A few months ago, we posted this picture of Lap Ma and his wife with a small blurb on their situation. Now that we have learned more about them, we wanted to update you on their situation and share with you the tremendous effect the ministry of encouragement (via letters) has had in their lives.
Vietnam, 1982 ~
"I refuse to give you my church!" Pastor Lap Ma courageously faced the communists. They came with guns and demanded that he sign papers that would have linked his church to the communist party.
Lap Ma explained, "The Communists want to control pastors as their tool. Every month you must report what activities you are doing, who is the strongest Christian, who is sharing the Gospel, who is going to the army. You must become the police in your church."
The government was furious with his lack of cooperation. Since he was the leader of many pastors in other areas of Vietnam, the Communists made him an example, hoping that the pastors under him would decide to follow the government. Twenty-eight pastors in that district wrote to the government about Lap Ma's case - and all were called to the police station and threatened.
Because he refused to cooperate, Lap Ma and his family were forced into exile by the government. Their clothing, books, letters, and property were confiscated. For twelve-and-a-half years, they were forced to live alone in remote areas on the Mekong Delta, unable to leave.
When Christians around the world heard of his arrest, many wrote letters, both to Pastor Lap Ma and to the government. Because of the international attention focused on his case, the police now allow him to leave his village and receive visitors - as long as he first gets their approval. Pastor Lap Ma and his family have received over 3,000 letters from Christians around the world. Just knowing that someone is thinking of them encourages them for days.
"I devour every letter we receive and meditate on the Scriptures shared in them. I then share these words of encouragement and the Scriptures in Vietnamese with my family. We are glad and encouraged in spirit for the messages in them.
"I read these letters with prayers and tears, because I know our Father never will leave us. Even in these years of great trial and persecution, my eleven children did not stop serving the Lord. All of them love the Lord and are serving the Lord full-time.
Lap Ma and his family remain in exile today secretly spreading the Gospel.
Would you encourage a persecuted Christian family? Your letters make a big difference in their lives. (Not all can write back. In some countries it can cost an entire week's wages to send a letter overseas!)
Or perhaps you would write a letter to the government on their behalf. These letters often mean the difference between life and death, jail and freedom for those who are persecuted for their faith. What a wonderful way to identify with them and serve the Lord through service to our persecuted brothers and sisters.
One of the best things about this opportunity is that anyone, literally, anyone can write a letter sending encouragement to those on the "front lines" and thus participate in the furtherance of the Gospel and be a blessing to many.
To write a letter to a persecuted Christian or to find out how to contact government officials on their behalf visit www.persecution.com.
