The following was sent to our The Voice of the Martyrs supporters in email yesterday. In case you don't receive our email updates, I wanted to share it with you also. — Stacy

As this e-mail is being written, VOM-sponsored workers are on a boat off the coast of North Korea launching helium-filled scripture balloons over one of the darkest nations on earth. As workers packed the vessel and prepared to leave, they learned that North Korea's iron-fisted dictator, Kim Jong Il, had suddenly died of a heart attack.

While the world speculates about the future of North Korea, VOM's field director says, “It's business as usual. We're in ministry, not politics.”

Christians in North Korea continue to face brutal persecution. Many are imprisoned in labor “death” camps, where they are subjected to starvation and torture.

Sister Yang was tortured for a month after being suspected of being a Christian. A woman sitting near Sister Yang had overheard her praying quietly and reported her to authorities.

“They beat me with a shovel,” Sister Yang told VOM. “Eventually my whole body had turned blue.”

Learn more and watch a short video clip of Sister Yang's powerful testimony of faith and perseverance.

The following news item is courtesy of our friends at The Christian Broadcasting Network.

JERUSALEM, Israel—Tourists are expected to return to Bethlehem in droves for Christmas, but many Christians living in the town of Jesus’ birth want to leave.

Unpredictable—that’s how Israeli author and human rights lawyer Justus Weiner describes the plight of Christians in Bethlehem and the West Bank.

For years they've suffered from human rights violations such as land theft, beatings, and even forced marriages between Christian women and Muslim men.

The worst persecution has come against converts to Christianity. Full story here.

CNN has done a wonderful piece on the situation with Asia Bibi. Please continue your prayers. Full story here.

At least seven Coptic Christians were killed and another half dozen were wounded - many seriously - after a Thursday morning drive-by shooting after a Christmas midnight mass in Nag Hamadi in Upper Egypt.

Egypt's Coptic Christian community was celebrating midnight mass on Christmas Day, according to the Coptic calendar, when the shooter sprayed a large crowd in front of the church with a hail of gunfire. Many died on the spot. Others were taken to the hospital, in serious condition.

Eyewitnesses indicate the crossroads in front of the Virgin Mary Church in Nag Hamadi was crowded because of the Christmas ceremony. The shooter escaped during the chaos. Read the full story here.

Here is also a video report showing protesters after the attacks.

Many religious communities in Azerbaijan and Tajikistan have not yet re-registered with government authorities as required by laws passed in both countries in 2009, according to Forum 18 News.

Religious communities that fail to register by January 1, 2010, will be considered illegal. As of Dec. 16, only about 100 of the 534 religious communities previously registered in Azerbaijan had re-registered. “Amendments to the Religion Law will require communities to provide an increased range of information when applying for registration and to obtain approval to build or rebuild worship places,” Forum 18 reported. “Additional amendments include a ban on the sale of religious literature in unapproved locations and on religious activity outside registered addresses.”

In Tajikistan, fewer than half of the religious communities have re-registered. “The highly restrictive Religion Law imposes state censorship on all religious literature, bans state officials from being among the founders of a religious community, requires state approval to invite foreigners for religious visits or to travel abroad for religious events, and restricts children’s religious activity and education,” Forum 18 added.

The Voice of the Martyrs stands with believers in Tajikistan and Azerbaijan who remain faithful despite government pressure to stop their worship. VOM encourages you to pray that authorities in Azerbaijan and Tajikistan will respect freedom of religion. Pray that Christians in former Soviet republics will echo Peter’s sentiment and determine to obey God rather than man.

                          With Christmas just around the corner, one of the things we all wonder is what kind of gift can we get someone we love.  Well, why not add this question - how can I give a gift of love to someone I do not know, and this year make it a child who is in Vietnam. 

The Voice of the Martyrs has a great plan to do just that, with the Vietnam Christmas Care program.  For only 25.00 you can send items that are desperately needed to these children in persecuted Vietnam and other areas.

Your pack may include clothes, school supplies, personal hygiene  products, toys and books.

Please click here to learn more, and why not get your children's Sunday school class involved, so that they can make a difference.