Earlier we shared with you about Su who became a Christian outside of Vietnam and then brought the gospel back to her home village, facing persecution from the government and her community.
This is a fictional story based off of real life events. It is not a true depiction of one person’s life, but intended to be an example of the types of persecution that Vietnamese people face in their home villages.
Mao listens intently as Su shares a story that she has never heard. She sits with the five children, all of them squirming and gasping at the stories Su tells.
She wonders why no one has ever told her about this God who made the world and everything in it.
Then Su talks about someone named Jesus. Mao’s heart begins to beat faster. She hears about sin and looks down, hoping that no one notices her cheeks turning red. As Su explains that Jesus came to take all of Mao’s sin away, large tears begin rolling down Mao’s cheeks.
“I need this Jesus,” Mao whispers, looking around to see if anyone heard. Su smiles at her and grabs her hand. Soon Mao is singing praises to her new Lord and Savior, Jesus, and the children sing along with her.
As Mao leaves, Su hands her an old, tattered book. It is the book that Su had been reading out of. Su tells her that this Bible will explain more about God, and Mao excitedly tucks it under her arm and hurries home to read it. Though it was Su’s only copy, she smiles to see it in the hands of a fellow villager.
Three days later, as Su is waking up to her name on the radio, she hears a group of footsteps ascending her stairs. With hushed tones, the ladies call out to Su, and she shuffles sleepily to see who has come to criticize her today.
Instead of angry neighbors, Su meets four eager faces and the whispered request, “Su, can you tell us about your God?”
Astonished, Su peeks over the four ladies to see Mao bouncing up and down with the Bible in her hand. “I read it to them!” Mao exclaims. “They want to know Jesus too!”
Su hurriedly welcomes the ladies into her home and finds out that this little group had been at Mao’s when she arrived home with Su’s Bible. They laugh together as they explain that though they intended to scold Mao for going to Su’s house, they couldn’t because of the excitement Mao brought back with her.
Su lifts her hands to the sky and praises God. She explains the gospel to these seekers, and they all commit to faith in Jesus.
Su reminds these ladies that they will face opposition to their new faith. She tells them about how their neighbors will not want to talk to them. She shares that her mother and sister have refused to talk to her in months.
Since there is only one Bible, the ladies decide to meet at Su’s weekly to read and pray together.
The little group joyfully leaves Su’s house. As they do, Su gives them a challenge to share what they have heard with at least two people before they come back next week.
With the sounds of laughter and joyful tears echoing down the pathway to the rest of the village, Su falls to her knees to pray. “Lord, thank you for saving people in my village. Please help them as they face opposition from their families. Please keep them strong and help them to share about Jesus to others.”
Su rises with a new hope. The weight of opposition from her family and friends seems to be lifting. She smiles and picks up the old Bible. As she approaches her husband, she prays silently for courage.
There is one more part to Su’s story. Check the blog on Monday to find out what happens with the new group of believers.