Persecution Blog

Petr Jasek Tells of Being Imprisoned in Sudan

Petr Jasek, a Czech national and VOM’s Africa regional director, spent 445 days in a Sudanese prison. Days after returning home, Petr sat down with VOM Radio to share his story and thank the thousands of people who prayed for him and his co-defendants during his long months in prison.

Listen in as Petr shares about going to the airport to leave Sudan in December of 2015, and the point when he knew that what he faced was much more than a routine security screening. He’ll share how he kept praying as he was questioned, and how he found out that his cell mates were members of ISIS. Your faith will be encouraged as you hear how God had been preparing Petr—even years before his arrest—to remain faithful even during months in prison.

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A Personal Taste of Persecution

What would you do if a group of angry young men came streaming into your Sunday School class this Sunday, faces masked and swinging clubs as they came?

Aaron Miller helps lead VOM’s work in South Asia, including the nation of India, where he previously served full-time as a gospel worker. Listen this week as Aaron shares what happened when he found himself at a Christian gathering in India that was attacked by radical Hindus. It was a small taste of persecution that was a part of God’s preparation for Aaron to serve persecuted Christians in India and other South Asian nations.

It was also a blessing. Even as he was being slapped and kicked, Aaron says God gave him a sense of His presence, His blessing. Listen below to have your faith inspired, and hear specific ways to pray for the nation of India and our spiritual family there.

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Reaching Out to Refugees

Selena grew up in the home of a pastor in the Middle East. Today she’s working among Muslim people in the US—including refugees from the Middle East.

Selena has seen firsthand that Muslims who choose to follow Christ face persecution, even in the United States. She will share how Christians in Lebanon have responded as their country has been flooded with refugees, and encourage American Christians with how we can respond to Muslims and refugees that we encounter here in the US.

Finally, she’ll equip us to pray for the church in Lebanon, and for outreach ministries to Muslims right here in the US.

 

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Petr Jasek Finally Free

Czech national and long-time VOM staff member Petr Jasek has been released from prison in Sudan, following a pardon issued by Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir. Petr was arrested by the Islamic Sudanese regime after visiting Sudanese Christians and providing a small gift to help with a man’s medical treatment. He was convicted of multiple “crimes” last month, including espionage and entering Sudan illegally. He was sentenced to life in prison for espionage, which according to Sudanese law means 20 years in prison, plus four additional years for other alleged crimes. Negotiations between the Sudanese and Czech governments have been ongoing since the sentence was announced, culminating in a visit to Khartoum by Czech Foreign Minister Lubomír Zaorálek. Zaorálek tweeted out a picture of Petr Jasek returning home on the plane with him Sunday afternoon.

Jasek was arrested in December 2015 and had remained in prison since that time. He was found guilty in January by a Sudanese court of “waging war against the state,” “violating restrictions in military areas,” “spreading rumors to defame the state,” committing “espionage” and “inciting strife between communities.”

Jasek has passionately served persecuted Christians as a staff member with The Voice of the Martyrs for more than 15 years. Prior to his arrest, he served as VOM’s Africa Regional Director. He traveled extensively throughout Africa, personally overseeing the delivery of material and spiritual assistance to Christians on behalf of VOM.

“Early in his imprisonment, Petr made the statement that ‘God holds the key to my cell,’” said VOM spokesperson Todd Nettleton. “We are so thankful that God has opened that cell door and that Petr is back with his family.”

Petr was originally tried with three Sudanese men, including two pastors. Near the end of the trial, the judge ruled that there was no evidence of a crime by Rev. Kuwa Shamaal, and he was released.

Rev. Hassan Abduraheem and Abdulmonem Abdumawla, however, were tried and found guilty of aiding Jasek in espionage. These two Sudanese men remain in prison, each serving a 12-year sentence.

“This has been a sobering reminder of the dangers VOM workers face as we serve persecuted Christians,” Nettleton said. “But it has been such a blessing to see Petr’s faith — and that of his family — shine through in this time of trial. Once again, God has shown Himself faithful. We are overjoyed at the opportunity to welcome our friend and co-worker home.”

After returning home, Mr. Jasek is expected to be hospitalized to evaluate the physical toll these long months in prison have taken on his body. He and his family request privacy as they reunite and begin to recover from this experience. After a period of rest, reflection and recovery, Mr. Jasek looks forward to sharing some of his experiences and the lessons God taught him in prison.

(This story originally appeared on www.Persecution.com.)

Missions: "Safety Is Not Our Primary Goal"

There are 2.8 billion unreached people on earth; they will live their entire lives without ever hearing the gospel message of Jesus’ love for them.

Andrew Scott wants to motivate and mobilize Christians around the world to GO to those billions and reach them for Christ. Andrew is the President and CEO of Operation Mobilization – USA, and the author of a book called SCATTER: Go Therefore and Take Your Job With You. Andrew wants to see more American Christians understand that people from every vocational background—doctors, businessmen, engineers, artists—are called to share His glory with the nations.

Listen to his advice for those feeling a call to live and represent Christ among those 2.8 billion unreached people, and pray that the Lord of the harvest (Luke 10:2) will send out more workers—and maybe even send you.

Visit the Scatter Global site to learn more about getting involved with God’s work around the world. Order your copy of SCATTER: Go Therefore and Take Your Job With You (affiliate link).

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VOM Radio: Meet A House Church Pastor in China

“Enfu” is the Chinese word for “blessing.” When we went to China to secretly interview a Chinese house church pastor, he suggested Enfu as his pseudonym.

Every time Pastor Enfu and his congregation meet together, it is illegal. Listen this week as he shares the challenges of being a pastor in a nation cracking down on the church. Some of the challenges will seem obvious. Others will be ones that Christians in free nations may have never thought of, like handling church finances when the church doesn’t legally exist. How does his church train new leaders? How do they prepare Christians to stand strong in the face of persecution? We’ll hear answers to those questions, and Enfu will share with us specific ways to pray for Chinese Christians—and encourage us with the fact that they are praying for the church in America as well. You’ll be encouraged as you come with us to China this week to meet “Pastor Blessing.”

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The Man Behind the Myth: St. Valentine

Today we celebrate Valentine's Day, a day many Americans focus on love and romance. But most of those celebrating don't know that the man for whom this day is named was a Christian persecuted because of his Christian actions.

The following comes from the "Note from the Author to Parents and Educators" that is included in The Story of St. Valentine: More Than Cards and Candy Hearts, a book for children published by VOM that tells the true story of  Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated every year on February 14^th, but why? Many buy cards and candied hearts and do not know there was a man named Valentine. Who was the man behind this holiday that has become known for cupid, chocolate, roses and love notes saying, “Be my Valentine”?

Valentine, or Valentinus as he was known, was a leader in the church and lived in the Roman Empire during the third century. However, there are three Valentines who are noted as having lived in the late third century during Emperor Claudius II’s reign. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop of Interamna (modern Terni, Italy), and the third a martyr in a Roman province of Africa. Some believe the martyrdom of all three men named Valentinus occurred on February 14^th. Many scholars believe two of them, the priest in Rome and the bishop of Interamna, are the same, suggesting the bishop of Interamna was a Roman priest who became bishop and was sentenced there and brought to Rome for his execution. It is believed Valentinus’ martyrdom occurred about the year 269 A.D.

Even though some have questioned the existence of Valentinus, many would agree his life is a mystery. History proved his existence when archaeologists unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to him. He is mentioned in Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend, written about saints around the year 1260. (It is noted this was perhaps the most widely read book after the Bible during the late Middle Ages.) He was also featured in a woodcut in the illustrated book called The Nuremberg Chronicle, printed in 1493.

Sources indicate it was Emperor Claudius II who had Valentinus executed for secretly marrying Roman soldiers, defying an order from the emperor that soldiers were not allowed to marry. Claudius (also called Claudius the Cruel) was having difficulty recruiting soldiers and believed Roman men were unwilling to leave their loved ones because soldiers were required to fight for at least 25 years. Therefore, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements. However, Valentinus, along with Marius, secretly married couples until he was apprehended and brought before the Prefect of Rome. It is even believed Valentinus tried to convert Emperor Claudius. In The Story of Saint Valentine: More Than Cards and Candied Hearts, the conversation between Emperor Cludius and Velentinus is based on the one printed in de Voragine’s Golden Legend. Another legend says during Valentinus’ imprisonment, while awaiting his execution, he restored the sight of his jailer’s daughter. (In this story we call the jailer “Marcus.”) Yet another says on the eve of his death, he wrote a note to the jailer’s daughter and signed it, “From your Valentine.”

In 496 A.D., more than 200 years after Valentinus was executed, a church leader marked February 14^thas a celebration to honor Valentinus’ courageous life to replace a pagan Roman holiday. February 14^th was the day the Romans honored Juno, the Queen of the Roman gods and goddesses and also known as the goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15^th, started the Feast of Lupercalia, which honored Faunus, the god of fertility and forests. On the eve of Lupercalia, the names of Roman girls were written on pieces of paper and placed in jars. Young men would draw a girl’s name and be partnered with that girl throughout the festival. Sometimes this pairing lasted the whole year, and often they would fall in love and later marry.

And what about cupid? Why does his image appear during Valentine’s Day? Cupid was the Roman god of love.

Despite the mystery, legends and questions masking the man Valentine, this story was written to convey his courageous life and death. May The Story of St. Valentine: More Than Cards and Candy Hearts inspire children of all ages to boldly present Jesus Christ to a world in need of His hope (I Peter 3:15)!

The following comes from the "Note from the Author to Parents and Educators" that is included in The Story of St. Valentine: More Than Cards and Candy Hearts, a book for children published by VOM that tells the true story of  Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day is celebrated every year on February 14^th, but why? Many buy cards and candied hearts and do not know there was a man named Valentine. Who was the man behind this holiday that has become known for cupid, chocolate, roses and love notes saying, “Be my Valentine”?

Valentine, or Valentinus as he was known, was a leader in the church and lived in the Roman Empire during the third century. However, there are three Valentines who are noted as having lived in the late third century during Emperor Claudius II’s reign. One was a priest in Rome, another a bishop of Interamna (modern Terni, Italy), and the third a martyr in a Roman province of Africa. Some believe the martyrdom of all three men named Valentinus occurred on February 14^th. Many scholars believe two of them, the priest in Rome and the bishop of Interamna, are the same, suggesting the bishop of Interamna was a Roman priest who became bishop and was sentenced there and brought to Rome for his execution. It is believed Valentinus’ martyrdom occurred about the year 269 A.D.

Even though some have questioned the existence of Valentinus, many would agree his life is a mystery. History proved his existence when archaeologists unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to him. He is mentioned in Jacobus de Voragine’s Golden Legend, written about saints around the year 1260. (It is noted this was perhaps the most widely read book after the Bible during the late Middle Ages.) He was also featured in a woodcut in the illustrated book called The Nuremberg Chronicle, printed in 1493.

Sources indicate it was Emperor Claudius II who had Valentinus executed for secretly marrying Roman soldiers, defying an order from the emperor that soldiers were not allowed to marry. Claudius (also called Claudius the Cruel) was having difficulty recruiting soldiers and believed Roman men were unwilling to leave their loved ones because soldiers were required to fight for at least 25 years. Therefore, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements. However, Valentinus, along with Marius, secretly married couples until he was apprehended and brought before the Prefect of Rome. It is even believed Valentinus tried to convert Emperor Claudius. In The Story of Saint Valentine: More Than Cards and Candied Hearts, the conversation between Emperor Cludius and Velentinus is based on the one printed in de Voragine’s Golden Legend. Another legend says during Valentinus’ imprisonment, while awaiting his execution, he restored the sight of his jailer’s daughter. (In this story we call the jailer “Marcus.”) Yet another says on the eve of his death, he wrote a note to the jailer’s daughter and signed it, “From your Valentine.”

In 496 A.D., more than 200 years after Valentinus was executed, a church leader marked February 14^thas a celebration to honor Valentinus’ courageous life to replace a pagan Roman holiday. February 14^th was the day the Romans honored Juno, the Queen of the Roman gods and goddesses and also known as the goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15^th, started the Feast of Lupercalia, which honored Faunus, the god of fertility and forests. On the eve of Lupercalia, the names of Roman girls were written on pieces of paper and placed in jars. Young men would draw a girl’s name and be partnered with that girl throughout the festival. Sometimes this pairing lasted the whole year, and often they would fall in love and later marry.

And what about cupid? Why does his image appear during Valentine’s Day? Cupid was the Roman god of love.

Despite the mystery, legends and questions masking the man Valentine, this story was written to convey his courageous life and death. May The Story of St. Valentine: More Than Cards and Candy Hearts inspire children of all ages to boldly present Jesus Christ to a world in need of His hope (I Peter 3:15)!

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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VOM Radio: Loren Cunningham Part 2; Update from Iraq

Listen to VOM Radio this week as we converse with two ministry leaders. First, we’ll share the second half of our conversation with Loren Cunningham, the founder of Youth With a Mission (YWAM). Listen as he talks about getting the Scriptures into every remaining language on earth ( End Bible Poverty Now ) and about the legacy words that are driving him forward with the ministry of YWAM all over the world.

Then we’ll hear from Charles Morris, President of Haven Ministries ( Haven Ministries ). Charles has just returned from northern Iraq, including villages recently liberated from ISIS control. What’s left of those villages? What challenges await Christians hoping to return to the homes ISIS kicked them out of? Listen in as Charles answers those questions and advises us on specific ways to pray for Christians and non-Christians in Iraq right now.

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VOM Radio: YWAM Founder Loren Cunningham

Loren Cunningham is the founder of Youth With a Mission (YWAM), an organization that has equipped and sent more than five million people on short-term mission trips. God called him to ministry at age 13, and later gave him a vision to call and equip waves of young people to wash up on every continent on earth to share the gospel message.

Listen as Loren shares about how God called him, and some of the amazing things he’s seen (and eaten!) over his years of ministry. He’ll also offer advice for those listening for God’s call now, and share how YWAM prepares workers to go to the world’s hardest places with the gospel.

Finally he’ll share how the Bible lays the foundation for great spiritual awakenings, which is the reason VOM and YWAM are distributing Bibles all over the world. Listen and learn from one of the great missions leaders of our time, this week on VOM Radio.

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