(Map courtesy Wikimedia/CC)

Update: We have just received word that Wayne, Autumn, and Joseph have been deported and crossed the border into Thailand Thursday afternoon.

Laos (MNN) – Lao authorities detained three Americans in the Luang Namtha province and seized their passports 10 days ago, accusing them of ‘disseminating religion’ without proper approval.

Todd Nettleton is a spokesman for the Voice of the Martyrs USA. “The three Christians were a part of a team that was traveling from a ministry that’s based in Wyoming, a ministry called Vision Beyond Borders. They were detained, apparently handing out Gospel-related materials.”

Due to the sensitive nature of the situation, VBB identified the three Americans by their first names only: Wayne, Autumn, and Joseph. As of this writing, the trio remains in a guest house in Luang Namtha, according to Radio Free Asia. Of the charges, that’s yet to be determined. Nettleton says, “My understanding was this was not Bibles, but rather mp3 players with the Scripture recorded as well as other Scripture recordings that they were giving out.”

From Where Does The Pressure Come?

On the issue of ‘disseminating religion’, Nettleton explains, “The law is that the government wants to control the distribution of Christian materials. Bibles are not sold in bookstores. They’re not available to the general public. At a government-sanctioned church, you can get a Bible. So a group from America that is just freely distributing Christian materials is going to get the attention of the Lao authorities.”

Nettleton says this case has a couple of unusual elements to it. First, “A lot of the persecution that happens, happens at the village level. If somebody becomes a Christian, the other people in the village may say ‘we don’t want any Christians in our village because that might anger the spirits of our ancestors, so if you’re going to be a Christian, you’re going to have to leave.’”

Second, “It appears that the US Embassy there in Laos is involved in the situation, so the US government is aware of what’s going on and is working on behalf of these three Christians. At this point, probably the most significant thing we can do is pray.”

(Photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs Australia)

It could be the involvement of the US Embassy that kicked things into a more high profile situation since persecution doesn’t typically come down from the national government level. “It’s interesting to see Americans be detained and see that escalate up to the national level of ‘why are these Americans being held? What’s the charge against them?’”

However, there’s another issue to consider. “The other question obviously, from a ministry standpoint is, what happens to other Christians that they may have connected with, or spoken to, even met on the street in Laos? Will there be some repercussions for those believers. We pray that that’s not the case.”

A Call To Action

In a press release, Vision Beyond Borders says it “exists to serve the persecuted church in closed nations around the world. It directly supports Children’s Homes for orphaned and impoverished children, Safe Houses for women against sex trafficking provides refugee relief supplies for the Middle East, provides Bibles to impoverished and oppressed Christians, and supports pastors and mission work in closed countries.”

The ministry came to the defense of the three detained Americans and added the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1 which states:

Article 18 Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance.

Article 19 Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

VBB calls for the release of Wayne, Autumn and Joseph, and further asserts, “The government of Laos is acting in direct contradiction to the Universal Declaration. This is part of a larger pattern of serious oppression against Christians and other minorities in Laos as documented by the 2017 International Religious Freedom Report 2 .”

As the situation is still unfolding, Nettleton urges us to “Pray for these three Americans that are being detained. We can pray for the protection of any Lao Christians that were their contacts or were working with them.”

Headline photo courtesy Open Doors USA

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Despite the fact that there is a way to distribute Bibles legally in China, one size doesn’t fit all. In fact, distributing from the government approved printing organization, Amity Press, is only part of the puzzle piece when we’re talking about resourcing every believer in China.

There are many Christians who agree that smuggling Bibles is still necessary, and it’s because of the unique needs they’ve encountered on the field.

For one, the sheer number of believers overwhelms the press’ printing capacity.

Patrick Klein of Vision Beyond Borders says, “The Church is growing very fast in China. Some say 20,000-30,000 people a day. So, they need more Bibles to keep up. The other thing is, conservative numbers, there [are] 100 million Christians in China today. We know that Bibles wear out after a while, so you need to replace Bibles. Bibles are destroyed; you just constantly have to keep up with a new supply of Bibles to keep up with the need.”

And it’s not just a matter of numbers, either. Klein explains, “A lot of the Church is in the rural areas and it’s more difficult to get those Bibles. So a lot of the Bibles that are being printed and distributed inside China, most of those are going to the bigger cities. But the rural areas where the big populations of Christians are, they’re still in dire need of the Scriptures.”

(Photos courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

There is a movement of these Bibles from the city to the country, thanks to the work of Christian organizations. However, the need for more Bibles is constant. Klein says their contacts on the ground are always asking them to bring more Bibles.

And here’s another thought: smuggled Bibles can come in a variety of formats, depending on the needs in an area.

Vision Beyond Borders works with the underground Church—a group of believers who, for a variety of reasons, have chosen to operate outside of the registered Church. “A lot of the pastors can’t go to Bible schools unless they go to the government church,” Klein says.

Something like a study Bible could have huge implications for a rural, underground pastor as they lead their congregation, especially until a training could be established.

And that is why groups like Vision Beyond Borders continue to smuggle Bibles into China—to be a group that meets the varied and shifting needs of the Church alongside groups that work within the country’s legal guidelines.

“I think it’s important that we do all we can to help the people—if it’s giving out some of them inside, but also carrying them across the border, but also giving them study notes and if they need children’s Bibles—whatever they need, we need to work with them and help them,” Klein says.

“It’s great if people can print them inside and distribute them. That’s good. We feel like we need to carry them across the border because our contacts are saying, please, keep bringing them.”

Confiscated Visas

But this work is dangerous, and the government seems to be coming down harder on groups that are involved.

“We had a team that went across the border a couple of weeks ago, and the team was carrying Bibles, and they were actually stopped at the border. The team was held, there were five of them, and they were held for ten hours.”

Klein says the team was interviewed by several dozen police personnel, and that their visas were revoked for a minimum of three years. In addition, the Bibles they were carrying, about 10-20 each, were confiscated.

According to Klein, there have been around 20 couriers of Bibles that have been kicked out of China since January 1st of this year. Their workers have had to carry lighter loads as the border patrol grows increasingly more vigilant.

Sometimes, they will allow someone through with a few Bibles only to try and discover where these Bibles are being taken and stored. The ministry has had to rearrange how they operate within China.

The underlying problem

So despite the fact that China has allowed churches to gather and for Bibles to be printed and owned, there’s something that needs to be understood. The government has not relinquished its control over Christians.

In major cities where there are more foreigners and journalists, there are Bibles readily accessible to the Church. There are giant government churches allowed to meet every Sunday.

“China is saying one thing to the outside world, but what we’re seeing on the ground is persecution’s increasing,” Klein says.

And the very fact that the government has so much control over the Church is dangerous. There’s no telling where the tipping point is.

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Klein has been told that in the government churches, “The pastors cannot talk about healing or miracles. They can’t talk about the second coming of Jesus. And they’re told that they have to tell the people that their first devotion’s to the government, and not to God.”

But this control is not limited to religion within the nation. Klein believes China has been “flexing its muscle” in the whole region–causing division in Vietnam, and encroaching in Laos, Burma, and the Philippines.

“But they need to realize, if they want to be a super power, you need to have freedom of religion, you need to respect human rights, and you need to be honest and open and transparent.”

Remembering our mission

There are a couple of things to remember in this situation—in light of the confiscated visas and Bibles.

First, Klein says, “When we’re building God’s kingdom, there’s going to be opposition. Satan is going to use anything and everything to try to stop Bibles from going into China, from people hearing the Gospel, people coming to Christ. Satan’s going to do everything he can to stop that.”

But this, he says, should cause all of us fall to our knees before God in prayer.

And finally, whether Christian organizations are working within the confines of the law in this case or outside of it—they are working to get the Word of God into the hands of believers, and those who do not know Him yet.

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Vision Beyond Borders supports the Church in Nepal through their woman, child, and pastor programs. We spoke with one of the pastors who works alongside them. He says while the second phase of local elections is supposed to take place soon, nothing is guaranteed. Two minor parties have threatened to boycott these elections, causing postponements.

The pastor explains the four major parties in Nepal. There is the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist), the Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist-Centre), and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP).

This last party wants Nepal to revert back to the Hindu Monarchy that existed before it was abolished in 2008. The other three parties, he says, are much more accepting of religious minorities like Christians.

As can be seen from the results of the first phase, the RPP is not nearly as popular as the other three major parties. However, they do still have a significant number of supporters.

That’s why this pastor says, “When we see this election from a Christian perspective, there is a challenge for every Christian in Nepal. So we need to pray for this nation. Though there are three other parties who are not against Christianity, there is a challenge, and so we must pray.”

However, he knows they cannot fully rely on politics and the government. In politics, any outcome is possible. Change can take place at any time. But what the Church can depend on, is God.

“Whatever party will be there as a ruling party, we believe that God will open a door for us for evangelism, for Christian events, and so on.”

Opposition to Christianity

It seems to be a common theme in many countries — that religious minorities may face little discrimination in the cities, but in rural areas, there is greater intolerance. In Nepal, this was reflected in the first phase of elections in that in many of the bigger metropolitan areas, the RPP did not have any officials elected. But once you get outside of the cities, things change.

“Christians are facing challenges, not in the city areas, but in rural areas Christians are not allowed to share the Gospel. And [there] is one place there [that’s] known as ‘Christian-free nation’. They don’t want Christians to come into their district. They don’t want Christians to share the Gospel.”

Regionally, there are differences as well. The pastor says eastern Nepal is generally okay. But there are problems in the western and southern part of the country. He says some Hindus believe Christians are of the lowest caste.

“They don’t really persecute physically. They just want to stop the evangelism that’s taking place in Nepal,” he explains.

And so, while it appears that attitudes overall are changing towards religious minorities, we must continue to be in prayer.

“We request you all to pray for our nation. We can pray for our pastors and Christian ministers who are working in different parts of Nepal,” the pastor says.

He says to pray especially for those who are working outside of the cities and may face opposition. He asks us to pray for their financial needs, and for their evangelism to be effective. Furthermore, he asks that the Gospel would be freely accepted by villagers in remote areas.

“We want you to pray for the hearts of the people who have not even heard the name of Jesus; and we want you to pray for the pastors, the leaders, the Christian ministers who are working.”

Again, the pastor reiterates that whatever direction Nepal goes, Christians in this nation can remain confident.

“We don’t know what will be the result of this election. And whatever the election will be, we want you to pray that [the] Gospel and evangelism may not be hindered.”

To support some of the programs of Vision Beyond Borders, click here.

What is life like for these children?

“A lot of times, the mothers don’t know who the fathers even are,” says Patrick Klein, president and founder of Vision Beyond Borders.

He explains that the children grow up in an environment that says women are objects. That mentality ultimately contributes to the cycle that keeps the red-light districts going.

“There’s a lot of children being born in the brothels, and what happens is these kids end up living in the brothels from newborns until they can go to school — they’re there all day long,” Klein says.

And it’s not only their minds and hearts that are in danger. The kids become targets, too.

“It’s really dangerous in the red-light area, because it’s kind of a lawless area. So, the children really are at-risk especially, because there’s no one really to protect the children. They kind of roam around, as they get old they roam around the streets, and men can take advantage of these children very easily.”

For years, VBB has been asked to open a center for the children, and now, they feel God has opened the doors for them to do that.

The Day & Night Care Center

Taking the kids out of the brothels while their mothers are working protects them. But it’s also an opportunity to build into the kids’ lives.

This model of a care center isn’t new. Other ministries have provided this in the past. Klein says the opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel is ripe. One ministry was even able to use the Bible to teach the kids English.

Klein says, “It was really amazing to see these kids learning how to pray, how to worship, and really to love Jesus with all their hearts.”

(Image courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Vision Beyond Borders wants to provide a safe place for the children to learn, grow, and be kids — something that isn’t happening in the brothels.

“It will be a clean place, very bright, cheerful — because when you go into the brothels, it’s very dark, very oppressive, you see pictures of the Hindu gods and goddesses on the walls and statues everywhere. It’s just a very unclean, very oppressive, dark place.”

But this ministry will not only impact the kids, Klein says. He explains that when the mothers see the genuine love and care these ministry partners are giving to their children, it breaks walls. It gives Vision Beyond Borders and partners the opportunity to tell them, also, about Jesus.

From a dream to reality

Right now, Vision Beyond Borders has just under two months to buy a property. If they don’t raise the money in time, the property could be offered to someone else, or at a different price. If they can secure the property, renovations will hopefully take somewhere between three and four months.

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Will you join Vision Beyond Borders in this process? First, start with prayer.

“We can definitely use prayer because it’s a spiritual battle,” Klein says.

Ask God to provide the funding, to help them secure the property, and that everything will go smoothly. Ask God to continue to use Vision Beyond Borders to spread the hope of the Gospel in one of the darkest places in the world. Pray for those who have learned of Jesus to put their faith in Him.

Please, also consider contributing to the purchase funding. You can give here (just scroll down to “India Red-Light Children’s Day & Night Care Center”).

Finally, Klein leaves us with a memory which served as his affirmation that Vision Beyond Borders needed to open a Day and Night Care Center. On a previous visit to India, they had a worship service with some of the children from the red-light district. He remembers a young girl raising her hands in worship, saying out loud, “I love you, Jesus!”

“And I just thought, Lord, this is so important that we set up a daycare, nightcare center for these kids to have a safe place they can be so they’re not in the brothels, not subject to men abusing them, but also not seeing their mothers used.”

(Photo courtesy of yeowatzup via Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/5rypDd)

Today, the upper half of the Korean peninsula celebrates the anniversary of the founding of their military. Alongside the celebration, the nation’s aggression towards the United States persists. As tensions rise between North Korea and the United States over the Asian country’s pursuit of nuclear arms, China is urging both countries to keep the peace.

We asked Patrick Klein of Vision Beyond Borders what his thoughts are on the tense triangle of political relations. He believes our response should be to enter into the situation with prayer — starting with the leader of North Korea.

“I think we really need to be praying that God would get a hold of this man’s heart and either that he’ll repent, or that God will remove him from his place of authority and bring in somebody that will be more open to the Gospel and open to working with the surrounding nations,” Klein says.

(Image courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders via Facebook)

As we’ve shared before, Christians in North Korea live out their faith in harrowing conditions. It’s a big concern for Vision Beyond Borders — a ministry that supports the persecuted Church. Klein explains that Kim Jong-un’s drive behind developing nuclear weapons is to leave behind an affirming legacy like his father and grandfather, Kim Jong-il and Kim Il-sung. Additionally, he would like to rid the Korean peninsula of any U.S. influence so the two countries could reunite and become a world superpower, Klein says.

But putting North Korea aside, what other benefits could there be in improved relations between the United States and China? An article from US News and World Report is optimistic that perhaps it would mean change for Christians in China.

Religion in China

The history of the Christian Church in China is long and complicated. Most people remember that until the last few decades, freedom of religion did not exist there. Things have improved since then.

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Klein says, “Economically, China has really changed and really improved a lot. There are a lot more opportunities for people. People are actually able to start owning their own businesses, and there’s a lot more money in the country.”

However, he says, the religious environment has not been as positive.

China Aid cites multiple infringements of religious freedom, including the arrest of several church leaders, pressure for the church to conform to socialist ideologies, and the demolition of both churches and crosses.

There is also the interesting dynamic of China’s registered churches and those that exist illegally in house churches. During a leadership conference last September, the president established new religious regulations and warned the Communist Party of foreign influence coming through religion. Members of the Communist Party are required to be atheists and other religions are viewed as a threat. The new regulations apply to a variety of aspects of religious life in China, but they make one thing very clear: the government does not want to give up any control.

Klein says if President Trump and President Xi can find common ground, he hopes the new administration will put pressure on China to relax their control over religions in China.

But, he says, “We also need to remember that China is an independent country. They want to do what they want to do.”

Not waiting for change

Klein says, whatever happens, he believes God will continue to grow the Church in China.

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

“I think the way God is working in China — we could see a lot of Chinese Christians become missionaries who could help carry the Gospel. And they’re already doing it, they’re carrying it through the Islamic world, and I think just have a passion to help fulfill the Great Commission. So, if China really opens up, I think we can see more and more of that happening.”

And for Vision Beyond Borders, regardless of whether or not things open up for religions in China, they will continue doing what they are doing — that is to strengthen the Church here, and continue to bring Bibles in.

“The Bible says in the last days, perilous times will come and that we have to work while it’s still day, for night is coming when no man can work. So, we have to seize the opportunities we have now and let’s get the Gospel out, let’s help our Chinese brothers and sisters. Whether the U.S. has a good relationship with China or not, we still have to keep the focus on the Gospel,” he explains.

Please be praying for China, and especially for Christians who are living out their faith, and sharing it with others. Ask God to give them wisdom and protection. Pray for the workers who are helping to strengthen these believers while they can.

And, consider supporting groups like Vision Beyond Borders financially as they print, ship, and distribute Bibles all over the world. Click here to do so.

Klein says they also need people to go with them on trips to distribute these Bibles. You can find more information here.

And finally, he says we can make sure we’re being faithful witnesses wherever we are: “As Christians, we need to be about sharing the Gospel in our own lives with our friends and our neighbors and the people we work with, and if we have that focus and we have love for the Word of God, we’re going to have a passion to get God’s Word around the world.”

The two men disappeared on Christmas Eve. It is believed that the Burmese Army retaliated after the men gave details to a reporter about Burmese airstrikes that damaged a Catholic Church. The Human Rights Watch has urged the military to allow a UN expert to investigate. Burma is number 28 on the Open Doors World Watch List for the persecuted Church. Yet, as we’ve mentioned before, much of the persecution is ethnic-based, targeting several Christian and non-Christian ethnic minorities. The situation is complex, and details are skewed and difficult to understand. That’s partly because access is often restricted, and partly because the activity there doesn’t garner much of the world’s attention.

“I think because it’s on a smaller scale, it does kind of tend to go under the radar and go unnoticed,” Dyann Romeijn of Vision Beyond Borders says.

The conflict in Burma is complicated and long-lived. In some ways, you could compare it to the struggle over Aleppo. Rebel armies are fighting with the military. The violence is sending thousands of civilians fleeing for their lives. Romeijn says perhaps because the fighting has been going on for so long, people are tired of hearing about it. Their compassion is spent.

Burma has been accused again and again of human rights violations. But despite recent changes in the government, little progress has been made.

Romeijn explains, “The government that’s in place in many ways does want to see more freedom for the ethnic minorities but the problem is, [the] military now has got so much power and the military has been in power so long that it kind of operates outside of the government.”

Remembering who is in charge

Some areas in Burma are experiencing democracy and a level of freedom. Others are under immense persecution. Either way, Burma has a lot of work ahead. But even if they continue down this path, Romeijn says there is hope.

An IDP camp was attacked by the Burmese Army earlier this month. (Photo courtesy of VBB/contact)

“God still is in control — that hasn’t changed. It’s difficult for us to see in a situation like this where there’s so much brutality and so much oppression. But it does give Christians an opportunity to be the Church, to reach out, to care about those who are being oppressed.”

VBB has contacts in the area who are distributing medication and food to both IDP camps and refugee camps across the borders. Their ministry is an example of Jesus’ love. Romeijn says along with that work, we must pray for lasting peace and continue to care.

When we don’t see any hope of change, it’s easy to start ignoring the problem and focus on our own lives. Romeijn says this is especially true in America where our comfort and abundant blessings can distract us from what really matters.

She explains, “God calls us to be a blessing to others. He doesn’t give us all these things and all this money so we can be comfortable ourselves, but so we can bless others and we can show and demonstrate His love, sacrificial love, to others in need — and there are lots of opportunities for us to do that around the world right now.”

Please pray for these pastors to be found safe. Ask God to comfort their families. Ask Him to use this trial to increase the spread of the Gospel. And finally, ask Him for perseverance in your prayers and support of Christians in need.

Romeijn says we can be encouraged by the strength of faith our brothers and sisters are exhibiting in Burma, even as they live disrupted lives in camps.

“They really are happy, they’re content. They have a very difficult life, but you’d expect them to be very beaten down. They are very oppressed and they’ve experienced a lot of terrible, terrible atrocities, but yet, they have a lot of joy in Jesus.”

To learn about upcoming trips going to these camps, click here. Romeijn says it is extremely encouraging for these believers to know others are thinking of them and know their plight.

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

According to the article, the charge was based on an event that took place months ago when a woman with a mental illness visited the church, looking for help. She was prayed over, and left.

This comes just after another court case involving eight Christians was dropped. They were charged under Nepal’s new anti-proselytizing law.

Despite the fact that Nepal is a secular state, the status of religious freedom isn’t “cut and dry”. The anti-proselytizing law is the first clue. But, as we can see from this most recent story, when that law doesn’t apply, other ways can be found to persecute Christians.

Dyann Romeijn of Vision Beyond Borders says much of the tension has to do with a growing Hindu-nationalist sentiment, influenced by India. Even though it’s legal to be a Christian, and it’s legal even to leave another religion to become a Christian, it is frowned upon.

Romeijn says, “I think that’s what they’re trying to do is silence that Christian voice. [If] people can’t hear, then they have no opportunity to know the truth.”

Regardless of the motive of behind the law or false accusations targeting Christians, the foundation of these situations is always the same thing.

“I think overall, it comes down to the same thing we see around the world, is that it’s a spiritual persecution, that a lot of times they’re not as worried about cultural differences when they come in different ways, but when it comes in with the truth of the Gospel, I just think we see everything rise up against that.”

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

But, she points out, there have been moments in history where Christianity was more welcomed in this country.

After the earthquake in 2015, Christian organizations were able to reach out and meet the many physical needs that arose. It’s in these types of situations that people better recognize their spiritual needs as well. The impact of that time is still going on today. It’s hard to know just how big the Christian population is.

“There is a lot of growth in Christianity taking place in these countries and I do believe we’ll see an uptick in those numbers. Sometimes it’s difficult for people to claim to be Christians in countries like this in regular reporting because it puts them at greater risk,” she says.

Reacting to changing environments

Vision Beyond Borders works in several countries — each with their own level of religious freedoms. These situations can change rapidly, so they work closely with their contacts to best meet the needs at any given time.

“What we try to do is put them at as little risk as possible. So, whatever help it is they’re looking for at that time and the ways it’s most helpful, whether it be Scriptures, whether it be supporting financially the work, or bringing teams over to help with projects and Bible schools and things like that.”

You can support the work going on in Nepal and other countries financially here. In addition, check out the short-term mission trips. Even if you can’t be involved with these practical ways of support, your help is still greatly needed.

“I think the greatest thing people can do is pray. Because, as we touched on, it really is a spiritual battle. It’s God who has to open hearts and open doors and make a way for the Gospel to go forth and open people’s hearts to be able to hear the truth of the Gospel.”

Pray for truth to prevail in Nepal.

Vision Beyond Borders helps support pastors in Laos, Vietnam and more. (Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Last month, they passed a “Law on Belief and Religion.” Christian Solidarity Worldwide says while the final version has not yet been made public, previous versions included the idea of church registration along with other religious freedom concerns. They do not think it’s likely that the related clauses have been removed.

Even if this law changes nothing, persecution already exists in the shadows in Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries.

Dyann Romeijn of Vision Beyond Borders shares, “In the areas that tend to be tourist areas and the places that are highly visited, you can see churches and they’re open and there’s a lot of freedom there. You can see people with Bibles and even Bible bookstores and things like that in some of those countries. And it gives the illusion that there’s a lot of freedom in those countries.

“And yet, when you get into certain areas, there are still lots of pastors in prison and a lot of churches being demolished and a lot of people who are very persecuted for their faith.”

Open Doors puts Vietnam at number 20 on the World Watch List. 

Earlier this year, Christian Aid Mission published a report of over 100 pastors imprisoned in Vietnam. They faced the real threat of being poisoned from their food among other detestable prison conditions. Many of them had previously fled the country, but were sent back.

Romeijn explains that areas rife with this type of persecution are often impoverished.

“They don’t have access to ways to kind of publicize what’s happening to them to kind of create that opportunity to put pressure on their governments and things like that. So it’s difficult for people in areas like that to get word out about what’s actually happening, and it’s easier for that persecution to continue.”

The power of the Gospel

(Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

As we’ve seen countless times before, when persecution grows, the Church does too. The percentage of Christians in these countries is currently very low. According to the Joshua Project, only 1.7 percent of the population are Evangelical Christians.

But, Romeijn says, “At the same time, Christianity is growing very rapidly. The churches are growing, they’re expanding, they’re seeing people come to Christ in record numbers in all these countries.”

More people want to know this Jesus, the one who people love and trust with their lives. One way to support this growth is to support the pastors who are in the midst of the trial.

Romeijn explains, “Vision Beyond Borders is working on a pastor sponsorship program and we’re working with a contact there who oversees over 500 churches throughout Vietnam and a lot in the central highlands where they’re very persecuted. He also works with a couple Bible colleges there in Vietnam that are training new pastors.”

This sponsorship is a monthly commitment of $35. Because the standard of living is so low in these areas, that small amount allows them to focus on full-time ministry and have their physical needs met. You can help sponsor a pastor through Vision Beyond Borders here.

In addition to sponsorship, committing to prayer is a great way to help the work going on in Southeast Asia.

“We need to be praying that God would open their eyes. It has to be His work. He’s got to open their eyes to see the truth. There’s a lot of deception. There’s a lot of opposition for people to come into saving knowledge of Jesus Christ in these countries. They face a lot of persecution, not just from their government but also even from their own families.”

At a Karen refugee camp. (Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

Burma (Myanmar) is 23rd on Open Doors World Watch List for Christian persecution. Open Doors says much of it stems from the Buddhist radical monks organization called Ma Ba Tha as well as more violent manifestations of persecution through the Burmese Army.

For the 16th year, Burma has also been listed as a Country of Particular Concern when it comes to religious freedom violations.

And though the persecution is manifested through religious avenues, Dyann Romeijn of Vision Beyond Borders says it’s largely based on ethnic divisions.

“Even if they were a Buddhist and they were part of either the Kachin or the Karen ethnic group, even if they were animists or Buddhists, they would still be persecuted by their government,” she says.

The report details a variety of ways these groups have become targets.

First of all, they face discrimination when it comes to education and government jobs and representation. They also have a hard time gathering for worship. Additionally, a set of laws passed last year has threatened to moniter religious conversions.

Christian ethnic minorities also face outright hatred and violence. It gets a little complicated because each group has their own brand of persecution. Romeijn says currently the worst-off are probably the Kachin.

A Kachin refugee camp. (Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

As the report explains, fighting in the Kachin state in 2011 between the Burmese Army and ethnic armed groups displaced thousands of Kachin. They’ve been living in IDP and refugee camps ever since, unable to return home.

In Kachin areas where fighting still exists, Christians are scared to gather. They might be accused of associating with armed groups. There are many reports of Christians and civilians being arrested, interrogated, and tortured under this accusation. Sometimes the action even escalated to sexual crimes and extrajudicial killings.

Resilient in faith

Despite the challenges facing the Kachin and Karen and other Christian minority groups, they aren’t giving up.

“I believe their faith is very strong and it really shines as an example in the country,” Romeijn says.

Vision Beyond Borders takes teams to camps where Christians have fled from violence. One time they visited a camp where 126 orphans were living. Most of them did not have a living adult relative. But their morale was shocking.

“Many of them had actually seen their parents killed by the Burmese army,” Romeijn says, “And these same kids were actually praying for the soldiers that persecute them. So they really truly have a vibrant faith, a real faith that’s not a faith of convenience, but a faith that’s real and tried and true and just a testimony of the forgiving and healing power of Jesus.”

The Karen at a refugee camp in Thailand. (Photo courtesy of Vision Beyond Borders)

In fact, she says, they were some of the happiest and content children she’s ever met.

Similar to our prayer request for the Rohingya last week, will you pray for the Burmese government, military, and nation to see these ethno-religious minorities as people? Ask God to bring healing to Burma through his Gospel.

If you’d like to support the work Vision Beyond Borders is doing, click here.

(Photo courtesy of Steve Gumaer via flickr: https://flic.kr/p/ekpLFJ)

In October, nine police were killed along the Burmese-Bangladesh Border. The government pointed fingers at the Rohingya. Several sources, including the Human Rights Watch, say the Burmese government quickly put the Maungdaw township on lockdown, where many of the Rohingya live.

The BBC says since then an estimated 10,000 Rohingya have fled into neighboring Bangladesh, joining the thousands of refugees already living there. With them, they brought along stories of the atrocities taking place in their home.

Human Rights Watch shares reports of torture, rape, burning houses and mosques, and murder as violence between the Burmese army and Rohingya exploded. The Rakhine state is in need of humanitarian aid, but the government continues to refuse access.

Yesterday, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a detailed report about the complicated situation facing the Rohingya. One of the concerns raised in the report is that Islamic extremism has the potential to grow out of the resentment building among this people group. The Rohingya are not recognized as citizens, in fact the government insists on referring to them as illegal Bengalis. Last year, a series of laws were passed which further restricted the rights of religious minorities like Christians and Muslims. You can read that in detail here.

The USCIRF also says the Rohingya have no identification, are not allowed free movement through the country, and do not even have access to health care.

Needless to say, the relationship between the Rohingya and Burma is complicated. Dyann Romeijn of Vision Beyond Borders says despite the government’s refusal to view them as citizens, many of them have been in Burma for generations and consider it home.

She says, “They’re not granted any rights that a citizen of Burma would have, and so they’re very, very persecuted. There’s about 120,000 [Rohingya refugees] in camps and [they] have been in camps since 2012, so over four years.”

In these camps, she explains, there is very little aid given out. It’s a destitute situation, especially given the fact that the government rarely allows foreigners to visit. Because of this, exact details of what is happening are obscured. The Rohingya have no voice.

Even so, there is a glimmer of hope.

“Our contact that we work with in Burma does have some ties to the government there. And so, he’s able to actually go in and it’s been interesting how God is kind of orchestrating that, but He’s allowing him to be one of the mediators in the conflict between the Buddhist government and the Rohingya,” Romeijn says.

(Photo courtesy of Steve Gumaer via flickr: https://flic.kr/p/ekpPaJ)

Reconciliation is a key ingredient of the Gospel — not only reconciliation with God, but with others. According to the Joshua project, 100 percent of the Rohingya are Muslim. The Gospel is not known among them. And so, our work starts with prayer.

Romeijn says we can pray that Christians in Burma would bring the message of peace into this situation.

“Just really be praying for the hearts of people. There’s such bias towards these people, against the Rohingya, from the Burmese that it’s very difficult for them to even want to negotiate. But if they could just see them as people — as human beings created in the image of God that have value and worth, and understanding their plight — that they have children they love and they’re trying to raise, and understand that, that there would just be some compassion towards these people.”