In our hyper-connected world, we often assume access to basic resources, both material and spiritual, is universal. For many displaced communities, especially ethnic minorities in Indo China, this is far from reality. They confront political instability and cultural erasure, leaving a deep need for spiritual nourishment unmet, without access to Scripture in their own language. Like Ethan, Ezekiel, Ezra, Habakkuk, Haggai, Heman, and Hosea, these communities share a search for hope, identity, and divine connection amid their struggles.

Angkor What?
To hear God speak, there shouldn’t be a need for subtitles… especially not for minorities living in remote rural areas, their history etched with scars of conflict and displacement, struggling to rebuild their lives and faith communities. 

This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you!”—Ezra 1:2-3, NLT

Finding God’s Word is a Game of Hide-and-Seek
Landlocked Laos presents a unique challenge where religious freedom faces significant restrictions. In such environment, ethnic minority Christians are expected to live out their faith with extreme discretion – without spiritual leadership, and without access to Scripture in a language that speaks to their heart.
“For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search and find my sheep. I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day. — Ezekiel 34:11-12, NLT

When the Voice of God is drowned out by Gunfire and Quakes
For ethnic minorities caught in the relentless crossfire in a land where injustice abounds, the echoes of Habakkuk resonate deeply, embodying the prophet’s struggle with divine silence in the face of suffering. Yet, how can they find solace from Scripture when the language feels foreign?
Then the Lord said to me,
“Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.” – Habakkuk 2:2, NLT

Gilded Temples and Turbulent Monarchy
I will make you my wife forever,
showing you righteousness and justice,
unfailing love and compassion.
I will be faithful to you and make you mine,
and you will finally know me as the Lord.  — Hosea 2:19-20, NLT

Hosea’s voice speaks to our deepest human needs for relationship, trust, and understanding. Yet, in Thailand — where gilded temples illuminate a complex tapestry of tradition, monarchy, and political strife — we can’t help but question whether the divine assurance found in his verses is able to reach all peoples of this diverse nation when language groups are still lacking Scripture in their own tongue.

Signing off on Silence
One of the remarkable developments in recent years has been the translation of the Bible into Sign Languages for the deaf communities in Vietnam. This effort has not only provided portions of Scripture for the deaf, it has also affirmed the spiritual dignity and identity of different deaf people groups, fostering inclusion within the broader Christian family in Vietnam. 

But now the Lord says: Be strong, Zerubbabel. Be strong, Jeshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people still left in the land. And now get to work, for I am with you, says the Lord of Heaven’s armies. My Spirit remains among you, just as I promised when you came out of Egypt. So do not be afraid.’ — Haggai 2:4-5, NLT

Every verse translated, every verse signed, brings forth the promise that God’s Word is not just for the majority and the hearing; it is for all — give a verse today to begin a new chapter and a new beginning for God’s new creations in Indo China.