Persecution Blog

Sabina Wurmbrand: "Many Miraculous Healings"

My clothes were cold and clammy and my shoes squelched. I hugged myself and wondered about the pain in my side. It was growing worse. Once we were in the truck, every bump sent a red-hot stab of agony through me. The swaying truck made me feel very sick.

“That brute Peter!” Zenaida muttered her indignation: our team boss, a criminal prisoner, was in the truck. They’d fished me out quickly once they’d had their laugh. After all, they had to report back to the guardroom with the same number of prisoners as had set out that morning. A slave-laborer less would have been a loss to the State.

Somehow we got back to the hut, where I wrung out my wet things. My side was badly swollen, and the skin had been scraped from my hands and legs. It was agony to raise my arms. Every few minutes during the night I tried to find a more comfortable position. But there was none.

In the morning I saw “Doctor” Cretzeanu. A huge purple and yellow bruise like a map of Africa spread down one side of my body and it was impossible to raise my arm above waist level.

“Fit for work!” she pronounced.

I fell in with the others.

“What’s the matter with you?”

The woman overseer was glaring. Perhaps I had swayed. I felt faint. I said, “I can’t go to work today. I’m in great pain. I think my ribs are broken.”

But Peter was watching out for me. He caught my wrist and pulled me out of the rank. “What’s wrong with her is that she didn’t fulfill her norm yesterday. Get on with it!”

He spun me around and planted a large boot in my back. I wasn’t so much kicked as heaved forward into the line of women.

So I went to work that day and every following day. I had broken two ribs (doctors established this after my release) but God healed them. We have seen in prison many miraculous healings.

Excerpted from The Pastor's Wife by Sabina Wurmbrand, available from www.VOMBooks.com. 

Sabina Wurmbrand (1913–2000) was the wife of Pastor Richard Wurmbrand and co-founder of The Voice of the Martyrs.

INDIA: Persecutors Now Christ Followers

In this video shot by VOM staff on a recent visit to India, a pastor shares about the persecutiong that he has faced in his work trying to open a new church in a Hindu-controlled village. But the pastor also shares how some of his fiersest persecutors are now followers of Christ and loyal workers in the church. 

 

Please share this video with your Christian friends and encourage them to pray for Christians in India.

Christians "Engaged in Hostile Acts Against the DPRK"

In a statement at the United Nations last week, So Se Pyong, the North Korean ambassador to the UN in Geneva, identified his country’s main enemies: Christians.

The statement came at a session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva reviewing the human rights situation in North Korea, which followed the release of a UN report in February documenting widespread violation of human rights and dignity inside North Korea.

In response to the inquiry, which the UN conducts for every member country at least every four years, North Korea’s delegation blamed Christians:

"There are in the northeastern area of China so-called churches and priests exclusively engaged in hostile acts against the DPRK. They indoctrinate the illegal border crossers with anti-DPRK ideology and send them back to the DPRK with assignments of subversion, destruction, human trafficking and even terrorist acts," it said.

“The significance of North Korea’s comments cannot be overstated,” says Rev. Eric Foley, CEO of VOM’s project partner for North Korea, Seoul-USA. “North Korea is choosing to publicly blame Christian missionaries for its human rights problems and internal difficulties.” VOM and Seoul-USA cooperate to sponsor discipleship bases reaching North Koreans across Asia.

Keep reading at www.Persecution.com.

Stay Hungry!

How spiritually hungry are we? As I meet with persecuted sisters and brothers around the world, I notice that their definition of “hunger” is often different than mine. They often exhibit a spiritual hunger that appears to keep their faith agile and alert.

I recall a long, bumpy ride in a tiny van across Northern India. I finished teaching a group of persecuted believers in a remote village. As I prepared to leave, a small, hunchbacked woman grabbed my hand and reached out to present an interesting gift. It was handmade, with intricate detail: a small box made of glass and plastic that looked like it was originally intended as a wedding gift. I’ve often wondered what the story behind this mysterious gift is. She clearly gave me something that was very precious to her. I was reminded of the vast difference in what we perceive as “valuable.” 

When we are poor, even a little trinket brings us joy.  When we are hungry, that first bite explodes with flavor!

On the ride home, I interviewed our host about some of his life experiences. Gafur’s face radiated with joy as he shared God’s goodness to him and his family in the midst of incredible suffering. Some of their suffering came because they live in India. Some of their suffering came because they were Christians living in India.

Gafur told me that there were many times he simply could not provide food for his family. He tried to find work. He served his village as a spiritual leader, and people helped when they could. But, Gafur shared, there were many months when it just wasn’t enough.

As a father of five, I tried to imagine the feelings I would experience if I were unable to provide basic necessities for my family. There is great joy in providing for our children and sharp pains when there are things we can’t provide.

What this man of God said next stunned me. Gafur exclaimed, “On the days that we didn’t have enough to eat, we just fasted and prayed.”

Fasting. Wow. That is a topic that we seem to have overlooked in our American culture.

As we consider Scripture it is clear that there is a relationship between fasting and spiritual hunger.

Daniel 10 is a remarkable window into spiritual warfare. In verse 2, Daniel reports that for three weeks “I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled.”

Just a few verses later, we discover that on the day that Daniel began this fast, an angel was dispatched in response to his fervent prayers: “Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.” The rest of the story reveals the Angel’s incredible testimony about spiritual warfare!

Where did this story begin? It began with hunger. Daniel gave up “pleasant food, wine, meat.” Daniel desperately sought to hear from God; he humbled himself. Daniel was hungry—spiritually and physically! And Daniel experienced a spiritual breakthrough.

God has a message for you and me today: “Stay Hungry!”

Dr. Jason Peters serves in VOM’s International Ministries department, traveling frequently to meet with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. He lived overseas for five years and has ministered in more than 30 countries as diverse as Cuba, Nepal, Iraq, Nigeria and Indonesia. He and his wife, Kimberly, along with their five children, count it a great honor to serve with the persecuted church.

NIGERIA: Demanding a Response

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is demanding that the government of Nigeria do everything that it can to locate hundreds of missing teenage girls who were kidnapped in the northern state of Borno from their school on April 15 by Boko Haram militants. Evangelist Matthew Owowjaiye, who is an associate with CAN, is also calling people to fast and pray. “The military may not be able to solve the problem,” he says, “but prayer will.”

CAN has called the government to act on behalf of the girls, and reinforced their demands by providing a list of 180 names of girls said to be amongst the kidnapped. The group identified 165 as Christians and the remaining 15 as Muslim, explaining that the government should have been better prepared to defend the government-run girls’ school.

The school, located in Chibok, one of only a few Christian enclaves located in the majority-Muslim state, was doing a number of things Boko Haram opposes.  The terrorist organization’s name means “Western education is a sin” in the Hausa language, and they work to destroy anything opposed to their desire to eradicate everything they view as Western, including those of the Christian faith.

The list of 180 names is a clear indication that many of those attending the school were believers, living and attending school in one of the most dangerous areas in the country.

Security forces defending the school were no match when Boko Haram attacked. The militant group reportedly took at least 276 girls between the ages of 16 and 18, forcing them into the back of trucks. The convoy was later seen headed towards the Cameroon border.

It is not clear how many girls are still being held. While CAN provided 180 names, school and government officials provided 276. Some reports indicated there could be even more missing girls that were unaccounted for. Reports indicate that school records may have been incomplete and some parents have withheld information for fear of reprisal. Some students are said to have escaped during the chaos and there are conflicting accounts of releases. The lives of those still being held are in peril.

Most terrifying is the recent video in which a man claiming to be Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, stated that the girls would be sold as brides for the equivalent of $12 each. Recorded in the Hausa language, the man seems to laugh menacingly as he claims he will sell the teenagers and that Allah directed him to do so.

While people in the media and around the world are working to create international attention, such as the social media campaign on Twitter to #BringBackOurGirls as well as a number of protests, Boko Haram has no intention of negotiating. But the demand must be for more than just government intervention.

Christians in Nigeria have called everyone to a specific course of action, asking that we fast and pray specifically that the kidnapped girls are released. In Ephesians 6:12-13, we read “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood” and learn that we must put on “the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day.”

Although we want government intervention, God’s intervention is what is needed most. Will you join those at The Voice of the Martyrs and commit to praying for these girls? Pray for God’s intervention and for the rescue of these captives.

Sources: The Sun, Reuters

“Ann Kay” is a writer for VOM. She learned about VOM five years ago when she read Tortured for Christ and began receiving the newsletter. She is passionate about reaching the world for Christ and sharing stories of the persecuted church.

VOM Featured on Moody Radio

Yesterday, VOM's Todd Nettleton appeared as a guest on In The Market With Janet Parshall, which airs nationwide each week day on the Moody Radio Network.

Todd and Janet discussed last week's report on religious freedom around the world issued by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, as well as the visit of a VOM team to minister to Christians persecuted in Northern Nigeria. Todd also shared a brief update on the progress of Asia Bibi's appeal in Pakistan.

You can listen to the interview in its entirety by CLICKING HERE (a new window will open). To go directly to Todd's interview, go forward to the 25:00 mark in the file.

Islam: Purchasing Converts

As I have learned more and more about Islam, I’ve often wondered what its appeal is to people. Islam is growing rapidly, partly because so many people are born into the Muslim faith, but also because so many people are converting to Islam. 

I now have a better idea of the answer to that question in Malaysia. On a recent trip for VOM, I was surprised by what I learned from our contacts and the believers there. A tactic used widely by Muslims to gain converts is bribery.

Muslims in Malaysia are notorious for offering those of other faiths money, job positions, housing, even full-ride scholarships to college;  all contingent upon their conversion to Islam. Sometimes, in the more remote villages, it’s even as simple as Muslims from the city driving out to the village and offering bags of money to any family that is willing to convert. You can imagine how difficult this is in countries wrecked with poverty and where a high percentage of the population faces the constant fight to survive.

The interesting catch is that these conversions are very one sided. In Malaysia every person is born with an identity card, similar to a birth certificate. On this card it says your religion, for example “Muslim” or “Christian.”  Christians, or any other religion besides Islam, are welcome to change their identity card at any time from their birth religion to “Islam.” However, it is illegal and impossible for a Muslim to ever change their identity card. Literally, until the day they die; even if they professed Christianity and are buried in a Christian graveyard, the Muslim representatives of the communities will come and dig up the body to give it a Muslim burial.

Of course, it is also illegal for any other faith to “proselytize” (witness) to Muslims.

The Malaysian government used this tactic with a group of refugees from the dangerous island of Mindanao, in the Philippines. The group was trying to flee from Mindanao, away from the violence of Muslim terrorist groups there, but the Philippines wouldn’t recognize them as citizens because they lived in Mindanao. The Malaysian government stepped in and offered them asylum on one condition: convert to Islam. They readily agreed.

Where are these new Muslim converts now? They are refugees living in extreme poverty is a slum I visited in Malaysia, with no help from the nearby mosques or the Malaysian government. 

Our contacts support young church leaders who go into this slum every Monday-Friday bringing food, meeting with families, and teaching the children English. Slowly, they are starting to teach them Bible stories and tell them about Jesus. I will never forget the look of joy on the dirty faces of these children as they sprinted across piles of trash to embrace their teachers coming to the slum to be with them.

Eventually, the truth comes out. Islam in Malaysia, though it may seem to promise freedom from poverty through bribery, ultimately causes bondage. Christianity, though it seems to promise persecution in many restricted and hostile nations, ultimately brings freedom.

As believers, it’s our responsibility to offer the world something much greater than a bag of cash.

"Grace Taylor" serves on the staff of VOM. She was first introduced to the ministry of VOM by her parents and grandparents, who received the VOM newsletter, and through the VOM book Jesus Freaks. She has served in 12 different countries and is passionate about helping expand God’s Kingdom throughout the nations of the world.

Jesus Freaks: Andronicus

Each month VOM produces "The Jesus Freaks Minute," a daily radio-PSA that shares the stories of the persecuted church with Christian radio listeners all over the United States and around the world. Here's the script for one of the spots that will air next month, a spot entitled ANDRONICUS:

[LYRICS:]  What will people think when they hear that I’m a Jesus Freak.  What will people do when they find that it’s true.  

[TOBYMAC:]  Hey, this is TobyMac with truth every Jesus Freak should hear from the Voice of the Martyrs.

[VOM:]  When you make a pledge, do you follow through?  Is your word a solemn vow?

In 303 A.D., Andronicus was whipped, tortured, and thrown to wild beasts.  This is the vow he made and kept to the governor at Cilicia: “Do your worst.  I am a Christian.  Christ is my help and supporter, and thus armed I will never serve your gods nor do I fear your authority or that of your master, the Emperor.  Commence your torments … and make use of every means your malignity can invent, and you shall find in the end that I am not to be shaken from my resolution.”

For more solemn vows from real martyrs, go online to persecution.com.

Source: Jesus Freaks, Page 146

Church in Laos Standing Firm

A Laotian house church continues to grow and remain strong despite the death of its leader, “Than,” last year. Than established a church in the rural Laotian village in 2006, and the 10 families in the church experienced much persecution over the years from village officials and neighbors.

Villagers destroyed the Christians’ crops, stole their livestock and threw stones on the metal roof of the church while they were meeting. Then, in 2008, village leaders confiscated their “family books” (equivalent to a national ID card, birth certificate and ration card). The Christians had to send their children to live in another village during the week so they could attend school. VOM provided food and other necessities for the families.

After Than’s death, authorities assumed the church also would finally die. But instead, more families in the village have come to Christ, and 15 families now attend the church. Even the village head, who had led the campaign against the church, became a Christian after seeing the great unity among church members.

Than’s son, 27-year-old “Kai,” is now the church’s leader. While God is clearly at work among this faithful group, their problems are not over. At a recent VOM-sponsored conference for training and encouragement, Kai told about an incident that occurred when he was invited to share the gospel in a village about 30 miles away. When Kai arrived in the village, some local people informed police that there was an evangelist in town.

Three officers appeared, carrying a handgun and a rope to tie up the evangelist. But when they met Kai, they recognized him as a former high school classmate and friend. The police asked Kai what he was doing in the village, and he told them, “I’m visiting the Christians.” The police accepted his answer and allowed him to complete his visit.

(This story was also published in the newsroom on VOM's main web site, www.Persecution.com.)