla also go door to door ahead of them!
The believers' first request of Christians in the free world was simple: "Pray for us."
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edited 6/30/02