Carter Gates leads VOM’s work in the Asia Pacific Region. This week he shares how he came to be involved in ministry, some travel and ministry experiences, and updates on the persecution of Christians in China, Myanmar, and Vietnam. Carter’s first spark of interest in missions came after reading a VOM book, Jesus Freaks, where he first read about Christians being persecuted for their faith. The stories, including one from North Korea, stirred in him a passion to know more about what his brothers and sisters in Christ are facing. Carter joined YWAM as a sophomore in college, and what he thought would be a few months of service turned into seven years ministering throughout East Asia! China continues to enforce drastic religious restrictions, including expelling many Christian foreigners, some of whom have lived and worked in China for decades. Local believers say they are ready to take the lead and continue God’s work—even as they face suffering and persecution. Carter will also discuss restrictions and persecution in Myanmar and Vietnam, including how Covid has affected ministry and travel in the past two years. Carter will also share an opportunity VOM workers had to help Christians obtain ground to bury their dead—something that’s been a blessing to Christians and a powerful testimony to Buddhists living in the surrounding area. Carter will help us know specific ways to pray for access to God’s Word, strength for the church and for the Lord to continue to lead His people in the Asia Pacific region. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the Podcast
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Four Christians imprisoned for their faith in Tehran’s Evin Prison are battling sickness following a possible outbreak of Covid-19 in their ward. Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh, 60 years old, Yousef Nadarkhani, 44, Saheb Fadaie, 40, and Moslem Rahimi, 32, are serving prison sentences ranging from four to 10 years for participating in house churches and promoting Christianity in Iran.
Read MorePastor Ebrahim leads an unofficial church in Yemen. One day, while the church gathered for worship and prayer, a dozen armed men burst into the church and aimed their weapons at Ebrahim and the congregation. The leader of the armed men pointed a gun at Ebrahim’s head, threatening to kill him.
Read MoreReem is a Syrian Muslim who lives in Turkey with her husband and children. After having dreams about Jesus, Reem reached out to front-line workers to learn more about Him. “If there is anything about God that I do not know, I want to know it,” she said.
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Emmanuel resented his father’s ministry work in Vietnam and the repeated imprisonments it caused. But as he saw God working through him, his own work began to mirror his father’s commitment. Emmanuel has many painful childhood memories. He will never forget the fear he felt every time Vietnamese authorities arrested his father while preaching at a Sunday service or while teaching believers from various tribes at their home. He would sometimes cling to his father’s leg, trying to prevent the police from taking his daddy. And he still remembers the loneliness and abandonment he felt while his father was imprisoned. Emmanuel resented his father’s work, and it didn’t end when his father was out of prison. The resentment resurfaced every time his father was unable to attend a special school event because of his ministry work. Emmanuel often climbed to the top of a coconut tree to cry and vent his frustration toward his father and God in private. Then, at age 11, Emmanuel’s bitterness reached a new level as his father began to serve what became three years in prison. “I got angry with my father,” Emmanuel said. “Sometimes I didn’t even want to visit my father in prison.”
Read MoreListen this week as we share Part 2 (listen to Part 1) of Silas’s story. He will tell of the darkest moments in his life, suffering intense persecution for his Christian faith. Silas and his family continued in obedience to Christ despite threats from the KGB. Silas’s refusal to bow to their agenda angered them. Silas was arrested and tortured in ways that, as a lawyer, he found unbelievable. He says his doubts, shame, and moments of weakness reminded him to lean into God’s power. By remembering the suffering of Christ, Silas was overwhelmed with comfort. As Silas trusted the Lord in his suffering, he saw God working on the hearts of others—including his torturers! The head KGB officer who tortured Silas and his Christian friend later asked Silas’s forgiveness and prayer for his family. He was even welcomed into the home of one of the Christians he’d tortured. Today Silas is involved in ministry through radio/TV broadcasting and various internet platforms to share the gospel in the Turkmen language, knowing how it impacted him to see on film Jesus speaking his own language. Pray for the good news to continue to spread throughout Turkmenistan and to Turkmen people all over the world! Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the Podcast.
Read MoreBetul is a young girl who attends a youth program hosted by front-line workers in Lebanon. She and her brother have lived with their grandmother since their father died and their mother left the children when she remarried.
Read MoreOne Iranian believer has found a creative way to share the gospel with her parents who do not know Christ. Wanting her parents to trust in God, this girl used a VOM-supported Christian magazine to provide opportunities to talk to her parents about Jesus.
Read MoreMilitant Fulani Muslims attacked a village in southern Kaduna state on Jan. 30, killing 11 Christians and burning most of the homes in the village.
Read MoreBrother Silas, raised in the former Soviet republic of Turkmenistan, says that as a young man he was an atheist in his head but a Muslim in his heart. When a family member shared his faith in Jesus Christ, Silas angrily rejected such talk. In his mind, Christianity was foreign to the Turkmen people, the faith of the invading Russians. Yet, as Silas heard the stories and teachings of Jesus, he found himself attracted by who Jesus is. Through a VHS copy of the Jesus Film in the Turkmen language and the divine opportunity to watch it, Silas committed his life to following Christ. Listen as Silas shares how hearing Jesus speak in Turkmen, his own heart’s tongue, made the gospel real and personal to him. Immediately, Silas experienced overwhelming joy and peace. All his questions had been answered. He began to share Christ with others in his village. But as his obedient actions for Christ became known, Silas got his first taste of Christian persecution. Government agents, focused on keeping control of Turkmenistan’s people, raided church meetings and even Silas’s home. Be sure to listen next week to hear part two of Silas’s testimony and the intense persecution he faced. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.
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