[Today’s prayer] 11 Vietnamese Christians sentenced to 90 years and 8 months in prison, goes missing

The disappearance of 11 Christians in Vietnam who had been sentenced to a total of 90 years and 8 months in prison for their religious activities has raised strong concerns about the government's response to religious minorities.

The American Christian Post (CP) reported related news, saying, “Six Protestants and five Catholics arrested in Vietnam between 2011 and 2016 are currently missing from prison.”

According to this, the International Christian Coalition (ICC), a persecution monitoring group, said, “Six Protestants are related to the Degar Protestant Church, which is not approved by the government, and five Catholics are from the Hamon Catholic Church,” adding, “Both religious movements are in Vietnam.” “Without receiving official recognition from the communist regime, Vietnam frequently attacks these groups, claiming they ‘undermine the national unification policy.’”

Protestants Ro Mah Pla, Siu Hlom, Rmah Bloanh and Rmah Khil were specifically targeted for their alleged links to the Degar Protestants.

Meanwhile, Sung A. Khua was arrested for 'deforestation' after refusing to renounce his faith, and Y. Hriam Kpa was detained for refusing to close his church. Five members of the Harmon Catholic Church also faced similar charges.

The Degar people, also known as the Montagnard people, are an indigenous people of the central highlands of Vietnam, historically allied with the United States during the Vietnam War, and are famous for their Christian faith.

According to the Campaign to Stop Torture in Vietnam, Montagnard Christians are often forced to renounce their religion and face severe punishment, including beatings and imprisonment, if they resist.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom pointed out that “Vietnam continues to violate human rights to suppress Christian activities, including by deporting families like Sunga Cua and destroying their homes.”

In 2018, Vietnam enacted a law on religion and belief, which ostensibly regulates religious practice, but has been criticized for being restrictive.

“This bill significantly impedes religious freedom by not only controlling recognized religions but also pressuring unrecognized groups to conform to state-sanctioned practices,” USCIRF’s 2019 report said.

Violations of religious freedom continue to occur in Vietnam, according to the latest USCIRF annual report released in May. “The Vietnamese government is particularly aggressive toward ethnic and religious minorities, including enforcing guidelines that infringe on religious practices and language,” the report said. “This can be seen in the forced abandonment and interference with religious gatherings.”

Source: News

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14)

In Vietnam, we hear the sad news that 11 Christians sentenced to prison on various charges for refusing to renounce their faith, have gone missing in prison.

May the warmth of the Holy Spirit's comfort and the love of Jesus be extended to their families, who may be spending the night in tears, not knowing where they are or if they are alive.

In the end times, as we are getting closer to the day of your return, the more we hear of tribulation, threats of death, and human rights violations, such as families being deported and homes being destroyed, but the Lord knows that in times like these, all that is needed is faith to endure.

Please give us the peace and grace that the world cannot give among the Montagnard Christians, an ethnic minority group in Vietnam who are currently suffering, and help us remember the prayer that Jesus prayed for us during his suffering on the cross through this time.

We pray that the world church will pray together and overcome this. When we gather our hearts with the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who overcame death on the cross, let us witness this gospel of the kingdom of heaven being testified even in Vietnam, where lawlessness seems to be rampant, and among our brothers and sisters who are still persecuted.

The end will definitely come. As I look forward to the day the Lord will greet me, may the Holy Spirit accompany me so that I can swallow this pain and complete the race of faith until the end, and let me finally see that day.

So, on the day the Lord comes again, may the Vietnamese people greet the Lord with more joy than anyone else!