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. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.
Read More
Adam’s light skin and Arabic features immediately give him away as a Somali in his adopted country of Uganda. When his students at the missionary training school meet him, the first words that come to mind are “terrorist” and “spy.” But Adam relishes the opportunity to upend their stereotypes by sharing how he became a new creation in Christ after several decades as a practicing Muslim. On the Run At age 17, after his father had been killed by the Somali Islamist group al-Shabab, Adam joined the nearly 2 million other Somalis who have fled the violence in their homeland to live elsewhere. He moved to Uganda, where he had relatives among the 40,000 Somali refugees already living there. Reflecting on his experiences, he realized, “Somalis are not suffering at the hands of the people we hate, but we are suffering at the hands of the people we love.” If the Islamic faith had motivated al-Shabab to kill his father, Adam didn’t want anything to do with it. He began searching for something else, and he didn’t keep his thoughts to himself. He sought out Somali Christians online and even watched the JESUS film with a group of friends. While
Read More
Islamists attacked an evangelical church in Kabba, Kogi during a Sunday service, killing one and abducting three others.
Read MoreOn Nov. 28, Kabir, his four sons and their families went to a 9 a.m. church service in a nearby village. As the service started, about 50 members of the Hindu extremist group Vishav Hindu Parishad disrupted the service and called the police, making false accusations against the pastor. The mob threatened to demolish the church building.
Read MoreA Christian worker in Iran has distributed Bibles and Christian literature at the stables where his daughter takes horse-riding lessons. Though he questioned leaving the materials in a dirty stable, he felt led to evangelize there as he reflected on Christ’s birth in a manger in a stable. Recently, the worker discovered an Afghan refugee, Abid, reading one of the Bibles left by the worker.
Read More“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. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.
Read More
As Micah and Dorcas Magaji walked through their Nigerian village the morning of Dec. 18, 2014, they were confronted with a choice. A group of Muslim men surrounded them, demanding that they deny Christ. Micah and Dorcas could deny Christ and live, or remain faithful and face possible death. “We were born into a Christian family,” Micah told them. “We are still Christians today. There is no way we are going to turn around from our past.” The men then threatened to cut off Micah’s arm and kill him if he didn’t renounce his faith. “Only God can take life,” he responded. “It is from God, so you cannot take my life.” The Muslims then tried to intimidate Dorcas, but she also remained faithful. “I’m married to a Christian,” she said. “There’s no way I would go back. Wherever my husband goes, that is where I’ll go. I’m not changing from this faith to any other.” Dorcas’s response infuriated the men. They shot her to death and then hacked at both of Micah’s forearms with a machete before leaving him for dead. “The story of the attack got to Christian elders, so they sent people to rescue me,” 35-year-old Micah
Read MoreMilitant Fulani Muslims attacked a church service in southern Kaduna state, killing two and kidnapping dozens. Eight others, including a pastor, were killed in earlier attacks on predominantly Christian villages.
Read MoreFront-line workers held a “sports day” evangelistic outreach event in November for youth of all backgrounds, including several Muslim children.
Read MoreOn Oct. 17, about 500 Hindu nationalists beat and stoned more than 60 Christians and detained them, accusing them of forcefully converting Hindus to Christianity. When police arrived, they watched the attacks occur, but then detained the Christians instead of those in the mob, who even vandalized vehicles belonging to the believers.
Read More