Laos Ministries:

What:

a) This project is an opportunity to make a real difference by providing literature and Bibles in languages appropriate to the tribes being reached. In conjunction with trained Lao believers, follow-up work is conducted among those who will read the material. This project provides enough finance to print and distribute packs of materials. Why: There are very few opportunities for mission work inside Laos. Doors are tightly shut, persecution is, at times, intense, and all traditional missionaries along with the overwhelming majority of national church leadership fled in 1975 at the height of Communist opposition. There are some state-approved churches now in Southern Laos though they tend to be restricted in their freedom by government controls. Most evangelicals function in secret. The provision of literature and Biblesl is a marvellous boost to local evangelists in their work.

Cost: Each Bible costs £2 to print and deliver.

b) We are also involved in community development projects. These open valuable opportunities.

Cost of employing local trainers: £

Cost of equipment: £

Target Peoples: Mainly among people groups in Northern Laos .

Prayer: For protection on teams regularly taking material into Laos. For the Lord to prepare the ground in those tribes being reached. For local vision to evangelize among unreached tribes. There are over 130 distinct people groups in Laos. For increased freedom to church plant and evangelize. The Church has suffered greatly since the Communist take over in 1975.

Laos background:

A democratic republic, Laos gained independence from France in 1954. Close relations remain with the neighbouring Vietnamese government and Communist leaders continue in full control. Following purges in 1975, many believers fled. Anti-government activity has continued in northwest since 1998, especially from the Hmong tribe.

Church/Mission activity

Buddhism has become heavily synchronised with animism. Communist persecution was very acute in the mid-1970s and has returned and remained since the late 1990s with the government aiming to completely eradicate the Church. Indigenous believers have been very active in evangelizing among their own unreaced groups but little has happened across other tribal groups. Missionaries left in 1975. Some expatriate believers have able to work in aid opportunities.

Main unreached groups

Those in the north where there has never been formal missionary work. Some believers are coming across borders from China and Thailand . The Lao are the country's main group with but a few thousand believers among them. The Tai speak 15 different languages. The Hmong have many believers from their tribe living outside Laos having fled persecution in 1975 and appear to be a fairly responsive people group. In the south, there are some small unreached groups. Altogether there are about 138 separate ethnic groups in Laos . Perhaps 129 of these are considered to be ‘unreached'. It is this complex linguistic and ethnic diversity that has proved the most serious obstacle to the spread of the Gospel. Bibles are being printed but at least 21 languages still need translations.

Persecution Index

Every six months, Open Doors World Watch publishes an index which grades countries according to the levels of persecution religious believers, and of Christians especially.

2009 Grading for Laos: 8th

Laos

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Laos Ministries:

Laos background:

Church/Mission activity

Main unreached groups

Persecution Index

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