Lid’s Faith Journey in Laos: Once Illiterate, Now a Teacher of Truth

Lid* was deeply inspired by his brother’s spiritual life, leading him to turn his heart back to Jesus with a renewed desire to know and serve Him.
 
Though he longed to grow in his faith, even praying out loud felt overwhelming – It was because he was illiterate and had difficulties to express his thoughts clearly.

From discouragement and shame to renewed inspiration, Lid decided to change. “I asked my nephew to teach me the language from the basics to full literacy,” he shares. 

With determination, he began learning to read and write. His progress was remarkably fast. It wasn’t just the language skills that improved, he also became more deeply connected with the Lord.
 

Stoned for His Name

As Lid’s desire to know the Lord has deepened, his desire of helping others grew, too. His heart was moved by the reality that many children in his community were still illiterate. So, Lid established a literacy class to change their lives and draw them closer to Christ. The community became fond of it.


But soon, suspicion arose. Some non-believing villagers learn that the children were not only being taught language and other basic subjects, but also the Bible. This stirred resentment and hostility toward the class and teachers. 

Persecution has become open since March 2024. Some angry villagers hurled stones at the small house for literacy lessons. Soon after, villagers ordered Christian families to leave the community. Though the villagers claimed believers could keep their faith, they strictly prohibited Christian gatherings and did not allow them to build the church.

In June, the stoning intensified. The believers' houses were attacked repeatedly. "If you Christians can tolerate it, we'll continue stoning. If not, you’ll leave on your own,” they threatened.
Fear and sorrow filled the hearts of the believers as they worried for their children's safety. So, they decided to move to a faraway farm.

  In the face of hatred and displacement, Lid remained firm in his faith. “I know the Lord God is real. When we converted to Christianity, it cost us nothing. I did not lose anything, in fact, I gained eternal life,” he shares with conviction.
 

Together in the battle

Lid, his family, and other believers (32 in total) continue to live on the farm. Despite the hardship and the need to adjust to their new environment, the literacy class never stopped. Lid stays committed to his desire of teaching children with the help of OD local partners, who provided textbooks and stationaries, and the children have been able to continue their learning journey.
 

OD, through local partners, have also provided these displaced believers with essential supplies such as rice and solar panels for electricity. More recently, we’ve begun offering training and materials to help them start fish farming as a sustainable livelihood.

Lid’s heart overflows with gratitude for the support he and his community have received. He expresses, “May the Lord bless you, supporters, for providing what we needed. May He give you good health, strength, and bless your families.”

*Name changed for security reasons