{"id":39730,"date":"2021-12-07T14:14:51","date_gmt":"2021-12-07T05:14:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/?p=39730"},"modified":"2021-12-10T08:58:49","modified_gmt":"2021-12-09T23:58:49","slug":"vomk-report-182","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/2021\/12\/07\/vomk-report-182\/","title":{"rendered":"VIETNAM: EVICTION OF CHRISTIAN FAMILY LEADS TO NEW CHURCH PLANT"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”39710″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”When T\u00f4n Th\u00e0nh Sang\u2019s* brother-in-law conspired with the village chief to evict T\u00f4n\u2019s family from their home in the Vietnamese highlands, the brother-in-law, a former government official, was trying to stop Christianity, not spread it. But now, through the support of a local pastor and Voice of the Martyrs Korea, the eviction has led to a new church plant. (*name altered to protect security) ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:1.2em|text_align:left” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” el_class=”headline”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Brother\u00a0<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is a first-generation Christian,\u201d says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Hyun Sook Foley. \u201c<\/span>H<\/span>e and his family came to Christ\u00a0<\/span>through a local\u00a0<\/span>pastor\u00a0<\/span>last year<\/span>\u00a0and immediately\u00a0<\/span>began to\u00a0<\/span>experience persecution<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u00a0even suffered a broken arm when he refused to surrender his Bible to villagers who\u00a0<\/span>attacked\u00a0<\/span>him on his way home from church.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_single_image image=”39727″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=” In Vietnam, Christian persecution is most severe in the remote tribal areas in the highlands. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But Representative Foley says it was\u00a0<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0witnessing to other\u00a0<\/span>villagers, which ultimately\u00a0<\/span>led<\/span>\u00a0several to convert to Christ<\/span>ianity<\/span>, which drove his brother-in-law\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>take action<\/span>. \u201c<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0brother-in-law\u00a0<\/span>conspire<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0with the village chief to have the family evicted from their home<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cIt is one of the most\u00a0<\/span>common form<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0of persecution against Christians in the Vietnamese highlands.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Left with no other options, Representative Foley says,\u00a0<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>his\u00a0<\/span>wife and their two small daughters\u00a0<\/span>moved into a tent on a patch of farmland near their village.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201cH<\/span>is phone\u00a0<\/span>had been\u00a0<\/span>taken\u00a0<\/span>away\u00a0<\/span>from him,\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0<\/span>it was too dangerous for him to return to the village,\u00a0<\/span>so\u00a0<\/span>he could<\/span>n\u2019t\u00a0<\/span>contact anyone\u00a0<\/span>from\u00a0<\/span>his church to let them know\u00a0<\/span>where he\u00a0<\/span>was<\/span>,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span>But\u00a0<\/span>when\u00a0<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0pastor visited his\u00a0<\/span>former\u00a0<\/span>home\u00a0<\/span>and found that the family had been chased out,\u00a0<\/span>he began to search\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>them.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]According to Representative Foley, when the pastor found\u00a0<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u2019s<\/span>\u00a0family,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>he realized\u00a0<\/span>there\u00a0<\/span>was little hope they could return to their home<\/span>\u00a0or village<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThe pastor saw it as God\u2019s design, since\u00a0<\/span>there\u00a0<\/span>was currently no church in that area,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201cHe\u00a0<\/span>offered to help them build a place to serve as both a\u00a0<\/span>home and a meeting place for a\u00a0<\/span>church, and they began church services in the small tent there even before construction got underway.\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”39717″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”New Christian T\u00f4n Th\u00e0nh Sang participates in the construction of a new home for his family, which will also serve as a church meeting place. ” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”39715″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”The tent of the T\u00f4n family following their eviction from their home in the Vietnam highlands, due to Christian activity.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Voice of the Martyrs\u00a0<\/span>committed\u00a0<\/span>40 million VND\u00a0<\/span>(approximately 2,100,000 KRW<\/span>)<\/span>\u00a0to support th<\/span>e construction, which\u00a0<\/span>is now\u00a0<\/span>complete. Representative Foley says the aid\u00a0<\/span>was part of a<\/span>n 18,000,000 KRW aid package Voice of the Martyrs Korea provided to persecuted Vietnamese Christians earlier this year<\/span>\u00a0through its partnership with its Voice of the Martyrs Australia sister mission and local Vietnamese churches.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Representative Foleys says Voice of the Martyrs Korea\u00a0<\/span>will be\u00a0<\/span>providing\u00a0<\/span>an additional 15,000,000 KRW\u00a0<\/span>in aid to persecuted Vietnamese Christians this month.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cThe funds come from donations to our \u2018Families of Martyrs and Prisoners\u2019 fund and our \u2018Communism is Not Dead\u2019 fund,\u201d says Representative Foley.\u00a0<\/span>She says the funds\u00a0<\/span>allow\u00a0<\/span>Voice of the Martyrs Korea to\u00a0<\/span>quickly\u00a0<\/span>deploy\u00a0<\/span>emergency\u00a0<\/span>support to persecution hotspots<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]According to Representative Foley,\u00a0<\/span>Vietnam<\/span>\u00a0is currently one of the hottest<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>We are seeing frequent persecution of\u00a0<\/span>Christians in\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>Vietnam<\/span>ese\u00a0<\/span>highlands<\/span>,\u201d she says, \u201cThese days\u00a0<\/span>imprisonment\u00a0<\/span>is rare, but\u00a0<\/span>village\u00a0<\/span>expulsion,\u00a0<\/span>property\u00a0<\/span>confiscat<\/span>ion and destruction<\/span>,\u00a0<\/span>and physical attacks are<\/span>\u00a0quite common<\/span>.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]But Representative Foley says that persecution has not discouraged Vietnamese believers<\/span>\u00a0but instead has driven them to prayer<\/span>\u00a0and deeper faith in God<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0She offered a thank-you letter from\u00a0<\/span>T\u00f4n<\/span>\u00a0as an example.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”39720″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”Workers help build a home for the T\u00f4n family, using funds from Voice of the Martyrs Korea and Voice of the Martyrs Australia.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”39723″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”T\u00f4n Th\u00e0nh Sang along with his wife and one of two daughters, outside of their new home and church meeting place. The structure was built with funds from Voice of the Martyrs Korea and Voice of the Martyrs Australia.” font_container=”tag:p|font_size:13px|text_align:center|color:%230a0a0a|line_height:1.45em” google_fonts=”font_family:Noto%20Sans%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

T\u00f4n<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>wrote:<\/span>\u00a0\u201c\u2026 while we were facing trials and having no place for my family to stay, my wife and I did not know what to do except\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0<\/span>pray\u00a0<\/span>for\u00a0<\/span>days and nights<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>God sent our pastor<\/span>, who<\/span>\u00a0came to visit us and let us know we would be receiving money from the benefactors to help us build our house\u2026 We were astonished and praise<\/span>d<\/span>\u00a0God for His provision.<\/span>\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Voice of the Martyrs Korea classifies\u00a0<\/span>Vietnam\u00a0<\/span>a<\/span>s one of five remaining Communist nations in the world,\u00a0<\/span>including\u00a0<\/span>also<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>China, North Korea, Laos, and Cuba.\u00a0<\/span>\u201cEach of these nations<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>maintains strict laws against religion,\u201d says Representative Foley. \u201c<\/span>In Vietnam, n<\/span>ew Christians are often evicted from their homes and villages, especially in\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>tribal areas where local authorities exercise broad discretion.<\/span>\u201d Representative Foley says\u00a0<\/span>that in the\u00a0<\/span>rural and tribal areas, existing believers can often meet openly, but new believers are targeted for harsh persecution.\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span>Christians are often denied social services, utilities and schooling in an attempt to pressure them to reject Christianity.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

\u201cChristian persecution is not a thing of the past in the Communist world,\u201d says Representative Foley.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

More information on Christian persecution in Vietnam is available at\u00a0<\/span>https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/country-profile\/VIETNAM<\/span>\/<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][\/vc_section]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"[vc_section][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”39710″ img_size=”full”][vc_custom_heading text=”When T\u00f4n Th\u00e0nh Sang\u2019s* brother-in-law conspired with the village chief to evict T\u00f4n\u2019s family from their home in the Vietnamese highlands, the brother-in-law, a former government official, …","protected":false},"author":659,"featured_media":39711,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[857,235,869,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-39730","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-russian-special","category-special-column","category-china-special","category-vomk-report"],"translation":{"provider":"WPGlobus","version":"3.0.2","language":"en","enabled_languages":["ko","en","zh","ru"],"languages":{"ko":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"en":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"zh":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false},"ru":{"title":true,"content":true,"excerpt":false}}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39730","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/659"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39730"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39730\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39711"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39730"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39730"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vomkorea.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39730"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}