Pastor Dmitry Shestakov has been in an Uzbekistan prison for more than a year. The Voice of the Martyrs received an update that Pastor Shestakov’s faith is strong and while in prison he has had opportunities to share his faith. We invite you to send birthday cards and letters of encouragement to Pastor Shestakov as he celebrates his birthday this month. Let him know of your love and that you are praying for him. Pastor Shestakov has been strengthened by the prayers and help of believers like you. We encourage you to continue writing him letters and to continue praying. Also, write to the Uzbekistan government requesting he be released. Please send this e-mail to others who have a heart for persecuted believers and encourage them to write, as well. Get involved. Pray and write today! I encourage you to send Pastor Shestakov a letter of encouragement by visiting www.prisoneralert.com.

The Voice of the Martyrs contacts recently visited Pastor Zaur Balaev in prison. Pastor Balaev expressed his gratitude for the letters and prayers he has received. He said, "Peace to you, dear brothers and sisters! I am blessed, that we all have Jesus Christ and love each other in Him. I am the one, whom God loves. I am here with Jesus Christ and we suffer and rejoice together. May God bless you for working in prayer and love to all Christians in bonds. Amen!" Pastor Balaev has been strengthened by the prayers and help of believers like you. We encourage you to continue writing him letters and praying. Also, write to the Azerbaijan government requesting he be released. Go to www.prisoneralert.com to write letters of encouragement to Pastor Balaev and other believers in prison because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

After reading about Li Mei today and the torture she has had to go through, I just wish I could give her a big warm hug. Since that is not possible, I'm going to write her a letter of encouragement today. Please join me won't you? Click here to go to Prisoner Alert.com

In July 2007, 42-year-old Li Mei and nine house church leaders were arrested, when they were discovered having a Sunday worship service. They were charged with singing Christian hymns to villagers, showing the JESUS film in a nursing home and praying for healing for a disabled elderly man. The nine were sentenced to re-education through labor for 12 to 18 months. Li Mei served part of her one-year sentence in a hospital with both hands chained to her bed. Repeated beatings and torture caused her to require a hysterectomy. She is currently serving the remainder of her sentence at home under house arrest.

Today I thought that I would give you some homework, that way in case you were bored you would have one good thing that you can do today to make a difference for a persecuted prisoner. Please take the time to visit Prisoner Alert and write our brother a letter of encouragement. - And I thank you in advance.

This week we have a great opportunity to show our love and support for Christians in North Korea. The Voice of the Martyrs is bringing awareness to the challenges Christians face in North Korea by calling on readers to write to Brother Son Jong Nam, an underground Christian who has spent the past year in prison in North Korea awaiting public execution. He is charged with being a Christian.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July here in America and I wanted to challenge all of my readers to do an activity together, as a family or with friends, - write a prisoner who is imprisoned for their faith in Jesus Christ.

It's that time of the month again...time to write VOM's prisoner using Prisoner Alert.com