Lausanne World Pulse – World Pulse Archives – World Pulse Archives

The “Golden Triangle”-where Thai-land, Laos and Myanmar converge-is known for its “gold producing” flower: the poppy, from which opium is extracted. But this gold doesn’t glitter-Thailand’s scourge is three million drug addicts, many who become addicted as children.

Among the ministries reaching out to these addicts is the New Vision Drug Rehabilitation Center. Somsak, the director, knows how difficult it is to get off drugs because he tried for ten years. When he hit rock bottom, he called out, “If there is a God, please help me.” Somsak said, “It was at a Christian rehabilitation center where I came to know Christ, who freed me from the bondage of drugs.” He then dedicated himself to helping other addicts.

Thailand is ninety-two percent Buddhist. There and beyond, thousands of Buddhist temples overlook the countrysides of Southeast Asia, distinguishing this region as a stronghold for a religion that predates Christianity. As is often the case with other religions, Buddhism became entrenched in the lives of the people over the centuries, intertwining with the culture. There is no easy way to communicate the gospel in predominately Buddhist nations, but holistic witness such as drug rehab programs, led and operated by indigenous agencies, is one of the most effective ways.

Christians have been a tiny minority in Indochina, historically less than one percent of the population. This region has been racked for decades by war (with the French and later the United States), communist oppression, corrupt regimes, a genocidal reign of terror in Cambodia and a litany of natural disasters-all of which have kept these nations and their peoples poor.

As in other places where poverty is rampant, the gospel message gains credibility if it is presented in word and deed. Examples abound of indigenous agencies taking precisely this approach.

The indigenous Thai ministry that runs the New Vision Drug Rehabilitation Center also has a child sponsorship program providing education to children who live in remote areas. Many of the children who become Christians, after they receive Bible school training, return to minister in their home villages.

The Laos Evangelical Ministry (LEM) works with villages to construct water systems that provide a clean water supply. “We built four water systems and thirteen village wells last year in the most remote areas where the gospel has never been heard,” Champa, LEM’s leader, said. “These wells particularly benefit women. They are the ones who carry water every day, usually about two hours round trip. You can imagine how thankful they are to get water right in front of their homes. Their common reaction is, ‘This water is from the Christian God.'”

An LEM worker’s home was in another village that received assistance. “There were no Christians in this village at all,” Champa said. “The water system we put in brought water from a spring 1.5 miles up the mountains and disbursed the water among 106 families. They were so thankful that they encouraged this worker to visit them anytime, which gave him the opportunity to show the Jesus film five times. So far, twenty people have made solid decisions to follow Christ.”

LEM also sponsors sports teams, which are popular in Laos. LEM supported teams sometimes do so well that they are invited to compete with state-sponsored teams. The games are televised to the entire nation. Since few people know any Christians, it is an eye-opener for them to see how Christian youth and coaches respond to fouls, losses and other setbacks.

Local media occasionally covers the sports teams or the dedication of a well, giving publicity to the Christian motivation behind the work. “Two key government ministries, which used to consider Christianity their enemy, are now approachable and have softened their attitudes towards Christianity,” Champa said.

Even though persecution still exists, these projects win favor with the government and gain entrance to communities that were previously closed to the gospel. In 2001, twenty new churches were established, more than six thousand people came to Christ, and one thousand plus were baptized.

In Cambodia, the Khmer Evangelical Association (KEA) runs a revolving loan fund, providing poor farmers with rice seedlings. When frequent flooding occurs and crops are lost, KEA has helped hundreds of people to replant their crops and rebuild their lives, opening communities for the gospel.

Timothy Ith, KEA’s founder and leader, said, “We want to help the poorest church members have enough food to eat and help them improve their quality of life. We want the impoverished to become self-managers of their own income in their families and communities.” In addition to the rice bank, KEA operates micro-enterprise projects and a job placement service, and raises cows and oxen to help farmers.

“We were able to plant six churches in six different villages. By God’s grace, we won 232 people for Christ last year,” Ith said.

KEA carries out all of its holistic projects under the rubric of church planting ministries that have training programs for church and lay leaders in Bible knowledge, evangelism and discipleship skills. The training is designed to strengthen the existing community of believers and encourage the growth of Christianity. Last year KEA trained thirty-four church lay leaders, twenty Sunday school teachers, and another fifteen to form an evangelism team.

According to Joel Copple, Partners International’s Indochina area director, “Buddhists assume that good deeds earn you credits toward a better life when reincarnated. Good deeds are not to help the needy person, but to help the giver. These indigenous ministries are some of the first Christians that Buddhists have ever met and are surprised to learn why Christians express God’s love in such practical ways.”

Copple added, “Buddhists have become aware that their religion has failed them and they are open and longing to find the truth and a new life. Many are beginning to follow Christ. The growth of the church in the last decade in Indochina has been phenomenal.”

August 23, 2002