Asians Among Us

By Norm Nicklas, Administrator for North America

During the past 20 years multitudes of immigrants have come to our country, and often to our own neighborhoods. Most of these recent immigrants arrived from non-Christian countries in southeast Asia. Political upheavals, economic hardships and Communist persecution brought many Koreans, Filipinos, Japanese, Cambodians and Laotians to our cities. Today more than 10 million southeast Asians live in the United States.This is a dramatic demographic transition. Formerly most immigrants were Western Europeans.

When Communists took over Laos in 1975, L. P. was a navigator in the Laotian Air Force. Since he was a Christian, L. P. knew his life was in great danger. In 1976 he and his wife and daughter were able to escape to Thailand and then to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With other Laotians, L. P. found employment in a local factory.

Jim McCay, a leader in the factory, had a burden to win these Buddhists to Christ. He contacted David Henrickson, pastor of Silver Lake Baptist Church, who had been a missionary in Laos for 15 years. Pastor Henrickson came to preach the gospel and met L. P. In one of God's delightful dealings, L. P. had studied under David Henrickson in a Bible School in Laos. What a reunion they had!

Shortly after that meeting L. P. and his wife D. joined Calvary Baptist Church of Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. Calvary Baptist licensed L. P., and ABWE-USA appointed the couple to work with the Laotian people. On Easter Sunday, 1984 the Lao Calvary Baptist Church began.

At one time over 125 attended the church. Fewer attend now because changes in government policies have led to decreased immigration, and many Laotians have taken jobs in California and other warmer states.

In North America, too, believers have a great responsibility. God is not willing that any should perish. He has brought people from around the world so they can hear the gospel and be saved. But they will remain in their own non-Christian religions unless the churches of North America learn to bridge the cultural and language barriers. Pray for churches and individuals to reach out to the growing ethnic populations.

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