The Hat on the Bibles

The co-founder of VOM Australia, Merv Knight, shares about a Christian man who was called by God to distribute Bibles in a remote part of Vietnam, even though he knew that it was risky. He was certain that if he was found with a box of Bibles, he would be taken to prison and perhaps even tortured.

In spite of this, he knew that he had to answer the call. He prayed hard, and summoned all of the courage he had, then boldly purchased a bus ticket for a 12-hour ride from Ho Chi Minh City to the inner regions of Vietnam. As he climbed on board with a box filled with Bibles, he knew there would be checkpoints along the way, but he hoped that somehow the guards would miss this box.

The Hat on the Box

He prayed while waiting for the bus to depart, and was surprised, and more than a bit worried, to see a uniformed police captain board the bus. The captain walked towards the Bible smuggler and sat down next to him.

Strangely, the captain quickly settled in to a very deep sleep. But, just before falling asleep, he gently rested his hat on top of the box of Bibles.

While the smuggler watched and waited, the captain slept. It wasn’t long before they reached the first checkpoint.

As expected, the guards boarded the bus and began checking the identification papers of each passenger. Then the guards asked the passengers to open their bags while they inspected the contents.

When the guards reached the Smuggler’s row on the bus, they glanced at the box, at the captain’s hat resting on top, and at the slumbering captain. Then, without a word, they quietly moved on to the next row.

Repeatedly during the next 10 hours, checkpoint after checkpoint, the police captain slumbered and the guards quietly moved by without ever checking the box.

This testimony reminded Merv of another brother who was searching for a lady with a reputation for having “great faith.”

He asked around her village, and when he finally found her, he asked, “Are you the lady with great faith?”

“No,” she replied, “I am the lady with the simple faith in a great God!”

  • Give thanks for the obedient, “simple” faith of Vietnamese Christians, and the miracles God works for them to be able to share this faith with their communities.
  • Pray for protection on Vietnamese Christians, who face ongoing oppression and persecution because of their faith.
  • Pray for the Vietnam Church, to grow strong in faith, and to see many across the country come to know life and freedom in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 6 vs 19: “Pray also for me, so that when I speak, a message may be given to me to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel,”

Source: http://www.persecution.com/public/newsroom

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