Stories from our field
David from Laos: “Facebook gives opportunities in a country like mine”
David* was born into a Buddhist family. Growing up, he became addicted to gambling, like many others around him. Now he is active in our Laotian team and enthusiastically shares the Gospel online.
What happened to change his life? And what opportunities does he see for online evangelism in a country where there is no freedom of religion, and Christians face difficulties?
“I grew up in a large family of seven children. My oldest sister married a Christian and emigrated to the United States. She was the one who encouraged me to visit a church during my first year of college. And so I went to church for the first time when I was seventeen. Someone at church explained the Gospel to me, and it really appealed to me. I came to know Jesus as my Savior. My life changed dramatically!”
“As young as I was, I was a compulsive gambler, just like my brothers and sisters and neighbors. Everyone did it. Of course, I regularly lost money gambling, and that bothered me a lot. I tried to quit several times, but failed. In class at school, all I could think about was gambling.
That changed when I got to know Jesus. After a few months of going to church, I began to grow in my faith, and God helped me overcome my gambling addiction. My family saw how my life changed. They didn’t stand in my way when I went to church, as many other families would have done.
I see God’s hand in my life and have witnessed many miracles. For example, I have often experienced God healing me when I was sick or in pain and prayed to Him about it. My faith grew stronger and stronger, and I developed a desire to serve God.”
David became active in his church’s youth work until he graduated from university. He then trained to become a pastor. After completing his training, he returned and became a pastor.
“I see that the Facebook page I manage is helping both Christians and non-Christians enormously. It really is one of the best ways to share the Gospel in a closed country like mine. For non-believers, it is often the first time in their lives that they come into contact with the Word of God! Through the Facebook page, they can ask questions to their heart’s content and engage in discussion with me. I always try to respond to their questions with gentleness and love. In real life, Laotians are often quite shy and will not readily open up about their problems. But online, they do!
The great thing is that this online ministry also helps me to be more effective in sharing the Gospel offline. I can apply the experience I gain in online conversations to ‘normal’ person-to-person conversations!”
“For Christians, it is very encouraging to meet other Christians online, especially for those who feel lonely and alone. They need support and someone to stand up for them.”
“Many of the people in my country are hearing the Gospel for the first time in their lives. Pray that they will continue to seek God with a receptive heart and that the Word of God will bear fruit in their lives. Pray that new churches in remote areas will remain steadfast, despite the persecution they endure from local authorities. Pray that God will work in the hearts of those who work for local governments, so that they too may come to know the Gospel.”
*Not his real name