The Seeds of Wrath

Governor T has ruled Luang Prabang province (LPB) for 20 years, during 
which Lao Christians have been jailed, tortured, deprived of jobs, 
schools and health. His cruel administration has closed all LPB 
churches, imprisoned their pastors and deported Singaporean Christians 
who tried to support them. As governor his rule is absolute. No 
Christian ever sees the inside of a courtroom, only the inside of a 
cell. His heinous rule, ushered in by the communist overthrow in 1975, 
is written in blood. His province is the centre for cultivation of opium 
poppy seeds, black market logging of timber and money laundering for 
both. Before the Pathet Lao defeated the Americans and moved the capital 
to Vientiane, LPB was the seat of the Lao throne. The King and his 
civilian cabinet made LPB the centre of activity, so that to this day it 
is steeped in history to which tourists flock. Most are welcome for the 
hard currency, Christians excepted. According to official records, in 
March 2003 imprisoned Christians had reached a record high of 36 and was 
rising fast.

That was also the month that Governor T was somehow added to an 
exclusive list of guests invited to attend a two-day executive 
management seminar which the American Embassy held for senior Lao 
government ministers. The twelve ministers and governor were taken 
through the most impressive, high level presentation ever staged in 
Vientiane. Actually held in the US Ambassador's residence and produced 
with Lao subtitles, the powerpoints covered all aspects of senior 
management. Governor T was gobsmacked. He knew he was out of his depth 
in ministerial company, but was thunderstruck at the extensive, valuable 
knowledge available. When it ended, he told his alien hosts that two 
days had been far too short and he realised how much he needed to learn. 
An American official smiled broadly as he saw the confused dictator off 
the compound.

In May, 2004, a letter arrived for the governor from Grand Rapids, 
Michigan. It was an offer for a two-week study tour of US management and 
leadership practice, arranged by the Organisation For International 
Cooperation. Governor T was thrilled, but not sure how his party 
colleagues would regard it. His unease did not improve upon learning 
that no other government minister had received this offer. Despite the 
unusual protocol involved, governor T was allowed to go and the US 
Embassy issued him with a diplomatic study visa.

 From Columbia, to Stanford, from Wall Street to West Point, Governor 
T's feet 'never touched the ground.' While the day-time learnings were 
mind-boggling, the evenings and weekends were spent with dozens of 
former Lao who were now US citizens. They took him into their homes, 
explained life across the Pacific in fluent Lao and on Sunday morning 
took the governor to their church. Now the culture shock was palpable. 
All his training and experience had taught him that Christians were the 
enemy, but how could he offend his expatriate Lao hosts and gracious 
American benefactors? So the governor played along. He stood when 
everybody else did, sat when signalled and listened while this US/Lao 
pastor expounded a bilingual teaching about having love for your enemies 
and treating them as you would be treated.

Just as two days in Vientiane's US Embassy had gone too quickly, the two 
weeks in America was over before the governor's head had stopped 
reeling. From universities to boardrooms, from church to hosts' lounge 
rooms, the immense privilege he had received only dawned on him as was 
leaving the Chairman's lounge at LAX. "How can I ever thank you?" he 
stammered out to his American patrons there to see him off. The reply he 
received was one he pondered for 28 sleepless hours until the aircraft 
touched down on his native soil: "If this has been of help, use what you 
have learned in your own leadership."

Hardwired as a fighter with the Pathet Lao, Governor T now realised the 
time had come to reinvent himself. One of the first letters he found on 
his desk, upon returning to his duties, was a plea to release Christians 
imprisoned in LPB jails. He agreed. Furthermore, he told them that they 
could reopen their churches in his province. They could meet freely, 
worship in safety and resume rights as citizens. Though his secret 
police were dismayed, his constituency saw it as a magnanimous gesture 
that earned a respect which had long been missing. It was also seen back 
in Grand Rapids by [the CEO of a major Christian Aid Agency]: with the 
same broad smile, he realised that his objective had been achieved. He 
could now focus on other places where Christians were being persecuted.

(Submitted by a friend who has worked with various Christian aid 
organizations in many countries.)

-- 

Shalom/Salaam/Pax!                         Rowland Croucher

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/   (20,000 articles 4000 humor)

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