For ten years, Shakir heard his Christian friend and his Muslim friend discuss, debate and argue about their different faiths. Shakir tried to ignore their discussion; he didn’t want to get involved. After all those years, Shakir was shocked when his Muslim friend told him that he had become a Christian. Shakir urged him to reconsider and return to Islam—but as his friend shared about the things that led him to follow Christ, Shakir himself began to consider that Jesus might indeed be the Way, the Truth and the Light. Brother Shakir struggled to grasp the idea that God would come in flesh, show himself and save from sin. Comparing the principles of Islam against the Bible revealed the character of God to Shakir and the truth of God’s Word. Seeing in the Bible Christ’s personal display of God’s love ultimately led Shakir to follow Christ. “That day I was saved,” Shakir said, “I was free, and I was really happy and filled with the Holy Spirit.” Just like Shakir tried to sway his Muslim friend back to Islam, friends and family tried to convince him to renounce his faith. The most difficult pressure came from Shakir’s own mother. Shakir remembers her demanding, “Me or Christ. You have to choose.” Shakir did not deny Jesus. Today, Shakir knows those he witnesses to and leads to Christ will face trials. New believers are encouraged by hearing the experiences of persecuted Christians like Shakir; their stories prepare young-in-faith Christians to stand up under pressure and persecution. Shakir also shares how we can pray for the church in North Africa, and for his family and ministry. During the month of December, when you make a donation to support persecuted Christians like Shakir, you will receive a FREE 2024 VOM Prayer Calendar. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.
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From the Voice of the Martyrs President:Cole Richards Beware of the prevalent “take-it-or-leave-it” mentality. While skepticism may seem understandable among members of our individualistic culture, we must never put ourselves in a place of criticism or judgment toward any of our Lord’s commands. As I minister to persecuted Christians in restricted nations, I am struck by their willingness to suffer in order to obey Christ’s commands — immediately and without qualification. Their example leads me to ask: Have I unwittingly fallen into a trap of obeying only those commands that I understand and with which I agree? In the face of violent attacks by Islamic extremists, our persecuted Christian family members are showing us how to follow Christ. Our Lord has said, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). Since loving our enemies is such a clear command — one that Jesus identifies as a distinctive trait of God’s children — we must not allow ourselves to avoid it. From VOM’s founding fifty-six years ago until today, reaching persecutors for Christ has been one of the organization’s foundational purposes. We “equip persecuted
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Front-line workers shared how God is moving in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank, amid the conflict raging throughout the region. One Christian leader said, “Please pray for believers inside of Gaza. As the conflict intensifies, and the possibilities of death increase, there is a growing intentionality to share the gospel with friends and families. We have heard testimonies of those living in shelters because their homes have been damaged and are sharing boldly – and there seems to be an openness.”
Read MoreSince 2020, Pastor Santosh has been harassed and pressured by members of the Hindu nationalist group RSS. His church has been vandalized, he has been threatened and struck, and the group has repeatedly pressured the police to file charges against him for conversion of Hindus. In October 2022, he was jailed for a month without bail. “When a person goes to jail, he breaks,” Santosh said. “I felt broken, too. After coming out of the jail, I was petrified. I did not go any place for months.
Read MoreIn October 2023, the government of the Islamic sultanate of Brunei announced a radical change in education policy to be implemented from Nov. 1. All 2nd to 5th grade students, including Christian children, are required to attend one hour per day of Islamic instruction. This includes practicing Islamic prayers and studying the Quran. This decree from the sultan applies to public and private schools.
Read MorePastor Raymond Koh was forcibly abducted on February 13th, 2017 in a military-style operation that took less than 40 seconds. Almost seven years later, he’s still missing. His car has never been located. Raymond’s wife, Susanna, has filed a lawsuit to force the Malaysian government and leaders of the police to release all information about what happened, and hopefully hold the kidnappers accountable for their actions. Listen this week to an interview with Susanna recorded two years after Raymond’s abduction. Hear how she found out her husband was missing, and how the police turned her missing person report into an opportunity to interrogate her about the Christian work and gospel outreach she and Raymond were involved in. Raymond had been threatened before for his faith and gospel work, yet he continued to follow God’s plan for him. Susanna says in the months before the abduction she saw a deepening of Pastor Raymond’s spiritual walk. He memorized large sections of God’s Word, went on long prayer walks and preached the gospel with renewed passion and intensity. Susanna is very honest as she shares raw emotion, grief and pain. But she also says God’s promises have uplifted her—as have Christian songs. She and her family have even been able to forgive those who kidnapped her husband. Pray for Susanna and the Koh family as they await the next hearing date in her lawsuit. Pray for wisdom for the judge, and that the truth of who was behind Raymond’s abduction is revealed. Susanna was one of four courageous women of the persecuted church who shared their stories as part of the Hearts of Fire Virtual Event from The Voice of the Martyrs. You can register and watch the event online. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can give online to support VOM’s ministry to persecuted Christians here.
Read MoreOn Feb. 13, 2017, a group of men on motorbikes and in SUVs abducted Pastor Raymond Koh. His wife, Susanna, and their children have not heard from him since, though Susanna has continued to seek information from the police and Malaysia’s justice system. Susanna filed a legal case requesting new inquiries into her husband’s disappearance, which she believes was connected to a 2011 confrontation with the Islamic religious police. The judge hearing the case visited the scene of the abduction on Nov. 6 and 7 to learn more about the situation.
Read MoreFive years ago, Bindu and her three children put their faith in Christ, becoming the first Christians in their village. Bindu’s husband, Hari, is strongly Hindu and actively tried to stop them from going to church. On Christmas day 2021, while Bindu and the children were preparing to attend a Christmas celebration, he began to beat them, knocking one of his daughters unconscious and chasing them out of the home. Bindu and her daughters decided to return home, and the persecution and abuse continued. Hari tried many times to open a case for divorce and finally left the village.
Read MoreRadical Islamic groups based in Somalia regularly attack Christians in Kenya who live near the border. Late in the evening of January 2, 2022, al-Shabab terrorists from Somalia broke into a house, pulled out a Kenyan father of four named Joseph and questioned him about his religion. When Joseph boldly declared that he was a Christian, they beheaded him. They then threatened his wife, Grace, and set the home ablaze. On September 26, 2023, terrorists returned to the village and destroyed Grace’s rebuilt home.
Read MoreSusi Childers has served with Youth With A Mission (YWAM) for more than two decades, using her photography skills to open doors to communicate the love of Christ to people all over the world. Listen this week as Susi describes the impact of Loren Cunningham, YWAM’s founder who recently graduated to heaven, on her life and on encouraging her to use her gifts more fully to further the gospel. She’ll also share some of the personal qualities that made Loren such an impactful and visionary leader. Susi will also share highlights from a recent trip to Nigeria, where she ministered to widows of Christians killed in northern Nigeria by Boko Haram or by Islamist militants from within the Fulani tribe. With more than 223 million people, Nigeria is the most populous country on the African continent. It is also a young country: 70% of the people are under 30. Susi believes that reaching the people of Nigeria with the gospel can be a key to reaching millions more all across the African continent. A YWAM training school in southern Nigeria is a refuge for widows and orphans, providing them with a place to heal, as well as six months of training and discipleship. Many of the widows desire to go back to northern Nigeria, in spite of the loss they suffered there, to advance the gospel and live out their faith in Christ. With her camera in hand, Susi went to visit and meet the widows and their children. Night after night, she awakened to hear singing and found, in the wee hours of the morning, these women gathered to read the Bible and pray for their persecutors. “It was a holy place,” Susi said. “God hears the suffering of each individual day and night. He’s challenging us to carry a little piece of His heart.” Listen as Susi shares how God led her to take donated jewelry with her on this visit to Nigeria, and how God used that jewelry to remind these widows of His abiding love for them. Susi and her husband, Paul, have both previously been guests on VOM Radio. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can give online to support VOM’s ministry to the persecuted church here.
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