Christians have become a blatant target for persecution, particularly since the implementation of a new economic policy earlier this decade. Laos had nearly 15,000 Christians before Communists took over in 1975. Most of the Christians belonged to the Hmong tribe and went into hiding or fled the country as refugees to avoid imprisonment. In 1990, revival swept Laos, bringing courage and confidence to beleaguered believers. They began evangelizing cautiously, one on one.
Christians operate quietly, though still under surveillance by suspicious officials.
Church leaders are often called in by police for questioning. Despite persecution and a lack of significant resources, the church in Laos continues to grow. Christianity has been part of a renaissance for the Khmus. There are three churches under the Lao Evangelical Church in the capital, Vientiane, each with between 200 and 250 congregants. After closing the door to the world for nearly two decades, the Lao government has designated 1999 as tourism year, with a goal of attracting a million tourists.