We serve Christians around the world whose brave faith in Jesus means they are, beaten, threatened, imprisoned, tortured, falsely accused, disowned and hated.

Laos: 26 Christians kicked out of their homes

pattern

In three different incidents, a total of 26 believers from northern Laos have, in the last 12 months, been excluded from their communities and expelled from their villages for choosing to believe in Jesus.

13 believers (two families and two young people) from the Akha tribe were kicked out of their homes by the villagers in northern Laos in mid-July 2021 after refusing to renounce Jesus. Prior to their eviction, the believers were warned that if they didn’t deny their faith, their properties would be destroyed, and they would be forced to leave the village.


Image: The 13 believers (their faces have been obscured to protect their identities).

When the believers refused to give up their new Christian faith the village chief and the village guard encouraged other villagers to destroy their houses. With heavy hearts, the believers left their community.

The provincial police rushed to the believers’ aid after finding out about the incident. The police encouraged them to return to their village and promised to settle the matter with the village authorities, but they were met with strong opposition. The village chief and some of the villagers refused to take the believers back in.

For weeks, the believers had to stay at a nearby school until the police told them that they could no longer help them as the village chief is firm would not allow them back in his village.

The 13 believers are now renting an apartment in the centre of a local town. However, when the authorities learned that they were Christians, the owner of the property was made to pay extra fees and taxes, which resulted in a raise in the rental fee. This made it even more difficult for the believers to provide food for their families.

Meanwhile, three other families in different areas in northern Laos were also expelled from their homes last year because of their Christian beliefs.

Two Hmong families were displaced in May 2020. They had to live in makeshift tents on a roadside. A year after being expelled from their village, in May this year, the two families were able to move to a village occupied by Christian families who were also kicked out of their own villages. As their savings were already spent, the two Christian families managed to borrow money from a local church to start a new life in the village. Open Doors local partners also helped to build toilets for the community.

Local Open Doors partner Kuamsouk* explains:

“It is a sad reality for these 26 believers that many non-believers in northern Laos still despise Christians and do not hesitate to expel them out of their own homes because of their faith in Jesus. Many of these believers still struggle with the fact that they were kicked out, yet they continue to stand firm in their faith. It is also their desire that people from around the globe would encourage and pray for them”.

*Names changed for security reasons.

PRAY NOW...
1

That the Lord will continue to strengthen the faith of these believers and the other believers in Laos who were kicked out because of their faith in Jesus.

3

For their persecutors, that they too will encounter Jesus and have a personal relationship with Him.

2

That the Lord will provide for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of these believers.

NEWS
March 25, 2024

See how a new programme is helping young believers to answer tough questions about their faith…

Find out more
March 19, 2024

Pray for at 22 Christians in India who have been injured after a 200-strong mob attacked a church in the southern state of Telangana.

Find out more
March 19, 2024

Join us in praying for Weidong, a christian in China secretly raising up a new generation of young leaders…

Find out more
March 11, 2024

New laws in India are restricting the teaching of minority religions in schools and making it illegal to pray for healing…

Find out more
March 11, 2024

Please pray for the safe return of hundreds of women and children who have been abducted in a new attack in north east Nigeria…

Find out more
March 4, 2024

Watch Simin’s story of brave faith and hear how she and her husband have had to flee Iran after courageously sharing the gospel…

Find out more
March 4, 2024

“If one forbids me to preach here, I will go elsewhere. If they don’t allow me to share the gospel in the daytime, I will do it at nighttime…”

Find out more
February 26, 2024

“We are an invisible church here… We don’t have a temple or the freedom to meet, so we gather in hidden places.” 

Find out more
February 19, 2024

Leah was taken from her school with over 100 other students by Islamic extremists 7 years ago. Whilst the other girls were released, Leah was kept in captivity as she refused to give up her faith in Jesus.

Find out more
February 19, 2024

Abdulla was forced to flee Afghanistan when the Taliban took control, but instead of heading to Europe as was his plan, God is using him powerfully in a neighbouring country…

Find out more
btn-scroll