A day in the life of an Open Doors partner

What do we mean by ‘Open Doors partner’ and how do they respond to the needs of persecuted Christians? You’re invited behind the scenes to see how Open Doors partners like Cho serve the persecuted church – thanks to your prayers and support.

Across the world, Open Doors partners take great risks to visit persecuted believers – with emergency aid, trauma care, presence ministry or vital training. Sometimes that means getting on a motorbike.

Cho* is undeterred by long distances, dramatic weather conditions or terrible roads. He’s determined to get to brothers and sisters who need his help. “There are times I need to cross rivers without a bridge, even at night,” he says. “Even though the journey is hard, there is joy.”

What does Cho do? As a local Open Doors partner, he sets off on dangerous, 12-hour journeys to support vulnerable Christian communities in remote places. In his luggage is a precious box of Open Doors materials to equip his church family with persecution survival training.

Counting the cost

Sometimes whole churches or organisations act as Open Doors partners – and sometimes it’s people like Cho, travelling alone or in small groups. For each, ministry comes with cost. For Cho, leaving his wife and five children is always tough.

“When we are preparing for the journey, my wife is always worried about me,” Cho shares. “She advises me to be careful about how I speak when I preach the gospel. I must be careful how I act. She says, ‘Leave fast, and reach them fast’, and she’s praying for me all the time. She urges our children, ‘You have to pray for your father.’ She worries about me facing dangers like persecution. She says, ‘You don’t know what will come to you, so you need to be careful.’”

The caution is understandable. The civil war in Myanmar has increased dangers for everyone, and it’s also exacerbated the persecution Christians face. Cho has to pass through checkpoints almost every kilometre – some of them manned by the military, while others are under the control of civilian rebels. Young men with guns, some as young as 16, check for identification and take tolls. It’s a tense experience. But the journey is worth the cost.

Daily risk of persecution

Even before the coup, Christians in Myanmar faced daily persecution. “On our identity card, it’s written that our tribe is Chin and our religion is Christian,” he says. “When people in Myanmar see it, we are discriminated against. This is the first thing we experience in Myanmar. They do not care about us.”

The Myanmar military also has a long history of oppressing Cho’s Chin Christian tribe. It’s been going on for decades, long before the recent coup. Chin churches have been forcibly closed and believers are beaten and threatened constantly. Cho says, “When the military comes to our village, they make us carry heavy loads day and night without pay. We need to follow them everywhere and obey them. We don’t have a choice.”

Cho’s transformation after Open Doors persecution survival training

Even though Cho’s heart was filled with anger, the Lord transformed him when he attended Open Doors persecution survival training. “What really struck me was the teaching to not take revenge, and to love our enemy. Especially towards the military who persecute us, whom we hate very much in our heart and mind,” he says. “When I see from the Bible that persecution is part of a believer’s life, I learned that we need to accept whatever happens to us. So, that’s why I can forgive them.” Since then, he has committed to share what he has learned and teach the Word of God to others.

Many Open Doors partners choose to connect with the organisation because they know how persecution feels. They aren’t outsiders to these vulnerable communities – rather, they have a knowledge of the context, needs and lives of the persecuted church. They can truly empathise with those who count a heavy cost for following Jesus. Cho wants to help people facing what he faces.

“Your prayers are our protection”

That’s what makes these risky journeys worthwhile. He is taking valuable training to vulnerable Christian communities – and he is bringing encouragement and joy too. “After traveling 10-12 hours, when we finally meet each other, we are so very happy!” he says. “When we see the people smiling and eagerly waiting for us, it strengthens me to be able to teach. We love our people, so the things we know, we want to share with them. I don’t consider it a problem because it is our burden to share what we have learned from the Word of God, and when we do it – when we obey – the burden becomes light.”

Like all Open Doors partners, Cho is sustained by your prayers. “Though we do not know [Open Doors supporters], though they do not know us, they are praying for us and they are supporting us. We are encouraged by them. We are in the body of Christ, united with each other.

“Your prayers are our protection and we feel your presence. Prayers back us up, push us during the journey, and encourage us to go on.”

*Name changed for security reasons