The following account comes from VOM’s Be-a-Voice Network member, Jessi S. For information about how you can be a part of the Be-a-Voice Network, visit http://www.be-a-voice.net.
I first learned about Voice of the Martyrs when I was at a homeschool conference at the end of my 4th grade year, nine years ago. They were passing out newsletters and information about the persecuted Christians around the world. My mom and I picked up several past issues of Kids of Courage and The Voice of the Martyrs. I read every issue as soon as I got home.
Then I signed up to receive the newsletter every month. When I would get each issue in the mail, I would highlight each persecuted Christian’s name and write their name in a prayer journal as a way to remind myself to pray for them. I then started explaining about the persecuted church to my church.
When I first started, many people did not think that they needed to pray for people outside of the United States, and some even doubted that there was persecution going on. A few people were very discouraging about it. Thankfully, through much prayer, God not only showed my church, but He also showed me just how desperately we needed to continue to pray and support our brothers and sisters who were suffering.
I then started teaching from the Bold Believers in Chiapas [available from the Downloads section of www.kidsofcourage.com] book for my Sunday school class. We had 5 children ages 5-12, learning and studying about persecuted Christians. One of the children’s favorite activities was when we taped off the size of a typical prison cell. I then had the children get in the area to see how small it was and then we tried it with adults. They were amazed! They thought it was small for one person. I then explained that there would be at least 2 or 3 adults in each cell.
I have been a Be A Voice member since July of 2009. God has worked in my life and blessed me tremendously. I have a greater appreciation for Jesus Christ as I see the persecution these Christians face and how it doesn’t compare to what Jesus did for me. I am blessed to live in a country where we don’t face persecution to the point of death. Teaching young children, hearing them share the stories with their parents, and knowing that they also have a heart for the persecuted church has blessed me.
I thought that my prayers would be helping them and they do, but at the same time praying for the persecuted church has strengthened my walk with Christ. Now that I am in my sophomore year of college, I am seeing just how blessed I am and so thankful that I can worship Christ freely. I do not fear that I will die while worshipping my Lord and Savior!
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.
We take so much for granted in the United States! Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Mark D. | August 27, 2013 at 09:14 AM