Paul, also a Hmong Christian, described being jailed for sharing Christianity with his people. He was imprisoned for more than a decade for spreading the religion. It was the second time he had been jailed for his faith.
Paul told Release International that the authorities beat him severely to try to get him to deny his faith, but he continued telling other prisoners about Jesus in the jail.
"They said that because I had been preaching the Gospel for my people, that is why they came for me. And because some of the Hmong had believed the Lord because of my mouth, they beat me in prison."
Paul was also given the opportunity to renounce his faith. He was told if he signed a paper he could go free.
His reply was clear and to the point: "I said to them even if you nail me like Jesus Christ to the cross I will still not deny him. You can do to me exactly like Jesus Christ and I will still be happy.
"Sometimes I thought I would die, but after that the Lord give me more strength so I could complete the course. That's why after a few years, they didn't beat me anymore."
Both prisoners described being severely malnourished in jail. "The worst thing about prison always starving, always wanting to eat something," said Stephen. On one occasion Paul was so hungry he picked up and ate a live frog - knowing it to be poisonous.
He explains: "In the first seven years I never saw my family, they never visited me and I was very, very hungry. Every day I got one bowl of rice and not enough vegetables. That's why I ate the frog.
"The reason I got poisoned was because if somebody eats a frog they should take out all the insides, but I ate all of it."
Both men run the risk of further imprisonment yet Paul and Stephen continue to share their faith. "I am never frightened about what will happen in the future for me," says Paul, "because I understand that the Lord is with me and many, many people around the world are praying for me."
The head of Release International, Andy Dipper, said, "Please pray for these former prisoners, that the Lord will protect them and their families. And pray that Vietnam will stop confusing the Christian faith with politics and will grant full freedom of religion."
Release International and its partners are supporting families of prisoners of faith in Vietnam. Release is providing food, pastoral and medical aid, and supporting prisoners when they come out of jail.
