Inside Story: Surprise Guardians

Surprise Guardians

By Andrew McChesney

Marriage usually is a joyful time when families celebrate. But Khome and her husband, Eung, only suffered in their remote village in Laos.

Image © Pacific Press

Khome, who belongs to the Laven people group, was the daughter of a spiritual medium. She had been groomed from childhood to take her mother’s place. But she found the Lord and gave her life to Him against her mother’s will. Even worse, she married a Christian man from another people group. Everyone seemed to oppose their marriage — even the evil spirits.

One day, an evil spirit appeared to Khome and laughed at her. Khome quickly knelt down and prayed. Rising, she tried to walk to her Bible to read it. The Bible lay only a few steps away, but her feet felt so heavy that she could hardly move. Her feet seemed to be stuck in the ground. As she struggled to walk, she prayed, “God, protect me. God, protect me.” Finally, she reached the Bible and opened it. After reading a few passages, she prayed in the name of Jesus, and the evil spirit left.

The struggle with evil forces continued for years, but Khome and Eung worshiped God faithfully in their home. Their parents, siblings, and neighbors expressed open hatred for them. Someone reported them to the authorities on false charges of wrongdoing. When police officers arrived to detain the couple, they were met by mysterious, powerful figures in front of the house. The officers fled in fear. A second attempt to arrest the couple failed when the police officers were frightened away by the sight of two mysterious figures inside the house. Word spread that the couple had special supernatural guardians, and people began to respect them.

Meanwhile, the couple shared their faith with family and neighbors. They helped others at every opportunity and, although desperately poor themselves, assisted those who were even more impoverished. Slowly, people began to come to them for help. The sick and demon-possessed sought healing. One by one, people accepted God, and the couple’s home became a house church. Khome’s sister resisted the gospel for some time, but one night she saw a bright light shining in Khome’s house. The next day, she asked her sister how she had light when nobody in the village had electricity. Khome did not know what to say. She had been asleep with her husband. The sister accepted Jesus.

Today, Eung and Khome are shining the light of God among the Laven people of Laos. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open an elementary school in the country. Please pray for the school project, Eung and Khome, and the precious people of Laos.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

Amen!