Huntsville church’s Lao-Thai Mission still thriving after 20 years

Beginning with the fall of Saigon, Vietnam, in 1975 and continuing for several years, a million or more people fled Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam to escape an oppressive communist regime. Many of them fled in boats, hoping to find refuge in another country. 
   
Hillsboro Heights Baptist Church, Huntsville, adopted a family of “boat people,” as these refugees became known, and placed them in church members’ homes. 
   
As the children grew, the Madison Baptist Association church recognized the need for a mission church to minister to this family and others like them. 
   
Today, more than 20 years later, Hillsboro Heights Baptist is the sponsor of the thriving Lao-Thai Mission led by Pastor Aaron Phangnivong.
   
According to Hillsboro Heights’ Administrative Assistant Deborah Brown, the mission is very much a part of the church yet separate in some ways.
   
“They are slowly becoming independent,” Brown explained. 
   
“We help support the pastor, but they make many of their own decisions,” she said.
The two congregations coexist in one building, holding separate worship and Sunday School services. Hillsboro Heights holds its services in English, while the mission’s sermons are usually in Lao and Thai. 
   
“We help pay the pastor’s salary, along with help from the state and local Baptist associations,” said John Davis, who serves as church administrator while Hillsboro Heights is without a pastor. 
   
“We do not charge rent, but the mission members help pay for utilities,” Davis said.
Phangnivong has served as full-time pastor of the Lao-Thai Mission for eight years, and was recently elected to serve as president of the East Coast chapter of the national Lao Southern Baptist Fellowship (LSBF). 
   
During that time, Phangnivong has seen the mission’s  attendance grow from three families to the current 15 families. 
   
He estimates that there are only about 100 Lao-Thai people living in Huntsville, and 50 to 60 of them attend Hillsboro Heights.  
   
The Lao-Thai population in the area is stable. Most have been in the area for many years, according to Davis, and have blended into the community. 
   
“Many of them are well-­educated,” he said. “They are employed in different local industries, are buying their own homes and are good stewards of their money. Many still have family at home and continue to send money back home.” 
   
Prior to answering the call to pastor the mission, Phangnivong served as pastor at a similar mission in Texas. 
   
There are currently more than 50 Southern Baptist Lao-Thai congregations in the United States, including one in Montgomery, where Phangnivong preaches once a month. 
   
Since LifeWay Christian Resources’ literature is not available in Lao or Thai, Phangnivong is provided with copies of upcoming Sunday School lessons a quarter in advance. 
   
“My wife and I translate the lessons and put them on the LSBF Web site for others to use also,” he said.  
   
Because of a drop in attendance, Hillsboro Heights is able to accommodate two worship services and two Sunday Schools. 
   
“At one time, most of our families lived in subdivisions around the church, but we have become a transitional community,” Davis said. “People sold their houses and moved away. Very few of our members live in our community now.
   
“We think it is good stewardship to use our facility,” he added. 
Even with a thriving mission, the church is not ignoring the new residents of the area. 
   
“Mostly African-Americans and Hispanics live here now,” Davis noted. “We are trying to reach out to that community. 
   
“We sponsor a Christian Women’s Job Corps (group) and just had nine graduates. Four or five already had jobs before they graduated,” he said.
   
Christian Women’s Job Corps is an organization that trains minority and poor women how to get and keep jobs by teaching them skills such as how to use a computer, dress for an interview and fill out a resumé. 
   
Currently members of the Lao-Thai Mission are baptized into Hillsboro Heights’ fellowship and are considered members of the church. 
   
The two groups meet together quarterly to hold a joint worship service and share in the Lord’s Supper and a common meal, Davis said. 
   
“The two groups love each other and enjoy being together,” he said. “Our church members have learned to love (Thai) food. Like us, they like their own food better, but they are willing to try our food.” 
   
Neither Davis nor Phangnivong sees the relationship coming to an end anytime soon. 
   
Davis said, “We are seeking ways for them to become more independent, but we have a comfortable relationship.”