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Join this week as we continue to look back on some of the most moving moments of 2022 on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio: Tim and Dawn, gospel workers in South Asia, tell how stories from the Bible can confront people of other faiths and draw them to Christ. Brother Malik shares his testimony of coming from a Fulani Muslim family to committing his life to Christ after reading through the Bible ten times. Soner Tufan, a Christian in Turkey, tells about receiving a 14-page death threat letter from ISIS—and how God turned his difficulties into a blessing. Victor Kalisher also has received threats as the director of the Israel Bible Society. He’ll tell about his work providing God’s Word to people in Israel in a modern translation they can understand. Brother Hayel was thrown out of his Druze community when he chose to follow Jesus. Despite what faith has cost him, Hayel continues to share hope using a variety of media. He and his coworker, Brother Dan, challenge listeners to pray for the advance of the gospel. Brother Silas was raised in a communist country by a Muslim family. Authorities threw him out of his home after he chose to follow Jesus, accusing him of being a spy. The persecution he faced couldn’t silence him. Pauline Ayyad watched her husband, Rami, boldly live out his faith in Christ in Gaza. She says Rami wasn’t afraid of the threats, but she was terrified. Listen as she tells about the day she learned Rami had been martyred for Christ, and the long process of forgiving his killers, a decision that opened up a new pathway of ministry in her life. VOM Radio host, Todd Nettleton, along with his wife, Char, share about meeting persecuted Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East and hearing about their sacrifices—and their joy. After hearing these brief excerpts of these powerful interviews, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. You can listen below to VOM Radio on your favorite podcast app or listen online at VOMRadio.net. Brother John in the Himalayas Tim and Dawn on mission in South Asia Brother Malik, a Fulani Christian Soner Tufan leading Christian radio in Turkey Victor Kalisher, director of Israel Bible Society Brother Hayel and Brother Dan, gospel workers to the Druze community Brother Silas from Turkmenistan Pauline Ayyad, wife of Rami Ayyad, who was martyred for Christ Todd Nettleton and his wife, Char, on visiting Persecuted Middle East Christians We praise God for allowing VOM Radio to share these inspiring stories of His power and the faithfulness of our brothers and sisters in restricted nations and hostile areas in 2022. We also THANK YOU for listening and praying for our persecuted family. Please subscribe to the podcast and share VOM Radio with Christian friends you know would also be encouraged by these testimonies!

Join this week in looking back on some of the most moving moments on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio in 2022: Author John Weaver reminds us of the power of prayer in the lives of our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan and how we can pray with and for them. Benesh, who has planted more than 30 churches inside Iran in only five years of following Jesus, shares how prayer is the foundation of her ministry and outreach. Pam Arlund explains how the Lord can ask us to lay down our lives for Him, and at the same time we can know that we are perfectly safe. She will also look back on training and sending John Chau, who gave his life to reach the people of North Sentinel Island for the gospel. Jerry and Stacy chose to leave behind the American Dream to pursue God’s call to Tanzania and then Iraq. Listen as they share how Jesus is using them to encourage refugees with the love of Christ. Matthew Hanson reminds us of the price our brothers and sisters pay for the sake of sharing Jesus through the story of an imam who found Jesus in Bangladesh. “Brother Max,” completely transformed by Christ in Uzbekistan, shares his Muslim father’s reaction to his new faith and the New Testament. Cade Jefferson reminds us that even in the darkest moments in life, God is there through the incredible story of Nathan and the gospel worker God sent to him on a beach in North Africa. After hearing these brief excerpts, you’ll want to go back and listen to the entire conversations. Click on the links below to listen in your favorite podcast app or visit VOMRadio.net. John Weaver on Afghanistan Benesh from Iran Pam Arlund with All Nations Jerry and Stacy from Love For The Least Matthew Hanson, VOM regional leader for Central and South Asia Brother Max from Uzbekistan Cade Jefferson, VOM regional leader for North and East Africa We thank the Lord for allowing VOM Radio to share in 2022 these amazing stories of the power of prayer and of Jesus’s love for the lost. We also THANK YOU for listening and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters in hostile nations and restricted areas. If you haven’t already, please subscribe to the podcast and share VOM Radio with Christian friends you know would also be encouraged by these testimonies!

The nation of China has been on the front pages of newspapers and the top of newscasts in recent weeks with widespread protests and a significant shift in the “zero covid” policy. But how will these developments—and the recent elevation of President Xi Jinping to what is essentially a permanent presidency—mean for our Christian brothers and sisters? Bob Fu, founder, and president of China Aid, will explain how Chinese Christians are affected by these things, and how they are responding. In Xi’s first 10 years in power, religious freedom has been under constant assault—including within China’s state-sanctioned, registered churches. Christians in China know there will be more persecution in the years to come. Our Christian family in China, both young and old, face the decision to either renounce faith in Jesus or have their future taken away from them. How are they preparing themselves, and especially young believers, to withstand that persecution? Listen for the story of one Chinese Christian woman in prison who said, “I only began loving the Lord when you arrested me.” Bob will also give listeners an update on two pastors in jail, Pastors Wang Yi and John Cao, and how they are continuing to serve the Lord and grow in faith—even through their incarceration. Pray for rulers and authorities in China, imprisoned believers, the millions of people in China, and for God’s Word to be available to those in this restricted nation. You can write letters of encouragement to brothers and sisters imprisoned for their faith. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

If there was no spiritual power when believers gather together to worship Christ, then Christians in hostile and restricted nations wouldn’t be attacked. If their worship wasn’t a threat, why would enemies of the gospel try to prevent it? Jeremy Malkin, who oversees VOM’s international ministry work in west and central Africa, explains that animistic and Muslim communities’ sense that power of Christians gathering together, and they often respond with violence and persecution towards our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jeremy will share the story of one of our brothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Matendo, who was abducted by an armed group of Muslims targeting Christians. He was beaten and threatened for his witness, causing long-term damage to his body, yet he is praising God for miraculously sparing his life. As Christian persecution increases across Africa, there is great need for prayer and support for brothers and sisters who are being driven from their homes and seeing their churches destroyed. On one trip, Jeremy and his team met 300 believers at a church, all wanting to share their story. When Jeremy asked how many had family members who’d been killed by the Islamist rebels, almost everyone in the room raised their hands. Listen to hear an update on Christians in Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Benin and other African nations, and learn how you can be in prayer for the persecuted church there. Subscribe to VOM’s free magazine to read more about Matendo’s story in the January issue, as well as recieve the 2023 VOM Prayer Map. Listen to Brother Malik’s episode on VOM Radio to hear more about this Fulani Christian’s testimony. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

Under the brutal control of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodia became known for the killing fields where more than a million people were executed. But today, the country is a field ripe for gospel harvest! Garth and Caroline Gustafson, who lead the work of Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in Cambodia, see seeds being planted and gospel workers sent out to impact generations to come. From the mid 1960s to early 2000s, Cambodia experienced war and political turmoil, the legacy of which still impacts its people. But God is changing a country that was known for killing to be known for His life-giving power, and now for training and sending out workers to restricted nations all over southeast Asia—nations where Christian persecution is common. Garth and Caroline serve in a YWAM training center in Cambodia focused on training local leaders to serve in their own country and into surrounding nations. Listen to hear about their work, and about how God is opening doors to impact people around them—even Buddhist monks. Garth and Caroline will also describe how God led them to serve full time with YWAM and how they train gospel workers who may face persecution for their witness. Garth tells the story of a close friend’s time in jail for his Christian faith—and the surprising reason for his release! They will help listeners pray for Cambodia and describe how it boosts their faith to hear the stories of persecuted Christians and their faithfulness to Jesus. You can connect with Garth and Caroline and with YWAM online. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

What might God do if you made the commitment to pray every day for a specific country? What doors might He open to connect with the people and even walk in the land? Two decades ago, Peter Smith and his wife were challenged to “adopt a country” and specifically pray every day for God’s Spirit to move in that place. The country God laid on their hearts was the Islamic Republic of Iran, a place where Christian persecution is common and missionaries are banned. Listen to learn how Peter and his wife began to pray; hear how God opened the door for him to visit Iran, “to go on site to gain God’s insights” about the Iranian people and ways to pray for them. He will also share how his whole family has made a conscious effort to reach out to Persian people living in the United States—and found amazing openness to the gospel. Just as Jesus had compassion on the multitudes, we can ask God for that same heart of compassion towards those around us. As you listen to VOM Radio this week, you’ll be challenged to make the same decision Peter and his family made all those years ago: adopt a country and consistently pray for the people there and specifically for God to work in that nation. Who knows the doors God will open in your life to minister to the people you’re praying for? If you’ve taken up the challenge to pray for a specific nation in 2023, please let us know! Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

Lawrence Tong wakes up each morning excited to pursue this goal: vibrant communities of Jesus followers among the least reached. As the International Director for Operation Mobilization, he oversees the ministry of 5000 gospel workers—including many serving in places where Christians face intense persecution. Lawrence’s first taste of missions—and of the work of OM—came aboard a ship, docking at different ports to share the gospel and train up local Christians. Witnessing a spiritual fire among the young people on the boat, Lawrence committed two years to serving with OM. That commitment has now grown into more than 40 years of gospel work amongst the least reached! Listen as Lawrence shares about his six years of ministry work in China, and an update on the current challenges faced by persecuted Christians there. God is still calling people to go to dangerous places to share about Jesus. If you feel called to global gospel work, Lawrence will offer advice about how to think about, pray about and prepare for that calling. He’ll also equip listeners to pray for the persecuted church in Afghanistan, Nepal, and China to stay firm in faith, and help us pray for the work of OM around the world. To hear more about the history and work of Operation Mobilization, listen to previous VOM Radio conversations with founders George Verwer and Dale Rhoton, and also with OM-USA President Andrew Scott. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the Podcast.

Malik knew the missionary was a kind man. He felt badly that this kind man was going to hell. Malik, a member of the Fulani tribe and the son of a Quranic scholar, decided he would convince the Christian missionary to become a Muslim, so that he could go to paradise. The missionary refused to convert and told Malik that there were mistakes in the Quran. Malik set out to prove him wrong. He began to carefully study and compare the Bible with the Quran. He never did convince the missionary to accept Islam. Instead, Malik read through the Bible ten times, found truth in Jesus Christ and made the decision to follow Him. It was not a decision his Fulani family would easily accept. Family members told Malik he had shamed the family, and that if he didn’t return to Islam within three days they had the right to kill him. Malik says he was ready to die rather than renounce his new faith. Thankfully his life was spared. Listen as Malik shares his amazing testimony—and talks about his work now with Spirit of Martyrdom training pastors and evangelists to work in many parts of Africa, reaching more Muslims for Christ and sending out more gospel workers. Part of that training is preparing new Christians to stand up under persecution. Malik will also share specific ways to pray for God’s work among the Fulani people in Nigeria and other nations of west Africa. Never miss an episode of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.

Learn about the challenges and potential for Christians in South Asia, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, and Nepal. Discover how Christians in Sri Lanka responded to the church bombings and how it affected the church. Hear about answering God's call to serve in South Asia and the importance of obedience over comfort. Uncover the lack of awareness of Jesus in South Asia and prayers for those spreading the word.

Only 1.4% of people in Nepal are Christians. Hundreds of thousands of Nepali people live their entire lifetime without ever meeting anyone who follows Jesus. Hundreds of thousands of people in Sri Lanka (1.4% Christian), Bangladesh (0.4%), Bhutan (0.3%) and the Maldives (0.03%) also live and die without ever hearing the gospel message—or even the name of Jesus. God broke the hearts of Tim and Dawn for the lost people of South Asia—and called them to go and live in the region as ambassadors for Christ. Listen as they share their backgrounds, how that call came and some of the challenges of adjusting to life and raising a family in South Asia. Tim and Dawn will also share how they witness for Christ in the context of hostile and restricted nations where Christians are persecuted by speaking Biblical truth into peoples’ lives. Just as Jesus used parables to communicate spiritual truth, Tim and Dawn often share simple stories from the Bible, then invite their listeners to respond to the message of the story. Listen for the story of a Buddhist man responding to the story of Moses and the golden calf. The tools Tim and Dawn are using to spread the gospel—hospitality, conversation, simple Bible stories—are available to listeners in free nations, too. Who in your life could you share Biblical truth with this week? Pray for Tim and Dawn and their fellow gospel workers in South Asia. Don’t forget to access resources from The Voice of the Martyrs for the upcoming International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. And never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast.