Come with us to the Middle East as VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, and his wife, Char, share stories from a recent visit to persecuted Christians in the region. Listen as they share updates on Iraqi refugees who fled from ISIS more than five years ago and what the Lord is currently doing in the lives of persecuted Christians – even one who has only been a believer one week!

You’ll hear about an Iranian woman who, in just two years as a believer, has planted almost 40 churches! She uses every opportunity to pray for others in Jesus’ name. When those prayers are answered, they instantly want to know more about the Lord she serves.

Learn about Christians in the Middle East sacrificially staying with Muslim family members—in spite of persecution—in the hope of seeing their relatives know Christ. Listen also to hear about a service where former Muslims were baptized into new life in Christ—and the joy radiating from the new believers’ faces.

As ISIS drove across the Nineveh plains, many Iraqi Christians fled to surrounding countries as refugees. More than five years later, many are still waiting for a new beginning in another country. They are unable to work and their children can’t attend school. But the church is welcoming them—both Muslim and Christian refugees. VOM continues to partner with churches to help meet Christian refugees’ needs and encourage them in this discouraging season. Learn how you can pray for them and for the church in the Middle East. 

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Across Africa, the church is undergoing attacks on its members and their meeting places. Yet despite the destruction, our Christian brothers and sisters exhibit an overwhelming joy in Christ.

Sean Paton and Jeremy Malkin continue the conversation from last week on VOM’s efforts to help our persecuted brothers in Burkina Faso, Benin, Sudan, and Mozambique. Listen as Jeremy and Sean share how Christians are responding to the persecution in these regions—and also share encouraging stories of God’s work in Africa during the past year.

Animistic ideology and belief in the spirits of their ancestors is prevalent in Benin. Christianity is often seen as destroying that culture. New believers are rejecting the rituals and practices of animism and holding fast to their faith in Christ, and therefore being targeted.

In Burkina Faso, thirteen churches were destroyed within a week last year by mobs who wanted to rid the area of Christianity. Yet our brothers and sisters gathered to worship the Lord amidst the destruction because of their hope in Him. Listen as Jeremy shares their stories and how we can pray for them.

In Mozambique, there has been horrific persecution of Christians by Islamic extremist groups who have pledged allegiance to ISIS. This has forced many Christians to flee, and VOM is helping to meet physical needs and spiritual hunger for God’s Word. In Sudan, political tension continues to grow, which has given a window to provide spiritual encouragement and support to Christians through Bibles and other evangelistic resources.

Pray for our brothers and sisters to be bold and courageous for Christ in Africa as they face animistic and Islamist persecution, and to be reminded that what men intend for evil, God can use for good.

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Across Africa, instability and the growing influence of radical Islamist ideology mean more persecution for our Christian brothers and sisters.

Sean Paton and Jeremy Malkin oversee VOM’s efforts to serve persecuted Christians across Africa. Listen as they share updates on how Christians are responding—especially in the Central African Republic and Ethiopia.

Thousands of Christians have been displaced in CAR by a civil war in which Christians have at times found themselves specifically targeted and at other times been caught in the crossfire between different factions. Listen as Jeremy gives an update on their situation, tells of meeting them first hand and describes specific ways we can pray for them.

Ethiopia has also experienced upheaval in the past year, which provided cover for targeting Christians by those opposed to the gospel in the region. Sean will tell us what Christians there are facing, and give ways to pray.

You can be inspired to pray for Christians in these and other nations throughout 2022 when you request your free copy of the 2022 VOM Global Prayer Guide.

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Join us as we continue to look back on some of the most moving moments on VOM Radio in 2021:

• “Brother Aaron” says Christian persecution in Pakistan is “like the air”—all around, all the time.
• Aaron Miller says his personal experience of persecution was surprising—but sacred as well.
• Dan Baumann and Andrew Brunson said they don’t miss being in prison, but sometimes they do miss that intimacy with God. (Register to view the Imprisoned for Christ Virtual Event.)
• Ellen Oblander shared how Richard Wurmbrand responded to suffering—even long after he was released from prison.
• Anita Smith remembered the death of her husband, Ronnie Smith, in Libya, and how she began to pray for the men who killed him.
• Tat Stewart tells about being in Tehran the day the US Embassy was taken over in 1979—and how God honored the spiritual seeds he planted in Iran.
• Andy Byrd told of a young lady who came to Christ in the Himalayas—and paid a very high price.
• “Brother Stephen” remembered telling the story of Jesus in a Bedouin camp to people who had never heard it before.
• Tom and JoAnn Doyle shared how God transformed a man from Syria named Mohammed—and through that transformation reached his wife, Dina, as well.
• John Weaver shared specific ways to pray for Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover of the country.

After hearing these brief program excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can search for VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app, or listen online at the links below.

• Brother Aaron from Pakistan
• Aaron Miller
• Dan Baumann and Andrew Brunson panel discussion
• Ellen Oblander, editor for Richard Wurmbrand
• Anita Smith on forgiving her husband’s murderers
• Tat Stewart on living in Tehran in 1979
• Andy Byrd, leader of The Send
• Brother Stephen from Operation Mobilization
• Tom and JoAnn Doyle
• John Weaver on Afghanistan

We praise God for allowing VOM Radio to share these amazing stories of His faithfulness in 2021. THANK YOU for listening. Please subscribe to the podcast and share VOM Radio with Christian friends you know would also be encouraged by these testimonies!

Join in as we begin a look back on some of the amazing testimonies God allowed VOM Radio to share in 2021:

• C. Anderson from YWAM shares how she overcame fear to serve the Lord around the world.
• Brother Joshua from Cuba says he’s afraid every time he encounters Cuban police or authorities—but trusts God will give him the words to say.
• Maria says she told God that if He was calling her to dangerous work in restricted nations, He needed to take away her fear—and God answered her prayer!
• Alayu from Ethiopia was given a choice: “choose Jesus or my gun.” He explained to his persecutor that he’d already made that choice: he chose Jesus.
• Brother Joe was almost overcome by a spirit of fear when he was told a spy had infiltrated his Bible smuggling network. Listen to how he prayed—and the Biblical example that inspired him to overcome.
• Paul and Suzy Childers serve together in ministry with YWAM. Listen to how they consistently send each other out into difficulties and danger, trusting each other into the Lord’s care.
• Cheng Jie and her husband—a Chinese pastor—had talked about what would happen if he was arrested. But they weren’t prepared for her to be the one who went to jail.
• Both Gracia and Semse lost their husbands to persecution attacks. They shared how they have been able to bear that loss—and how it affected their children.
• We’ll also share a brief excerpt from the audio version of VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton’s book, When Faith if Forbidden.

After hearing these brief interview excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can search for VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app, or listen online at the links below.

• C. Anderson
• Brother Joshua
• Maria from Cuba
• Alayu from Ethiopia
• Joe and Dawn: “We didn’t come here to be safe.”
• Paul and Suzy Childers: Part 1 and Part 2
• Cheng Jie
• Gracia and Semse: Part 1 and Part 2
• When Faith is Forbidden audio book: Departure Day and Day 1

Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Also: share a link to VOM Radio with a Christian friend who will also be blessed by these testimonies.

Jonathan Ekman leads The Voice of the Martyrs’ international work, overseeing a team serving persecuted Christians in more than 70 nations around the world.

As we look back on VOM’s international efforts in 2021, listen to hear how God used Covid-19 to facilitate delivery of 50,000 Bibles into an extremely closed nation, how persecution has increased in Africa and how God may use the Taliban to further the gospel advance in Afghanistan.

Jonathan will also talk about what Christmas looks like in hostile and restricted nations, and encourage us with specific ways that we can pray for our persecuted family members.

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“I was really thirsty for God, hungry for God, to find who He is,” Pastor Amir Bazmjou says. “That’s why I became very fanatic Muslim.”

Amir was born into a Shia Muslim family in Iran, and he grew into a very devout Muslim seeking to earn Allah’s favor. When Shia Islam couldn’t answer the desires of his heart for a relationship with Allah, he became Sufi, a form of Islamic mysticism.

Then someone gave him a Bible. In spite of a lifetime of conditioning not to believe the Bible, Amir began to read. When Amir asked Jesus—if He was real—to change Amir’s heart, God answered that prayer.

Listen to hear Amir’s inspiring testimony, and pray for persecuted Christians in Iran.

Amir’s wife, Rashin Soodmand, is the daughter of Iranian martyr Pastor Hossein Soodmand. Listen to her story. Connect with Amir, Rashin and Torch Ministries at their web site.

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“Pastor Chitria” has been arrested multiple times for his ministry work in Nepal. He says such treatment is an honor and a privilege!

Pastor Chitria talks about preparing believers to stand strong in the face of Christian persecution. He says new Christians preparing for baptism must answer seven questions, including whether they are willing to lose their family, friends and even their freedom to stand for Christ.

Hindus believe there are more than 330 million gods—yet radical Hindus in Nepal see Jesus as a great threat to their life and culture. Pastor Chitria shares one unique challenge Nepali Christians face when one of their fellow believers dies, and how it is used to pressure new believers to renounce their faith in Christ.

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On December 5, 2013, Ronnie Smith was shot and killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi. In this second half of our interview with Anita Smith, Ronnie’s widow, she talks about the legacy her husband left and the faith she continues to exercise in raising their son without his earthly father around.

Shortly after Ronnie’s death, Anita spoke in media interviews about her love for the Libyan people and about forgiving her husband’s murderers—including interviews in Arabic with Middle East broadcasters.

Anita will share some of the things she wants their son to know about his earthly father, and ways God has encouraged and sustained her in the eight years since Ronnie’s murder. She’ll also talk about how the testimonies of other Christians facing persecution and hardship encouraged her faith.

If you missed the first half of the conversation with Anita, listen here. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

On December 5, 2013, Ronnie Smith was shot and killed in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Within days, Ronnie’s wife, Anita, spoke on national TV in the US about her love for the Libyan people and about forgiving her husband’s murderers. She also did interviews—in Arabic—that were broadcast all over the Middle East.

Listen to Anita Smith share the story—the story of her grief, but also the story of how God was present in those days, and in the years since.

She’ll talk about how God inspired her and Ronnie to pursue overseas gospel work—and how they prayed as they moved to Benghazi just months after the US consulate was overrun by Islamist fighters. She’ll tell how their neighbors welcomed and adopted them—and about the day she received the terrible phone call that Ronnie had been killed.

Listen next week for Part 2 of our conversation with Anita Smith.

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Aaron Miller leads VOM’s work in the Middle East. Recently he spoke in a college chapel, including telling the story of an experience of persecution he endured in India.

Aaron says even though the Bible promises Christians will face persecution, in that moment of suffering as he was punched and kicked he was surprised. But something else happened as well: he experienced God’s presence and grace in a significant and sacred way.

“In a way that I never dreamed of, I had a fellowship with Christ that I did not have before,” he says of that day.

Aaron also shares stories of persecuted Christians in Colombia, Bangladesh and the Middle East.

Aaron Miller has previously appeared on VOM Radio; you can hear some of those conversations here, here and here. Our thanks to Reformation Bible College for permission to share Aaron’s chapel presentation with VOM Radio listeners.

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Join us this week for a podcast concert of prayer on behalf of persecuted Christians around the world in commemoration of the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians (IDOP).

Leaders from among VOM’s international ministry regions will talk about specific prayer needs in their region of the world, then lead in prayer for persecuted brothers and sisters in those regions. Author John Weaver will lead a special time of prayer for Afghanistan and Christians there in light of the upheaval and transition that took place in that nation this year. Former prisoner for Christ Petr Jasek will lead in prayer specifically for Sudan in light of the recent coup.

Join in prayer for persecuted Christians this week on VOM Radio, then pray throughout the year with help from VOM’s Global Prayer Guide, iCommitToPray.com or the 2022 VOM Prayer Calendar.

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John Grooters is the director of a new movie portraying the marriage, choice to become Christians and early persecution of VOM's founders, Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand—told through the eyes of Sabina. SABINA: Tortured For Christ, The Nazi Years will screen in more than 800 theaters in the US for three days only – November 8, 9 and 10. Buy tickets here.

Grooters also directed Tortured For Christ – The Movie, which portrayed how the Wurmbrands were persecuted under communists in Romania. SABINA is a prequel to the first film, telling an earlier part of the Wurmbrands’ story, including their persecution—and how they blessed—Nazi forces that occupied their nation.

Listen as John talks about the challenge of making a film in the Wurmbrands’ native Romania in the midst of a worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. John will also share how God’s hand was on the production, including filming the scene of Richard’s baptism in the very room where it happened!

You’ll hear how Richard and Sabina’s faith has impacted Grooters as he spent five years deeply connected to their story as he created two films, and how he hopes it will impact the faith of viewers around the US and all over the world.

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Jonathan Ekman and Matthew Hanson recently visited persecuted Christians in Central Asia—Christians caught between a growing wave of radical Islam and governments with a communist-style distrust of all religion.

Matthew and Jonathan will share stories from believers they met. Listen to hear “the rest of the story” of one of the chapters in When Faith Is Forbidden (VOM Radio host Todd Nettleton’s book), including how God has built on the legacy of a martyred pastor in Tajikistan.

They’ll also share the story of a woman who faced intense persecution from her own family, yet has seen God take her suffering and create something “beautiful.”

Christians in Central Asia don’t have protection from their governments or from families. Yet the church is growing across the region as more and more people experience the spiritual family of followers of Jesus.

You can receive a free copy of When Faith is Forbidden when you make a donation to The Voice of the Martyrs.

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How long was it from the time you heard Jesus died, until you knew that He rose again? What did you feel in that interim? Grief? Loss? Defeat? And what did it mean when you knew that He did rise again?

“Brother Stephen” has worked with Operation Mobilization for many years sharing the gospel among Muslims, including nomadic peoples in the Middle East. He has told the story of Jesus to people who had never heard it before! Listen for the story of how one woman responded to Jesus’ death.

Brother Stephen will share how God called him to missions, and advise those feeling a call to missionary service today. He challenges us to see Muslims not as an enemy to be defeated, but as a prize to be won for Christ. He’ll also share about Muslims making the decision to follow Christ and the price they often pay for that decision. How can Christians living in free nations reach out to Muslims they know or work with? How can we pray for gospel work among Muslims?

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Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when Iran’s government executed her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, and buried him in an unmarked grave in a part of the cemetery reserved for “the cursed.” But killing this faithful pastor didn’t erase his legacy or stop the growth of the church in Iran.

Her father wasn’t the only martyr of the persecuted Iranian church that Rashin knew well. In this second part of our conversation, Rashin shares things she remembers about other martyrs she knew personally: Haik Hovsepian, who preached at her father’s funeral; Mehdi Dibaj, who encouraged her to attend Bible school; and Pastor Mohammad “Ravanbakhsh” Yusefi.

To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site. If you missed the first part of this conversation, listen here.

Next month Christians around the world will join in prayer for persecuted Christians on the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Download your free IDOP resources now.

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Rashin Soodmand was 13 years old when her father, Pastor Hossein Soodmand, was executed in Iran for the crime of apostasy.

Rashin remembers that day as a strange mix of sadness and joy as she, her family and members of their church dealt with the loss of Pastor Soodmand while at the same time celebrating his life and the fact that he had stood boldly in the face of Christian persecution and threats.

Rashin will tell how church leaders encouraged Pastor Hossein to leave Iran and go somewhere safer. He refused; he knew that for him to flee would discourage the hearts of his congregation. She’ll describe the man she knew—a man who genuinely loved people, both Christians and Muslims—and tell of the last time she saw her dad.

To learn more about the current ministry activities of Rashin and her husband, Amir, visit the Torch Ministries web site.

Next month Christians around the world will join in prayer for persecuted Christians on the International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Download your free IDOP resources now.

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Joe Handley leads Asian Access, a ministry to train and equip church leaders—including many working in countries where Christians face persecution for their faith.

Listen as Joe shares the story of an imprisoned Christian in Myanmar who found a way to be a blessing, even from inside prison. Joe will also talk about training up leaders in hostile and restricted nations—and especially helping them learn to abide in and rely on Christ.

Hear how Christians in Sri Lanka reached out to those opposing them, and the way it opened a door for the gospel in a formerly-closed village. And learn how the gospel is advancing in India, in spite of persecution.

Don’t forget: the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church, coming up November 7. Get free resources from VOM to help you and your church pray.

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Semse Aydin and her husband, Necati, were expecting a baby. Necati had been arrested for gospel work in Turkey, and now the couple had a decision to make. Would they continue advancing the gospel among their countrymen, in spite of the risk of more persecution? Or would they choose a safer path for their now-growing family? Together, Necati and Semse made the decision: they would continue boldly in their Christian work. The decision led them to Malatya, where Necati was murdered in 2007.

This week we continue our conversation with Semse and Gracia Burnham. Both women are widows whose husbands were killed serving in front-line ministry work. Both have experienced God’s faithfulness in the years since, and both consider their suffering for Christ an honor.

Listen as they discuss their husbands’ legacies and what their ministry looks like today.

You can hear in-depth interviews with Gracia and Semse in the VOM Radio Archives. Please continue to pray for them, and their children.

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Gracia Burnham was serving as a missionary in the Philippines with her husband, Martin, when they were taken hostage by a radical Islamist group. Martin was killed in a rescue attempt, leaving Gracia to raise their three children alone. But she was not alone; God has been with her. “I’ve seen God be faithful…He takes special care of the widows,” Gracia says.

Semse Aydin also experienced the loss of a husband when Necati was murdered with two other Christian men in Malatya, Turkey in 2007. The couple had two young children.

Listen this week as these two women share the stories of their pain and loss, but also how God has written a different story, one of joy and forgiveness and provision.

You can hear in-depth interviews with Gracia and Semse in the VOM Radio Archives. Please continue to pray for them, and for their children.

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