Dinner with Jai

I had dinner in Bangkok last night with Jai, a brother from Laos.

When Jai was twelve, his cousin shared the gospel with him and he turned to Christ from an animist background. He’s been making disciples ever since. He wants to reach his people and free them from darkness and sin to life in Christ.

To support himself and his family, he still farms rice, chickens, ducks and two cows. He takes the gospel wherever he goes. He casts out demons, heals the sick, makes disciples and plants churches. Thousands have turned to Christ, and hundreds of churches have started.

Resources are scarce, but he makes do. Social and official persecution are always a factor. The police warned him many times, “Stop doing this, or we’ll charge you.”

He’s been in prison once, for one year and twenty-four days, but who’s counting?

The prison was hours away. His wife Sawan would ride the bus every week to see him and bring much-needed food.

Jai was threatened but not beaten in prison. He led eleven prisoners to Christ and formed a new church behind bars.

When he was finally released, it was made clear that there would be no imprisonment next time. “If you keep spreading the gospel, we’ll have you killed.” It’s happened many times before. Government officials hire professional criminals to kill Christian leaders who refuse to remain silent. Their bodies left in prominent places.

Jai could go on the run and get his wife and children safely across the border. There he could apply as a religious refugee to be resettled in the West.

But Jai and Sawan have agreed that God has called them to reach their people. So they stay.