“I feel reborn” – Vannida’s resilient faith amidst tragedy

Vannida in South East Asia was left heartbroken and hopeless by persecution. Today, helped by you, she feels ‘reborn’, with a renewed resilience to follow Jesus no matter the cost. She’s one of the many women whose lives you’re impacting though the See.Change campaign. Thank you!

Vannida* was nervous. Her husband, Phansak*, was due to travel alone to help lead discipleship training in a nearby village. Given the hostility the couple had experienced for their faith, Vannida sensed danger and tried to stop him. “Whatever happens, I will go. I made a commitment,” said Phansak.  

Phansak departed for his trip – and never returned. His body and motorbike were found three days after leaving home. “I am 100% sure my husband was killed because of his active service to the Lord,” says Vannida.  

Hopelessness engulfed Vannida and she considered renouncing her faith. “I had no aim to live,” she admits. But still she attended church. “I kept worshiping the Lord, even though I didn’t know what to do in life.” And when she thought about her beloved husband, she knew she couldn’t turn away. “My husband died because of his faith. His death is not in vain.” 

Threats, visits and spies  

Vannida’s words testify to the couple’s remarkable courage, ever since her brother first introduced them to Jesus. “If you believe in God, you will be healed,” he told Vannida, who was sick at the time and had exhausted all other options for healing, including seeking the help of three shamans. Vannida didn’t hesitate – she gave her life to the Lord, was healed, and Phansak also became a Christian.  

The couple’s decision to follow Jesus was met with hostility that only intensified as they grew stronger and bolder in their faith.  

Vannida remembers when the village chief, local soldiers, police and her relatives visited their home, pressuring them to renounce their faith. To them, the couple had embraced a foreign religion that disrupted the harmony of the village – particularly as Phansak proactively shared with others what he learnt at discipleship, leadership and persecution survival training held by Open Doors local partners.  

As the threats grew more dangerous, two men were sent to get close to the couple. They claimed it was for business reasons and, at one point, they even asked to be adopted as their sons. But in reality, they were monitoring the couple’s activities. 

And yet, despite the growing hostility, the couple never believed someone would go as far as to kill someone for their faith – until they did.  

Reborn and resilient  

Following Phansak’s tragic death, Open Doors local partners visited Vannida to pray with her and bring encouragement. It helped make an immediate difference. “Whatever happens, we will never stop following the Lord,” she says. “My encouragement has returned. I feel reborn. I am alive and working for my family.” 

“I felt like the walking dead when my husband was murdered for his faith,” she continues. “I was breathing, but I was dead inside. But now, nothing can stop me from worshipping the Lord. Whoever tells me to renounce Jesus – I won’t.” 

Whilst the pressure against Vannida has eased slightly, she still faces some opposition from her family and the community. Her family is one of five Christian families in the village. “Pray for us and for the believers in my community to stay close to God and continue serving Him,” she asks. “Thanks and praise the Lord, my community can worship again,” she adds. “I want to serve the Lord more and more, even though I know trouble is waiting. I won’t abandon Jesus Christ. My life and my prayer depend on the Lord’s will.” 

Vannida’s life was shattered by persecution, with her husband’s death pushing her to the brink of erasure. It’s the same for so many women and girls worldwide, which is why Open Doors’ See.Change campaign is absolutely crucial in reminding them they are seen, valued and have a God-given purpose to fulfil. Helped by you, Vannida is stepping into that today, and her words reflect the impact you’re making throughout South East Asia and beyond. Thank you! 

*Names changed for security reasons