Persecution Blog

A Poem from St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so
Much seek to be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive.
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Perseverance in Palestine

A VOM worker recently met secretly with two Palestinian Christians, encouraging them and providing some practical assistance. Without knowing who he was meeting with, one brought a book that had greatly encouraged him: an Arabic version of Tortured for Christ.

The two men lead separate house churches in their areas of the West Bank. They have both lost jobs and family members because of their new beliefs.

“God wishes for all my people to come out of the darkness into the light,” says one. Through the peace of Christ, they are able to endure weekly interrogation by Palestinian authority agents.

One brother has been enduring these interrogations every week for more than two years.

Hindu Man Collects Stamps to Learn About Christianity

It never ceases to amaze me how the Lord uses things to teach about Himself all over the world.  In a story today put out by Assist News Service I read of a man by the name of Arvind Khodke who has collected postal stamps since childhood and now at 57 years old, he still collects stamps so he can learn more about Christianity.  Here's part of the article...

The idea might seem far-fetched, but he has already collected about 500 stamps depicting pictures of the Holy Family, Jesus, the Blessed Mother, Saint Joseph, Nativity scenes and popes. He also collects cartoons and other pictures on Christianity.

Khodke recalls his first direct interaction with Christianity was through a mission hospital in the central state. He had heard about Christian missionaries being “very charitable, and I myself experienced it in the hospital,” he told UCA News on Dec. 26.

“They really take care of the sick, and there is no better example of Christian charity,” he affirmed. He became “more interested in Christianity” when media began to report increased attacks on Christians in the state.

Please add Arvind to your prayer list and ask the Lord to reveal Himself in even greater ways to Arvind.  And you can read more about Arvind and his stamp collecting here.

Two Christians Abducted in India

The last few weeks have been filled with tons of news regarding Christian persecution in India.  Here's another story from our friends at Compass Direct.  For the full story, click here.

(Compass Direct News) – Six Hindu nationalist extremists stormed a house church, abducted two Christians and severely beat them last Thursday (January 17) in Madhya Pradesh state’s Rewa district. Brandishing swords, knives, tridents and sticks, the alleged members of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal arrived on three motorbikes at a house church prayer meeting in Pathigaon village, Naigadi area, and began forcing Vijaya Kumar Maurya and Keera Lal to come with them to a police station at around 8 a.m., said the Rev. Augustine Jebakumar of GEMS, an indigenous Christian organization with headquarters in Bihar state. The Hindu extremists beat the two Christians, took them to a jungle, and beat them again. “While two of the kidnappers left half way, the other four took us to a temple on a mountain, known as Sahaki Pahar, which is about six kilometers from Pathigaon village,” Maurya told Compass. “They said they were going to sacrifice us to the god of the temple. But they received a phone call and were warned that a police complaint had been lodged. This is why they did not kill us.”

Attacks on Christians Spread Beyond Orissa

You can read the full story at Assist News here.

Terrible violence against Christians in the eastern India state of Orissa has now spread to the neighboring state of Chhattisgarh

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

INDIA (ANS) -- As Christians in four districts of the eastern India state of Orissa continue to suffer attacks from extremist Hindus, the neighboring state of Chhattisgarh is now also witnessing atrocities against Christians.

This has been reported on the UK-based web site www.christiantoday.com

Their story states that around 100 unknown attackers armed with lathis weapons (sticks) and petrol (gasoline) bombs attacked a prayer meeting led by Pastor Mohan C Thomas and Jose Kajur in Bothli village of Gurur area of Durg district, reports the Evangelical Fellowship of India.

"The attackers rushed to the attack site in a truck where around 2,500 people from nearby villages had gathered to attend an open air prayer meeting last Wednesday," continued the Christian Today story.

               

Rev. Dr. Richard Howell

"The innocent Christian worshippers and workers were targeted on the pretext of forceful conversion. In a brutal attack lasting around 10 minutes, the attackers beat them mercilessly and burnt the huge pandal (tent) where they were assembled down to ashes, according to the EFI's General Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Richard Howell. The incident was witnessed by viewers on a prime News Channel IBN 7.

"The Sub-Divisional Officer of Police of Durg, Shri Pipre, informed one of EFI's lawyers that a case was filed under sections 147, 148, 149, 426 and 427 of the Indian Penal Code and a few arrests were made. Due to a lack of sufficient proof, however, the suspects were later released on bail."

Stunned By An Act of Love

“What is it?” Soviet captain Marco snarled at the young boy. “What do you want?”     The boy, only twelve, swallowed his fear as he stood before the Communist officer. “Captain, you are the man who put my parents in prison. Today is my mother’s birthday, and I always buy her a flower for her birthday.”

    “Since my mother taught me to love my enemies and to reward evil with good, I have brought the flower instead for the mother of your children. Please take it home to your wife tonight, and tell her about my love and the love of Christ.”

    Captain Marco, who had watched unmoved as Christians had been unmercifully beaten and tortured, was stunned at the act of love of this boy. His tears fell as he slowly walked around the desk and grabbed the boy in a fatherly embrace. Marco’s heart was changed by the gift of Christ’s love. He could no longer arrest and torture Christians, and soon he himself was arrested.

    Only months after the boy’s visit to his office, Marco slumped in a filthy prison cell surrounded by some of the same Christians he had previously arrested and tortured. He tearfully told his cell mates of the young boy and the simple gift of a flower. He considered it an honor to share a cell with those he had previously hunted and attacked.

Generosity is second nature to the believer. Jesus taught that others would recognize real believers by their demonstration of love. And not just for those who love us in return. Oftentimes, generosity toward strangers and even enemies is the best application of Jesus’ teachings. Witnesses to our acts, if not the recipients themselves, are befuddled at the sight. Imagine a wounded Christian worker who prays for the boss who unjustly fired him or her. Picture the impact of grieving parents who give the gift of forgiveness to a drunk driver. The world doesn’t understand generosity. However, it is affected by it all the same. We find we are never more like God himself as when we give generously to others. God gave his only Son to demonstrate his love for the world and purchase our salvation. What could you give today that might open someone’s heart to God’s kingdom?

Sharing the Ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs

For the last few years I have been so blessed to be working with the staff at The Voice of the Martyrs, and seriously, when I consider how I got connected to VOM, part of me laughs and the other part realizes that God's providence is always at work.  Which is why I want to share with you a testimony that I received from Todd Nettleton the other day.  For privacy reasons and protection, I have changed the names of the people involved. May this encourage you to share what you know of the ministry of The Voice of the Martyrs.

I just had a call from a gentleman whose home is in CA.  He wanted to know about the VOM Newsletter and how he could get it.  I took the information from him to add him to our database and when I got to the part where I asked how he had heard about us, he said,

“I’m standing in front of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream store right now on Fifth Avenue in New York.  I am here to tell people about the Lord.  A man in a wheelchair came up and I asked him if he knew about Jesus.  To which he replied,

“Let ME tell YOU a little bit about the Lord and about an organization called Voice of the Martyrs.”

After he had told Mr. L. a little about VOM, Mr. L. said, “Well, how can I get signed up to get this information?”  He said, “The man in the wheelchair looked at me and said, ‘Like this,’ and dialed his cell phone and handed it to me.  I’m talking to you now, "Betty", on his cell phone.”

Now I don't know about you, but I LOVE this story because it reminds me that not only is it very easy to share about Christian persecution, but it's also extremely easy to get more information about how we can all help.

Please send us an email at [email protected] and share with us how YOU share the ministry of VOM.  We may post your story here on the blog.

A Cry from Iran

Today as I was doing some research on Christian persecution, I came upon a website about two brothers who made a film about their martyred father.  The film is titled A Cry from Iran and the following is a short description of what the film is about.

Two brothers, a murdered father and an untold story of pain and forgiveness are the inspirations behind a six times award-winning documentary on the secret death of a prominent evangelical pastor in Iran, Haik Hovsepian.

For more information and to view a short clip of the movie, please visit the A Cry from Iran website.

This is the untold story of Iranian Christian martyrs, and Christian converts, who became the victims of their beliefs and paid the ultimate price – their lives...

Christians in India Fear More Violence in Election Year

NEW DELHI, January 15 (Compass Direct News) – With elections due in 10 states this year and a general election scheduled for 2009, the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is apparently planning to use religion-related issues to polarize voters. This tactic, Christians fear, will increase the incidence of anti-Christian violence. The party is planning to hold major rallies in almost all state capitals by the end of March in preparation for the general election, reported The Hindu on January 9. “There will be increased violence against Christians in the 10 states that go to the polls – and in other states, too,” said Dr. John Dayal, secretary general of the All India Christian Council.

Read the full story at Compass Direct.

Bibles Unbound Close to Mailing 500,000 Bibles

One of the joys of my life is sharing the living and active Word of God with people.  I LOVE the Bible, which is exactly why I've been on board with the Voice of the Martyrs Bibles Unbound project since it began.

Every month I receive bibles for China and Indonesia and I get to pack them and send them to people who desperately need the living Words of Life. And even though I may never know how those bibles impacted those who have received them in this life, I'm confident I will get to know when we are all in eternity with our Living Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And I want you to join me and thousands of others who have joined the Bibles Unbound project, because there is no easier way to share the gospel then by becoming involved.

Since the inception of Bibles Unbound the Lord has expanded the growth of the program and we are extremely excited that we are coming up on sending out a HALF A MILLION BIBLES!!!  How cool is that!

So here's my challenge to  you today...

In the next month, I would like to see all of you sign up one new person to become involved in sending out bibles through The Voice of the Martyrs Bibles Unbound program.  For only 30.00 a month you can send 5 bibles monthly to people who need Jesus!

Here's my personal goal...and maybe it will be something you'd like to do also. 

My goal is to sign up the children's Sunday School class at my church.  Because I know that  young children love to help people in need and they also can work together to earn the money to buy the bibles.  It's a great way to teach missions and also giving to our kids.  And it's easy and Fun!

So why not join me this month in getting one more friend involved in Bibles Unbound.  If you do, please email us and let us know.  WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU!

Blessings on your day today!