Last week we had the privilege to highlight India for most of the week. This week I'd like us to focus on the Christians in China. They need our prayers, and dare I say we need theirs! Christians in China are very bold and I am personally thankful for that witness. It challenges me and inspires me to be more bold in my faith. Have you ever found that to be the case with you?

This week while I was reading about our persecuted brothers and sisters in different parts of the world, I was reminded about the families of these precious believers. When you hear of pastors in India being attacked by Hindu extremists or house-church members beaten and tortured in China, do you ever wonder how their families must be hurting? I certainly do.

Hello Friends!

He’d heard the rumors. In fact, Thomas had heard it directly from other disciples who had seen the Master alive. At least that’s what they had said. “When I see his hands and put my fingers into the nail holes, when I put my hand into the hole in his side made by that Roman spear, then I’ll believe he is risen,” Thomas had said.

Earlier this week I told you about VOM Canada's Glenn Penner who is very ill and also has cancer. Well, today his partner at VOM Canada, Adele, wrote the following on their persecution blog.

Earlier this week I asked all of my persecution bloggers to consider writing their posts for this carnival on a martyr of the past. Most of the bloggers took my suggestion and I hope what you read in the great entries below really blesses your heart. So ... on with the show!

WDC Media News is quoting VOM's Todd Nettleton today regarding the escalation of persecution in the region of Uzbekistan. Just as in India persecution is increasing, it is also increasing in this area of the former Soviet bloc country.

Have you noticed that we've been focusing a lot on India this week? It seems like the Lord is trying to get our attention about this country. Even this morning when I was at my weekly prayer meeting with the leaders of my church one of the women who was there began talking about India and how hard it is for Christians there, and that's not really surprising when the population is overwhelmingly Hindu. This is a great opportunity to pray for India and to ask the Lord to bring in more of a harvest for Him.

I have been asking myself the question: why don’t we ever hear about the persecuted church from our pulpits? I have been a Christian for many years, but I have never heard a sermon about our brothers and sisters around the world who are dying because of their faith. I guess it is not appealing to tell congregations about the many hardships, torture and death of believers, but I know that it is our responsibility to obey what the Bible tells us. In Hebrews 13:3, we are instructed to “remember those in prison, as you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” If we think of our persecuted family the way the Word of God wants us to, there is no way we will not get involved. Since I started working for VOM my life has been impacted tremendously. I did not realize the suffering that our persecuted family faces daily because of their belief in Jesus Christ. I appreciate the freedom to worship that we have in America.

In keeping with my goal to highlight martyrs of history on this blog, today I wanted to highlight William Hunter. Hunter is known as a Protestant martyr and a boy martyr. Wikipedia tells us ...