According to Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley, all three families chose Christ. 

 “These three families are living examples of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 3:8: ‘For his sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ’ (내가 그를 위하여 모든 것을 잃어버리고 배설물로 여김은 그리스도를 얻고)”, says Representative Foley.  “If we were faced with that same choice, probably many of us would file a lawsuit or complain to the media. But Paul says that he considers what he lost to be rubbish, and these families in Vietnam have that same attitude. They are continuing to rejoice even though they have lost everything.” 

Mr. and Mrs. B (name withheld for security reasons) are one of the three Christian families whose case Voice of the Martyrs Korea has been documenting in partnership with its sister ministry Voice of the Martyrs Australia. “Mr. and Mrs. B worked very hard to acquire two hectares (approx. 6050 pyong) of land, but when they became Christian, local authorities came to their home frequently, threatening and physically attacking them in order to make them renounce their faith,” says Representative Foley. She says the couple remained steadfast in their faith, even after authorities confiscated their land. “The authorities even reminded Mrs B of what they called her ‘bad family history’: Her father had fought against the communists in the Vietnam War.”  Representative Foley says that the couple is now living in a shack they built for themselves on a small piece of land they purchased with the little money they had remaining. “Mr. B is now a member of a mission team traveling around the country to share the gospel,” says Representative Foley. 

Land confiscation or destruction is a common tactic used by authorities to try to force Christians to renounce their Christian faith, according to Representative Foley. She says Brother L (name withheld for security reasons) had been hailed by local authorities as a good citizen and a knowledgeable farmer, but when they learned that he had been evangelizing others without government permission, they immediately revoked the benefits they had previously given him. “The authorities had provided him with what they call a ‘red book’—a legal document showing that someone has the legal right to use a particular piece of land,” says Representative Foley. “But when they found out that he was sharing his faith, they revoked his ‘red book’, seized his land and forced his family to leave his village.” Representative Foley says that his family is now temporarily living with another Christian family. 

According to Representative Foley, the persecution of Christians remains common in rural regions of Vietnam.  

“Believers regularly face threats like expulsion from their villages, confiscation or destruction of property, and physical violence,” says Representative Foley. “They’re prevented from supporting themselves, and they’re excluded from social benefits and government aid programs. Then they’re told by authorities, ‘All these problems will go away if you just renounce your faith’.”  

Representative Foley gives the example of Brother Y, a Vietnam war veteran who served under the winning Communists. “As a war veteran, he had been receiving full benefits from the government until recently, when they learned that he has followed Jesus,” says Representative Foley. “They cut all of his benefits and even forced him to leave his house. But he is remaining faithful to the Lord.” Representative Foley says that Brother Y is temporarily living with another Christian family. 

Representative Foley says that Voice of the Martyrs Korea works together with Voice of the Martyrs Australia to share the stories of faithful believers in Vietnam and to provide them with financial aid and ministry resources as needed. 

Individuals interested in learning about Christian persecution in rural Vietnam can visit www.vomkorea.com/en/vietnam.