Spreading the Word in SE AsiaPt. 2: Astrid in Burma; Is Viet Nam Opening?

Deadly cyclones and repressive governments notwithstanding, our friends in mission based in southeast Asia continue to spread the love of Jesus Christ, not only through their actions, but through the written Word of God. Following is an update we received from Mark and Astrid of the Christian Far East Ministry. We met with them both, learned from them and contributed to their efforts during our Thailand Mission, earlier this year. Their work extends beyond the borders of Thailand into other southeast Asian countries ... as the following post will tell you.

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Astrid Travels Into Burma - I want to give praise and glory to our almighty God that we were able to complete this trip without falling victim to violence or being detained by government officers! We had a tremendous time ministering to the many kids and adults in their hiding places on mountain tops and jungles. We traveled inside Burma to a camp only two hours walking distance from a Burmese Army camp. We traveled by long-tail boat down the river that borders Thailand and Burma. The boat was loaded with supplies for the Karen people in hiding. I was a bit nervous as we glided past base camps of the brutal Burmese army that are nestled amongst the dense forest on the Burmese side. But God reminded me of His word: "We fix our eyes not on that which is seen, but on that which is unseen." We traveled one-and-a-half hours on the river to reach the camp.

Due to Burmese Army attacks on Karen villages in the past month, forty new families have recently escaped to this camp. More people are hiding in the jungle without even food and shelter. They are expected to make their way to this IDP (Internally Displaced People) camp in the coming months. Please pray for these people to reach this hiding place un-harmed. Most of the people in the IDP camp are women and children. The men have been captured or shot dead by the Burmese Army.

Food, clothes, and medical supplies were transported to this camp. We medically treated many young children. While living in the jungle after escaping their besieged villages, many children suffered from open sores on their legs, and they had become infected with fungus and ring worms. Almost all the children suffered with stomach worms and a lack of hygiene. Many children were extremely weak. Most were anemic and malnourished, which we treated with iron, magnesium, and multi-vitamin tablets.

We also brought the first Karen Bibles ever taken to this place (we brought some Burmese Bibles here before). It was touching to see the kids reading and being enraptured with God’s Word. We encouraged them to start Bible studies together.

We are committed to support the approximately fifty orphans in this IDP camp who lost both of their parents to violence and disease. Most of these kids have witnessed their parents being dragged out of their houses, tortured, raped, shot dead, or even burned alive in their homes. Looking into their frightened, traumatized eyes made me cry. Before we left we prayed over each child. It was incredibly hard to leave these people behind and return to Thailand.

Please pray that God will allow us to help the more than 1,000 children in this camp with new clothes, school supplies, and medicines. Also, the new arrivals need food, clothes, mats, blankets, mosquito nets, and more.

Is Viet Nam Opening? - "Some people are saying that Vietnam is opening up to the Gospel. It’s true that some freedoms have been given: Some church services are now allowed, and Bibles can be printed in country if given permission. This is a great step forward, but it hardly proves that Vietnam is opening. Local officials still persecute believers. And the government refuses to allow Hmong Bibles to be printed.

Recently, we gave more than 300 Hmong Bibles to a team going to Vietnam, and Vietnamese officials confiscated them all. Then this team went out into a city putting Christian tracts under people’s doors. When two young men came to the end of the alley they were working, they were met by four policemen. Three policemen drew their guns. The men were made to kneel in the street and put their hands on their heads. In a moment, twenty more police arrived. These two young men were taken in separate vehicles to a police station thirty minutes away. They were interrogated throughout the entire night. They were finally let go about 5 AM, but their passports were held for 10 days. They each paid a fine of $1,000 US to get their passports back, and then were finally allowed to leave the country. But they will not be able to get another visa to visit Vietnam for at least five years. The police told them there is freedom to worship inside a church, but not outside those walls.

In the countryside, some pastors are still being arrested for sharing the gospel outside of their churches.

The believers are cautious of the new freedoms in Vietnam. It’s a common Communist trick to allow some freedoms for a time so that those who are hiding will come out from hiding. Then when the authorities learn who the Christians are, the persecution comes back harshly.

One of our sponsors purchased for us 6,000 New Vietnamese Bibles printed legally in Vietnam, and we are cautiously delivering these books to some of the poorest Christians in Vietnam. Just because permission was given to print these Bibles is no guarantee that they won’t be confiscated by local police.

Thank you for your prayers and support! God Bless You!
Mark and Astrid

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To support the work of CHRISTIAN FAR EAST MINISTRY IN AMERICA, tax deductible gifts may be made out to "His Servants – Asia or Faith Community Church" and mailed to:
Christian Far East Ministry
PO Box 1411
Glendora, CA 91740