Eight Christian families quickly began making funeral arrangements when a local Christian woman died on Christmas Day. Local officials ordered that if the woman, who went by the single name of Wang, was to be buried in the village burial grounds, her body must be buried according to Buddhist funeral rites, or be taken to a burial ground in nearby Savannakhet city, the group Human Rights Watch for Lao Religious Freedom (HRWLRF) reported.
Lacking the resources to travel to the city, the 40 Christians reluctantly agreed to a Buddhist funeral. With Wang’s body already decomposing in the hot tropical climate and officials demanding that they recant, the Christians verbally agreed to cease practicing their faith in order to bury her in the village cemetery. HRWLRF reported that one of the officials told the Christians, “Don’t do anything with the dead body; let the body rot if you insist on clinging to the Christian faith.” Although the believers agreed to the terms, the village monk initially refused to carry out the ceremony because Wang was a Christian. According to Compass News once the funeral was over, five of the families told church leaders in another city that they regretted their decision and that they would continue to worship God.
In a separate incident in Boukham village, officials have moved seven of the eight Christian leaders who were arrested on Dec. 16th into an animal pen, blocked visits from family members and banned direct delivery of food, local sources told HRWLRF. Arrested for gathering around 200 church members for a Christmas celebration, the Christians are being held in wooden stocks which have caused swollen and infected legs and excruciating pain.
When last seen, the health of one of the detained leaders, identified as Puphet, who suffers from a kidney ailment, had clearly deteriorated. The legs of six of the detainees, but particularly those of Puphet, Wanta and Oun, were swollen and infected, according to HRWLRF. “This is because their legs, being fastened in wooden stocks, are raised higher than their bottoms, obstructing blood flow,” a spokesman from HRWLRF told Compass. “The stocks are also causing excruciating physical pain and bruises.” Family members fear that authorities may employ starvation tactics in order to force the six to give up their faith, the spokesman added.
A ray of hope was however felt in neighboring Natoo village where 47 Christians, who were threatened with eviction on Dec. 21, were able to worship on Christmas day without interruption. Officials have yet to carry out the threatened expulsion.
Heavenly Father, we come before You today on behalf of our brothers and sisters in Laos who are facing seemingly impossible situations. We thank You and praise You for the promise that with You all things are possible! We ask for grace to be poured out on the villagers who are now regretting their decision to deny Christ in a difficult situation. Please bring full restoration and a fresh revelation of Your love and grace to those who have called out to You again, and don’t allow guilt, fear or shame to hold the others back from returning to You. We cry out to You, Father, for deliverance for our Laotian brothers being held like animals and facing excruciating and life-threatening physical pain. Into the midst of their pain, bring supernatural strength, courage and joy that can come only from You. Transform the hearts of the authorities. Bring them to salvation through Jesus Christ and cause the release of these faithful brothers. Amen.
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