Watch! Underground faith—one couple’s powerful story in Laos

“Villagers came to the house and shouted, ‘We will demolish the house now!’”
 
Armed with hammers, they began to tear down the home of Kanya* and Phonesay*, a couple in Laos who have seen God’s hand move in distinct ways—including restoration in their marriage and the growth of the underground church they lead.

As her neighbours destroyed her home, Kanya sat nearby house and watched the walls come down. All she could think to do was pray—and sing: 
“Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. 
He gives His love, His love. 
Thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. 
His mercy is the greatest, greatest.”

In Laos, especially rural areas, many Christians worship illegally in small, unregistered house churches like Kanya’s and Phonesay’s. While the Lao Constitution technically promises religious freedom, local authorities and villagers often limit it. 

Rural Lao communities are often deeply connected to an animist belief system in which people believe that almost everything—both living and non-living—possesses a spirit. Angering or refusing to appease spirits proves disastrous. The belief system is so tied to the tribal identity that to believe anything else can seem like turning your back on your heritage and your community.

  “During our expulsion, I felt happy and sad at the same time,” Phonesay remembers. “Happy because I have joy in God—I believe in Him. Sad because I was born in that village and lived there many years. Being expelled felt like I killed someone.” 
 

Forced out 

Eventually, the couple and seven other families also expelled for their faith went to a barely liveable area—undeveloped land, made up of simple subsistence farms in the middle of dense forests. Open Doors partners heard what happened and helped with basic construction supplies and food. They also helped clear the land for new huts. 

“I wondered, ‘Is this the Lord’s plan?’” Phonesay reflects. “I thought, ‘His plan is for me to leave my parents and relatives to live in the forest?’” 

  But God has been faithful. The new collection of huts was to be a place where—for the first time—these persecuted Christians could worship freely together. “The Lord gave us time to worship Him,” Phonesay says. “We worshipped Him every day.”
 
Phonesay, Kanya, and the other believers worship together every day in their new settlement
 
Kanya is grateful for the help they received from Open Doors partners to build up the small flock. “I thank the Lord—I saw His love through these blessings from our brothers and sisters,” she says. 

The small group of believers fashioned a church out of some extra space in one of the huts, and that became their worship space. The Christians began to grow in faith. 

Eventually, Phonesay received discipleship training from Open Doors partners in Bible interpretation and other areas. The same partners also brought persecution preparedness training to the new community. 

“The training taught me that we must be patient in persecution,” Phonesay says. “It encouraged me when I faced persecution, reminding me never to renounce my faith.”   

Preparing lunch together after church
 

A fragile existence 

So this is the shaky reality faced by Kanya, Phonesay and the other believers worshiping and serving God faithfully. They treasure their time together … but they know it’s a fragile existence. They live their lives for Christ underground and under pressure. 

They are fully aware that any complaints from any community could result in the same consequences. They’ve already been warned about sharing their faith outside of the boundaries set around their small clump of huts. 

That’s why we must step into the lives of persecuted believers and walk with them. When we stand with Christians like Kanya and Phonesay through our prayers, presence and support, God can use us to strengthen churches to persevere in their faith under increasing pressure. 

This is God’s work: strengthening His people to serve Him, even in the midst of pressure most of us can’t imagine. He’s growing His people—people like Kanya and Phonesay in Laos—and showing that, even forced underground, His Church will never be stamped out.

*Names changed to protect their identities