VOMRadio

Nagy and Hope grew up in the Middle East in families that followed Christ and encouraged them to serve God and be people of His Word. They were serving the Lord doing good work in their home country when they felt God’s call to go to another county in the region: Libya. The transition was difficult and discouraging. They were forced to navigate a different community and expectations, and to learn a different Arabic dialect. With no fruit to be seen, Nagy and Hope were at times discouraged and disappointed. Yet God was working. After months of gospel work, one lady came to Hope asking questions about the gospel. Nagy and Hope were excited! They felt it was worth it to be in Libya if only one person came to Christ! Then their new friend was detained and interrogated. She cut off all contact with Hope. “It was hard,” Hope says, “but at the same time there was hope. Maybe the Lord would give us more opportunities.” The Lord did bring about more opportunities, but they didn’t come without disappoints and hardship. Nagy and Hope will share more opportunities they had to disciple new believers and the obstacles they faced. When war broke out across Libya, the Lord still called them to stay, promising protection for their family and even their neighbors. God opened the hearts of many as they saw the Lord provide in their time of need. Listen as Nagy and Hope share when the Lord clearly told them their time in Libya was over and they had to leave. Please pray for Libya and for the continued ministry of gospel workers in that country. The first day of the new year marked the launch of a new, daily podcast from VOM. Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at The Voice of the Martyrs, joins VOM Radio this week to look back at some of God’s blessings he and his team experienced during 2024 and to look ahead at nations where VOM’s work may change or expand in 2025. Listen as Aaron recounts a visit to meet Christian widows in Nigeria. These women endured losing their husbands in violent attacks, yet they gathered to worship together and even prayed boldly for their persecutors to come to know Christ. He’ll also share the story of a God-ordained encounter with a persecuted pastor’s son in southeast Asia—and the sadness of an unmet need when that pastor was imprisoned. Aaron also tells us of meeting with a martyr’s widow who still boldly goes out to minister each week in the same area where her husband was murdered. Looking ahead to 2025, Aaron will advise listeners how to pray for Christians facing persecution in Benin, Burkina Faso, Bangladesh and Syria. He’ll also tell how Christian persecution has changed in India, which led VOM to reclassify India as a restricted nation in the VOM Global Prayer Guide. Yet Indian Christians still boldly witness for Christ—even inside prison! Finally, Aaron challenges listeners to continue to pay attention to the members of Christ’s body facing persecution in this new year—even though it can be painful to witness their suffering and loss. Aaron will suggest some specific ways to pray in these opening weeks of 2025. The first day of the new year marked the launch of a new, daily podcast from VOM: Extreme Devotion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet helps users pray daily for persecuted Christians throughout the year, as well as giving free access to e-books, audio books, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.

Today The Voice of the Martyrs launched a brand-new podcast: Extreme Devotion. Six days a week, Extreme Devotion will share a Scripture, a short story from a persecuted Christian, and an application thought. It’s a great way to spend a little time each day being inspired by the testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters. Every seventh day, the Extreme Devotion podcast will share one inspiring quote. Enjoy this very first episode of Extreme Devotion, and subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts

Last week we began a look back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2024. This week, we continue to remember: A Central Asian pastor, Brother Silas, tells how quickly new believers in Jesus there expect persecution. Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative, on making disciples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo as churches are targeted by Islamists and terrorist groups. As conflict in the Middle East unfolded this year, Ben Barrett, who served as a leader in VOM’s ministry in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank, was reminded that our brothers and sisters there are people God has called us to serve. Brother Joshua, a pastor in Cuba, shares the price he and his family pay to share the gospel and serve the church even in the face of risks. Pastor “AZ,” from Kazakhstan, says the church there grew fastest during a wave of intense persecution. Sister Sara grew up in a Muslim family in Central Asia. She shares how God drew her to stories about Jesus then called her to make a decision to follow him. Hana shares thoughts about being reunited with her father, a pastor imprisoned in Eritrea for the past 20 years. Shino and Shania, ethnic Somalis and devout Muslims, came to faith in Christ after Shania had a dream. They became bold witnesses for Christ. After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to listen to the entire conversations with these guests. Click the links below or listen in the VOM APP. Brother Silas, a pastor in Central Asia Dr. David Kasali, founder and president of Congo Initiative Ben Barrett Brother Joshua, a pastor in Cuba, and David, a Cuban pastor’s son Pastor AZ from Kazakhstan Sister Sara, a Central Asian Christian Hana Mengisteab, daughter of pastor imprisoned in Eritrea for 20 years Shino & Shania, Somali Muslim Background Believers leading Somali Christian TV We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world! We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2024 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. NEW PODCAST BEGINS JANUARY 1! Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs coming in 2025. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

On January First, The Voice of the Martyrs will launch a brand-new podcast: Extreme Devotion. Six days a week, Extreme Devotion will share a Scripture, a short story from a persecuted Christian, and an application thought. It’s a great way to spend a little time each day being inspired by the testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters. Every seventh day, the Extreme Devotion podcast will share one inspiring quote. Enjoy this trailer episode for Extreme Devotion, and subscribe today via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts so that you’ll be ready to begin on Day 1 as VOM launches the Extreme Devotion podcast on January 1. Here’s the trailer episode for…Extreme Devotion.

This week, we look back on some of the most moving moments shared on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2024: Aaron Miller, VOM’s Vice President of International Ministry, gives a glimpse of his time with an African ministry partner and an African word that describes how VOM serves persecuted Christians. Paul Dangtoumba, leader for YWAM’s work in Nigeria, shares his own story of persecution even before he was born and scars he bears today. An expert in trauma care, Brother Philip serves as a field minister in Africa, helping VOM respond to the spiritual and emotional needs of persecuted Christians. Jeff Woodke served as a gospel and humanitarian worker in Niger until terrorists took him hostage. Jeff and his wife, Els, share their experiences during Jeff’s six and a half years in captivity. On a visit to China, Brother Kevin and his family were told of the Hui people who had never heard of the gospel. God called them to go to the Hui, but as the Chinese government imposed more restrictions, their missionary work in China was forcibly ended. Luke and Kate served as medical gospel workers in Myanmar but were also forced to leave. They continue, from a distance, to see God bringing forth fruit. Hearing the gospel on a TV program, Brother Job came to faith. He was boldly sharing the good news via social media when he was kidnapped and threatened by terrorists. As a child, Pastor Nouh Yattara in Mali was drawn to the gospel by a simple gift of a ballpoint pen. He heard the gospel and decades later he still shares the hope he found as a child. After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to listen to the entire conversations with guests from 2024. Click on the links below to listen on VOMRADIO.net or listen in the VOM APP. Aaron Miller, Vice President of International Ministry at VOM Paul Dangtoumda, leader for YWAM’s work in Nigeria Brother Philip, field minister in Africa for VOM Jeff Woodke, taken hostage by Islamic extremists, and his wife, Els Brother Kevin, missionary to the Hui people in China Luke and Kate, medical gospel workers to Myanmar (Burma) Brother Job, gospel worker in North Africa Nouh Yattara, pastor in Mali We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to encourage and challenge listeners all over the world this year. Thank you for faithfully listening and praying for our persecuted family in restricted nations and hostile areas around the world! We’d love to hear from you! Let us know what conversation in 2024 most inspired your faith or equipped you to pray. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. NEW PODCAST BEGINS JANUARY 1! Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs coming in 2025. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

With Prime Minister Modi’s reelection, India has continued on the path to more restrictions against Christian ministry and gospel work. Christian persecution has moved from the village or community level to the national-government level under Modi’s direction. Because of these changes, earlier this year The Voice of the Martyrs changed how India is classified, from hostile area to restricted nation, a place where the government is the driver of persecution against Christians. Despite increasing persecution for Christians in India, our faithful brothers and sisters there serve the Lord—no matter the circumstances. Brother Vijay, a gospel worker from India, joins VOM Radio this week to share how Indian Christians are responding to stricter anti-conversion laws and other increasing persecution. Thousands of Christian ministries have been closed and/or had bank accounts frozen, forcing persecuted Christians to develop creative ways to continue ministry. By staying the course, they demonstrate, “Our ministry is not dependent on money, but on God.” Currently, at least 11 Indian states are enforcing strict anti-conversion laws. Some of those laws carry the threat of life sentences and hefty fines. Vijay will share stories of bold pastors persisting in their ministry after experiencing imprisonment — and one even after being thrown off a moving train! With all these pressures, Brother Vijay explains the preparation to prepare pastors should they end up in prison, and how learning the Bible is the greatest tool for Christians facing trials. Pray for Christians in India that they would be encouraged and remain hopeful amidst increasing persecution. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs. COMING IN 2025: Subscribe now to Extreme Devotion, a new short, daily devotional podcast from The Voice of the Martyrs, which will begin on January 1. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

It didn’t take long. When Shino and Shania began showing their faces in their Somali-language Christian videos on the internet and using their real names, the response was immediate. Their videos were shown all over the world, and the persecuted Christian couple were called apostates and enemies of Islam. Their lives were repeatedly threatened. Since they went public about their faith in 2016, Shino and Shania have had to move from house to house and country to country. Threats are constant, but God’s protection has been constant as well. By God’s grace, they are still broadcasting and sharing their faith with Somalis. “Look around.” Shania sensed God telling her early on in their ministry, “I am building my church among the Somalis. No one can stop it, and now is the time.” Today, thousands of Somali people know their number and follow them on social media at Somali Christian TV. Last week, Shania shared how the Lord drew her to himself and about the four years she prayed for her Muslim husband, who eventually came to Christ as well. This week the couple shares how their online ministry encourages Somalis all over the world, especially in Somalia where Christians are isolated due to Christian persecution, lack of churches and the difficulty of getting Bibles. Listen as Shino & Shania share feedback from former Muslims who used to hate and threaten them. They will also share how they continue to train new leaders and prepare others for persecution when it comes. Pray for the nation of Somalia this week and for Shino and Shania’s continued ministry. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. You can also give online to support persecuted Christians through the work of The Voice of the Martyrs.

Shino and Shania left Mogadishu, Somalia, as Muslims and refugees. They settled in Europe, where they became more devout in their practice of Islam. Then Shania saw a video of radical Muslims in Iraq beheading a hostage in an orange jumpsuit. As they committed this horrific act they shouted praise to the god of Islam. Watching the video, Shania was horrified; she began questioning everything she’d been taught about Islam and Allah. That night she had a powerful dream—a dream that ultimately led her to leave Islam behind and follow Jesus Christ. It was a dangerous decision, yet Shania began immediately to tell others of her new faith and encourage them also to follow Jesus. Four years later, after seeing Shania’s faithfulness and love even in the face of intense Christian persecution, Shino also chose to follow Jesus. United in faith, the couple became even more bold in their witness, putting their names and faces in online videos encouraging other Muslims to follow Jesus. The videos have produced lots of response response: on one side are Muslims wanting to hear more about Jesus, while on the other are Muslims promising to violently punish Shino and Shania for their apostasy. Listen as Shino and Shania share their testimony of coming to faith, and please pray for more Somali people—in Somalia and spread through other nations around the world—to meet Jesus Christ. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet to access VOM Radio each week, in addition to e-books, audio books and video content from The Voice of the Martyrs.

“Every time I doubt, ‘What’s the purpose of this suffering?’ I like to reread this and say, ‘My father actually chose the right cup.’” As of November 19, Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab, both a medical doctor and pastor, has been imprisoned in Eritrea for twenty years. This week his daughter, Hana, is back on VOM Radio to share her father’s own words, which show clearly that he had counted the cost of serving Christ and knew he was likely to be arrested and imprisoned. Dr. Tekleab’s words, through his writings, books, and sermons, still inspire and encourage believers in Eritrea and around the world. Listen as Hana shares how her father began a Christian magazine—not out of a desire to be a publisher but by simply writing letters to a young woman from his church who was going through a difficult season. That young woman began to hand-copy Dr. Tekleab’s letters and share them with other Christians where she was. Hearing how much those letters had encouraged believers, Dr. Tekleab launched The Bread of Life magazine in January 2000. He specifically formatted the magazine in a size that would fit in readers’ pockets. Hana says her father had prepared to go to prison—including making sure his wife and daughters would be cared for. Hana also shares how the Lord has been with her family as she, her mother, and her sisters fled Eritrea. God protected them and helped them to find a new home. Hana and her family harbor no hate for their persecutors but pray for them with love and forgiveness. The same week Dr. Mengisteab was arrested, two other pastors from the Orthodox Church in Eritrea were also taken into custody. All three marked 20 years in prison this month. Please pray for Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab, Dr. Fitsum-Berhan Gebrenegus, and Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregergis, along with more than 300 other Christians currently imprisoned in Eritrea. Pray also for God’s comfort to be close to Hana, her mother and her sisters. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab was a medical doctor and a leader in the World Health Organization for the nation of Eritrea. He was also an ordained minister in the Orthodox Church of Eritrea. Since November 19, 2004—20 years ago this week—Dr. Mengisteab has been a prisoner for Christ, imprisoned without charge or trial by the government of Eritrea. Today he is one of more than 300 imprisoned Christians there. This week on VOM Radio Mengisteab’s daughter, Hana, shares the story of her father’s arrest and of God’s faithfulness to her and her family through the past 20 years. She will tell us how she has found joy amidst suffering, but also how she’s come to know that the Lord “welcomes my grief.” In 2002, the government of President Isaias Afwerki outlawed evangelical churches. The Eritrean Orthodox Church was permitted to continue holding services. While Hana’s father was leading a legal church congregation, his ministry looked different than some others within that church structure. “My father was a very faithful preacher of the gospel,” Hana says. “In his writing and teachings, he was calling for a transformation of the heart.” Dr. Mengisteab wanted Eritreans to have the gospel preached—and have the Bible—in their own, everyday language. Hana was just six years old when her father was arrested. She remembers her mother and church elders at their home talking about her father being gone. “What did it mean that my father is in prison?” Hana wondered. Even after Dr. Mengisteab’s arrest, the church continued to meet and minister. Hana’s mom continued her church activities, risking her own arrest. Only months after her father’s arrest, Hana found herself in police custody when authorities raided a children’s Sunday School meeting. Children as young as 12 were put in handcuffs, yet these young believers had been prepared for Christian persecution. They began to loudly sing praises to God. The same week that Dr. Mengisteab was arrested, two other pastors were also taken into custody. All three will mark 20 years in prison this week. Please pray for Dr. Tekleab Mengisteab, Dr. Fitsum-Berhan Gebrenegus, and Rev. Gebremedhin Gebregergis, along with more than 300 other Christians currently imprisoned in Eritrea. Pray also for Hana and her family as they continue to learn how to grieve her father’s absence while also finding joy in serving the Lord. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast or download the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

“Pastor Joe” was drawn to North Africa not by a call to gospel work but by his own dreams and interests. However, once he was there the Lord opened his eyes to the needs of the people and gave Joe a deep love for them. Ministry in North Africa is difficult, but as Pastor Joe and his family read the Bible, they see that it’s not about them. Rather it’s all about Christ. “We are just the instruments,” says Joe. “We don’t count on ourselves; we count on God.” As Muslims seek spiritual truth and come to Christ, they encounter challenges with unbelieving family and friends. Pastor Joe says that’s why the church is so important to help make up for the family and community new believers have lost by connecting them with new brothers and sisters in Christ. One young lady had a difficult time approaching her family with the gospel message. Joe encouraged her to focus on living out Jesus’ love in front of her family members. Soon, her mother became curious: who was behind the changes she saw in her daughter’s life? Pastor Joe also tells the story of a brother who never misses church gatherings. He says, “I lost so much time not knowing Jesus! Now I want to learn as much as possible.” Joe’s wife always says, “There’s no mission without sacrifice.” The couple are ready to answer questions about Jesus and Christianity from anyone who is seeking, although proselytizing is illegal in the restricted nation where they live. Hear more stories from Pastor Joe and how he prepares new believers to face Christian persecution. He will also share the joy and hope that come as faithful believers live their lives for Christ on display to the people around them. Pray for Christians in North Africa and for Pastor Joe and his family as they continue their gospel work. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

With almost 90% of people in Bhutan identifying as Buddhists, those who follow Christ are a tiny minority. Pastor Rajiv, a church planter and leadership trainer in South Asia, works to reach Bhutanese people for Christ and knows what happens when someone follows Jesus in this restricted nation. In Bhutan, the king is seen as both a political and religious leader. One of his duties is defending Buddhism in the nation. Becoming a Christian is seen as being a traitor to the country and the king. It’s also against the law, so Christians who gather together must do so in secret. Yet being in fellowship with other believers is crucial to spiritual growth and perseverance. Pastor Rajiv reveals his heart for young people and shares how vital it is for them to meet together to study the Bible and pray with one another. Over the last ten years, God has made Pastor Rajiv’s prayers reality: there are now Christian groups that meet on all the college campuses in Bhutan. Rajiv will share his own story of coming to Christ and how he was called into missions. He will also share stories of Bhutanese who have come to faith along with the pressure and Christian persecution they face from the government if they do not renounce Christ. “When you want to live a radical life for Christ, you’ll be willing to pay the cost,” Rajiv says. As you learn how to specifically pray for Bhutan and for Pastor Rajiv, pray with Christians all over the world for the persecuted church this month as part of the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Also, be inspired by this year’s IDOP video, which features the Martinez family in Colombia. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

Fred and Karen, long-time gospel workers in Asia, share this week about the church in Brunei and the challenges they face daily to live boldly for Christ. Christians there can live comfortably—if they don’t share the gospel or attempt to witness to ethnic Malay people. Ethnically, the church there is primarily made up of Chinese, Indians and other expats. It is illegal for ethnic Malay people to be present in a church, and many Christians are hesitant to speak about Christianity to a Malay person for fear of Christian persecution. With such strong repercussions for a Malay person following Christ, and for those who shared the gospel with that person, some Christians in Brunei have the mentality that the Malay will never choose Jesus. The government, which censors information through every medium, always displays Islam in an attractive light—even publishing the names of Christians or people of other faiths who convert to Islam. There are financial and other enticements for non-Muslims to convert—and for Muslims to continue following Islam. Listen as Fred and Karen share the story of a Muslim entering the house of a friend and seeing a Bible; the story illustrates the strong resistance Malay Muslims have toward anything Christian. Pray for God to move in the hearts of Malay Muslims, revealing himself in dreams and visions to them. Pray against the spirit of fear that has fallen on many within the church in Brunei. You may even want to book a plane ticket to go personally to pray on the ground in Brunei. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

Middle East Concern was founded in 1991, in response to needs expressed by Christian leaders in the Middle East and North Africa. Through a network of ministry partners, Middle East Concern seeks to help Christians facing persecution across the Middle East and North Africa. They work to come up with strategies to improve conditions and protect rights of Christians with a goal of seeing Christians able to live out their faith in Christ freely. Brother Rob, a researcher for MEC, shares with VOM Radio this week about his work and about persecution faced by Christians in the MENA region. One of Rob’s areas of interest is Iran, and he will tell us about recent large-scale research that shows how many Iranians are questioning and even rejecting Islam since the Islamic Revolution. Many of those have become followers of Jesus Christ—despite the risk of persecution. Rob also tells how God is bringing good out of Christian persecution in Türkiye (formerly Turkey) as Turkish Christian leaders are stepping up to shepherd the church after the expulsions of numerous foreign Christians. The Turkish government’s strategy since 2019 has been to designate Christians from other countries living in turkey as a “threat to national security” and force them to leave, causing upheaval to many families who’ve lived there for decades. David Byle was one of those pushed out of Türkiye after fighting the expulsion order through the court system. Israel is another country where Rob monitors religious freedom and you’ll hear about challenges to gospel outreach there. Brother Rob will also share how we can pray for Israel, including Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza, as there is so much conflict there. “The Christian community in this part of the world,” says Rob, “are the light and salt in these lands.” Prayer is the central part of the ministry at Middle East Concern as they continue to seek God’s wisdom in each sensitive situation. Learn how you can pray specifically for Christians in Israel, Iran and Türkiye as Rob shares the needs of the church in these nations. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

J.D. Bridges, Vice President of Global Outreach for Ligonier Ministries, tells us this week about Ligonier’s efforts to produce content and teaching materials to defend and teach the holiness of God—not only to American Christians but to Christians around the world, including persecuted Christians in hostile areas and restricted nations. Since 1971, when R.C. Sproul founded the ministry in the Ligonier Valley of western Pennsylvania, Ligonier has continued to produce more and more Biblical content. As people from other nations discovered the work and requested resources in their own languages, Ligonier’s international efforts have grown. Creating a strategy for translation and dubbing, Bridges and his team are focusing on the top twenty languages around the world—which creates the potential to access 80% of the world’s population with gospel materials and theology training. God has opened doors to provide resources in Chinese, Urdu, Hindi, Indonesian, Farsi and many other languages. Out of 5,000,000 pastors around the world, only 5-10% have any theological education. Listen as J.D. shares his heart to create more opportunities for more people to freely engage with Biblical content and how Ligonier works to equip pastors and churches. “For us the first impulse is to equip the pastor…because we know that the church will benefit,” he says. Bridges tells of the difficulties in translating theological concepts into a new language for the first time and the most important thing he gets to do as he builds relationships with persecuted Christians and how Ligonier uses many different and creative angles to provide these tools to Christians in places like China, Iran, Pakistan and other restricted nations. Pray for God’s blessings on continued translation work and distribution efforts. Also, check out the Things Unseen Podcast from Ligonier for thoughtful reflections on the Christian life and our relationship with God. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the VOM Radio podcast.

Sister Sara wrestled with faith questions as she studied Christianity, Islam and other religions in a years-long quest for truth. Last week, Sara shared her struggle to understand and believe how Jesus could be God—a common stumbling block for Muslims hearing the gospel message. Listen this week to hear what happened after she received forgiveness of sin through Christ—and how you can pray for her and other Christians living and ministering in Central Asia. As soon as Sara read Matthew 28:18-19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,” she gathered her words to tell others the gospel. Her first effort was sharing the hope of Christ with her family. Sara tells how her family responded and explains the importance of discipleship resources, written in local heart languages, to train up new Christians in the former Soviet republics of Central Asia. Sara worked to learn how to share the gospel in her own language—and then began learning to explain Jesus’ love in other languages as well. “People need God, but they just didn’t know it.” Sara says. It was only a short time into her outreach ministry when Sara first experienced pushback. God reminded her that Jesus faced persecution with humility and that is the model Sara tries to follow when opposition arises. Her own family’s responses to her Christian faith reminded her that she couldn’t save anyone herself but had to trust God to do the work, and to trust his timing. When Sara reads of historic missionaries who went to the difficult places, she asks, “Why don’t we go there sooner? The harvest is plenty and ready!” Pray the Lord will raise up gospel workers and evangelists to preach the gospel in Central Asia. Pray that, as these workers face Christian persecution, they would be faithful to Jesus even in difficulty and suffering. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the podcast.

As a young woman in an Islamic culture in Central Asia, Sara was drawn to stories of Jesus. He was a good man, she thought, one whose life matched his teachings. But how could Jesus be God? Sara wrestled deeply with this question in her search for truth. Intellectually, she found the Bible to be true, but she couldn’t commit to everything it said. Eternal life was attractive, but the idea that Jesus was God was confusing to her. Sara poured herself into studying different religions, desperate to figure out how she could be confident she’d go to heaven when she died. She prayed, “God, there should be only one way to you.” Sara loved the Bible study she joined at a local church. She was attracted by the love Christians had for each other, even being willing to share their weaknesses and struggles. Everything about Jesus and his followers was attractive to Sara. After so much study and so many questions, Sara heard God’s voice—speaking to her in her own language. “You need to make a decision.” She knew it was God himself speaking with love, authority, gentleness, and power. Sara remembered reading John 14:6 where Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and they life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Listen to hear how Sara came to understand Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for her sin and the peace he gave to overcome her anxieties. Join us next week to hear the price Sara paid for her faith in Christ. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

This month we are commemorating the 10 Anniversary of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. This week we look back on one of the most powerful conversations ever shared on VOM Radio airwaves. Sister Amber spent more than a decade in Tibet providing vocational training to local people and sharing the gospel. She felt God’s call especially to work among Tibet’s nomadic tribal people. Amber watched as God brought about a great ministry breakthrough: people who’d been completely closed to her message were now asking to learn more about Jesus! But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution. Chinese police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells how the Holy Spirit strengthened and spoke to her and how God brought Amber from a place of terror to the point of expressing Christ’s love, even to the men violently persecuting her. “I never felt Jesus so close,” she says. God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber surrounded by five policemen in a room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation! It also contained a ray of spiritual hope. Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber’s thoughts on how the New Testament speaks of the “honor” of being persecuted; she’ll also give first-hand advice on how to pray for Christians in prison right now. Learn how you can pray every day for persecuted Christians like Amber who are imprisoned in hostile and restricted nations. And never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

Over the last decade, God has allowed VOM Radio the opportunity to bring you into fellowship with persecuted Christians and tell the stories of what God is doing around the world even amid suffering and persecution. This week we’ll look back on some of the most moving moments of the first decade of VOM Radio. It was September of 2014 when The Voice of the Martyrs began releasing new VOM Radio episodes weekly. The first episode introduced listeners to members of our persecuted family in China. Gina, a gospel worker with YWAM Frontier Missions and Julian, serving with Operation Mobilization, told in 2015 how God was drawing Muslims to himself – even ISIS fighters were coming to faith in Christ! By watching the JESUS Film in his Turkmen heart language, Silas’s life was forever changed. Several guests over the years have told of being imprisoned for Christ just as the founders of The Voice of the Martyrs, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, were imprisoned for their faith. Helen Berhane, who spent many months locked in a shipping container in Eritrea, reminds us that everything—including following Jesus—will cost us. Listen to how David Byle and Petr Jasek, both imprisoned for Christ, saw God’s purpose for them in prison as they shared the gospel, and how Dan Baumann was reminded that God could still change people’s hearts, even in prison in Iran. You’ll hear these stories of heroic faith and also stories of faith overcoming fear, like Maria praying God would remove her fear after Cuban authorities issued an arrest warrant for her husband. God has inspired thousands with the testimonies of martyrs’ widows who publicly forgave their husband’s killers, like Anita Smith and Pauline Ayyad. Hannelie Groenewald shares how she learned that her husband and teen-aged children had been killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Also Gary Witherall remembers how God ministered to him after his wife, Bonnie, was killed for her faith in Lebanon. More than seven years after his abduction, Susanna Koh still doesn’t know what happened to her husband, Pastor Raymond Koh. After a season of great loss, Nik and Ruth Ripken chose to sit at the feet of persecuted Christians to learn from them about following Christ in difficulty and suffering. THANK YOU for listening to the stories of our persecuted family over the last ten years! We pray that VOM Radio will continue to build a bridge of fellowship between fellow members of the Body of Christ whether they live in free nations, hostile areas or restricted nations. What episodes most moved or inspired you during the first 10 years of VOM Radio? Share your most impactful episode. Never miss an episode! Subscribe to the podcast.