In September of 2010, our family moved to Charlotte, NC to volunteer with an inner city youth ministry called One7. It was founded in 2008 and now has kids from Africa, Vietnam, Burma, Mexico, El Salvador and the United States. The One7 vision: To reach and transform inner city communities and families by intentionally forming cross cultural youth ministry teams while focusing on holistic change and spiritual growth. We are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves, and we have never regretted the decision to move. One thing we have come to understand is that everyone has a story. All it takes is some time and active participation in someone’s life to develop a personal relationship. Just because a person is smiling on the outside, does not mean they are not ripped apart inside.
Copyright Betty Jo Martin
I want you to meet Bria. She was born in Vietnam and grew up in a Christian home. After seeing the many ways God protected her family, she surrendered her life to Christ at the age of eleven. She told me a story once about a time when she was eight years old, and the Vietnam police were trying to find them so they could kill her entire family. It was four in the morning, and they had been searching for them all night. Bria’s family left their home earlier to sleep at a cousin’s house. Her father woke them up and told them all to hide under the beds. Bria said her dad hid under one across the room from her and the other children, but she could see one of his legs sticking out where it would be visible to anyone who entered.
Terrified, she prayed that somehow God would blind the eyes of the men looking for them if they were to enter the room. The soldiers came in to search, but they never noticed her father’s leg, nor did they discover anyone hiding under the beds. In a different house, her brother cowered under a bed as well. Bria said the soldiers would take large knives and thrust them under beds in case anyone tried to hide. Miraculously, they never hurt or even discovered, her brother. She thanks God for His protection.
At the age of nine, Bria and her family were forced to flee Vietnam because they were not given freedom of religion inside their own country. Anyone who professed to be a Christian would be killed immediately. She said many pastors they knew were either murdered or placed into prison. Bria’s family travelled to Cambodia, which proved to be a harrowing experience in itself. As they fled for their lives, Bria saw many people along the road who had been killed in a variety of ways. There was a giant river they had to cross in order to make it to safety. It was full of crocodiles, and many of the people were unable to swim. A lot of people lost their lives while trying to help others reach the opposite shore. They spent almost a year in a refugee camp before people from America showed up and helped them get out of the country.
Once safely in the US, Bria told me that she struggled in high school and returned home crying every day. It was hard for her to learn English and make friends. She quit attending school after the first week, but returned and will now be graduating this year. She thought life would be so much easier when they left Vietnam, but that has not been the case. Although her parents profess to be Christians and believe in God, they constantly belittle her and say things like they wish she had never been born. Life is a constant struggle, but one that she is making her way through with the love and support of everyone at One7.
We’ve become extremely close to Bria and consider her one of our own daughters. If you pray, please remember her, and all the other inner city kids we work with, at night before you close your eyes and fall asleep. Everyone has a story. All we have to do is take a moment to listen.
Please check out www.one7.org
SPACE
Next week: Do You Judge a Book by its Cover?
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Have a blessed day,
Chris
Hi Chris! Thanks for following my blog
Bria’s story spoke to my heart. I can’t wait for the follow up on her story in years to come. God has a great and beautiful purpose for her life. Bria’s faith is beautiful, and her story tells the amazing power of prayer. Thank you for sharing Bria’s and others’ untold stories, as you say we all have a story, but you have given them a voice. Peace to your heart~Wendy
Hi Chris, I appreciate your taking the time to visit my blog. I was reading some of the comments & I agree, we all face challenges, some of us more so and in ways not always understandable to most, but hearing stories like Hassan’s and Bria’s put’s things in perspective. There is no time for self-pity if I stay out of my own head. May God give these 2 young people “beauty for ashes” and a double portion for all they have been through. May they be a blessing to others through Jesus Christ.
Bria has been through a lot. At least her life is much better than it use to be
This is an incredible story. Bria is an inspiration for remaining devoted to God even amidst the most horrific circumstances. Thank you for sharing.
She sure is, indeed!
Thank you for sharing this. I have much to learn with my writing, so will check out your monday tips for sure. Thank you also for dropping by on my blog
My prayers are with Bria, her family, and yours in this important ministry.
Thanks for following my Kelly Tremane blog. Christ’s blessings to you!
Hello Chris! Thanks for the follow and this wonderful story.
I am more than happy for her that she made it and will be graduating soon. One thing I can’t never tolerate nor understand parents who belittle their own kids.
That truly hurts and (could) leave(s) such a damage in the heart.
Wishing her and of course your family all the best!
Hi Chris, Thank you for the follow. I’ve read some of your stories. Your writing is very vivid and real. Thanks again for connecting.
And being a teenager is so hard all on its own. To think that you can escape death threats only to find yourself alone and friendless in a country full of people who (supposedly) believe just like you do. You’ve got guts, Bria!
May God take all she’s gone through and make something beautiful of it.
Amen!
And we know that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purposes. (Rom 8:28) Those things the enemy of her soul meant for harm, God uses for good. God bless Bria, that he would raise her up to be a shining testament to his goodness and his grace, in spite of the hardship she is still met with from her family.Thank you for introducing her to us.
Hi Chris, I stopped by to say thanks for following my blog and to check out yours – thanks also for sharing Bria’s story! For us living in America, it’s so easy to forget that not everyone has the religious freedom we take for granted. On Sunday, we mutter un-Christianly things under our breath because the car in front of us will make us late for church. We jam out to Christian music on the radio and can buy a book from the “inspirational” section in any bookstore. We chat with fellow Christians at work and throw out a “I’ll pray for you” when times are tough. I wonder how brave any of us here in the States would be in professing our faith if faced with the kind of persecution this young woman has known.
You’re exactly right. She has faced more in just a few short years than I will ever face in a lifetime. I try not to take anything for granted, even though I know I still do. Thankfully, we are covered under grace and are works in progress. Thank you for stopping by.
Chris
Hey Chris, thanks for following up my blog http://www.alarba.wordpress.com.
I really like the way you combine your writings with your blogs. As an author I recognize a lot of things and the project one7 is really very interesting.
By the way Im now a follower of your blog to.
“God promise persecution to those who live for the Lord. But God promise preservation during persecution. And God promise promotion after victory over trials. ~Pastor Allen Belwa”
She has a heartbreaking story. I’m saddened that her parents would wish she wasn’t born. She has endured a lot at such a young age, but I believe God will use that in a beautiful way. I will keep her in my prayers.
To echo robinclaire… and I thought I had it hard. Thank you for the reminder to be thankful for all the blessings my loving Friend, Lord Jesus, has bestowed on me.
Hey Chris. I love hearing testimonies of God’s protection in Asia. I myself have been to China and Vietnam and it brings tears to my eyes as I read Bria’s story.
Thanks for sharing!
I’m not a believer in any god!..But, thank goodness there are kind loving people in this world like yourself. I hope she gets to have a peaceful life. *hugs*
Wow, I had no idea that Vietnam had no religious freedom. I feel so ignorant. I didn’t realize that they were still communist either! Thank you for the enlightenment.
A very touching story! Our God is truly awesome! I’ll keep her in my prayers.
Thank you for sharing this story.
its really awesome u wrote this
Hey dude. Yeah. It was from her testimony. Miss you, bro
That’s a great story, Chris. It seems to me that God has chosen you to do His work because He believes you are well suited for it. My hope for Bria is that she is able to both overcome her parents’ cruelty and still forgive them for it.
You’re doing amazing work. It breaks my heart when I look too closely at how cruel people can be to each other – but we must look, and act. Thank you for sharing this.
It is amazing how people can overcome the most horrific events and survive despite all odds. I love hearing personal stories like this.
Amen. Thanks for stopping by
Chris
God bless you and your organisation for being such a blessing to little one such as Bria.
Hi Chris, like everyone else, thank you for sharing Bria’s story and the information about One7. I also echo Biltrix’s comment about how Bria’s parents are treating her, trouble is, they probably don’t realise the hurt and damage that these words have and, although I think their treatment is awful, I can’t help wondering what hurts are still in their own hearts and lives that make them this way. We will include Bria in our prayers and we will also pray for the heart of Father-God to fill and expand in the hearts of her parents. May they know His grace and mercy to the fullest level. God bless you, your family and all your co-workers for what you do.
Love in Christ
Thank you so much. I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment. God bless
Chris
very inspiring!
why does the Vietnam police tried to kill them?
Because there is no freedom of religion over there and they believe in God. When the police find out about it, they try and kill them
ah, thanks for sharing Bria’s life.. very inspirational
I’ve spent time in assistance in other countries, the stories are overwhelmingly….overwhelming. Lovely post, so heartwarming to read about people like you
What an amazing lesson of courage! Thanks for sharing this inspirational story, we’ll keep her and all those who suffer in mind and prayers
There is so much sadness in the world! God Bless all the ‘Brias’ of the world.
Thanks for sharing, Chris.
I will most certainly remember her in my prayers – thank you for sharing this story and for the link to one7.
Thanks for sharing Bria’s story… and you have written it beautifully. Thanks for dropping by my blog…glad that I found yours.
I tried to sign up for your blog but it was too complicated. Using wordpress directly seems to be simplier
This story made me cry. I don’t have it as bad as I think I have.
That’s one thing I quickly realized once we moved here and started working with One7. No matter how bad we think we have it, there is always someone who has it worse. Thank you for taking the time to read and leave a comment.
Chris
Thank you for following my blog! You have given me an opportunity to read your excellent posts and become aware of your activities. Thanks again, Eddier
Thank you for sharing Bria’s story. Being a good listener is so important, unfortunately many people won’t slow down long enough to listen to others. Great post!
Thank you for sharing.
With both atheists and extremists (of more than one faith) filling the media with examples of how religion divides us, it is good to hear examples of the Divine supporting someone’s struggles for a better world.
Chris, thanks for following my blog! What yiu’ve doing with this group is both amazing and inspiring!
Thanks for sharing this story. The part that hurt the most was her partents’ telling her that they wished she was never born. I will remember her in my prayers and God bless your ministry.