News Item: : Protestantism flourishes in Dak Nong
(Category: In the News)
Posted by Pray4vn - Webmaster
Monday 29 October 2007 - 01:00:00

Dak Nong (VNA) – The number of Protestants in the central highlands province of Dak Nong is on the rise, reaching close to 40,000 to date.

"Protestantism is growing fast, especially in ethnic minority groups," said Pastor Y Djen, Head of the Dak Nong Protestant Representative Board.

He stressed, "The provincial authorities have always created every favourable condition for Protestant followers to practise their faith."

Three years ago, there were only 1,000 Protestant followers and one pastor, who belonged to a Protestant chapter in Dak Nong province.

To date, there are 15 Protestant chapters, and 95 followers’ groups operating throughout the province. They are instructed by 15 pastors and hundreds of missionaries.

Dak Nong province has done more than facilitating Protestant followers’ execution of the rights to religious freedom.

Socio-economic development programmes worth billions of VND to improve Protestant followers’ lives have been implemented, giving funding for the building and repair of 4,000 houses, and providing land and loans to thousands of Protestants to help them develop household-based economy.

Thanks to these programmes, the poverty rate in Protestant followers was reduced significantly to below 30 percent from 70 percent.-

This news item is from Pray for Vietnam
( http://www.pray4vn.com/comment.php?comment.news.50 )