Vietnam: God among the Montagnards - 22 Nov 2004
"In our nation, we are worth less than animals. The men are murdered and the women raped," says an old Montagnard pastor.
The international community ignores the situation. Montagnards are the inhabitants of central Vietnam's mountains, including the Jarai, Rhade, Koho, Mnong and Stieng tribes. According to mission agency Open Doors, they have suffered severe persecution for many years. During a peaceful demonstration around Easter 2004, Montagnards were brutally cut down by police wielding chains, nail-spiked clubs, knives, iron bars, electric stun guns and machetes.
There are reports of up to 400 killed, which the Vietnamese government still tries to keep under wraps. Why? Half of the Montagnards are Christians. Missionaries took Christianity to Vietnam's mountainous regions in the 1920's. Following the Communist takeover from the North in 1975, the number of Christian Montagnards has grown rapidly, particularly in the past 20 years. That makes them a thorn in the government's flesh, which has been persecuting and repressing Christians for many years. Christ said "Blessed are you if you are persecuted for my sake." The Montagnard's suffering is indescribable. On the other hand, there are very few other people groups in the world in which 50% consider themselves Christians.
Let's pray for God's presence among the Montagnards, that their testimony in the midst of persecution will glorify Jesus and point people to the Saviour.
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Report from Joel News