Persecution Blog

Meet a Bible Smuggler Inside China

Come with us on a visit to China and join in a conversation with one of VOM’s Bible smuggling partners. He is working alongside others to deliver Bibles into every province of China, but that work comes with great risk. All the workers know they could face arrest, interrogation and three years of imprisonment for their Bible-delivery work. Yet they are not intimidated!

Listen as our brother shares about growing up in a family of persecuted Christians. He’ll tell us the story of his first arrest, and the thoughts on his heart as he went through that testing and ministry. He’ll also help explain the differences between registered and unregistered churches in China, and equip you to pray for that nation and our spiritual family there. 

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Help Give a Bible to Every Believer

After receiving his first Bible from The Voice of the Martyrs, “Adhit” clutched the precious book near his chest in gratitude. He finally had personal access to God’s Word and could now go much deeper in his relationship with Jesus in Nepal.

Adhit’s story is common throughout the 68 countries where VOM serves our persecuted Christian family. For many believers in restricted and hostile nations, Bible ownership is out of the question. Bibles in these areas are simply unavailable or too costly for poor believers.

Last year, VOM workers collected the names of 178,875 believers from hostile and restricted nations who are waiting for a Bible. These include the names of children and believers in the most restricted nations, such as Iran and North Korea. Each Bible costs just $6, including the cost of distribution. These believers are waiting for a Bible today–will you help?

GIVE THEM GOD'S WORD

"Do You Want To See My New Book?"

What would it be like to live in a village that was nearly impossible to drive to? When visitors manage to travel to this type of village, people come pouring out of their homes to see what all the commotion is about.

Not long ago, I visited a place like this in Nepal. As we drove out of the city one morning, and made our way through some small towns, we finally met a brother on the corner of a small road. Of course, I was still in a bit of a jet lag fog since Nepal’s time-zone is 11 hours and forty-five minutes ahead of where I live. I didn’t quite understand why we were getting out of our vehicle already. Then, it became clear. We were leaving our car and crawling into his four wheel drive vehicle so that we could drive up that road? Really? I guess you could call that a road…it looked more like a path to me. But he skillfully drove to the top of a steep incline, sliding through the mud along the way.

After we exited his vehicle and walked down a muddy path, we took our shoes off and ducked into a room that was filled with excitement. It was a church, and there were at least 80 people squeezed in. They knew we were coming, and many of them left early that morning to walk to this meeting. They were there to receive Bibles — and they were ready!

After listening to them sing, and sharing a brief word of encouragement with them, we began opening boxes. People sat patiently as we hand-delivered stacks of Bibles to various parts of the room, where they were evenly distributed. Smiles were all around as these dear sisters and brothers clung to their new Bibles. Many of them had experienced persecution and marginalization for years without being able to find encouragement from their own copy of the Bible.

Showing a Bible story book to a Hindu neighbor

These types of distributions happen in many of the 64 countries that VOM worked in last year. Our goal is a “Bible for Every Believer.” What is remarkable about this goal is that many of the believers we serve are in the most hostile and restricted places on earth. Places where is it possible to be killed just for possessing contraband — like a Bible.

In spite of these restrictions and risks, these bold believers continue to stand for Christ and to attempt to live at peace with their neighbors. It reminded me of Paul’s admonition to the Church at Rome, a Church that understood what it meant to be marginalized: “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:18-21).

That morning, we also distributed Children’s Bible story books. I was so pleased to see the young girl in this picture sharing her story book with a neighbor. As soon as our meeting was over, she ran out the door where her Hindu neighbor boy was waiting. We smiled at him and then she asked him if he wanted to see her new book. Of course he did! He couldn’t wait to check it out! He began to excitedly flip through the pages, and I have a feeling that he’ll get a chance to read the entire book before long.

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone…

Dr. Jason Peters serves in VOM’s International Ministries department, traveling frequently to meet with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. He has ministered in 35 countries, as diverse as Cuba, India, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Burma, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia and Nigeria. Before joining VOM’s team, Jason was a faculty member of the US Air Force Chaplain Corps College, where he directed Crisis and Trauma training. Jason, his wife, Kimberly, and their five children are actively engaged in standing with their persecuted sisters and brothers.

You Won’t Find Christians Here

On a recent trip to Nepal, I joined a small team of staff members to do Bible distribution and take part in a pastor’s conference located in the central region of the country..  After several hours of driving, we came to a residential area of colorful but otherwise run-down houses. Most homes didn’t appear to have indoor plumbing as I saw people collecting water and washing their clothes at well-fed water taps residing on each block. From my western point-of-view, these were poor low-income families. Our Nepali VOM staff informed us that these people were part of the upper caste in the area and were all Hindus.  Christians are treated as the lowest caste.  One of the VOM staff told us in a matter-of-fact voice, “you won’t find Christians here.” 

After a few more minutes of driving, the scenery dramatically changed as the rows of colorful old homes became rows of huts made from sticks coated with mud.  The roads were dirt and the water taps had disappeared. My definition of poor had been rewritten. Our Nepali staff informed us that this is where the Christians live.

We arrived at a small, humble one-room church expecting the people to look worn and defeated because they had been ostracized by neighbors for being Christians.  To our surprise, we found incredible faith and joy.  When they sang, they didn’t worry about who would hear them or if they were talented enough.  They sang loudly and boldly.  When they prayed, everyone prayed aloud and the room became alive with shouts of praise and gratitude. 

My former youth pastor once told us the last words of wisdom his dying father spoke, “You don’t realize that Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.”  For these church members, there is no healthcare system if they become sick. There is no 401k being built for retirement.  There isn’t even assurance of a next meal, yet they are grateful for a Savior who has set them free and given them lasting hope. Jesus is all they have and that is enough.

Steven Davis serves on VOM's staff as a Web Developer in the Global Technology Services department.  Before coming to VOM,  he worked at a marketing agency in Dallas, Texas and volunteered as the youth pastor at his church.  Steven, his wife Anne Marie and son Alex learned about VOM through Randy Alcorn’s book Safely Home and then quickly began receiving the newsletter, sponsoring a pastor and seeking opportunities to serve persecuted Christians.

The Children Came Running

Children carry loads of joy into our lives. Their zest for life, their uncontained excitement when receiving a gift and their willingness to quickly make friends all produce a remarkable sense of wonder!

I love meeting children in the field. Maybe it’s because my five children are not that young anymore. I miss the days when they would run down the hall when I returned from work, almost knocking me over with excitement and hugs.

Nearly every parent remembers a day when they first realized that their “baby” really wasn’t a baby any more. They grow up fast!

But, how many of us testify today that it was sometime during those young, formative years when we first trusted Christ?

By God’s grace, The Voice of the Martyrs has delivered tens of thousands of children’s resources to some of the most difficult places on earth, specifically reaching children between the ages of four and fourteen.

This month, I was in Nepal as part of one of these distributions. As we neared our destination, a brother met us on the side of the highway, climbed into our vehicle and asked us to turn into the jungle.

As we drove through the dense foliage for several kilometers we encountered a different type of traffic jam—women carrying bundles of sticks on their backs, bicycles loaded with leafy brush, cows, goats, and even a monkey scurrying across the road!

We turned a corner, entering into a cleared area and saw people moving in one direction. The guest that we picked up earlier on the side of the road began calling out the window announcing our arrival.

With knowing glances, as if they had been anticipating this visit for some time, men and women climbed onto bicycles and began to pedal behind us for the remainder of our journey. Children began running down the road with giant smiles on their faces.

After the driver determined that it was unwise to drive any further down the path, we piled out of the vehicle and began to unload boxes. It wasn’t a problem getting the boxes to the meeting place. There were plenty of ready hands!

After a few lively songs, I stood up to remind these dear sisters and brothers that they are not alone. I told them that many Americans are praying for Nepal, because we know how difficult it is to be a Christian there. We will continue to stand with them.

I also asked them to pray for us, because it is also difficult to be a Christian in America, although in different ways.

Finally, I told them that it was a joy to meet them face-to-face and that I long for the day when we will share eternity together, swapping stories of how God was at work in each of our lives.

With that, the distribution began! Children beamed from ear to ear as they each received a gift that will draw them back to God’s Word again and again and that will also be shared with many other children…

Dr. Jason Peters serves in VOM’s International Ministries department, traveling frequently to meet with our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. He has ministered in 35 countries, as diverse as Cuba, India, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Burma, Sri Lanka, Colombia, Kyrgyzstan, Bangladesh, Thailand, Indonesia and Nigeria. Before joining VOM’s team, Jason was a faculty member of the Air Force Chaplain Corps College, where he directed Crisis and Trauma training. He also completed a one-year residency at a Level I Trauma Center and has utilized his experience as a trauma responder to offer practical and spiritual assistance to those who are suffering. Jason and his wife, Kimberly, along with their five children, consider it a great honor to serve alongside the persecuted church.

Nepal: "The Sense of Anticipation was Palpable"

We recently recieved this report from Ted, a Christian worker serving in Nepal who connected with one of our VOM workers and participated in a day of VOM ministry outreach:

The day began with a monthly prayer meeting for pastors. Approximately 60 pastors traveled the rough roads of Nepal and gathered for a wonderful time of worship, prayer, and fellowship. We prayed not only for Nepal, but also for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. The VOM coordinator shared testimonies of recent persecution, and after each account, we prayed for that country and for those who were persecuted for their faith. It was a very humbling experience to be in the presence of so many faithful men and women, many of whom face their own persecution, lifting up our Christian brothers and sisters around the world. As blessed and humbled as I was by the prayer meeting, what came next had an even more profound effect on my walk with the Lord.

After the prayer meeting, the VOM team and I loaded into vehicles and traveled on a rough and dusty mountain road to a small church in a remote valley. Upon arrival, we were met by approximately 300 men, women, and children of all ages. Many of them, including senior adults and young mothers carrying infants, had walked three or four hours across the mountains, in 95 degree heat, to receive their very own copy of God’s Word. How amazing, I thought, is the power of God’s Word to draw so many people together in such a remote location.

Everyone soon gathered inside the small church and sat on the floor, with men and women on separate sides and children in the front, as is customary in Nepal. As more people arrived, everyone slid closer together, pushing the children onto the platform with the team members and me. The stifling heat had no effect on their passion for worship as they sang praises to God with more intensity than I had ever witnessed. I understood very few of the words, but the presence of the Holy Spirit, which transcends all cultures and languages, was unmistakable.

After a short time of worship, the moment for which everyone had traveled finally arrived. As the boxes of Bibles were opened, the sense of anticipation was palpable. Every person, regardless of age, eagerly awaited their very own copy of God’s Word. Stepping through the crossed legs, which covered every inch of floor space, the team members and I handed each person a brand new Bible, still wrapped in its clear, plastic covering. As they unwrapped their Bibles and opened the pages for the very first time, the sense of awe and reverence for God’s Word was overwhelming. How many times, I thought, had I taken my Bible -- my several translations of the Bible -- for granted? How many days had I been “too busy” to read from God’s Word? How often had I read a few chapters as if ticking off a check-list rather than prayerfully meditating on the inspired words of Almighty God? Father, forgive me!

For the second time in one day, I was humbled by the presence of God among a group of people who I thought I was there to encourage. Once everyone received their Bible, they were asked to hold them above their heads. Understanding the nature and sensitivity of VOM’s work, I refrained from taking any photographs, but the sight of 300 Nepalese crowded into a small church, faces beaming as they joyfully lifted their very own copy of God’s Word towards heaven, is a sight I will never forget.  

Thank you for sharing this very special day with me. I was truly blessed and humbled to be in the presence of so many faithful witnesses.  I pray that God will continue to bless your ministry as you “remember… them which suffer adversity.”

YOUR TURN: How will the excitement of these Nepali believers at having a copy of the Bible affect the way you read your Bible?

More Than Half-Way to Bible Goal

191,267 Believers Have Asked for a Bible.

We know them by name.

Praise God! We are over halfway to meeting our goal of helping 191,267 of our persecuted brothers and sisters obtain a Bible of their very own. Thank you to all who have helped and have shared this opportunity with others. Together we can deliver Bibles to all of these believers who have asked for one!

Some believers wait months or even years for a Bible — one woman waited 42 years! We recently received the following report from China:

“Because the house churches in China are facing some persecution from outside, it is not very easy to have a Bible. Some people even sacrificed their lives. Some elders can’t help giving a kiss to the book when they receive the Bibles, and they treated every sentence in it like treasure, and memorized the words in hearts.”

With your help, we can provide Bibles for 191,267 Christians who are currently waiting for a Bible. When you sponsor Bibles, VOM will send you the names of those who will receive them so you can pray for them.

You can send five Bibles to waiting Christians for just $30. Click here to learn more.

For some, the price of a Bible is unaffordable. For many, Bibles are simply unobtainable anywhere nearby. For others, Bibles are unavailable in their restricted nation. When you get the names of those who will receive your sponsored Bibles, you will notice one name left blank. This represents a Christian who will receive a Bible in a very dangerous area (like Iran or North Korea), where even obtaining their name is too dangerous.

Click here to sponsor your Bibles today!

China: Bible Recipients Say THANK YOU

Since 1967, VOM has used innovative ways of getting Bibles to believers in nations hostile to Christ. From sewing Scriptures into the lining of clothes to carrying boxes of Bibles across rugged mountains on pack animals, we are committed to doing whatever it takes to get God’s Word to every believer. As our worker in China said, to “strengthen and challenge the local churches in the most difficult areas is my first priority. That begins with providing them with sufficient Bibles for their own use.”

In this nation that has been indoctrinated with communist ideology, the need for truth is great. “There were not enough Bibles when I just believed,” wrote a Chinese Christian who received a Bible from VOM. “There were a few believers who had Bibles. … I used to treat the words of Chairman Mao as the truth and I admired his words very much. But after I was saved and blessed by God, I threw the book of Chairman Mao away. The Bible is the most precious book in my heart now. No other books can compare with it.”

Here is another letter from a Chinese believer, thanking VOM for a recent Bible delivery:

Because that the number in the church increased recently and we lacked Bibles seriously, many brothers and sisters don’t have Bible and they just borrow from others. Thank God that your church helped us and donated many Bibles for us, which really saved us from the serious difficulties.

The church is the body of Christ and we are all body members in the Lord! Let’s help each other, encourage each other and pray for each other and wish we have the same mind in the Lord to revive the gospel! May God’s will fulfill in the church and then the church can spread the gospel and build more churches, and bring more people to repent, so that the name of the Lord can be glorified in every place! We wish that your church can continue to help us and we hope all people who come can have a Bible to read. Thank you very much! Thank God for making the church extended and thank God we lack nothing in Him! May the blessings, grace, peace from God and the fellowship of the Spirit be with all the churches! 

Yajin

You can read more thank you notes from Chinese Christians who received Bibles through VOM's efforts here. You may also choose to support VOM's efforts this month to deliver 191,267 Bibles to Christians in restricted and hostile nations.

Should We Smuggle?

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to teach a missions class at a Christian university. The topic was “Smuggling” and it was an excellent opportunity for me to share our perspective on a controversial topic. One of the reasons that the topic of smuggling is so hotly debated in Christian circles is that many misunderstand a biblical hierarchy of authority.

One fact is clear: persecuted Christians are asking for Bibles. What will we do about it?

Richard Wurmbrand wrote and spoke often about Bible smuggling.

VOM workers take risks to get God’s word into hostile and restricted nations. We are willing to work hard to get God’s Word to spiritually hungry people!

There are several explicit scriptural examples of breaking civil laws for God’s purposes. Here are a few quick examples that Richard Wurmbrand, our founder, alluded to: Michal put a doll in David’s bed to deceive Saul’s soldiers (An innocent man that had been anointed by God escaped), Rahab helped the spies smuggle themselves out of Jericho (Rahab is referred to as an example of faith in the NT), and Mary smuggled Jesus to Egypt (The law of Herod would have obliged Mary to give him up to death).

These examples are compelling and are worth digging into further. But, perhaps the most compelling examples emerge during the earliest days of the Church.

Two key verses report the apostles’ response to the command to stop spreading the good news about Jesus: “But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19–20).

But, wait, the case for illegal activity in the name of God becomes even more compelling when you flip the page in your Bible to Acts chapter 5. The local authorities, the High Priests, and the Sadducees were plagued with jealousy. So what did they do? They arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. Consider verse 19: “But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said, ‘Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.’”

What? Are you saying that an “angel of the Lord” actually told Peter and the other apostles to break the law? Unbelievable!

Of course, a few verses later we see the response from Peter and the other apostles: “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

Wow! What a defining moment! Little did Peter and the other apostles know that their reaction to these threats would radically impact the history of the Church.

This would not be the last time that the apostles would suffer for Christ—they would face many more opportunities to suffer for His name’s sake. Are we willing to take that risk?

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.

"I Love My Bible So Much!"

Recently, The Voice of the Martyrs sponsored a Bible distribution in western Uganda. I hope you'll be encouraged by the excitement of this young woman, one of those who received a Bible:

 

With the help of faithful, generous supporters, VOM will distribute more than one million Bibles into restricted and hostile nations in 2013. If you'd like to be a part of deliving Bibles to Christians like this young woman, CLICK HERE to give online.