Then in 1995 a foreign development project was assigned to work in B’s village. The project staff recognized at once that B was a key to developing the whole village; if B was behind any activity, it would go over with the others.
As B watched the project workers working in his village putting in toilets and digging wells, he noticed that they had something he didn’t. That something was Jesus Christ. One night he confessed to one of the staff, “I just can’t tell if this Jesus thing is real or not.” The staff worker suggested B go meet some other Khmu who were Christian. Surely they could help B figure out the truth.
B left with a questioning heart; he came home a changed man. Soon, his wife came to the staff worker saying, “What did you DO to my husband? Whatever it is, I want it too!”
After coming to Christ B told everyone in his village about Jesus. Forty plus adults came to Christ together with their families. A church was formed and met in his house every weekend.
In a communist country, leaders fear anyone outside the party who has power. It wasn’t long before the district and province officials came to warn B and the others to cease and desist. B wouldn’t listen; he kept walking with Jesus and sharing Him. So in April 1999, Mr. B and six other keen new believers were put in prison for their Christian faith. During the 6 months B was in jail he refused to turn away from the Lord. When he was released he went back to his village and kept serving Jesus.
God honored him in front of the people; a few months after he got out of jail B was asked to represent his ethnic group in a parade in the capital city. His ability to do the Khmu sword dance made even those who opposed him willing to send him as their representative to the largest festival in Laos.
Over the next few years B’s brave stance for Christ gave courage to many others. More people heard about Christ. Some people heard the gospel from B, while others head about Jesus elsewhere. Nevertheless, B’s strong faith, his courage and his prayer opened the spiritual door, so to speak, to the province, thereby allowing many others to come to Christ. By April 2004 there were about 500 believers in five ethnic groups in B’s province. Compared to 1993 when there were NO believers, that is an amazing advance of the Kingdom of God.
Earlier in 2004 the governor began a renewed effort to eliminate all Christians from his province. Then a man came wanting to buy some land from B. Others warned B not to get involved due to this man’s poor reputation, but for reasons unknown to us B didn’t listen. The buyer told him, “Please meet me in the capitol city. There I will pay you the money.” So B, his wife and their youngest son traveled down to the capitol city. They first attended a Christian camp nearby, and then returned to finish the transaction with this man. That was July 2, 2004. They have not been seen or heard of since.
Where is B? Some fear he is dead. The man who was involved has been arrested and put in jail for drug dealing, so there is no way to interview him. Others have made valiant attempts to locate where he is. We believe he is alive and being held against his will. Pray that God will intervene and use B mightily for years to come - Pray for Mr. B's underground church community to thrive in his absence!
