YOU CAN HELP CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD BEING PERSECUTED FOR THEIR FAITH!
About VOM - "Voice Of The Martyrs"
The Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization dedicated to assisting the persecuted church worldwide. VOM was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ. His wife, Sabina, was imprisoned for three years. In the 1960s, Richard, Sabina, and their son, Mihai, were ransomed out of Romania and came to the United States. Through their travels, the Wurmbrands spread the message of the atrocities that Christians face in restricted nations, while establishing a network of offices dedicated to assisting the persecuted church. The Voice of the Martyrs continues in this mission around the world today through the following main purposes:
1. To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great
Commission in areas of the world where they are
persecuted for their involvement in propagating the gospel
of Jesus Christ. We accomplish this by providing Bibles,
literature, radio broadcasts, medical assistance, and other
forms of aid.
2. To give relief to the families of Christian martyrs in these
areas of the world.
3. To equip local Christians to love and win to Christ their
enemies who are opposed to the gospel in countries where
believers are actively persecuted for their Christian
witness.
4. To undertake projects of encouragement, helping
believers rebuild their lives and Christian witness in
countries that have formerly suffered Communist
oppression.
5. To emphasize the fellowship of all believers by informing
the world of atrocities committed against Christians and by
remembering their courage and faith.
"Tortured For Christ"
Months of solitary confinement, years of periodic physical torture, constant suffering from hunger and cold, the anguish of brainwashing and mental cruelty - these are the experiences of Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian pastor, during his 14 years in Communist prisons.
His crime, like that of thousands of others, was his fervent belief in Jesus Christ and his public witness concerning that faith.
Meeting in homes, in basements, in the woods - sometimes daring to preach on public street corners - these faithful souls persisted in their Christian witness knowing full well the ultimate cost of their actions.
Tortured for Christ is their story - a classic account of courage, tenacious faith and unbelievable endurance. This history of the Underground Church reflects the struggle in many parts of the world - a struggle that continues to this day.
"This book was singularly instrumental in awakening the conscience of the free world to the horrors experienced by our brothers and sisters behind the Iron Curtain."
- Charles W. Colson, Prison Fellowship
See Below For What You Can Do To Help!
CLICK ON ANY OF THE BANNERS BELOW TO GO DIRECTLY TO THAT SITE!
"Writing To Prisoners"
You may select from the various phrases and Scripture verses we have provided. These will be translated in the appropriate language. We also encourage you to write a few simple lines in English. The prisoner or one of his or her cellmates may be able to understand it.
(NOTE: When writing additional lines, please do not state anything negative about their government.)
We also invite you to personalize your letter with a postcard or family photo. Attractive Christian greeting cards are especially cherished.
Christian prisoners are generally not allowed to write letters or cannot afford to mail them. However, it is possible that you will receive a reply from family members, attorneys, or other acquaintances of the prisoner to whom you write. In most cases, VOM does not have direct contact with these people. It is not uncommon for those living in restricted nations to write to people in the West asking for financial assistance or help to leave their country. VOM does not recommend sending money directly to anyone inside a restricted nation.
We DO NOT encourage individuals to send funds directly to those claiming to represent the imprisoned Christians. Through VOM’s Families of Martyrs Fund, we are able to provide assistance to these Christians in an appropriate manner.
For many families in these restricted lands, the cost of a letter back to you may be equal to a day’s wage. Letters sent to Christian prisoners are occasionally returned unopened. Sometimes, authorities refuse to give a prisoner their mail in order to make them feel isolated. In other cases, the prisoner may have been moved to a different camp and their mail is not forwarded. Keep writing. Don’t be discouraged! Your letters are significant. They are a quiet and loving gift to your brothers and sisters. You will rejoice together when we meet in Heaven.
Never mention the name of the source of your information or the name of any organization such as Voice of the Martyrs or Prisoner Alert. It is not dangerous for a prisoner to receive letters from individuals, but if an organization is mentioned they may be accused of links with ‘foreign organizations’ and receive harsher sentences.
Please do not send the letters to The Voice of the Martyrs for mailing. The letters are more effective when the officials see persons have sent them from many different parts of our nation. Your local post office can help you with the required postage.
Occasionally someone else may respond to your letter and request money from you. Please be assured that the program officers from VOM are providing assistance to the families of prisoners. If you receive such a letter you may forward a copy to PrisonerAlert at The Voice of the Martyrs, PO Box 443, Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 74005, USA
Persecution Worldwide
In more than 40 nations around the world today Christians are being persecuted for their faith. In some of these nations it is illegal to own a Bible, to share your faith Christ, change your faith or teach your children about Jesus. Those who boldly follow Christ—in spite of government edict or radical opposition—can face harassment, arrest, torture and even death. Yet Christians continue to meet for worship and to witness for Christ, and the church in restricted nations is growing.
Areas of the world where Christians face persecution include:
Afghanistan Egypt Libya Somalia
Algeria Eritrea Malaysia Sri Lanka
Azerbaijan Ethiopia Maldives Sudan
Bangladesh Gaza and the West Bank Mindanao, Philippines Syria
Belarus India Mauritania Tajikistan
Bhutan Indonesia Morocco Tibet (China)
Brunei Iran Nepal Tunisia
Burma (Myanmar) Iraq Nigeria Turkey
Chiapas, Mexico Jordan North Korea Turkmenistan
China Kuwait Oman United Arab Emirates
Colombia Kyrgyzstan Pakistan Uzbekistan
Comoros Laos Qatar Vietnam
Cuba Lebanon Saudi Arabia Yemen
For more information on these countries and persecution worldwide, sign on at www.persecution.com
AND REMEMBER TO
Prayer Is Powerful