“Brother Mark” works among Christians in the Middle East and North Africa, training new believers and equipping them to reach out and win Muslims to Christ. This week he’ll share stories of what new believers face after leaving Islam—often starting with persecution from their own families. He’ll talk about witnessing to Muslims and equip listeners to answer some of the questions Muslims may ask about Christianity and the Bible. Finally, Mark will talk specifically about some of the nations of North Africa, including updates on Christians in Egypt and Mauritania, and how we can pray for Christians all across that region.

Her husband was the village police chief, the man responsible to make sure no more people in the village became Christians. And now she had chosen to follow Christ! Her husband pressured her to renounce her faith; then he beat her. Then he threatened her life. “I’m willing to die,” she answered. That’s just one of the stories you’ll hear this week from Brother Sionh, the voice of the Khmu Christian radio broadcast in Southeast Asia. He’ll also share the great need for leaders within the rapidly-growing Khmu church and how VOM is helping equip and train new leaders to meet that need. Finally we’ll hear how we can pray for Laos and for our brothers and sisters there. Watch the video Brother Sionh refers to telling the story of one imprisoned Laotian believer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFEvc60mABA

Imagine seeing three of your best friends murdered for their faith in Christ. Brother Gokhan experienced that loss, living in Malatya where three Christians—all part of his church—were murdered. Today Gokhan is a part of Sat-7 TURK, sharing the gospel across the nation via satellite television. He tells us that risk is a part of sharing the gospel in Turkey. “We need to be sacrifice people,” he says. But he reminds us that the power to endure persecution doesn’t come from us, it comes from God. Listen this week to learn more about what recent political turmoil in Turkey means for the church and how you can be praying for our brothers and sisters in that nation.

Julia and Sam are two of the college students who served as interns this summer at VOM. Listen in as they share some of their experiences, and what they’ve learned—both professionally and spiritually—during their two months of service. How will they be different when they go back to their college campuses? What have their duties been at VOM, and what did they learn about VOM’s ministry that surprised them? We’ll also share details about VOM’s intern program for next year, and how to apply if God is nudging you toward service as an intern at VOM.

Dr. Berhane spent 11 months in prison for his Christian faith and work; he watched friends and fellow prisoners led away to execution. But he also saw God’s hand at work as fellow prisoners accepted the gospel message and turned their hearts toward Christ. Dr. Berhane tells us what God taught him through dark days of suffering and how he prepared himself to face persecution. Finally, he’ll update listeners on the current situation for believers in Eritrea and share specific ways to pray for that African nation.

What does it mean for Christians in prison to get letters from Christians around the world? It means that they are part of a family, and they are not forgotten.

In Part 2 of our interview with Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh they share more of the story of how God used them inside Iran's notorious Evin Prison, where they spent 259 days.

Listen as they share the heartbreak of seeing children born in prison and later taken from their mothers. Maryam and Marziyeh share how their treatment in prison changed when letters from around the world began arriving, and they'll give ideas about how we can talk to Muslims about our faith in Christ.

You'll be inspired by the faith of these two women who consider it an honor to have been allowed to suffer for Jesus.

Write letters to Christians still in prison today at www.PrisonerAlert.com.

Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh were bold evangelists in Iran, sharing their faith and distributing Bibles in that Islamic nation. Their evangelism work caught the attention of the authorities, and the two women ended up in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison, where they spent 259 days.

But even in prison, Maryam and Marziyeh saw God’s hand at work, providing for them and allowing them to be witnesses for Him.

“We experienced in prison how we should trust God and how we should trust His plans,” Maryam says. Listen as they share how they began their ministry, what happened the day of their arrest, how they saw God at work in prison and even about the most discouraging day in Evin.

You will be inspired as you hear Maryam and Marziyeh share about their sacrificial love for Christ.

Merv Knight is one of the longest-serving members of VOM’s worldwide family, having met VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand on the first day of August in 1969. Merv shares this week stories of the Wurmbrands, how they ministered both under persecution and after coming to the free world, and some of the challenges they faced launching a ministry to serve persecuted believers around the world. Merv also shares testimonies from some of the many persecuted Christians he’s met during more than 45 years of service to our persecuted family, and the lessons he’s learned from the lives of those willing to suffer and even die rather than deny their faith in Christ.

The United States and Cuba have diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of animosity. President Obama recently visited Cuba. But has anything changed for the church or for Cuban Christians? Pastor “Jose” is a Cuban church leader, and he’ll share this week a reminder that Cuba is still a communist nation and that our Christian brothers and sisters there are still persecuted. But Jose also has exciting news: Cuba’s Christians are not afraid of the government or persecution and they are boldly sharing the gospel. House churches are being planted and are growing, in spite of efforts by the government to exert control and instill fear in believers. We’ll also welcome back to the studio “John and Mary,” working among Muslims in Europe, to hear how persecution happens even to Muslims living in free nations in Europe. Mary also offers advice to people sensing God’s call to missions.

“John” and “Mary” are working among Muslim immigrants and refugees in Europe, sharing the love of Jesus with people from a particular nation. Their work includes contacts with both long-term European residents and new refugees fleeing the crisis in the Middle East; each group requires different approaches when presenting the gospel. Listen as John and Mary share stories from their work—including the unique way God prepared Mary as a teen-ager to work among Muslims—and some common characteristics and experiences among Muslims who are choosing to leave Islam and follow Christ. We’ll also talk about how you can reach out to Muslims, even if you feel intimidated or don’t think you know the Quran well enough or know the right answers for their questions. We’ll inspire your faith and add to your prayer list this week on VOM Radio.

“Brother John” helps lead the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has served as a missionary in Muslim nations, and today is involved in recruiting and sending mission workers to the hardest and most unreached places in the world. Listen as Brother John shares the challenge of sending workers into harm’s way, what motivates him to keep sending even after some workers are martyred, and the joy of seeing God move in Muslim nations. John also shares thoughts on how American churches can do a better job of preparing and inspiring more people to hear God’s call to take the gospel to the world’s toughest places. We’ll also hear more from songwriter Steve Merkel about using music to share the love of Jesus around the world, and his experiences in Islamic nations.

Telling inspiring stories of our persecuted family has always been at heart of VOM’s ministry. We are thankful for wonderful ministry partners who come alongside to help us tell those stories in various forms—books, songs, films—to impact and inspire more Christians with the courage of our persecuted family and the faithfulness of God. This week we’ll meet some of those partners, including Cris Doornbos, CEO of David C. Cook publishers; Steve Merkel, who co-wrote the song “We Stand As One” for the I Am N album; and Bill Curtis, President of Vision Video and producer of The Torchlighters series of animated films telling the stories of Christian heroes, including heroes who boldly stood for their faith in the face of persecution. Listen to hear how our persecuted family has inspired each of these men—and their families—and how they are spreading those stories even further. Get “We Stand As One”: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6549-i-am-n-book-music-cd.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Get The Torchlighters DVDs: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6228-torchlighters-12-dvd-boxed-set.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT Get The Action Bible: https://secure.persecution.com/p-6113-the-action-bible.aspx?source=VOMRADIONT

Brother “Samuel” leads a media ministry in Pakistan, reaching out to Muslims with the gospel of Christ. It isn’t always a popular message: Samuel has been threatened, his staff has been beaten and his office has been attacked. Charges under Pakistan’s blasphemy law are a constant threat. But God is at work! Muslims are accessing ministry resources and meeting Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Listen as Samuel shares the challenges of serving Christ in Pakistan—“anything can happen at any time”—and how he constantly re-commits himself and his family to the ministry that God has called them to, whatever the cost may be. In spite of the danger, Samuel says it a privilege and joy to see God standing with them and see Muslims coming to faith in Christ. Your faith will be strengthened as Brother Samuel shares this week on VOM Radio.

Semse Aydin’s husband, Necati, was one of three Christian men martyred for their faith and ministry in Turkey. The next day, on national TV in Turkey, Semse offered forgiveness to her husband’s killers, along with the widow of one of the other martyrs. Listen this week as she shares how the Holy Spirit enabled her to forgive, and how God has sustained her and her two children since she gave Necati to Jesus. You’ll also hear how Necati dealt with family members who were still Muslims, and how he went to meet with his killers, even though he thought their motives might not be pure. You’ll be inspired by God’s faithfulness and equipped to pray more for the nation of Turkey and for the families of martyrs this week on VOM Radio. This interview with Semse was recorded live at a VOM Advance Conference; to find a conference in your area, visit http://www.vomevents.com.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is the home of the fastest-growing church in the world. Thousands of Muslims there are choosing to follow Christ. Dr. Mike Ansari leads a movement called Heart 4 Iran, a movement to reach more Iranians with the gospel message of Christ’s love. Mike was born into an Iranian Muslim family, but his mother came to faith in Christ and was radically transformed, ultimately changing her entire family. Today Dr. Ansari broadcasts the gospel message into Iran, where people are hungry to hear. He’ll share how Jesus is transforming Iranian hearts, and how new Christians are boldly witnessing, even at great risk to themselves. Mike will also help you understand how to reach out to Muslims around you, and he’ll share about a project VOM was a part of that delivered thousands of Bibles into Iran. Learn more about God’s work in Iran and how you can pray for our brothers and sisters there this week on VOM Radio.

This week Sister “Amber” shares the rest of the story of her imprisonment and torture in Tibet, including how God ministered to her in the hardest moments of her suffering. You’ll hear how she was eventually released, and the way God showed her that her persecution wasn’t the end of the story. You’ll also hear how God laid on the hearts of people around the world to pray for Amber, including one who drew a picture of Amber and the policemen in the interrogation room. Months later, when Amber saw the picture, it matched exactly the setting of her interrogation, and it contained a ray of spiritual hope. Your faith will be challenged as you hear Amber’s thoughts on what the New Testament calls the “honor” of being persecuted, and she’ll give you first-hand advice on how to pray for Christians in prison right now. Listen to Part 1 of Amber’s story: https://soundcloud.com/the-voice-of-the-martyrs/tibet-i-could-only-rely-on-jesus Photo credit: “Tibet” by Christopher Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67/5135039514/)

Sister Amber spent more than a decade in Tibet, providing vocational training to the people and sharing the gospel message of Christ’s love. She felt God’s call especially to work among Tibet’s nomadic tribal people, who jokingly call themselves “the roof on the roof of the world.” Amber watched as God brought about a great ministry breakthrough: people who’d been totally closed to her message were now asking to learn more about Jesus. But just days after the breakthrough Amber experienced persecution as police came pounding on her door. Listen as she tells the story. You’ll hear how the Holy Spirit strengthened and spoke to her, and how God brought Amber from a place of terror to the point of being able to express Christ’s love, even to the men violently persecuting her. Photo credit: “Morning Kora in Lhasa, Tibet” by Christopher Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/cmichel67/15589457503/)

Nik and Ruth Ripken went to Africa as missionaries. They experienced great works of God, and also great hardship and loss. Malaria almost killed them. Four Christian friends were killed on one day in Somalia. Their 16-year-old son died suddenly. Amidst such loss and suffering, they wondered, “Is Jesus for the tough places?” Seeking an answer, Nik and Ruth travelled the world to sit down with Christians faithfully enduring persecution. They went not as teachers but as students, asking simply to sit at the feet of persecuted believers and learn from them. Your faith will be challenged as Nik and Ruth share some of the faith lessons they learned from the examples of our persecuted family. Photo courtesy of IMB.

The last two weeks on VOM Radio we’ve heard from John Short, the Australian Christian detained in North Korea in 2014 after leaving gospel tracts outside a Buddhist temple. This week we hear another side of the story, from John’s wife, Karen, who was at home in Hong Kong dealing with the media, praying for her husband and receiving encouragement from all over the world.

Listen in as Karen shares:

• How God ministered to her during John’s detention
• How she and John stayed connected through Scripture—even though they couldn’t communicate at all during his detention
• How journalists and others responded to Karen’s calm assurance and faith in God
• How she found out her husband would be coming home
• The one thing she wishes she’d done differently—it will surprise you!

The story of Karen’s faithfulness will inspire you to trust more deeply in God and dive deeper into His Word, even if you’re not planning a trip to North Korea.

If you missed our conversation with John, you can listen here: Part 1 and Part 2.

Photo credit: “Pyongyang couple, DPRK (North Korea)” by Matt Palsh is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (www.flickr.com/photos/mattpaish/8116231787/)

Australian John Short was detained inside North Korea after leaving gospel tracts near a Buddhist temple. He was facing years in prison—but he wasn’t afraid.

“Fear and faith cannot exist within my heart at the same time,” he says.

In this second part of our conversation with Mr. Short, he shares how he prayed—out loud—throughout his captivity, how his captors responded to his faith and how his “letter of confession” and eventual release came about.

He’ll also share how, upon landing back in China, he learned for the first time that his captivity was international news. He was deeply moved to learn that Christians in many nations were praying for him during his trial, including a group of Chinese house churches that prayed around the clock during his detention.

Finally, Mr. Short shares specific ways we can pray for the “hermit kingdom” of North Korea.

Listen to the first part of our conversation with Mr. Short here.

Photo credit: “Star of the DPRK” by John Pavelka is licensed under CC BY 2.0 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/28705377@N04/4610365613)