Former Buddhist reached by Lao-Thai Mission now helps lead it

When Aaron Phangnivong arrived in Huntsville to become pastor of the Lao-Thai Mission of Hillsboro Heights Baptist Church, he found a tiny congregation of people who were hungry for the gospel and a lone deacon who had been ordained several years before. 
   
Today the mission has reached more than half of the Lao-Thai residents in the Huntsville area and recently ordained three additional deacons. 
   
Phangnivong started home Bible studies almost immediately after arriving. 
   
He scheduled the meetings on Saturday nights in the homes of members, who invited their friends and neighbors. 
   
Often, after attending the Bible studies, the visitors would come to church on Sunday.  
   
As the congregation grew, Phangnivong realized that he needed additional church leaders and began to watch the members of the church for potential deacons.  
   
One of the new deacons is Sonny Khounmano, an aerospace scientist who lives in Decatur and is active in the Lao-Thai Mission. 
   
Like many others who came from Vietnam and its neighboring countries in the mid- to late 1970s, Khounmano had no knowledge of Christianity. 
   
“When I came here I was Buddhist. My daughter and son-in-law became Christians. They started talking to me and inviting me to church on special occasions,” he recalled. 
   
His daughter had become a Christian at a youth camp sponsored by a local church, and soon Khounmano’s son and wife also became Christians. 
   
Although the nearest Buddhist temple was in Murfreesboro, Tenn., he continued to hold to his traditions. 
   
“I was still worshipping my Buddha, all alone. Nobody was participating with me,” he said. 
   
“I thought, wait a minute, what am I doing? Am I right or wrong here?” 
   
Buddhism, according to Khounmano, teaches that a person must reach perfection in order to get into heaven. Until that perfect state is achieved, one is reincarnated repeatedly. Buddha made no claims to be God, only an enlightened teacher who pointed the way. 
   
“You must rely on yourself to get to heaven by becoming better and better,” Khounmano said. 
   
The moment of truth came for him in 1999, while listening to a sermon from John 14:6. 
   
“It became clear to me that Jesus is like a bridge to the Father,” he said. 
   
“Jesus came here to be our Savior. He lives in you,” Khounmano said. “It’s like this: If you are in the water and cannot swim, how are you going to help yourself? Buddha cannot help you — he can only teach you. Jesus can pull you out and save you.” 
   
He has not regretted his decision. “Things are so much better for me since I became reborn. I have a better life. I have peace and love in my family. 
   
“We are a Christian family now,” Khounmano said. 
   
In April, Phangnivong ordained Khounmano and two others after working with them and watching them grow for four years. Now he has the leadership team he needed to help him minister to the congregation and the community. 
   
“I’m so proud of them,” Phangnivong said. “God called and they answered.”