One of the most powerful truths shared through FEBC broadcasts is this: you are not alone.
Through every program and every story, we want people in hard-to-reach places to know they are seen, known, and loved by God. This is the message of Scripture. It’s also the message we are called to carry as the Body of Christ.
Throughout Scripture, we see that God delights in partnering with His people to share His love with others. Paul urges believers to “encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) and to “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). We are designed to do life together. When this happens, something remarkable takes place according to John: “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us” (1 John 4:12). Loving one another makes God’s love more complete in us and more visible to others.
The FEBC Ethnic Ministry team recently shared three stories from Southeast Asia that reveal how a godly community can reflect God’s love and help fellow Believers endure persecution. Even though all three listeners live in a country where the Gospel is restricted, God was able to break through and leverage communities to change lives.
Nan, a Faithful Widow
Nan* is a 70-year-old widow who loves Jesus deeply. She visits her church three times a week for worship and prayer, remaining faithful even though most of her neighbors practice ancestral worship.
When Nan’s husband passed away, she moved in with her son and daughter-in-law. But her son despised her faith, fearing she would anger the ancestral spirits. He gave her a painful ultimatum: deny her faith or move out.
Nan could not deny Christ. So she left, with no plan except to trust that the Lord would provide. Her son allowed her to keep a small plot of land, but she had no money to build a home. That’s when her church community stepped in.
Local believers, along with the FEBC Ethnic Ministry team, came together to build Nan a house and supply food and other essentials. When Nan felt abandoned by her family, her brothers and sisters in Christ surrounded her with tangible love and care.
May, a Daughter Who’s Healing
Growing up, May* wanted nothing to do with Christianity. Her parents’ faith brought them persecution: their livestock were poisoned, their crops stolen, and their land burned. Yet her parents remained steadfast in their faith.
Years later, May became seriously ill. Nothing helped until her parents prayed over her, and she was miraculously healed. That moment made her faith personal, and catalyzed May to give her life to Christ.
Her husband was furious when he found out, demanding that she recant her faith. When she refused, he physically abused her and forced her and their young son to leave the house.
Since FEBC is committed to staying close to the listener, the local team heard of May’s suffering and stepped in to cover her hospital bills and provide food and other essentials. Today, she is recovering and living safely with her parents. She helps them work their farmland and now has a secure place to grow in her newfound faith.
Somchai, an Enduring Follower of Jesus
Somchai* has suffered so much loss in his life. When his oldest daughter passed away, he and his wife moved in with their youngest daughter to be closer to family. But his wife and daughter shortly passed away as well.
Somchai’s son-in-law blamed God and kicked him out of the house, saying, “This God angers the spirits in my house and brings bad luck.”
When local Christians learned of Somchai’s suffering, they built a small house for him on their land.
Recently, our FEBC team visited Somchai in his home, unknowingly arriving on the very day he had eaten the last of his food. That morning, he had prayed for God to provide, and through the team’s visit, God answered. FEBC brought food, blankets, mosquito nets, and other essentials.
Though he owned very little, Somchai was filled with joy and gratefully received an MP3 player so he could listen to the Bible through FEBC broadcasts. Some neighbors have warned him to be cautious, fearing persecution for his faith, but Somchai remains steadfast, determined to keep listening and living out his faith in Jesus.
Stories like Nan, May, and Somchai remind us that God’s love is never distant. It is lived out through the faithfulness of His people, and it is the fuel that allows the persecuted to keep moving forward.
By staying close to the listener, FEBC can move beyond the broadcast and meet physical and spiritual needs in person. We’re grateful that God chooses to use FEBC broadcasts and the Body of Christ to share the Gospel with people experiencing trials in hard-to-reach places.
You are not alone, and neither are those we serve together.
Because of your partnership and support, FEBC is able to continue sharing the Gospel with people who are desperate for hope – Thank you!
*names changed to protect identities
