CAMBODIA: Journey of a New Testament Begins with Vietnam War Refugees

Source: United Bible Societies, May 23, 2016

Tot Nhernh, 93, vividly remembers the panic he and his family felt as the bombs started falling on their village in northeast Cambodia. It was the 1970s and the Vietnam war was spilling into the region as members of the Viet Cong crossed the border to hide.

With their village totally destroyed and desperate to escape the continued US bombing in their region, Nhernh and his family, along with many others, crossed the border into Vietnam. Not only were they traumatized by the destruction they had witnessed, they were also deeply worried that in their haste to leave they hadn’t had time to make offerings to appease the spirits.

But then some Vietnamese people began to visit these desperate refugees. They offered them help and friendship, and also shared some good news: God loved them and had released them from all bondage through his son, Jesus. Nhernh recalls how he felt all his fear falling away, replaced by a peace and freedom he had never experienced. He was among several Bunong refugees to become Christians, learning much about their new faith during their time in exile.

When the war ended, he could not wait to return home and share the gospel. He and the other new Bunong Christians planted small churches in Bunong villages, and also evangelized other hill tribes, including the Krung and Tampuan.

This May, around 50 years after the first attempt to translate the Scriptures into Bunong was stopped by war, the Bunong people of Cambodia and Vietnam finally receive[d] the very first New Testament in their language.

» See full story (which has some great pictures) and read an encouraging report on the progress of scripture distribution around the world.

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