On Sunday, Jan. 15, 2023, hundreds of Christians gathered at a church in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to end a weeklong series of prayer meetings. The gathering was so large that chairs and tarps were placed outside to provide overflow seating. Those in attendance did not know that radical Islamic group ADF (Allied Democratic Forces) had buried a bomb in the outdoor seating area. Just after a children’s choir finished performing, the bomb exploded, killing 15 people and seriously injuring roughly 70 more. “Now some people are saying that we planted the bomb!” said one assistant pastor, explaining, “Those people think we are trying to gain sympathy and funding.”
Read MoreBoonTaWong came to Christ because he wanted a changed life like he saw in other Christians. That decision brought the attention of the main religious leader of his community, who began to threaten and harass BoonTaWong. He demanded that BoonTaWong recant his faith in Christ, blamed his Christian faith for causing BoonTaWong’s wife to die, and mocked the impoverishment of most Lao Christians.
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“I could’ve lived and worked in that country my whole life and not seen the fruit that we are seeing now.” That fruit was planted in sacrifice. From the time she was a little girl, Jane wanted to live overseas to spread the gospel. When she met her husband, he had the same missions mindset and a heart for Muslims after he was impacted by 9/11. Jane says her husband enjoyed living in the Middle East, immersing himself in the culture and, most importantly, living his dream of witnessing to people who’d never heard about Jesus. Listen as Jane remembers the day her husband was killed, and how she prayed immediately afterwards. “God used His grace to sustain me through that time,” she says. “He really brought me through those initial days.” Jane will share how they worked to disciple Muslims even before they became believers in Jesus—demonstrating with their lives what it looks like to follow Him. Jane sees how God used their family’s sacrifice to advance His kingdom. “God used my husband’s death to catapult His plans and purposes for that nation and the people there.” As ordinary people who loved the Lord and lived out God’s calling for their life, Jane says being obedient and knowing you’re in God’s will is the greatest joy you can experience. She’s had times of wrestling with her loss and asking God why but says one way she works through those times is to focus, with her children, on things they can be thankful for. This weekend features a special opportunity to pray for our persecuted family as we commemorate the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Churches around the world will mark a special emphasis on praying for persecuted Christians. Take time to pray with your church, family, or Christian friends. Pray our persecuted brothers and sisters remain firm during trials, have opportunities to own their own Bible, and continue to share the gospel no matter the cost. You can download free IDOP resources at www.VOMRadio.net/IDOP to be inspired and find specific ways you can pray. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.
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At 21, Mehfri enrolled in a Bible school in Indonesia with no intention of studying the Bible. Although he had grown up in a Christian family, he enrolled in the school only to hide from the police, who were after him for selling drugs. “I was not in the Bible school to get born again,” he said. “When I was in the Bible school, I was thinking how I could sell drugs to the students to get money.” After a few months at the school, and three years of selling cocaine and Ecstasy, Mehfri was arrested and put in jail. Then, one day, a pastor who visited the jail every Friday gave Mehfri a Bible. As Mehfri began to read the Scriptures, he recalled the few lectures he had paid attention to during his time at the Bible school. The lessons on God’s love spoke to him in his time of need, and his heart was softened toward the Lord. “I read Romans 10, and at that time I confessed that Jesus is my Lord,” he said. Twenty days later, his father, who had always struggled to make ends meet, came up with the money to pay his bail. Following
Read MoreIn Cuba, Bibles are precious and sometimes scarce. Even when Bibles are available, they can cost a third of a worker’s monthly income. But Christians in Cuba are hungry for God’s Word and are finding creative solutions to the limited access.
Read MoreStudents in a discipleship training program for North Korean defectors spend a large portion of the training doing hands-on ministry in areas known to have large communities of other North Korean defectors. Pray for these students as they focus their strategy on Christian discipleship, evangelism, Bible study and helping students engage in life-changing connection with the church. Due to various factors, some of these students are not always able to finish the program, but several former students have shown interest in returning.
Read MoreOn September 8, 2023, a massive 6.8 earthquake rattled parts of Morocco, killing nearly 3,000 and affecting roughly 300,000. One Christian family lives near the epicenter of the quake and shared their experience. They were awoken around 11 p.m. and rushed outside as buildings around them shook and collapsed. “It was a dramatic experience,” said the front-line worker. “We were on the street all night long as the village we had lived in for 20 years was destroyed.” The worker reported that 1,000 people died in that village alone.
Read MoreBrother Bob has been connected to gospel work in North Africa for more than 20 years. He says government persecution of Christians in the region tends to come in cycles, but pressure and persecution of Christians by their own family members is common. But even in the midst of family persecution, Christians have a chance to demonstrate the reality of the gospel. “If believers persevere and continue to be a light,” Bob says, “most of the time their family eventually accepts them. And in many cases, others in the family come to know Christ.” Listen for the story of how a Muslim wife showed great displeasure after her husband accepted Christ—but was eventually won over by the consistent, Christ-like love he showed her. Local people in North Africa have many fears: bad omens, the fear of spirits, or fear of the future. The absence of fear is one of the marks of Christians in the region and often draws others to learn more about Christ. After working among Muslims for more than two decades, Bob says Christians who love and listen are more effective in sharing the gospel than those who criticize Islam or start a religious debate. He points to the model of Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well. Bob will share how he prepares new believers to spread the truth of Christ, to walk alongside others in their difficulties and to withstand persecution when it comes. Listen as Bob gives practical ways we can be like Christ and tells how our persecuted brothers and sisters are living that out. Bob will also equip us to pray for Christians in North Africa. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.
Read MoreLa and her husband became Christians while seeking a cure for his illness. Though he died three months later, they remained faithful due to the love and care they received from their brothers and sisters in Christ. In 2020, her daughter married a non-believer, and her son-in-law moved into her house. He practices animism, making offerings to spirits and trying to force his mother-in-law to do the same. He threw away La’s Bible and tries to keep her from practicing her Christian faith.
Read MoreOne day in May 2023, an Iraqi pastor answered his phone, not knowing it would be the last call he would receive from a young Christian friend. On the line was a university student who had recently converted from Islam. Some of the student’s former friends had arrived at his home, saying, “We know about your new faith. We are going to give you a chance to come back.” The group told him he could claim not to believe in any god, but he could not remain a Christian. The assailants gave him 24 hours to recant, or they would kill him.
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