Persecution Blog

Chinese Christians: Persecution is "Part of the Package"

For Christians in China, persecution is just "part of the package" for those who follow Christ. Dory, part of VOM's newsletter staff, just returned from China, where she met Christians who face arrest and imprisonment for following Jesus Christ. This week she shares stories from her trip on VOM radio. Listen to hear how:

• One of her meetings with a pastor had to be cancelled because the pastor was arrested before she could meet him
• How a pastor shared after his wife was arrested that they’d been prepared for arrest, but they thought it would be him that was arrested, not his wife
• Dory traced back part of her own family heritage to a martyrs' graveyard in China
• God used the VOM team to provide something to a gospel worker there…a gift that left the worker in tears because it was exactly what he’d prayed for
• God used Dory’s unique background as an MK (missionary kid) to encourage a mission worker

Your faith will be challenged and encouraged as you hear Dory’s stories from China.

 

You can also listen to this and every episode of VOM Radio by subscribing to the VOM Radio podcast.

Most Read Posts of 2015: #6

This week on the Persecution Blog we’ll be looking back at the top six most-read stories of 2015, based on the posts that created the most traffic throughout the year.

Today is #6, a post from March about the GOOD NEWS of what God is doing in the Muslim world. Come back every day this week as we’ll be counting down until we get to the most-read post of 2015 on Saturday.

Muslims are Coming To Christ

With the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in 2014, and many terrorist killings already this year, it can be easy to focus on the negative. Instead, several Iranian Christian leaders worked together to share eight reasons why Muslims, particularly in Iran, are being drawn to Christianity more than ever before.

1)      Wherever political Islam enters the stage Muslims are drawn to Christ.

The healthiest governments are often those where religion and politics are kept separate, and the most corrupt governments are usually those where religion and politics are mixed together. Wherever religion takes on a political dimension, it results in a religious dictatorship and people are deprived of democracy, permissible freedoms and choice. The rulers end up making all the decisions. We see it today in countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia as well as others where religion and politics are intertwined. This has laid the groundwork for people to take refuge in Christ.

2)      Disasters and tragedies can help lead Muslims to Christ.

History has shown that disasters, wars, fleeing refugees, earthquakes, famines, illness, terror and persecution prepares people to be ready to hear the Gospel of Christ. The Bible says, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Psalm 119: 71). Usually in the face of disaster and national calamities, it is Christian charities who offer assistance to those facing such disasters. Many refugees who have lived for years in some of the most difficult circumstances with no help from the government or United Nations have responded positively to the Gospel, especially in places like Iran and Afghanistan.

3)      Emigration and refugees are meeting believers and hearing the Gospel.

Many who have left their home country as emigrants or refugees, especially from Iran, have come in contact with Christians and been drawn to Christ. Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran, approximately six million Iranians have moved to other countries as either immigrants or refugees over the past 36 years. Many Iranians also travel as visitors to other countries before returning home. Wherever they go, be it Europe, the United States, or neighboring countries, they usually meet up with Iranian believers and become acquainted with the message of the Gospel. This has resulted in a tremendous growth of Iranian believers, and this has impacted their friends and families in Iran. This can be said of other groups as well, and the number of Afghan believers is increasing rapidly as well.

4)      Miracles, healings and answers to prayer are drawing many to Christ.

Miracles, healings and answers to prayer though Christ is another way of drawing Muslims to Christ. Muslims, who have some knowledge of the Quran, believe that no prophet did as many miracles as Jesus did. There are many stories and testimonies, especially among Iranians who have been drawn to Christ in this way. In fact the miraculous work of God in Iran is so great that there is no other country that is experiencing it on this scale. In the same way, through visions and dreams, God is revealing himself and the truth of the Gospel. There are many Muslim converts in Iran who are not connected to any house church or Christian leader. It seems that the Lord does not give knowledge of all of these believers to us or other groups working among the house churches because we could not cope with the response. When we are ready, then God will gradually introduce them to us in his time.

5)      Blossoming of cultural identity and knowledge spreads the Gospel.

This blossoming of cultural identity and the knowledge of other ethnic groups has also helped to draw Muslims to Christ. Our century is a technological one based around the Internet. People from different cultures and countries are getting to know each other. We live in an age of communication where people are no longer restricted to one way of thinking or one particular ethnic group. One positive aspect of this is that many Muslims, despite the controls over the means of communication, find a way through various websites to become acquainted with the message, culture and ways of thinking of Christians and also with the personality of Christ. If someone wants to find Christ, that person will find a way.

Concerning Iranian people, the culture, customs and thinking of Iranians is vastly different from those of Islam and Arabic backgrounds. In the Iranian history of civilization, there are poets and writers who express themes of love, freedom, forgiveness, truth, equality and justice throughout their literary works; truths that are found more in Christianity rather than Islam. People inside Iran today face pressure, lies, violence, discrimination and hate. Since the Islamic Revolution, 80 percent of the population are disillusioned and tired. They are searching for the God who is love and just and where there is salvation, equality, truth and freedom and this God can only be found in Christ. It is for this reason that when Iranians hear the Gospel, they respond positively. And again it is for this reason that the Iranian government has forbidden the printing, distribution and sharing of the Gospel and even announced that it is dangerous. They spend all their efforts on closing down the evangelical churches and the production of Christian resources in the Persian language. However, Paul reminds us that no one can prevent the spread of the Gospel. Praise the Lord!

6)      Radio and satellite television allow many to hear Christian broadcasts.

It is clear that radio and satellite television has a vital role in helping Muslims to get to know the Gospel. Fortunately, the number of Christian radio and TV channels in Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Persian related languages are many and are on the increase. Some of these channels are 24/7 and in fact as far as Persian is concerned, there are now four 24/7 channels. There are millions of viewers both inside and outside Iran. Iranian preachers and teachers are doing all they can to produce good quality programming. In addition to these channels, other preachers have Christian programs on some of the political channels as well. There has never been such an opportunity for Muslims to hear the Gospel, especially in view of all the restrictions that exist in Iran. The effectiveness of all these programs bringing the Gospel into people’s homes is seen through the many testimonies that exist.

7)      Churches around the world sending workers into the Muslim World.

Churches throughout the world are involved in sending missionaries and workers into the Muslim World. In spite of the fact that many governments have restricted access to such workers by not granting residence or visas, we are aware of many tent workers, teachers and medical personnel who have entered the Muslim World. They have sacrificially learned the culture, customs and language in order to spread the Gospel. Workers are not exclusively from the West, and many entering the Muslim World are from countries in South America and even from countries in the Far East such as China, Japan and South Korea. There are many organizations that are supporting them to fulfil the commission to preach the Gospel. Furthermore, there are many workers who cannot travel to these countries, but operate behind the scenes to help those on the front lines. In this way, the work will not stop.

8)      God is exposing the truth and reality of Islam.

As God has exposed the reality of Islam, this in turn has led to many Muslims becoming disillusioned with Islam and being drawn to Christ. In fact the best way of exposing Islam is when the extremists take over. Even while it is true that moderate Muslims say that what is happening is not connected with Islam, many Muslims are realizing that Islam has its roots in terror. In any country where Islam develops, so also violence, terror, rape, compulsion, lies and dictatorship increases.

In the history of Iran there has never been an “evangelist” such as Khomeini who has helped people to know what Islam is really all about and therefore has prepared the way for Christ in the same way as John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ. A new building cannot be built on an old foundation. The old has to be demolished so that a new foundation can be built. God is allowing Muslim leaders to destroy the old Islamic foundation so that a new Christian foundation can be built. The situation in Iran today is that Islam is weakening and therefore we must use every opportunity and every method to enable people to hear the Gospel.

Dory P. has worked with VOM for eight years. She grew up in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Between Dory, her husband, four-year-old son and one-year-old daughter, the family shares seven passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

With the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in 2014, and many terrorist killings already this year, it can be easy to focus on the negative. Instead, several Iranian Christian leaders worked together to share eight reasons why Muslims, particularly in Iran, are being drawn to Christianity more than ever before.

1)      Wherever political Islam enters the stage Muslims are drawn to Christ.

The healthiest governments are often those where religion and politics are kept separate, and the most corrupt governments are usually those where religion and politics are mixed together. Wherever religion takes on a political dimension, it results in a religious dictatorship and people are deprived of democracy, permissible freedoms and choice. The rulers end up making all the decisions. We see it today in countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia as well as others where religion and politics are intertwined. This has laid the groundwork for people to take refuge in Christ.

2)      Disasters and tragedies can help lead Muslims to Christ.

History has shown that disasters, wars, fleeing refugees, earthquakes, famines, illness, terror and persecution prepares people to be ready to hear the Gospel of Christ. The Bible says, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Psalm 119: 71). Usually in the face of disaster and national calamities, it is Christian charities who offer assistance to those facing such disasters. Many refugees who have lived for years in some of the most difficult circumstances with no help from the government or United Nations have responded positively to the Gospel, especially in places like Iran and Afghanistan.

3)      Emigration and refugees are meeting believers and hearing the Gospel.

Many who have left their home country as emigrants or refugees, especially from Iran, have come in contact with Christians and been drawn to Christ. Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran, approximately six million Iranians have moved to other countries as either immigrants or refugees over the past 36 years. Many Iranians also travel as visitors to other countries before returning home. Wherever they go, be it Europe, the United States, or neighboring countries, they usually meet up with Iranian believers and become acquainted with the message of the Gospel. This has resulted in a tremendous growth of Iranian believers, and this has impacted their friends and families in Iran. This can be said of other groups as well, and the number of Afghan believers is increasing rapidly as well.

4)      Miracles, healings and answers to prayer are drawing many to Christ.

Miracles, healings and answers to prayer though Christ is another way of drawing Muslims to Christ. Muslims, who have some knowledge of the Quran, believe that no prophet did as many miracles as Jesus did. There are many stories and testimonies, especially among Iranians who have been drawn to Christ in this way. In fact the miraculous work of God in Iran is so great that there is no other country that is experiencing it on this scale. In the same way, through visions and dreams, God is revealing himself and the truth of the Gospel. There are many Muslim converts in Iran who are not connected to any house church or Christian leader. It seems that the Lord does not give knowledge of all of these believers to us or other groups working among the house churches because we could not cope with the response. When we are ready, then God will gradually introduce them to us in his time.

5)      Blossoming of cultural identity and knowledge spreads the Gospel.

This blossoming of cultural identity and the knowledge of other ethnic groups has also helped to draw Muslims to Christ. Our century is a technological one based around the Internet. People from different cultures and countries are getting to know each other. We live in an age of communication where people are no longer restricted to one way of thinking or one particular ethnic group. One positive aspect of this is that many Muslims, despite the controls over the means of communication, find a way through various websites to become acquainted with the message, culture and ways of thinking of Christians and also with the personality of Christ. If someone wants to find Christ, that person will find a way.

Concerning Iranian people, the culture, customs and thinking of Iranians is vastly different from those of Islam and Arabic backgrounds. In the Iranian history of civilization, there are poets and writers who express themes of love, freedom, forgiveness, truth, equality and justice throughout their literary works; truths that are found more in Christianity rather than Islam. People inside Iran today face pressure, lies, violence, discrimination and hate. Since the Islamic Revolution, 80 percent of the population are disillusioned and tired. They are searching for the God who is love and just and where there is salvation, equality, truth and freedom and this God can only be found in Christ. It is for this reason that when Iranians hear the Gospel, they respond positively. And again it is for this reason that the Iranian government has forbidden the printing, distribution and sharing of the Gospel and even announced that it is dangerous. They spend all their efforts on closing down the evangelical churches and the production of Christian resources in the Persian language. However, Paul reminds us that no one can prevent the spread of the Gospel. Praise the Lord!

6)      Radio and satellite television allow many to hear Christian broadcasts.

It is clear that radio and satellite television has a vital role in helping Muslims to get to know the Gospel. Fortunately, the number of Christian radio and TV channels in Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Persian related languages are many and are on the increase. Some of these channels are 24/7 and in fact as far as Persian is concerned, there are now four 24/7 channels. There are millions of viewers both inside and outside Iran. Iranian preachers and teachers are doing all they can to produce good quality programming. In addition to these channels, other preachers have Christian programs on some of the political channels as well. There has never been such an opportunity for Muslims to hear the Gospel, especially in view of all the restrictions that exist in Iran. The effectiveness of all these programs bringing the Gospel into people’s homes is seen through the many testimonies that exist.

7)      Churches around the world sending workers into the Muslim World.

Churches throughout the world are involved in sending missionaries and workers into the Muslim World. In spite of the fact that many governments have restricted access to such workers by not granting residence or visas, we are aware of many tent workers, teachers and medical personnel who have entered the Muslim World. They have sacrificially learned the culture, customs and language in order to spread the Gospel. Workers are not exclusively from the West, and many entering the Muslim World are from countries in South America and even from countries in the Far East such as China, Japan and South Korea. There are many organizations that are supporting them to fulfil the commission to preach the Gospel. Furthermore, there are many workers who cannot travel to these countries, but operate behind the scenes to help those on the front lines. In this way, the work will not stop.

8)      God is exposing the truth and reality of Islam.

As God has exposed the reality of Islam, this in turn has led to many Muslims becoming disillusioned with Islam and being drawn to Christ. In fact the best way of exposing Islam is when the extremists take over. Even while it is true that moderate Muslims say that what is happening is not connected with Islam, many Muslims are realizing that Islam has its roots in terror. In any country where Islam develops, so also violence, terror, rape, compulsion, lies and dictatorship increases.

In the history of Iran there has never been an “evangelist” such as Khomeini who has helped people to know what Islam is really all about and therefore has prepared the way for Christ in the same way as John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ. A new building cannot be built on an old foundation. The old has to be demolished so that a new foundation can be built. God is allowing Muslim leaders to destroy the old Islamic foundation so that a new Christian foundation can be built. The situation in Iran today is that Islam is weakening and therefore we must use every opportunity and every method to enable people to hear the Gospel.

Dory P. has worked with VOM for eight years. She grew up in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Between Dory, her husband, four-year-old son and one-year-old daughter, the family shares seven passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

How Much Do We Need Jesus?

Last night my small group from church met together, as we do weekly. We spend time together, catch up on each other’s lives, study the Bible and pray.

I really appreciate this group and their commitment to coming together, as well as their commitment to serve. When I visited with Syrian Christians two weeks ago, I asked the group if they’d like to send something small to bless the Syrian believers living in a war zone. Two women from my group came back with over 50 button-down shirts and a selection of lotions and perfumes for the women.

Over Christmas, we came together to pack small kits for the local homeless shelter: socks and toothbrushes, granola bars and other items. One of the women organized it, and we all covered the costs together.

[Members of the group in Israel during their meeting. We cannot show their faces for security.]

I enjoy these brothers and sisters and the community and fellowship they provide. But I realized last night that there is something missing from our group, and I thought back to my time worshipping with a small group of Arab believers in Jerusalem two years ago.

I sat in on their weekly worship time, where they sang, studied a Scripture passage and then celebrated one of the member’s birthdays with a cake. Most of the 15 people gathered in the room were in their 20s and 30s. Almost all of them had grown up in Muslim homes. Many of their families did not know these young men and women were believers.  They held the meeting secretly in the basement of a building.

The difference between that group and mine is that the Arab believers deeply needed one another. If they missed the weekly meeting, they missed their only chance for Christian fellowship and worship for the week. For the rest of the week, many of them were alone in their walk with Christ. That time together was crucial for maintaining their faith.

And when they were together, their joy was palpable, even for me who didn’t understand the language. (One of the young men sat next to me and translated what was said in the meeting, but I missed a lot of the greetings and conversations beforehand.)

I want my group to be like that. I want my group to need each other to maintain our fire for Christ; I want us to pursue the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives just as if our faith, or our lives, could be taken away at any moment. Though we don’t face those same risks living where we live today, I want our faith in Jesus to be just as critical to our daily survival as it would be if we did.

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

The Missing Prisoners

I stepped into the simple office from the dark hallway. As my eyes adjusted, I saw a man sitting against the far wall, quietly. I didn’t know it yet, but I was about to meet Mohammed Hegazy, one of the most infamous converts to Christianity in Egypt.

After he converted, he insisted on legally changing his religious status from Muslim to Christianity. While his case languished in the courts, Mohammed and his family had to go into hiding after extremists began calling them with death threats. He’d come out of hiding to share his story.

Four years later, with no progress on changing his status, Mohammed, who also goes by Bishoy Armia Boulous, was arrested. He continues to be held illegally in one of Cairo’s worst prisons.

One of my roles at VOM is to manage our Prisoner Alert site, where anyone can compose a letter to one of the prisoners featured on the site. I love the whole concept of Prisoner Alert, because it’s such a simple and tangible way for believers to personally reach Christians suffering in prison because of their faith. All it requires is the use of a computer and printer, a stamp and a little time.

The idea of writing letters to prisoners reaches all the way back to our founder, Richard Wurmbrand. Pastor Wurmbrand was sometimes able to receive letters during his 14 years in prison. Not only did he use them to write coded messages to his wife, they were also shining beacons of encouragement from the outside world, in deep contrast to the darkness he experienced almost constantly.

After Pastor Wurmbrand’s release and after he and his wife Sabina founded VOM (formerly Jesus to the Communist World), they realized that letters would be a huge encouragement to Christian prisoners in Russia. Letter-writing campaigns have long been a part of VOM’s history.

Today, PrisonerAlert.com helps believers reach across language barriers by providing translated phrases to choose from. It also tracks how many letters has been sent, and allows users to write letters to various embassies and UN offices on behalf of Christians imprisoned for their faith.

However, the world has changed drastically since the days of the Iron Curtain, and it is again changing through globalization and extremist ideology. Before, most of VOM’s work was in countries under communism, where communist governments arrested and imprisoned Christians.

Today, fewer and fewer governments are the main persecutors of Christians, and when they are, they are very aware that the world is watching their actions. Instead of arresting Christians, they apply “squeeze” persecution by making it difficult for Christians to operate businesses, send their children to school, or meet for worship. This form of persecution is less dramatic than throwing someone in jail for years, and officials can hide behind regulations. In short, there are fewer Christians in prison because of their faith activity.

Another challenge for maintaining Prisoner Alert in this modern era is security risks. While it’s great that the internet can facilitate this type of tool, it also means that everyone in the world can see it. When VOM learns of a Christian prisoner and requests permission (from family members, ministry leaders or someone close to them) to share their information on the site, sometimes people are hesitant to share. In some situations, publicizing information works in a prisoner’s favor; other times it works against them.

We post all prisoners on a case by case basis. If you know that hundreds of Christians are imprisoned in Iran, you may wonder why so few are featured on the site. In Iran, especially, families and church members are worried about government retribution. One Iranian believer, Fashid Fathi,has been very vocal during his imprisonment, even having open letters to the world smuggled out from prison. He’s been targeted by guards as a result. His sentence was also extended by a year recently, though of course we don’t know if this is a direct result of his outspokenness.

So what’s the future of prisoneralert.com? For now, we’ll continue to maintain it. We see it as a vital ministry for encouraging prisoners and for helping Christians in the free world connect to their brothers and sisters. And we’ll continue to search out prisoners’ stories that we can share with you. And together, we’ll continue to watch how God continues to work in our changing world.

It’s simple to compose a letter on prisoneralert.com. Visit today to write to Mohammed Hegazy, or to any of the other prisoners featured on the site.

Dory P. has worked with VOM for eight years. She grew up in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Between Dory, her husband, four-year-old son and one-year-old daughter, the family shares seven passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

Muslims are Coming To Christ

With the rise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) in 2014, and many terrorist killings already this year, it can be easy to focus on the negative. Instead, several Iranian Christian leaders worked together to share eight reasons why Muslims, particularly in Iran, are being drawn to Christianity more than ever before.

1)      Wherever political Islam enters the stage Muslims are drawn to Christ.

The healthiest governments are often those where religion and politics are kept separate, and the most corrupt governments are usually those where religion and politics are mixed together. Wherever religion takes on a political dimension, it results in a religious dictatorship and people are deprived of democracy, permissible freedoms and choice. The rulers end up making all the decisions. We see it today in countries like Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Sudan, Yemen, Nigeria and Somalia as well as others where religion and politics are intertwined. This has laid the groundwork for people to take refuge in Christ.

2)      Disasters and tragedies can help lead Muslims to Christ.

History has shown that disasters, wars, fleeing refugees, earthquakes, famines, illness, terror and persecution prepares people to be ready to hear the Gospel of Christ. The Bible says, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes” (Psalm 119: 71). Usually in the face of disaster and national calamities, it is Christian charities who offer assistance to those facing such disasters. Many refugees who have lived for years in some of the most difficult circumstances with no help from the government or United Nations have responded positively to the Gospel, especially in places like Iran and Afghanistan.

3)      Emigration and refugees are meeting believers and hearing the Gospel.

Many who have left their home country as emigrants or refugees, especially from Iran, have come in contact with Christians and been drawn to Christ. Since the Islamic Revolution in Iran, approximately six million Iranians have moved to other countries as either immigrants or refugees over the past 36 years. Many Iranians also travel as visitors to other countries before returning home. Wherever they go, be it Europe, the United States, or neighboring countries, they usually meet up with Iranian believers and become acquainted with the message of the Gospel. This has resulted in a tremendous growth of Iranian believers, and this has impacted their friends and families in Iran. This can be said of other groups as well, and the number of Afghan believers is increasing rapidly as well.

4)      Miracles, healings and answers to prayer are drawing many to Christ.

Miracles, healings and answers to prayer though Christ is another way of drawing Muslims to Christ. Muslims, who have some knowledge of the Quran, believe that no prophet did as many miracles as Jesus did. There are many stories and testimonies, especially among Iranians who have been drawn to Christ in this way. In fact the miraculous work of God in Iran is so great that there is no other country that is experiencing it on this scale. In the same way, through visions and dreams, God is revealing himself and the truth of the Gospel. There are many Muslim converts in Iran who are not connected to any house church or Christian leader. It seems that the Lord does not give knowledge of all of these believers to us or other groups working among the house churches because we could not cope with the response. When we are ready, then God will gradually introduce them to us in his time.

5)      Blossoming of cultural identity and knowledge spreads the Gospel.

This blossoming of cultural identity and the knowledge of other ethnic groups has also helped to draw Muslims to Christ. Our century is a technological one based around the Internet. People from different cultures and countries are getting to know each other. We live in an age of communication where people are no longer restricted to one way of thinking or one particular ethnic group. One positive aspect of this is that many Muslims, despite the controls over the means of communication, find a way through various websites to become acquainted with the message, culture and ways of thinking of Christians and also with the personality of Christ. If someone wants to find Christ, that person will find a way.

Concerning Iranian people, the culture, customs and thinking of Iranians is vastly different from those of Islam and Arabic backgrounds. In the Iranian history of civilization, there are poets and writers who express themes of love, freedom, forgiveness, truth, equality and justice throughout their literary works; truths that are found more in Christianity rather than Islam. People inside Iran today face pressure, lies, violence, discrimination and hate. Since the Islamic Revolution, 80 percent of the population are disillusioned and tired. They are searching for the God who is love and just and where there is salvation, equality, truth and freedom and this God can only be found in Christ. It is for this reason that when Iranians hear the Gospel, they respond positively. And again it is for this reason that the Iranian government has forbidden the printing, distribution and sharing of the Gospel and even announced that it is dangerous. They spend all their efforts on closing down the evangelical churches and the production of Christian resources in the Persian language. However, Paul reminds us that no one can prevent the spread of the Gospel. Praise the Lord!

6)      Radio and satellite television allow many to hear Christian broadcasts.

It is clear that radio and satellite television has a vital role in helping Muslims to get to know the Gospel. Fortunately, the number of Christian radio and TV channels in Arabic, Turkish, Urdu and Persian related languages are many and are on the increase. Some of these channels are 24/7 and in fact as far as Persian is concerned, there are now four 24/7 channels. There are millions of viewers both inside and outside Iran. Iranian preachers and teachers are doing all they can to produce good quality programming. In addition to these channels, other preachers have Christian programs on some of the political channels as well. There has never been such an opportunity for Muslims to hear the Gospel, especially in view of all the restrictions that exist in Iran. The effectiveness of all these programs bringing the Gospel into people’s homes is seen through the many testimonies that exist.

7)      Churches around the world sending workers into the Muslim World.

Churches throughout the world are involved in sending missionaries and workers into the Muslim World. In spite of the fact that many governments have restricted access to such workers by not granting residence or visas, we are aware of many tent workers, teachers and medical personnel who have entered the Muslim World. They have sacrificially learned the culture, customs and language in order to spread the Gospel. Workers are not exclusively from the West, and many entering the Muslim World are from countries in South America and even from countries in the Far East such as China, Japan and South Korea. There are many organizations that are supporting them to fulfil the commission to preach the Gospel. Furthermore, there are many workers who cannot travel to these countries, but operate behind the scenes to help those on the front lines. In this way, the work will not stop.

8)      God is exposing the truth and reality of Islam.

As God has exposed the reality of Islam, this in turn has led to many Muslims becoming disillusioned with Islam and being drawn to Christ. In fact the best way of exposing Islam is when the extremists take over. Even while it is true that moderate Muslims say that what is happening is not connected with Islam, many Muslims are realizing that Islam has its roots in terror. In any country where Islam develops, so also violence, terror, rape, compulsion, lies and dictatorship increases.

In the history of Iran there has never been an “evangelist” such as Khomeini who has helped people to know what Islam is really all about and therefore has prepared the way for Christ in the same way as John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ. A new building cannot be built on an old foundation. The old has to be demolished so that a new foundation can be built. God is allowing Muslim leaders to destroy the old Islamic foundation so that a new Christian foundation can be built. The situation in Iran today is that Islam is weakening and therefore we must use every opportunity and every method to enable people to hear the Gospel.

Dory P. has worked with VOM for eight years. She grew up in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Between Dory, her husband, four-year-old son and one-year-old daughter, the family shares seven passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

Cuba and the Church Today

A few days ago, I spent several hours sitting and talking with Cuban Christians. Some of them lead registered, above-ground churches, others lead unregistered churches and others are simply active church members. All of them talked about the suffering they’ve experienced under communism since 1959 when Cuba became a communist nation.

Specifically, they were denied jobs, income, government help, schooling, homes and more, simply because they were known as Christians. One man even spent two years in a forced labor camp in the 1960s, when he was 20 years old. But when he got out, within months, he was leading another house church. He said he left the prison camp with a clearer vision for following God and with a stronger calling for serving him.

He was one of a few of the group who were born pre-communism, who saw the revolution and have experienced its whole cycle in Cuba thus far. This brother referred to himself as part of the “historic faithful generation.”

Some of the middle-aged men and women in the group were born in communism’s heyday in Cuba. They were the few who were not allowed to wear the scarf of the communist party membership in schools, because they were Christians. They were the ones denied entry into Cuba’s many prestigious universities. They were the ones who became adults in the 70s and 80s, when Cuba was an avowed atheistic state. 

When they left secular jobs to shepherd churches, several of these men and women told of living in very tough times. For one family, breakfast might be a cup of water with a tablespoon of sugar. For another, breakfast was boiled yucca (a starchy tuber plant) and dinner was the water their yucca had been boiled in.

This middle generation and the historic generation faithfully continued to preach the gospel and disciple believers under communism and in spite of decades of pressure from the government. Their legacy now is the young people: young believers now living in a Cuba that is gradually growing more economically open to the world, but where Christians still face enormous pressure.

One member of the group, a woman in her 20s, told of her university experience. Though a believer, she was able to enter university, unlike Christians her parent’s age or even the 22-year-old son of a prominent pastor. (All universities are state-sponsored.)

This young woman and the other Christians in the university, about 40 people, met every day for worship in the afternoon. When the university would sponsor parties featuring alcohol and promiscuity, the Christians would meet together for their own parties.

The group hid in a basement for their meetings. However, they were soon reported to the principal, who threatened to expel them all if they didn’t renounce Christianity and stop meeting. Instead, the group wisely broke into smaller groups and continues to fellowship together.

This young woman is now a professional in her field, where she says Christians are highly respected for their honesty and good work. She and a few Christian colleagues pray openly together when they are faced with difficult work situations. While non-believing colleagues don’t join in, they hear the words of the prayer.

Three generations of Christians who have remained faithful to Christ despite constant pressure. One pastor’s wife told me, “We do pray and ask God to give us a different life.” But while they pray, they continue to serve God and reach out to those who need to experience his hope.

These men and women have suffered for decades, but the overwhelming sense I got from them was one of joy. Over and over they said that God had sustained them through every difficult moment.

While Cuba is in a season of increasing openness to the rest of the world, Christians there are still suffering for their faith, whether through bulldozing an unregistered church building, denying Christians the right to education, or sending faithful party members to infiltrate churches and report on church activities. Christian Solidarity Worldwide recently reported that there were as many religious freedom violations in the first half of 2014 as there were in all of 2013. Even so, the Church in Cuba is growing.

In 55 years of communist rule, the face of communism in Cuba has changed. But what hasn’t changed is God’s faithfulness. He is preserving and growing a remnant that will continue to testify to his goodness despite outside circumstances.

Dory P. grew up the daughter of missionaries in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Their family of four shares seven passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

No More Toys in Iraq

Yesterday, my husband met with Christian families who fled Mosul. He and I talked over Skype about what the families had shared with him. After a few minutes, my three-year-old climbed up in my lap and asked what we were talking about.

I paused for a moment before I told him, “Papa met with a lot of people who are sad because some mean people took away all their things and made them leave their houses because they love Jesus.” My son looked serious as he thought about that. Then I emphasized, “They even took away all their toys.” At that, he got very somber. I wish I had a picture of his concerned little face. “But, why, mama?”

“Well, the mean people do not like that our friends love Jesus,” I told him. “We need to pray for our friends because they are sad, and we need to pray that the mean people will come to love Jesus and stop doing bad things.”

A baby from a displaced Christian family in Iraq sleeps on the floor in the place where they found refuge.

Later we looked at pictures of some of the Christians who fled Mosul. Some of them were families with young kids. I can’t imagine what it must be like to care for infants and toddlers while camping out in an unknown city because you’ve just fled from your home.

That night when I put him to bed, we prayed for “the people who lost their toys” and those who need to know and love Jesus. While some parents might have tried to shield their kids from this type of information, I think it is important for kids to know that following Christ can be difficult from the beginning. In our family, we talk about who God is and that he’s in control of everything, but that bad things happen and that when they do, we need to pray for our friends (our brothers and sisters in Christ) and encourage them. When my son misses his dad when he is gone, we tell him that he is doing his job by sitting with the sad people and encouraging them. As he grows older, we’ll expand on the information that we share with him.

In this country, our kids grow up with so much. I believe it’s important for them to learn early on that many others have a lot less than they do, and that the ease with which we worship Jesus is not something everyone enjoys. I’m glad to know that VOM offers resources for teaching kids about Christians around the world and persecution through www.kidsofcourage.com. With discernment, I hope to raise my kids knowing the truth about what our brothers and sisters face as well as the truth about what they might have to give up if they are really committed to following Christ.

YOUR TURN: What’s your opinion? Should we shield our kids from hard information until they are older? One of my good friends doesn’t want her kids to be frightened of the world or to have to leave childhood too early by learning about life’s difficulties. Is she right?

Dory P. grew up the daughter of missionaries in Ecuador, met her husband while working with another mission organization, and now lives in Oklahoma. Their family of four shares seven passports. Dory helps tell the stories of the persecuted through VOM's newsletter, and her husband serves with VOM's international department.

Thunderstorms and Bombs

Have you ever experienced a good Oklahoma thunderstorm? I’ve lived all over the U.S. and different parts of the world, but I’ve never experienced anything like the thunderstorms here. Each clap of thunder reverberates through the house and in your chest. It’s like a mini earthquake with pyrotechnics (the flash of lightening before each rumble) and a short stint at a concert when you’re right next to the speaker and the drums are booming.

My three-year-old is terrified of thunder. Last week we had a line of storms roll through, and one night before 10 p.m., I heard him screaming in fear from his bed as the thunder boomed outside. Upstairs I gathered his trembling body into my lap. His little hands were pinned to his ears as he tried to keep the noise out, his eyes squeezed shut and pouring tears.

I held him tightly while we listened to the storm spend its strength and move past us. I knew we were safe, but he didn’t feel safe. As we sat there, a tangle of mother and son limbs, I thought of my brothers and sisters in Syria right now. They are reliving similar frightening middle-of-the-night moments, but not because of thunderstorms. Their children are frightened by the sound of bombs in the night.

When those parents rush to comfort their children, they don’t know if they’ll be safe.  They don’t know if the next bomb will hit their apartment, as it did to the apartment of one Christian woman a few days ago. They don’t know if the sound of gunfire outside means that Sunni militants will burst through their door momentarily.

This is a daily reality for our brothers and sisters there. They could leave and find their way to refugee camps as so many have. But for many, the choice to stay is a conscience one. They know if they leave, Christ’s living witness will be gone from Syria. Our friends and contacts inside the country say the chaos and heartache of the war is drawing many people to him, especially Muslims. Churches are doubling and tripling their services.

Still, as they are seeing great spiritual fruit, it’s not an easy life inside Syria these days. One contact reported that they’d been without water for 14 days in his city. That meant no water for washing clothes or bathing, and long lines of 2-3 hours to fill up as many containers as they can carry. But they stay, even though leaving would be much easier in many ways.

Tonight when I tuck my 3-year-old in bed, I know he’ll be safe, and I hope he’ll sleep peacefully through the night. My Syrian brothers and sisters may not, so as I wipe down counters and wash dishes, I’ll be lifting them up in prayer. And if they can choose to stay in a war zone where Christians are being targeted for their faith, I can choose to be a little bolder in talking about my faith with my neighbor and the other moms at preschool. 

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

Photo credit: Fear and Devotion by Brett Davies via Flickr. Used under Creative Commons license.

Washing Bottles

It’s 9:59 p.m., and I’m still in the kitchen, washing baby bottles. I have just cleaned up dinner and packed lunches for the next day after getting my two little ones to bed.  A basketful of laundry, needing to be folded, waits for me in the living room.

I look at the clock and sigh. I wish I were already in bed. If my husband were here, I’d already be done, because he would be sharing half the work. But he’s not. He’s in the middle of a two week-trip to the Middle East, where he’s meeting with persecuted Christians and some of our partners who help us meet the needs of suffering believers.  He’s not up late cleaning the kitchen, but he’s usually up late on these nights, crying, praying and just listening to people.

Most people assume that his life as an international worker for The Voice of the Martyrs is glamorous, jetting from place to place. He and any of our workers would tell you it’s not. It’s about being perpetually tired, with missed nights of sleep due to travel, then an 8-, 10- or 12-hour time difference adjustment on arrival and having to adjust backwards just after finding your rhythm in the new time when you get home. It’s missed family time, missed milestones in the kids’ lives, having to say no to service opportunities at church knowing you’ll be gone.

But he relishes sitting with people and listening to their stories, working with local believers and helping them think through how VOM can best help them to reach others for Christ. When he gets home and I pick him up from the airport, he often spends the entire hour-long drive sharing the things he’s learned and been challenged by through our brothers and sisters there. And as soon as he gets home, he puts priority on spending time with me and the kids.

As for me and the other wives of our international workers (who all happen to be men right now), sometimes people around the office refer to us as the VOM widows. We go to parties and Bible studies alone. We single parent. We figure out how to fix the water heater when it breaks—or at least figure out who can help us fix it.

I stay up late managing our household, but I can’t really let myself entertain the idea of complaining. I spent the day working on a story about Meriam Ibrahim, a mom of two young children, like me. Except she’s not able to wash her dishes late at night, or anytime, because she’s in prison. Up until the time she gave birth, she was shackled in her prison cell. Can you imagine how good that felt on pregnancy-swollen ankles, while chasing after your toddler? When given the opportunity to get out of prison, she told the judge she could never deny Jesus.

I’m not shackled in some Sudanese prison cell. Nor am I rejected by my family members, like so many of our brothers and sisters who choose to follow Christ. So this is my act of service: to wash bottles late at night, giving thanks that I’m counted worthy to be a daughter of Jesus Christ.

While I wash, I think about the many who are suffering, and I pray for them. I think about the people who my husband is meeting, and I pray for them. And I pray for my kids, hoping that they’ll see the choices of their parents and learn the stories of their persecuted family members far away and that by these examples, they’ll chose to follow the One for whom all these sacrifices, large and small, are worthy.

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

Blessing and Hope

This week is my first week back in the office after a 12-week maternity leave. Our beautiful daughter was born Dec. 29 and I enjoyed spending the first weeks of her life concentrating on her needs. We named her “Rajah,” a transliteration of the word for “hope” used in Arabic Bibles when it refers to future hope. Here on earth we expect tribulation, enduring patiently, but we also rejoice in our hope for the future (Romans 12:12).

Though I’ve been out of the office, my thoughts have never been far from our persecuted family members. In the last three months, my husband and I have hosted VOM workers from Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and Israel in our home. Each time we introduced Rajah to our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters, every one of our friends immediately offered a blessing over our baby daughter.

It was beautiful to witness and so amazing to consider how God will use her life in the future. She will likely face tribulation for her faith, just as our Middle Eastern brothers and sisters experience today, but I pray that she will continue to rejoice in hope and remain constant in prayer as she goes through persecution.

When our friends blessed Rajah, they weren’t blessing her flippantly or as a trite means of congratulations. These are men and women whose lives are dedicated to serving hurting Christians and reaching people for Christ in overwhelmingly Muslim nations. They prayed for God’s favor for Rajah in expectation that she, too, will be used by the Lord to point people to his truth.

This path might not be easy. We see over and over how God doesn’t always protect his followers from every evil, but he does use every circumstance for his glory. Our friend from Turkey was nearly beaten to death for being a Christian, but today he’s involved in a ministry that is sharing the gospel with large numbers of Turkish Muslims.

Our friend from Syria gets phone calls nearly every day detailing how Christians in his country are being expelled and entire villages wiped out. There are threats against his church.

Just this week, colleagues of our Lebanese friend were beaten as they passed out Christian literature and relief supplies to refugees. And the church of our brother from Israel has been bombed and burned on a number of occasions.

So when our friends bless Rajah, do they bless to request God’s favor and protection on her? No, they bless her to dedicate her to God’s service, a position they know from experience is not always pain-free, but they also know that there is no better place to spend a life than to spend it dedicated to God’s service.

That is my prayer for my daughter, for myself and for all of us as we work together to fellowship with the persecuted. We may need to make difficult choices, endure difficult circumstances, but we do so in hope that we will someday enjoy an eternity worshipping the only One who is worthy of our efforts.

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