6-Year-Old Christian Girl in Coma After She and Her Parents Were Beaten for Their Faith in Northern Vietnam

Catholics hold the holy cross while attending a mass as part of a three-day conclusion to the Holy Year celebrations at the La Vang Basilica, in Vietnam’s central Quang Tri province January 5, 2011. More than 500,000 Catholics are estimated to arrive at La Vang from January 4 to 6, according to a spokesperson for Vietnam’s bishops conference. The celebration marks the 350th anniversary of the establishment of the first two Apostolic Vicariates in Vietnam and commemorates the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Dioceses in Vietnam.

A 6-year-old Christian girl and her parents were brutally beaten and dragged out of their village in Northern Vietnam because of their Christian faith, Open Doors UK reports. 

The family of three was forced out of their home and their bodies dragged over rocks to the entrance of the village after sustaining beatings that left the young girl in a coma for a month.

Open Doors, an organization that serves persecuted Christians worldwide, said earlier this week that the 6-year-old girl has regained consciousness but doesn’t recall what happened to her and isn’t able to recognize her parents.

The family had stopped participating in their village’s practice of worshiping their ancestors and received Christ, which angered the villagers and local authorities.

Not long after, they were “mocked, tied with ropes and severely beaten while being dragged over rocky ground toward the entrance of the village, forcing them to leave,” Open Doors reports.

Members of their church later transported them to a hospital where they were treated for three days.

Although they were allowed to return to the village after their pastor spoke with local authorities, the villagers continued to threaten and curse them on account of their newfound faith.

Open Doors’ World Watch List ranks the southeast Asian country as the 20th most dangerous nation for Christians. The Communist government monitors Christians’ activities and exerts a high level of pressure on them.

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SOURCE: Christian Post, Brandon Showalter