In 2015, Zara, then 19, was abducted and horribly abused for several days by her kidnappers. Her entire Muslim family had become followers of Christ, and some Muslim extremists wanted to punish them. “They told her what they were doing was not a sin,” said a front-line worker, “but that it was their religious obligation because of her conversion to Christianity.” After her kidnappers released her, Zara and her family eventually fled to another country, but they continue to struggle.
Read MorePhet, 71, and his wife placed their trust in Christ in 2005. As a veteran of the Laotian army with more than 30 years of service, Phet is entitled to a government pension but was denied it. The commander said he would approve the pension if Phet would recant his faith. Phet answered, “My family and I, we already accepted Christ, and we could not turn back to worship the ghost spirits any longer.” His wife and children agreed, saying, “God, our Father, will take care of us.” Phet’s family experienced increasing persecution in their village, and the police took their family registration book, which holds important records such as birth and marriage certificates, educational records, and work permits.
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This episode will be a little different than most as we have two conversations instead of one. First, we’ll hear from Steve Lisby about a group of pastors and church leaders imprisoned in Nicaragua after being part of a large-scale evangelism effort. Next we’ll hear from Brother Philip, who helps The Voice of the Martyrs provide trauma care for persecuted Christians in Africa. Steve Lisby is the risk management director with Mountain Gateway, a ministry helping train and send gospel workers. Last year, with the approval of the Nicaraguan government, Mountain Gateway held evangelistic events in multiple locations around the country. More than one million people attended these events, including 300,000 at the final event in the capitol city. After the success of these events, it was a shock when one of the Mountain Gateway national directors was imprisoned in December. Days later, his wife and nine more pastors were taken to prison. Since their arrest they have not been allowed to see their families or have contact with the outside world. Pray for these eleven Nicaraguan Christians, for the ongoing court process and for leaders in the ministry and in the Nicaraguan government. For updates on the situation visit mountaingateway.org. For persecuted Christians and others who have gone through trauma, that trauma can affect all aspects of their life. Brother Philip is a field minister in Africa for The Voice of the Martyrs, specifically focused on training Christian leaders to provide trauma care for Christians who have endured persecution. Listen as Philip shares how trauma rewires the brains of victims. For persecuted Christians, that affects how they relate to God and experience faith. As a trained trauma-care provider and brother in Christ, Philip believes it’s a gift to listen to the stories of our persecuted brothers and sisters and bear witness to the pain they’ve experienced. It is important to address physical, emotional and mental needs. But the great blessing of VOM’s work is to be able to address spiritual needs for trauma survivors as well. Hear how Philip and his coworkers structure trauma care efforts for persecuted Christians and the benefit of designing this care around the truth of God’s Word. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.
Read MoreOn Sept. 18, 2023, Pastor Anooshavan Avedian, who is 61 years old with a wife and two children, was summoned by police to Evin prison to begin a 10-year prison sentence. Pastor Avedian was arrested on Aug. 21, 2020, when approximately 30 security agents raided his home while family and friends gathered to pray and worship. The group met in his home because the government closed their church several years earlier. Government agents confiscated Bibles and mobile phones, taking Pastor Avedian and two Christian converts to Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison.
Read MoreFront-line workers recently held a camp for teenagers from several different areas across Nigeria where militant Fulani Muslims and Boko Haram militants have slaughtered thousands of Christians. Each teen in attendance during the camp had lost one or both parents in Islamist attacks. Some of the young people continue to live in areas where militant attacks are common.
Read MoreWhen Manju’s husband became a follower of Christ, Manju and their children were very opposed to his faith and berated him to abandon it. But in May 2023, a pastor asked her to watch a film about Jesus. He installed a memory card with several videos on her phone. The family began to watch these films, calling the pastor to explain parts they did not understand. Manju invited the pastor to her house one day. While he was there, 14-year-old Sharda was watching one of the videos by herself when she experienced a demonic attack.
Read MorePaul Dangtoumda, a part of the global eldership counsel for Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and the leader for YWAM’s work in Nigeria, comes from a family with a history of Christian persecution. In fact, he bears the scar of persecution his parents faced even before he was born. Listen as he shares the amazing testimony of God’s protection over him and his parents—and how their example inspires his ministry even today. Hear how Paul began working in Nigeria and how today he and YWAM are helping widows—Women of Honor—to persevere in life and faith despite the loss of their husbands. “We had to teach the [women] how to go to the cross,” he says. “Because when they realize that it is God who can save them, then this is the beginning of true counseling.” Paul will also share about a Bible translation effort called Oral Mother Tongue, an effort that YWAM founder Loren Cunningham focused on in the final days of his earthly life. Listen as Paul describes the process from start to finish—and the reaction of people hearing the Bible in their own language for the first time. Paul will suggest ways listeners can pray for this translation effort. Also visit Pray OMT to learn more about the process of making the Bible available to every tribe, tongue, and nation. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcastOr you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.
Read MoreGabriela lives in a rural village in Oaxaca, Mexico, where members of her Mixteca community adhere to Christo-paganism, a syncretistic blend of pagan practices and Roman Catholicism that is opposed to the gospel. Because of her boldness in sharing her faith, she has been attacked by her neighbors as well as her husband, who is embarrassed by her commitment to Christ. She has been beaten an estimated 40 times and hospitalized on several occasions.
Read MorePastor Maged was planting a church in a rural part of Egypt when his family came under severe persecution. Repeatedly they fled, and repeatedly they were pressured. Eventually, they were forced to live underground where raw sewage seeped into their basement living quarters. After some time, they relocated to another Arab nation where Pastor Maged is active in church leadership.
Read MoreWhile Wru was making funeral arrangements for his mother in July 2023, the village headman asked permission to play a game that involved gambling during the funeral observances. Funeral observances in Laotian villages are often considered community affairs and include a variety of activities. Wru told the headman no, stating, “I am a Christian, and I want to give honor to my God. I do not support the idea of gambling, especially in my mother’s funeral.” The village headman, feeling that he had “lost face” in the interaction, was angry and threatened to kick Wru and any other Christians out of the village.
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