X

Laos

1993

The landlocked country of Laos lies between China,
Vietnam and Thailand and is very closed to religion.
Devastated by years of war, the hard line communist
government is slow to change.

We arrived in Laos and passed through immigration and customs without incident. We were taken by taxi to a small dilapidated hotel. We were to begin the cross walk the next day. Within an hour I was informed that we could not carry the cross in Laos and we were now in the custody of the hotel. I tried to explain but the answer came back, “No”.

All night Denise, my wife and I prayed and the presence of God was so evident. Our mission is to carry the cross in every nation and even if it’s a short distance we must do it. I felt God give us a plan.

Early the next morning we changed our air flight to that day. We had the taxi wait at the hotel and when the official came to take us to the airport we had already loaded the cross.

The official told us to come back in a few years perhaps things will change. I explained the love of Jesus to him. Off we went to the airport waving to the man at the hotel who presumed we were gone.

At the airport Denise stood near the building with our bags as I unwrapped the cross and bolted it together; there were no flights for four hours. We were in fer-
vent prayer as some airport police and officials gathered to watch me.

Several of the men spoke English, and Denise showed them photos and talked about the cross. I lifted the cross and started walking expecting any moment to be stopped. I prayed for the nation as I walked on and on, to the high-
way and down the road. People were waving to me, coming to greet me but I could not speak with them as no one spoke English. They made the sign of the cross, so I
knew they understood. Every car and bus slowed nearly to a stop, finally wet with sweat and having been gone a long time I returned to see how Denise was doing. As
I approached the airport terminal there was a crowd of people gathered and they broke into applause!

The airport manager, the head of customs and immigration, the head of the airport police and the man in charge of the control tower all greeted me. What a welcome filled with joy and love. I spoke to the crowd and several committed to believe in and follow Jesus. They even brought us gifts. Jesus did it. The cross was carried in Laos. The glory of God was at the airport.

Pilgrim followers of Jesus

Arthur and Denise Blessitt
Luke 18:1