Modern Witnesses: Nguyen Thi Lan

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This week, our Sunday School teacher taught us about another brave Christian who is serving God even though it is very hard and painful. Her name is Nguyen Thi Lan, and she lives in Vietnam.

Ms. Lan is an evangelist who shares the love of Jesus with everyone she can. She used to be an official in the Communist Party, but in 2010, she accepted Jesus as her Savior. She began telling people about Him and what He was doing in her life. And fifty people decided to believe in Jesus!

This made one of the villagers, a man named Khoan, very angry. On November 13, 2011, Khoan, his son, and a gang attacked Ms. Lan and other Christians who had gathered for a special service for church leaders at her home.

They smashed and destroyed everything they could. They ruined the motorcycles the pastors use for traveling to the other villages. They destroyed a vegetable garden Ms. Lan needed for food. And, they hurt Ms. Lan and the others who were there.

After the terrible attack, she was taken to three different hospitals, along with two other Christians who had been very badly hurt. But, at all three hospitals, the doctors said she and the others were fine and sent them away. Many times, when doctors in Vietnam know someone has been hurt because of their faith, they will not examine them or help them. On November 18, five days after the attack, the staff at one hospital said there would be no examinations until the next Monday, November 21.

The church leaders made the decision to attempt to take Ms. Lan and the others 1,000 miles south to Ho Chi Minh City. They knew the government hospitals still might not help them, but they hoped that even if they wouldn’t, they would find a doctor in a private hospital in the city that would take pity on these hurting people and take care of them.

With God’s help, they did find a doctor who admitted Ms. Lan to the hospital. The doctor also examined the other two Christians and took care of them. They found that Ms. Lan had a very badly broken bone and internal injuries.

Khoan and the others were not arrested. They promised that if they could, they would kill Ms. Lan if she ever went back to her home.

That was the last story the news reported about Ms. Lan. We don’t know what happened to her after she was able to leave the hospital. But, we know that God knows where she is, and we know that He loves her and will help her be strong. There are some verses in Luke 12 that say:

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.”  (Luke 12:6-8 NIV)

I’m going to pray for Ms. Lan and all the Christians in Vietnam. Will you pray with me?

“Dear God, please help the Christians in Vietnam to not be afraid. Help them remember that You never forget them. And, please help us not to forget about them, either. Help them be strong and continue to tell others about Your love. And, please help Ms. Lan to completely heal and go wherever You send her. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”

The facts of this story are based on World Watch Monitor news articles published on November 16, 2011, and November 22, 2011.

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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ®, Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

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