A Report On
Indo-China
Gordon and Laura Smith
T his summer Christians were having good cause to ponder the course of affairs in Indo-China. After more than seven and a half years of war many were wondering if Christianity could survive between the squeeze of Buddhism and Communism. But missionaries on the field were openly optimistic and this summer one of these missionaries was travel ing across Canada and the U.S. lecturing and showing a feature-length film on this troubled spot in south east Asia. The missionary: Mrs. Gordon Smith. The film: “ New Horizons— the Indo-China Story,” pro duced by Vision, Inc. The Smiths have been laboring since 1929 in Indo-China under the Christian and Missionary A lli ance. Protestant Christian growth has been slow and up to now there are only an estimated 35,000 con verts out of a population of some 28 million (total for the Associated States of Viet Nam, Laos and Cam bodia) . But the most encouraging aspect for Christian activity in Indo-China according to Mrs. Smith is that the native tribesmen are eagerly open to the message of the gospel. They have not been indoctrinated by either Buddhism or Communism to any great extent and their jungle paganism has created a genuine thirst for a way of life that embodies solid spiritual values.
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In 80 years before World War II, the French had invested $2 billion in Indo-China, 2 8% of it for such public works as 900 health institutions, 12,600 schools. They reduced in fant mortality by 5 0 % ; they built 13,800 miles of improved roads, railroads and canals; their irrigation projects brought 13 million more acres under cultivation. To preserve this investment and fight off the Communist march the French have suffered some 40,000 killed and another 40,000 wounded.
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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