Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-12)
I recently asked Thirteen Three Ambassador Tadhg Parker to share one person’s story that touched his heart from his recent visit to Vietnam. He shared with me a story from one of the Bible college students he is helping to support.
Lai’s Story
Lai is 18 years old, born and raised in a tribal village in the Central Highlands of Vietnam. His parents became Christians when he was very young and his father became a pastor.
Although Lai hasn’t faced any persecution directly (thankfully), he remembers when he was a child and the authorities entered his family’s home, bound his parents and took them away.
Lai was left at home. He had no idea where they were taken and they were gone for many hours. It was only when Lai was older that he found out what happened to them that day.
Lai wept as he told us what took place…
The authorities had taken his parents to the village square and publicly humiliated them for their faith in Jesus. The villagers also hurled insults at his parents, who remained silent. After hours of torment, the villagers were told to have nothing more to do with this family.
Hope for the future
The story was one of intense humiliation, but Tadhg said Lai still had hope:
I could hear the pain in Lai’s voice and see the sorrow that is still in his heart. His family’s reputation and his father’s ministry had been destroyed.
But I could also see a glint of hope in his eyes as he began to tell us about his love for God and for the Gospel.
He may only be 18 but Lai knows he wants to serve the Lord with his life. For he knows that he has a sure and certain hope that far outweighs anything he could go through in this world.
