When Petr Jasek spent 445 days in prison in Sudan, Omar al-Bashir was the dictatorial leader of the country. Since Petr’s release, Bashir’s government has been overthrown and Bashir locked inside one of the same prisons where Petr had been held. But are things really different for Christians in Sudan? Petr will answer that question as he returns to finish the conversation we began  last week about his arrest and imprisonment in Sudan. In prison, Petr felt the Lord’s presence very near as he spent hours every day reading the Bible and praying. What has he done to maintain that same closeness as he returned to his normal, busy life? The story of Petr’s imprisonment—and the ministry God allowed him inside—is told in a brand new book, Imprisoned with ISIS: Faith in the Face of Evil. You’ll receive a copy for free when you make a donation to VOM here. Petr first told his story to VOM Radio listeners nine days after his release from prison. You can hear that conversation—recorded in Prague—here. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app.

PETR JASEK: Prayer Made a Difference

Welcome to The Voice of the Martyrs Radio Network! Join host Todd Nettleton each week as we share testimonies of brothers and sisters suffering for their faith in Christ. 
The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization that offers practical and spiritual help to persecuted Christians around the world.

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Brother Job thought it would be just another day. He was walking to work at a church in North Africa when he was accosted by four men with knives. The terrorists forced him into a vehicle and drove him away. “It’s my last day on this earth,” Job thought to himself. Growing up in a Muslim family in North Africa, Job knew there would be persecution when he left Islam to follow Jesus. He came to faith—along with other members of his family—after seeing a satellite TV program where a former Muslim from Morocco named Brother Rachid answers the questions of Muslims and points them to Jesus. (Hear more about Brother Rachid’s testimony and ministry in this episode of VOM Radio.) After coming to Christ, Job felt a passion and calling to tell others about Jesus. He became involved in church ministry, including media ministry. He knew there were risks, yet he boldly put his own face and testimony online. Angry Muslims saw him as a traitor and an apostate. Kidnapped by terrorists, held at knife point with a hood over his head, Job believed he would soon be killed. He was at peace with losing his own life, but was concerned about his wife and young children who would be left behind. Who would care for them? Thankfully, the terrorists did not kill Brother Job, but released him. But his trials were not over. Reporting his kidnapping to local police, Job was treated as a criminal instead of a true crime victim. He was interrogated repeatedly about why he’d left Islam and become a Christian. He took advantage of the opportunity to boldly share his testimony and explain the gospel message—right in the police station, with 20 officers listening. Whether kidnapped by terrorists or interrogated by angry police officers, Job says, “I never felt alone.” Listen to Brother Job recount his kidnapping and the lessons God taught him through his first-hand Christian persecution experience. Today Job prepares new believers with the understanding that persecution is to be expected in the life of a Christian. He will also help us pray for persecuted Christians in North Africa. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

Kidnapped by Terrorists, Interrogated by Police, Church Worker says, “God Was With Me”

There are 500,000 evangelical churches in Latin America, but only 6% of Latino congregations are involved in missions. As executive director of COMHINA, and in his previous work with Operation Mobilization Latin America, Brother Julio wants to increase that percentage! He desires to bring about collaboration between churches and missionary organizations to equip and send out Latino missionaries. Listen for the story of Julio’s own call to missions while living and working in Japan, and how he returned to Brazil and ended up working with and training workers for OM. Hear also how God eventually called Julio and his family to the United States to inspire and commission Spanish-speakers for international cross cultural gospel work through COMHINA, a network of churches and mission organizations. He says that as Latinos are trained and informed about unreached people groups who’ve never heard about Christ, they encounter God and ready to go on mission for Him. Julio has sent many to be witnesses in restricted nations and hostile areas. Listen for the story of how one man used soccer to open doors for ministry in Afghanistan, and how a church leader in Iran told Julio not to feel sorry for persecuted Christians. As Julio sends workers to the harvest, persecution is a reality. “If people pass through those situations,” he says, “they will experience God’s grace in ways that we cannot even train someone on.” Living for Christ in restricted and hostile nations comes with risks, yet the grace of God is ever present with the persecuted church. You can learn more about Julio’s work sending out Spanish-speaking mission workers at the web sites for COMHINA and COMIBAM. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

Missions Starts with Encountering God

A Christian and pastor from Central Asia, Brother Silas constantly interacts with Muslims. He says many are seeking truth and looking for answers to their deepest spiritual questions. Brother Silas and Tom Houser, executive director for People International, share this week what new Christians in Central Asian nations—including Muslim background believers—experience when they become followers of Jesus. “The moment you make that decision,” says Silas, “you will be oppressed on every side.” Persecution follows those who come to Christ in Central Asian nations like Türkiye, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan. The persecution may come from different sources: the government, their parents, relatives, neighbors, or the broader community. Persecuted Christians face isolation, broken friendships and being targeted by police or other authorities. Silas shares some of his own experience as a persecuted Christian, and the encouragement he found in knowing other Christians were praying for him and that he was not alone. Organizations like People International and The Voice of the Martyrs, which take time to sit with persecuted Christians and know what they really need, bring encouragement as they share that others around the world—like VOM Radio listeners—are praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters. Hear how we can reach our Muslim neighbors, coworkers, and friends for Christ. Tom will also share more about People International’s mission to be present where there is no church presence and what leaders of the group have learned in more than forty years of ministry. Also hear how social media, broadcasting and other evangelism tools are reaching people in Central Asia. And learn how you can pray for the people of Central Asia to know Christ, and for the persecuted church in these nations. Listen here to Silas’ testimony of coming to faith and the persecution he faced as a new Christian. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

CENTRAL ASIA: Muslims Ready for Truth

Many Muslims are ready to hear the gospel and experience the love of Jesus Christ. For more than two decades Peter Smith has prayed for the nation of Iran and connected with ministries reaching people and supporting persecuted Christians in the nation he and his wife “adopted.” Seeing the gospel go forth in the Middle East reminds Peter of the good soil that produced 30, 60 and 100-fold harvests in Jesus’ Matthew 13 parable. Persecution is rising in restricted nations across the Middle East; despite that risk, more Muslims are becoming followers of Christ. Listen as Peter shares the stories of how God worked in the heart of an Uber driver and a divorced woman. “When you adopt a country,” Peter says, “sooner or later you get to adopt the people.” Peter’s wife also has an international ministry—from their home in the United States. She asks the Lord each day for divine appointments and looks for gospel opportunities at the grocery store, in her neighborhood and wherever else the day takes her. Hear how she’s had gospel conversations with women from 54 different countries. Learn how you can pray specifically for Christians in Iran and across the Middle East as Peter shares what current events mean for Christians there and how to pray for what God is already doing. Go to TheRealStoryOfJesus.com to see one resource people are using to share the gospel in the Middle East—a resource also available in English. Hear the story of Peter “adopting” the nation of Iran during  his first visit with VOM Radio. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

MIDDLE EAST: Christians Intentional About Sharing Jesus

Last week, Brother Kevin shared how he came to Christ and how God gave him a passion to reach the 13 million Hui people in China. For members of this people group, to be Hui is to be Muslim. Those who become Christians are considered traitors, bringing shame to their family. Hui Christians face social, psychological, and sometimes financial persecution, typically enforced by members of their own family. They may lose their job, be kicked out of the family home, and even renounced as a member of the family. Kevin came to see the communist authorities as ordinary people doing their jobs and providing for their families. He intentionally chose to see police and other authorities as worthy of his respect and compassion. When Xi Jinping ascended to the leadership of the Communist Party and the Chinese nation, things changed. By 2017, most foreigners were having a hard time renewing visas. By 2018, hardly any foreign gospel workers were able to remain in China. Members of Muslim minorities—including the Hui and the Uyghurs—received “reeducation” enforced by the government. Listen as Kevin shares how his family’s ministry in China ended and how tension grew during their final weeks in country as authorities searched for legal reasons to detain or deport Kevin and his family, including a late-night drive to the airport. Choosing to focus on God’s sovereignty allowed Kevin to shepherd his family and others struggling with their forced departure. Gospel outreach to the Hui did not end with foreign missionaries being kicked out of China. Today they are reached through social media gospel outreach and multifaceted church planting by local Han Chinese believers as well as Christians from non-Western countries. Pray for the Lord to continue moving among the Hui through dreams, visions and divine appointments with followers of Christ. Pray for Chinese brothers and sisters to boldly preach the cross and to prepare new Christians for persecution. Richard and Jeannette had a similar experience in China as Kevin’s family, yet Richard found himself detained by the authorities. Listen to their story. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet. April is Bible month at VOM! Please consider  giving online to help deliver Bibles to Christians living in restricted nations and hostile areas.

PETR JASEK: Prayer Made a Difference

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