Faith against all odds – Ngoc from Vietnam

“God is good all the time,” says Ngoc. The 63-year-old has been driven from home and left for dead by her husband because of her faith. But helped by you, her trust in God’s goodness is undiminished.

Like others in her village in Vietnam, Ngoc* grew up practising ancestral worship and, with her husband Vu*, they taught their eight children to do the same. But Ngoc was suffering, with Vu prone to violent outbursts against her, particularly after drinking alcohol. Despite their religious culture, peace was a foreign concept in Ngoc’s home. 

One day, searching desperately for an answer, Ngoc came across a local church that she had heard about. Every word from the pastor’s mouth about Jesus’ love and forgiveness was like entering into a different world for Ngoc. That day, she gave her life to Jesus. 

However, when she told Vu of her new-found faith, she suddenly encountered what it means to be persecuted as a believer. As with many vulnerable Christian women around the world, the struggles began in her own home.

Vu’s attacks intensified when Ngoc revealed that she’d become a Christian. “One night, he came home drunk and tried to strangle me in my sleep,” Ngoc recalls. “I pretended to be dead by holding my breath. He thought I was gone, so he stopped.” 

On another occasion, Vu even tried to stone her, but she survived. God protected Ngoc and her bold faith, despite her husband’s attempts to erase her and keep her suffering behind closed doors.

In the furnace 

Ngoc’s daughter Mien* decided to attend her mother’s church, and she too became a Christian. After seeing her with a Bible, Vu tried to snatch it from her, but Mien held tightly to it. Ngoc’s other children, however, sided with their father. “Even though my husband and sons opposed my faith, I felt peace,” Ngoc says. “I did not feel anything about their opposition anymore. I just know God has a good purpose for my life. He saved me, so I only trust in Him.” 

That trust held firm even as the village chief – who was concerned about the impact of her faith on the community – gave her an ultimatum: follow Jesus or leave the village. Ngoc chose to remain faithful.  

Over the next few months, the local authorities reiterated their threats, until a 20-strong mob stormed Ngoc’s house, forcing her to deny Jesus. “They grabbed my hands and dragged me out of the house,” she remembers.  

Because of the authorities and the aggression of her neighbours, Ngoc was expelled from the community with nothing but the clothes on her back. Mien and her daughter made the hard choice to join her in solidarity. Together, they were humiliated and heartbroken, with nothing but their faith. 

“I will trust in God forever” 

The three of them moved to another village and a local believer offered them temporary shelter. Pastor Nhan*, a local church leader and Open Doors partner, helped them study the Bible and navigate their new life together. Slowly, they began to rebuild their lives.  

“Thank God for your help to Ngoc and the two girls, for providing them with food and clothes,” says Pastor Nhan*, a local partner. “Now, they have a small house of their own.” 

Ngoc continues to care for her granddaughter and takes her to school every day, whilst Mien works at another school. 

Despite all that she has faced, she remains steadfast in her faith – which almost cost her life. “I will trust in God forever,” Ngoc says. “He knows my heart and needs. He will give me the best things according to His will. Just like what I have experienced. I encourage others to trust in God until His second coming. He will save us, just as He saved me.” 

*Names changed for security reasons