MISSION TO LOAS
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Welcome
Dear Friends:
Here is the most recent report I have on Laos.
Please keep praying.
big daver
I am a child of God, saved by grace, called by God, living in HIM, moving in
HIM
David and Karen Lock
78-345 Mulligan St.
North Bay, Ontario, Canada, P1A 3S3
Phone: H-705-475-0911; O- 705-472-7040
E Mail: bigdaver@vianet.on.ca
Web Site: http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Meadows/8939
FOR OF HIM AND THROUGH HIM AND TO HIM ARE ALL THINGS,TO WHOM BE GLORY
FOREVER AMEN
Date: August 11, 1998 5:02 PM
Subject: Day 194 - Laos 10
Dear Family,
Several have written about the status of the Laos 10 -- sorry for the
absence of reports for the past few days -- Meg and I have been in
Thailand meeting with family members of the Laos 10. We returned to Fort
Smith this morning, and I will send this brief summary of current
information. I will send more information tomorrow and following.
Tomorrow, I hope to have translated for all of us a letter from the Ten
in prison in Vientiane.
On July 28 - 31, the Asian Missions Forum was held in Chaing Rai,
Thailand. Brethren from around Asia were most supportive of the Laos 10
and the other Lao brethren. The Allisons, Foxes and Canfields meet in
Chaing Rai to discuss methods of assisting the Lao brethren before the
Allisons entered Laos again.
On Saturday, August 1, Tommy and Mary Alice Allison returned to
Vientiane. The Lao government would not respond to requests for courtesy
visas, so they entered on visitor visas. The brethren had been caring
for their home in their absence and they returned with no difficulty -- a
fact for which we are most grateful to God. They were accompanied by
their son, Danny, and his wife and by Dr. Mike Wilkerson and his wife.
At the same time, nine Lao brethren crossed the Mekong River and met with
>Meg and me in Nong Kai, Thailand. The group included the wives of six of
the Laos 10. It was a tearful, but joyous occasion. Most of the nine
were in prison when Meg and I were forced to leave Laos in early February
and we did not have the opportunity to even say good bye to them. The
group included Phonsawan and John David, who is now just over six months
old. John David is very healthy and has a great disposition. We talked
for hours, exchanged letters from the Ten for letters which will
hopefully reach the Ten, and discussed the great faith of the Lao
brethren and the love and concern of all of you for them. Ken and Jean
arrived in time to visit for a couple of hours before the brethren had to
return to the Friendship Bridge just before 5:00 p.m.
On Sunday, August 2, some of the brethren had a meal and the meal with
the Allisons in Vientiane. Meg and I traveled to Loui for worship.
There we were reunited with Udorn, the Thai preacher who was teaching
Revelation at the time of the arrests and who spent five days
incarcerated with us. We had not seen Udorn since our release from
incarceration and it was a pleasure to hug him again and to meet his
family.
On Monday, we returned to Nong Kai to spend time with four other Lao
sisters who crossed to visit with us. The group included one of the
grandmothers who spent sixty days in prison, her daughter who was
baptized the week of the arrests, and another who spent two weeks in
prison. Meg and I were especially close to these four and the day of
reunion was very special. They brought news of events regarding other of
the brethren of whom we had had no news since the arrests.
While we were visiting in Nong Kai, the Allisons and the two visiting
couples had a real treat in Vientiane. The prisoners of That Dom Prison
make baskets and mats which are sold outside the prison to tourists.
Bounlert, the husband of Phonsawan, was scheduled to be outside the
prison selling the crafts on Monday. So the three couples went to the
prison, bought baskets, and talked with Bounlert. His faith is strong,
he expresses the appreciation of the Ten for your prayers and his message
is to not worry about the Ten as they are okey. We know some of the ten
are begining to have medical problems and their patience is surely
tested; but Bounlert, the letters from the Ten and the families of the
Ten ask for nothing and instead attempt to assure us that the Ten are
fine. Bounlert's faith was obvious. Even the shirt he wore bore the
name of Jesus Christ.
On Tuesday, August 4, Meg and I met with two brothers from another
section of Laos. We were shown a document which officials in Vientiane
had written to officials in the other area, which document identified the
brothers by name, associated them with the Laos 10 and directed their
arrest if they were caught teaching the things taught by those in
Vientiane. This is the danger hinted to by one of the two before our
trip. We had a great visit as we prayerfully considered the best
situation for the families of the two.
In spite of the joys of greeting some of the Lao brethren, we continue to
be faced with the reality of the continued imprisonment of the Laos 10.
The indications are that another step in the appeal process (the
preparation of a summary of the case for the Supreme Court - initially
indicated to be completed by the end of July) is almost complete. We
continue to hope that the appeal process will soon be completed and that
the Ten will be released -- we continue to pray that His will be done in
all things.
Throught the week of August 3, the Allisons requested meetings regarding
the continuation of the PIP project which would give them permission to
remain in Laos. The meeting was scheduled on Monday, August 10, and was
to include the Minister of Foreign Affairs as well as the national and
municipal health departments. The news of the meeting is still unclear,
and I hope to have news of that meeting and the translation of the letter
from the Ten by tomorrow.
Please continue to be earnest in your prayers at this time which appears
to be important to the release of the Ten.
Jerry and Meg Canfield
Date: August 12, 1998 8:22 AM
Subject: Day 195 - Laos 10
Dear Family,
We talked by phone with Tommy Allison on Tuesday evening (Wednesday
morning Lao time). The scheduled meeting on Monday afternoon was
attended only by the National Ministry of Health - the Foreign Ministry
and Municipality Ministry of Health did not attend. We are thankful that
the meeting did not result in a blanket rejection of the efforts to
revive the PIP project. The result of the meeting was that the Ministry
indicated the project contract would have to be renegotiated. Tommy has
a proposal prepared in English and Lao to submit today. A difficulty is
the limited visitor visas on which the Allisons entered. The Ministry of
Health official indicated a contact would be made with the Foreign
Ministry to request an appropriate visa to permit the renegotiation. In
the mean time, the Allisons will request an extension of their visitor
visas.
The following is a letter from the Laos 10 addressed to each of you and
our brethren around the world who have been praying for them. I trust
the letter will give you some insight into the faith of those in prison.
Jerry Canfield
To our lovely brothers and sisters in Christ,
First of all, we must thank God for leading His servants in the way and
opening to them the opportunity to learn from Him.
We who are in prison and our families on the outside appreciate the true
love of Jesus Christ that is shown in your pure hearts of concern for us.
We understand that this situation makes His servants to be closer to
each other. Even though we have never met, by your actions of concern,
we are sure that God will consider that we are all sharing together in
this situation.
Dear brothers and sisters, as this situation continues, it will benefit
our spirit but, many times, we are discouraged in our physical bodies.
This demonstrates the imperfection of our bodies. However, this is the
perfection of God that He leads us and causes us to learn by His mighty
hands.
We are very proud that God gives us the opportunity to use our lives to
shine the light to the prisoners with us and even to the officers. We
have the opportunity to talk to the people, and that causes us to mix the
gospel in our conversations.
Brethren, please pray for us -- for our unity in Christ and for His work
in our country of Laos -- that He may open doors for His work to grow.
Brethren, please do not worry too much. We are fine and sure, that if it
is God's will, we will all meet one day. May the joy and peace that is
in Christ Jesus, be with you all.
In Christ's love, from the souls of the imprisoned Ten.