As Christians, we understand the true meaning of Christmas. However, many people from other countries and cultural backgrounds don’t know that Christmas is so much more than simply a Western tradition.

In December last year, our CV pioneers in Southeast Asia took the Christmas message and the love of Jesus to many unreached people across numerous countries. These are their stories.

Bangkok – Thailand

At a special Christmas event hosted by CV pioneers in Thailand, more than 220 people were able to hear the gospel. This event was an opportunity for people within the community to get to know each other, and for our pioneers to share the true meaning of Christmas by introducing them to Jesus.

More than 150 people celebrated Jesus during a Christmas party called ‘Truegether Home’, hosted by another CV pioneer. At the event, there were both online and onsite activities with 105 people participating in person. Of those, 80 new believers as well as many seekers heard the real Christmas story straight from the bible.  

Isan – Thailand

It’s not every day you hear about acupuncture being used as a tool for evangelism, but that’s exactly how our pioneer in Isan reached more than 60 people with the gospel. During the day, a volunteer acupuncturist provided pain relief to those in need. The pioneer prayed with every recipient and invited them to attend the Christmas celebration that evening where the love of Jesus was shared.

Phnom Penh – Cambodia

Our pioneers in Cambodia invited 20 young people from within their youth program and soccer training program to attend a Christmas party. The majority of these young people were not Christians, however, they attended the programs regularly and the pioneers saw incredible potential in them. Half of the children at the party were from the orphanage, and this event provided an opportunity to spend quality time with these kids and get to know them better. The group played games together and shared food, and the pioneers explained to them why they were having the party – to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

In the North of Phnom Penh, a cell group made up of businesspeople has been thriving but faced the challenge of attracting newcomers. For the Christmas season, the group initiated an outreach, inviting 40 people to join their celebration and hear the gospel. The outreach was a great success, with all of the visitors opening their hearts to God’s word, and showing interest in knowing more about Jesus. Four of these people have already shared that they would like to learn more about having Jesus in their lives and have been invited back to future gatherings.

The same church that those from the cell group attend holds an English class and a computer class, used as an outreach to share the message of Jesus with the students. The classes held a Christmas celebration and more than 30 students attended. The English teacher’s testimony dispelled the notion that Christmas is solely a Western-influenced, gift-exchanging event. The plan is to form new cell groups with the English and computer students, furthering the church’s outreach efforts.

Vientiane – Laos

Out of a group of 30 people who attended a Christmas Outreach Party, 10 of them prayed to accept Jesus as their saviour. These ten young people were all newcomers to the group and after a wonderful evening of playing games and giving gifts, the group watched a film about Jesus which is when the newcomers decided to give their hearts to Christ.

A further 27 people were invited to another Christmas Outreach Party in Laos, nine of whom were also newcomers, and once again, all nine decided to accept Jesus as their saviour. The group played games to get to know each other better, and gifts were exchanged in the tradition of Christmas. However, it was the story of Jesus that truly touched their hearts. 

Finally, a special National Pioneers Initiative (NPI) Christmas event, also in Laos, saw 46 people celebrate the birth of Jesus. Of those, 27 of them were new believers who were able to learn more about the true meaning of Christmas.

These stories show how Christmas is an incredible time to share the love of Jesus with those who may never have heard the story of his birth. Across Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, our CV pioneers have brought the message of Jesus to the forefront of many Christmas celebrations, reaching hundreds with the gospel. The unconventional approach in Thailand using acupuncture for evangelism shows the creative approach our pioneers have taken to connect with their communities. Many non-believers are now new believers thanks to the wonderful work of our CV pioneers at Christmas time, and all year round.