Persecution Blog

Do Christians Ever Really Retire?

What’s your plan for your life after you hit 65 or 70? Do you anticipate finally being able to relax, live off your 401k and play golf all day long? In my 20s, I’d never given much thought to that period of my life until I discussed it with a friend one day. She told me she didn’t think Christians had a right to “retire,” at least in the sense that we tend to think of it, where we live lives of leisure on the money we’ve saved up.

When I considered it, I realized I had two great examples of Christians who did exactly the opposite. When my grandfather retired from the Florida IRS in the 80s, he and my grandmother bought an RV, and then proceeded to travel all over the US and the world, spending several months at a time donating their time and skills to various mission organizations, all funded by his retirement plan.

Another couple from my church did something similar. When he retired from the police force, they began a second career as missionaries with Operation Mobilization. They didn’t need to fund raise for their income, because they were self-funded, again, by his retirement plan.

Some of our VOM partners have done similar things with their lives. Dr. Thomas Samuel spent years as a pioneer missionary and church planter in India. But as he entered what should have been the twilight of his years of ministry, he prayed a new prayer. He said, “Lord, give me a vision for my life that will inflict the most damage on the kingdom of Satan while I still have breath here on this earth.”

God’s answer was to give Dr. Samuel a vision to prayerfully place 1,000 Bibles in every district in India. It was a daunting task in a nation that has over 600 districts. But Dr. Samuel followed through, and he has now distributed 40,000 Bibles in some of the most hostile and unreached areas of India.

Recently, though, it looked like his work might be prematurely finished. At age 78, his doctor told him he only had three months to live unless he had bypass surgery on his heart. But in spite of the concern of his doctor and his family, Dr. Samuel did not go through with the surgery.

“I bypassed my bypass,” said Dr. Samuel, “and used the money for my surgery to buy more Bibles for the unreached areas of India… just to spite the devil!”

It’s been five years since Dr. Samuel bypassed his bypass, and at 83, he’s still going strong for the Lord, and he has become a strategic partner for VOM’s Bible distribution efforts in north India, an area very hostile to Christians.

So what’s your plan for your retirement years? Will it be golf and travel, or will you also ask God to give you a vision to inflict damage on the kingdom of Satan?

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Dory P. has worked with VOM for six years. She grew up in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Between Dory, her husband and two-year-old son, they share five passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

This Thing Called Peace

Peace.

The world has been seeking it for millennia. Individually, we long for it and wonder why it seems so elusive. When I married my late husband, he had a poster that said, “Peace is not needing to know what will happen next.” After his death, I gave away many of my husband’s things. But the poster is one thing I have held onto. In the weeks and months following his death, I often looked at that poster and wondered if I would ever find peace and hope in my life again.

Now, eight years later, I am wrapping up six weeks of volunteering with The Voice of the Martyrs’ Communications Department.  One of my jobs has been to work on VOM’s 2014 Annual Report. This has involved researching the 60 or so countries where VOM has a presence. The more research I have done, the more compassion I have felt for those individuals who live in areas where fighting and violence are an ongoing thing — where the search for shelter, food and water consume the major part of every day.

Why is peace so hard for humankind to attain, both on a global level and a personal one? 

Jesus warned his disciples that the peace the world gives is “fragile” (John 14:27), and he promised his believers a lasting “gift — peace of mind and heart.”

So, if I know that Jesus is the source of all peace, and I claim Jesus as my Savior, why is it so many of my days seem anything but peaceful? What do I do when my world is shattered and despair descends like a veil of darkness that blocks out all hope? How do I deal with the individuals in my family, or my workplace, who always seem to know how to “push my buttons” and create conflict?

In my own search for peace, I have discovered something important. Peace is not an absence of conflict.   Jesus never promised that. True peace comes in the midst of conflict — not in its absence. The lasting peace Jesus promises is one that grows more solid as the chaos and turmoil around me rise. That means allowing Jesus to change me and the way I respond to the events that shake my world to its core.

For me, that has meant gaining a different perspective on who is in charge. If God knows exactly what is going to happen in my life each day, and he already knows how he will resolve the problems I encounter, I don’t need to worry about them. Or, as one of my close friends puts it, “Nothing will ever happen to me that has not been filtered through the hands of God first.” 

I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to volunteer at VOM this summer. I have met many wonderful people and have learned so much about this wonderful organization and its ministry. Originally, I had asked God to allow me to be a blessing to VOM and to the persecuted church. But I am the one who has been blessed. I have come away more convinced than ever that the peace each of us longs for can only come when we relinquish control of our lives to Jesus Christ.

With my spiritual batteries recharged, I now head back home. My hope is that wherever God may lead me, with his help, I will be able to demonstrate a life filled with his peace in a world that is anything but peaceful. 

May his peace go with you, as well. 

Linn Ann Huntington is a journalism professor at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. A former newspaper reporter, editor and columnist, she likes to spend her summers “having adventures.” This summer, she is doing a six-week volunteer internship at The Voice of the Martyrs, one of her best adventures to date.

Heroes for Kids

“The Church…as the bearer of the gospel…is at variance with…all human cultures without exception.” —Lesslie Newbigin

• What if an American Christian football star refused to play in the Super Bowl because the game was on Sunday? Eric Liddell of Scotland did something similar.

• Samuel Morris, an African teenager, came to America to learn to be a missionary. He died at age 20 before he could return to Africa to minister to his people, but he led many in America to Christ before his death.  

• Amy Carmichael rescued many of India’s “temple children” from dreary, abusive lives serving false gods and their followers. 

• Gladys Aylward led dozens of children in China on a 100-mile trip over mountains to escape attackers.  

• Richard Wurmbrand, in prison in Romania for spreading the gospel, witnessed to prisoners in other cells using Morse code. 

If we believe that all human cultures are at variance with the Church (see the quote above), isn’t it our responsibility to teach our children that others will not always be pleased with their choice to follow Jesus? 

The stories of the heroes listed above, along with Perpetua, John Bunyan, Jim Elliot, William Tyndale and William Booth are told on VOM’s Torchlighters DVDs. They provide positive examples of Christians who lived at variance with the culture around them.

The DVDs include 30-minute animated features for kids, longer documentaries that are interesting and informative for adults as well as children, and English and Spanish audio and subtitles.

VOM is currently offering a10-DVD-set of the Torchlighters stories at a special price. Free supplementary materials are available on the DVDs or at www.kidsofcourage.com.  

VOM’s Kids of Courage resources help parents and educators teach children ages 5 to 13 about persecuted Christians around the world, and provide opportunities for children to serve and pray for them. 

MOVING TOWARD MUSLIMS: Beyond Sports and Weather

In last month’s post, I encouraged you to overcome fear and perfectionism by extending hospitality to a Muslim. Because the home is a safe environment, your Muslim friend may feel comfortable opening up to discuss deeper issues. But how can you move conversations from sports and the weather to the Gospel and Jesus?

Muslims love to talk about religion. My new Muslim friends almost always give me a primer on Islam. Once they discover that I am a committed follower of Jesus—a mu’minah in their terminology—they are often curious to know more about my beliefs. I may be the first true follower of Christ they’ve ever encountered!

Here are some ways I’ve found to steer conversations toward deeper things:

Spiritual décor. You may already have a quote or verse from the Bible hung prominently in your home. Muslims are accustomed to elaborately gilded verses from the Qur’an hanging high above a doorway, so they may be curious about your “spiritual décor” and may ask about its meaning.

A family I know framed the Lord’s Prayer in Arabic calligraphy and hung it in their entryway. You’d better believe every Muslim who walks through their door notices that work of art! “Where did you get this?” they exclaim. This gives my friends an opportunity to share Jesus’ prayer with Muslims for the first time.

Show a family photograph. The extended family is integral to Muslims, so many of my Muslim friends love to see pictures of my cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. Whether I bring out an album or just flip through pictures on my phone, they love seeing that I belong to a larger network of people who love me. But don’t stop there: tell stories of God’s redemptive work in your family’s history. Family hardship, sin and suffering don’t ruin your witness. When told in light of God’s grace, they actually enhance it!

Holidays. Newcomers to the United States are trying to make sense of the new holidays and events happening around them. A week after Easter, one of my Muslim friends asked, “So what is this bunny holiday all about?” It was an obvious opportunity to explain that Easter has significance beyond all the bunnies and colored eggs she saw in the grocery store. Even a non-religious holiday like Independence Day could be a great opening to discuss true freedom, and what that means to your Muslim friend. You could even share Jesus’ words in John 8:36, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Ask good questions. This skill is probably the most crucial one when relating to Muslims. Questions like, “What is your dream for the future?” can give you insight into your friend’s aspirations and values. When a Muslim states a belief he holds, I like to ask, “How did you come to that belief?” to help him dig deeper and think critically.

Probably one of the best questions you could ask is, “What is your spiritual journey?” When a believer asked two Central Asian Muslims this question, they were so impressed that they returned the question to their Christian friend. They scheduled a second meeting just to hear his testimony!

Now for a heads up: When spiritual subjects are broached, some Muslims will revert to textbook answers about Islam. Be patient, hear them out respectfully and then try using sensitive questions to move the conversation on to matters found beneath the veneer of religion. What are your friend’s cherished hopes, crippling fears, and itching curiosities?

It is there—in the crucial matters of the heart—where the most enjoyable and fruitful conversations will begin.

Want more ideas? This little booklet  by Fouad Masri is a powerhouse of practical ideas on how to meet Muslims, deepen your friendship and begin to share about Jesus.

YOUR TURN: What questions have you found to be useful in sharing with unbelievers? With Muslims?

"Anna" blogs about friendship, culture, and Kingdom-living from her home in the Middle East. She loves Jesus and wants to see Him cherished by her neighbors and people everywhere. Anna will be posting on the Persecution Blog each month. Feel free to ask questions or suggest future topics in the comments section for this post. Anna is a pseudonym, and all names in her posts are changed for security reasons.

His Tender Voice

In 2005 I went to Eritrea to meet with Christians there. One of the Christians I met was “Letay,” who spent six months in a military prison camp because of her faith in Christ. The particular camp where she was held was out in the desert. It was miserably hot, and the facilities were primitive.

You know what verse God gave her during that time? Hosea 2:14:

 "Therefore, behold, I will allure her,
Will bring her into the wilderness,
And speak comfort to her."

Letay didn’t think prison was that bad…because she heard from God. She testified to the truth of this verse, that He spoke tenderly (as the NIV translates the verse) to her. She didn’t think that time in prison was some huge hardship. Instead, she thought it was a special time God arranged to meet with and speak lovingly to her.

Some of the brothers and sisters we met on that trip to Eritrea were later arrested. Some of them are still in prison today. Sources say there are more than 2,000 Christians currently in prison in Eritrea—TWO THOUSAND! Not a single one of them has been formally charged with a crime, or had a trial, or been allowed to consult a lawyer. They just disappear into the Eritrean prison system, sometimes for years. And sometimes forever.

I hope and pray that my friends who are in those prisons, and those two thousand others of my brothers and sisters, are experiencing some of what Letay experienced. I hope they too are hearing God’s voice; that He is speaking tenderly to them.

Please pray for them.

There are three Eritrean prisoners currently listed on www.PrisonerAlert.com. The site will help you to write them letters of encouragement.

Todd Nettleton has served the persecuted church and VOM 15 years. He has been interviewed more than 1900 times by various media outlets. He's the author of Restricted Nations: North Korea, and served on the writing team for FOXE, Extreme Devotion, Hearts of Fire and other VOM books.

Extreme Change

Before his conversion, Chang Shen had been known as a gambler, womanizer, and thief. When he was stricken blind in midlife, neighbors said it was the judgment of the gods for his evildoings.

In 1886, Chang traveled hundreds of miles to a missionary hospital where people were receiving sight. His eyesight was partially restored, and he also heard about Christ for the first time. “Never had we a patient who received the gospel with such joy,” reported the doctor.

When Chang asked to be baptized, missionary James Webster replied, “Go home and tell your neighbors that you have changed. If you are still following Jesus, when I visit you later, then I will baptize you.” Five months later, Webster arrived and found hundreds of believers. He baptized the new evangelist with great joy.

Later, a clumsy, native doctor robbed Chang of the partial eyesight he had, but Chang continued his travels to different villages. Though some spat on him and rejected him, he still won hundreds more to Christ.

When the Boxer Rebellion arose, Christians led Chang to a cave in the mountains for safety. The Boxers rounded up fifty Christians for execution in a nearby town but promised to spare them all if Chang came forward. When news reached Chang, he said, “I’ll gladly die for them.” Chang was beheaded three days later, and the remaining local Christians were spared.

The great exchange is the message of the great gospel. Jesus offers the opportunity to exchange our old life for a new start. Look how he changed Chang, from one living for self to a person sold out completely for Christ. No matter how much ruin we have caused in our former life, we can be restored to a right relationship with God. This is why our personal testimony is such a powerful witness. A changed life presents strong evidence for the fact of salvation. We don’t talk like we used to talk. We don’t walk like we used to walk. Who needs to hear about the difference Christ has made in your life?

This is one of the readings from the book, Extreme Devotion, available from VOM’s online bookstore. You can also receive devotional thoughts daily via email. Sign up here.

Former Prisoners Speak

Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh spent 259 days in Iran's notorious Evin Prison. Their “crime” was following Jesus Christ and encouraging others to follow him. While in prison, they received letters from believers around the world who had heard about their arrest.

In June, Maryam and Marziyeh visited VOM's offices and spoke to our staff, sharing about God's faithfulness to them even in prison. They also thanked VOM for being a voice for them during their imprisonment and for encouraging Christians to write letters to them while they were in prison. Here is the complete video of their presentation:

 

 

We pray that as you watch the video you'll be reminded to PRAY for our brothers and sisters who are still in prison in Iran and other nations and that you'll be inspired to WRITE letters to them. 

You can read the full story of Maryam and Marziyeh's ministry and imprisonment in their book Captive in Iran, which is available from VOM. You'll be challenged and encouraged by the testimony of these two bold witnesses for Christ.

Chinese Bookstore Workers Jailed

Last Dec. 19, Chinese officials arrested two men involved in setting up a new Christian bookstore in Taiyuan, China. Wenxi Li, a bookstore worker from Beijing, traveled to Shanxi province in 2012 to help local Christians, including Lacheng Ren, stock, set up and open a new bookstore. He brought several hundred Christian books with him from Beijing. But police raided the bookstore and confiscated all the books Wenxi brought. 

Police left quite a mess after raiding the licensed bookstore in 2012.

On Dec. 19, police asked Wenxi to appear at the police station to retrieve the $6,000 worth of books that police had seized. When he arrived at the police station, though, he was immediately arrested. Hours afterward, police went to Lacheng Ren’s home and arrested him also.

Wenxi was denied bail, according to police, because of the seriousness of his “crime.” His wife, Cai Hong Li, said police told her that her husband was arrested because he was involved in an “illegal business.” However, Cai Hong said the bookstore had a legal license to operate and that her husband was not involved with managing the business. He was “just sent to find a rental place for a new store,” Cai Hong said.

While in prison awaiting trial, Wenxi led three people to Christ. His family expected a quick release, but instead, on June 17, Wenxi was sentenced to two years in prison. Lacheng Ren was given a five-year prison sentence.

Since her husband’s arrest, Cai Hong said she and her two children have received harassment from anonymous sources. She added that she fears for her children’s safety.

Wenxi’s family is planning to appeal his case.

Since the launch of www.PrisonerAlert.com, VOM has heard from numerous former prisoners that letters from international Christians are a huge encouragement. In numerous cases the letters have also resulted in better treatment, and in some cases even early release, for the prisoners. Will you take a few minutes today to write a letter of encouragement to Wenxi Li and Lacheng Ren?

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What Does It Mean to Be at Peace?

What does it mean to be at peace?

Have you ever met anyone that turned a perspective you had in life upside down? Maybe I said that too softly. Have you ever had someone just shatter a life perspective?

When I was a teenager my parents took me to hear a man speak by the name of Richard Wurmbrand. This Jewish Romanian minister born in the early 1900’s was old and quite crippled. Not exactly exciting for a teenager. When we walked in I was astonished to find the room packed. The event began with a lengthy introduction of all this guys accomplishments. No music, no flashing lights, no smoke, no video projectors, nothing except a microphone. After the first old guy finished introducing the second old guy, he stood up with assistance and slowly limped over to a deep-seated armchair on the stage. After he situated himself he started to speak, slowly. He shared about growing up in an anti-Semitic Romania and ultimately becoming a Christian.  His life was a laundry list of sacrifice because of his beliefs. He had been imprisoned for spreading the Gospel and went through horrific psychological and physical torture. The Communists even told his wife that he had died in prison when he hadn’t. In 1966 he testified in Washington D.C., revealing his physical scars that brought much of what was happening in the dark to light. The unforgettable part to me was his peace. Yep, you read that right. His peace. His testimony wasn’t delivered from a dark heart, but one of hope.

It’s hard for me to explain, but he seemed happier and more fulfilled than any of my high school friends who drove new cars, partied on the weekend, and lived off of mom and dad’s hard work.  Theoretically my friends lived the good life. Why was this guy so much more fulfilled? This old man threw my perspective of peace and joy on its head. His life fulfillment wasn’t conditional on external circumstances. Something in him was stronger than life itself.  As he shared I realized his peace isn’t in what is, but in his hope of what will be.

2 Peter 3:11-13, “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.”

Do you have a hope this strong?

Mike Colaw is the pastor of Trinity Church in Indianapolis, IN. He attended college at Oklahoma Weslyan University and blogs at www.mcolaw.wordpress.com.

Tortured for Christ at 13 Years Old

Susan was just 13 when an evangelist spoke at her school in Uganda and she turned to Christ for salvation. That year, 2009, marked the beginning of the troubles with her father.

At first, her father beat her because of her new faith. Then, in March 2010, he locked her in a room in their mud shanty. He kept her there for six months without feeding her, and she survived on roasted bananas that her brother slipped under the door when their father was gone. At one point, he threatened Susan and her brother with a knife, telling them he was ready to slaughter them.

Neighbors became concerned and told police, who rescued her from the home. While locked in the room, Susan suffered a bout of untreated malaria, and the long-term lack of calcium affected her growing bones. Joseph, a local pastor, visited her after her rescue and said she was bony, weak and unable to walk or talk. “Her hair had turned yellow, she had long fingernails and sunken eyes, and she looked very slim, less than 45 pounds,” he said.

After a prolonged hospital stay and two major operations on her left thigh bone, a local Christian woman volunteered to care for Susan. Joseph helped Susan and her caretaker, Dreda, find a small room to rent in a community far away from her father. Susan was happy to be safe, but her care has been a financial strain on Joseph and her caretaker.

VOM became involved in her case this year, and thanks to our readers, we have been able to help. Susan began a new school term at a brand-new boarding school this summer. The school is much better than the village school she previously attended. She has a special caretaker assigned to her at school to help her meet her needs, as she requires the assistance of crutches to get around and her school is not set up for handicap access.

Dreda and Susan with her box of new school supplies at the school.

In his report this month, our field worker told about accompanying Susan to get her settled at school. He gave her a large box full of supplies for the new school year, provided by VOM readers. He wrote, “[Susan] is really promising and full of joy. She is happy for this opportunity to have help from God’s people. She promised to work hard and excel.”

The VOM worker also said Dreda was grateful for VOM’s support for their living expenses. Pastor Joseph asked him to pass along his thanks as well. “Please thank them so much, for we have not even dreamed anything like this before. This is indeed the work of God!”

If you have contributed to VOM’s Families of Martyrs fund, you are one of the ones who made this possible for Susan. If not, you can make a difference in the lives of persecuted Christians through a gift to the Families of Martyrs fund here. You can even choose to make that donation monthly, and help meet the ongoing needs of these believers.