Please pray! Pastor killed in Laos

------=_Part_13734273_1918942148.1723735995495 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_13734276_753220044.1723735995495" ------=_Part_13734276_753220044.1723735995495 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable [ hurch/] Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 Seven-year-old Roshan* remembers the day his family was told to leave their= home. After they decided to follow Jesus, Roshan=E2=80=99s family was shun= ned by their wider Hindu family, followed by their whole village.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Following Jesus meant that his mother lost her financial security and her l= ivelihood, leaving Roshan and his brother without food, the shelter of a sa= fe home and the opportunity to attend school.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 When we think about the 360+ million Christians in the world who face high = levels of persecution and discrimination for their decision to follow Jesus= , we may tend to think about the men and women who risk so much.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 But persecution is no respecter of age.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Throughout the world, children like Roshan also pay a high cost, especially= if they or their parents left the community or tribal religion to convert = to Christianity.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 This Christmas, will you pray with us for the youngest voices of persecutio= n?=C2=A0 25 prayers for children of the persecuted church [= rg/en-US/stories/25-prayers-children-persecuted-church/] We=E2=80=99re sharing 25 prayers you can pray for kids like Roshan whose ma= in Christmas wish is for safety and peace in their homes and communities.= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 I=E2=80=99m reminded of how vital our prayers are for these children when I= read the words of Ermias, a father in Ethiopia with twin boys (pictured ab= ove) who know persecution firsthand. =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CChildren are the next generation for the gospel,=E2=80=9D Ermias s= ays. =E2=80=9C=E2=80=A6 They are the hope for the Church.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0 Next week, I=E2=80=99ll be taking you on a daily trip around the world to i= ntroduce you to more of these children and share their Christmas prayers. S= o make sure to check your email each day. =C2=A0 Thank you for praying for the hope and future of the Church. =C2=A0 =C2=A0 In Christ, =C2=A0 Ryan Brown CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 P.S.=C2=A0Check out our monthly prayer calendar.=C2=A0It=E2=80=99s a great = way to lift up your persecuted family each day. Click HERE to download! [ht= tps://www.opendoorsus.org/getinvolved/pray/prayer-calendar-nov-dec-2023] =C2=A0 =C2=A0 For more information about Open Doors US, visit www.opendoorsus.org [https:= //www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/] [ [ [ =C2=A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobili= zing prayer, support and advocacy in 22 countries and supporting Christians= in the 70 countries where they face the greatest cost for their faith. If = you have any questions about your donation please contact info@opendoorsus.= org [mailto:info@opendoorsus.org], or call 1-800-896-5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0FAQs =C2=A0 [ e=3DFCM5w39iAc3NVlzj4wpig_D7LZquKGNs1eQ3NLeDrmB6G7TQ5hzH3rEqW8FITOVu&recipi= entid=3Dcontact-cb73e8b21491ed11aad06045bd8a3c0f-2d5c40eaf52245ffb5465e0676= 396eca&utm_source=3DClickDimensions&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_campaign=3DOD%20= US%20Announce&esid=3D51c0f86c-a108-4d17-a0d3-6c590ccd1bc7]| Privacy Policy = [ |=C2=A0Unsubscribe [htt= p://elink.opendoorsus.org/uu/3/eyJhaSI6NDU0NjEwNTQsImUiOiJ0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3= aW44NkBnbWFpbC5jb20iLCJyaSI6ImNvbnRhY3QtZTI5NmE3M2VlOWJjZWQxMTgzZmU2MDQ1YmQ= 4YzU5M2MtZTFiOGViMTgxNGEyNDkwOWEyYmQwZGM3NWFmZDRlZjUiLCJycSI6InAxLWIyNDIyOC= 0zZDk1NjhlNGZhYmI0ODllODFmMzE4MTY3NDQ3MTc5NCIsInBoIjpudWxsLCJtIjpmYWxzZX0/9= EB5fwLpC-4iMgvF9OtCXQ] =C2=A0 ------=_Part_13734276_753220044.1723735995495 Content-Type: text/html;charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 3D" Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 Where persecution is increasing, the gospel is adva= ncing. =C2=A0 We see and feel this truth on display in the early chur= ch, and today in the 21st century, we continue to witness it. =C2=A0 Recently, a 42-year-old pastor in northwest Lao= s was shot and killed for how he courageously shared and lived out the gosp= el. =C2=A0 Pastor Thongkham Philavanh was a husband and a father o= f two teenagers. In addition to planting house churches, he was a pillar in= the community. He and his wife Sengdala were also known as =E2=80=9CDad=E2= =80=9D and =E2=80=9CMom=E2=80=9D by the local young people they discipled. = =C2=A0 He was a true servant of God who looked for Great Commi= ssion opportunities=E2=80=94even minutes before his death. That=E2=80=99s p= robably why he was killed. [Read about Pastor Thongkham's faithfulness= n>](3D".=) Our local = partners in Laos attended Pastor Thongkham=E2=80=99s wake and had the oppor= tunity to pray with Sengdala. She shared that Pastor Thongkham had told her= to be prepared. He knew his life was in danger and could be taken away soo= n. =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CHe did not disclose everything that was ha= ppening,=E2=80=9D she told our partners. =E2=80=9CHe kept most of = the burdens to himself because he wanted to protect us.=E2=81=A0 He sacrifi= ced himself to protect his family.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0 As you can imagine, Pastor Thongkham=E2=80=99s = murder has shaken the Christian community in Laos. They need and ask for ou= r prayers. =C2=A0 I hope you=E2=80=99ll pray with us for his family and f= or our family in Laos. And I hope you=E2=80=99ll read his story and be insp= ired by how Pastor Thongkham lived his life in worship and obedience to his= Master. =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CAnd his master said to him, =E2=80=98Well = done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I wi= ll set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.=E2=80=99=E2=80=9D (Matt. 25:33). =C2=A0 In Christ, =C2=A0 Ryan Brow= n CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 P.S.=C2=A0Check out our monthly prayer calend= ar.=C2=A0It=E2=80=99s a great way to lift up your persecuted famil= y each day. [Click HERE to download!](3D"=) = span> =C2=A0 photo: At the wak= e of Pastor Thongkham =C2=A0 =C2=A0 For more= information about Open Doors US, visit [www.opendo= orsus.org](=3D") 3D" 3D" 3D" =C2= =A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part= of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobilizing prayer, support and advoc= acy in 22 countries and supporting Christians in the 70 countries where the= y face the greatest cost for their faith. If you have any questions about y= our donation please contact [info@opendoorsus.org](3D"mailto:info@opendoorsus.org"), or call 1-800-896= -5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0[FAQs =C2=A0](3D")| [Privacy Policy](3D") |=C2=A0[Unsubscribe](=3D")= span> =C2=A0 ------=_Part_13734276_753220044.1723735995495-- ------=_Part_13734273_1918942148.1723735995495--