Yesterday being the National Day of Prayer , one of the things I prayed for that is close to my heart was the persecuted church.
When Rod and I struggle to open our mouths to share how Christ has rescued us, there are men and women who are imprisoned, tortured and even killed for sharing their faith.
I hang my head in shame when I see their sacrifice and my silence. But I will continue to pray for them, my couragous brothers and sisters. Don't let them be forgotten.
Here are some ways, besides praying, that we can help. This info was found at http://www.epm.org/.
Practical Ways to Help Our Persecuted Brothers and Sisters in ChristCompiled from Voice of the Martyrs magazine, Special Edition, 2006
We receive many letters from readers asking for ways to help those being persecuted for their faith. In addition to financial contributions, the following are other opportunities for individuals, families, or church groups to help those in need.
Blankets of Love
"Blankets of Love" is an opportunity to share a blanket with a Sudanese Christian who has suffered for the cause of Christ. Many Christian families in Sudan have lost all earthly possessions as they flee from Islamic persecution.
Nights in Sudan can be cold, and many children have to sleep on the bare ground. The simple gift of a blanket can be a great encouragement to your Sudanese brothers and sisters who are persecuted for their faith.
To sponsor a blanket for Sudan:
1. Select a good quality used blanket(s) from your home. (You may purchase new blankets if you desire.) Types of blankets: Cotton or synthetic, full or queen. Please no quilts, afghans, comforters, army, or electric blankets.
2. Add $2.00 per blanket for handling and shipping to Sudan.
3. Send blankets now or anytime this year to:"Blankets of Love," The Voice of the Martyrs, 510 SW Adeline, Bartlesville, OK 74003
Bibles Unbound
Today around the world, persecuted Christians are quietly gathering names and addresses. These addresses are from their local communities, businesses, factories, universities and even government offices. Names and addresses are being gathered by believers from China to Columbia and from Cuba to the Middle East and submitted to The Voice of the Martyrs.
You can mail New Testaments from your own home directly to communities where your persecuted brothers and sisters are now courageously witnessing. Sign up at www.BiblesUnbound.com to participate in one or more "ministry operations." (You may target your own "ministry operation," or VOM can choose one for you.) For $30.00 per month, you will receive five or more New Testaments each month in the appropriate language, along with corresponding address labels, a description of the operation(s), packaging instructions, and the postage to mail your Bibles.
You can follow your Bibles online and see when they arrive. You can also see a record of all the individuals you have mailed a New Testament to, along with updates and testimonies as they are available. An online map displays the nations where you have sent Bibles and partnered with today's persecuted church.
Visit www.BiblesUnbound.com for updated information.
Prisoner Alert
Read about your brothers and sisters currently imprisoned for their faith at VOM's www.PrisonerAlert.com. This site enables you to write an encouraging letter and have it immediately translated in the prisoner's native language. You may also subscribe to the Web site's email alerts, and every month you will be notified of a new prisoner to write.
Action Packs
The Action Pack program is set up to help families in the U. S. bless persecuted Christian families and Afghan refugees in Pakistan and Iraq. The Action Pack program consists of a specially preprinted vacuum bag with a zip-lock closure that allows air to be pushed out by simply rolling the vacuum bag. It will contain a complete list of items to put in the bag such as sweaters, T-shirts, towels, hats and other necessities to help families who have lost everything, along with five additional brochures for you to share with your church or family and friends. You can also include a photo of your family or group and an encouraging note. With each Action Pack, VOM will distribute the color Gospel storybook, He Lived Among Us, printed in their native language. Action Packs are available from VOM for a contribution of $5.00 each (one vacuum bag per Action Pack) to cover shipping the packs to you and then the finished packages to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
For more information on these and other projects to help our persecuted brothers and sisters, contact: Voice of the Martyrs, P.O. Box 443, Bartlesville, OK 74005, 918-337-8015 or 1-800-747-0085. Email: thevoice@vom-usa.org, Website: www.persecution.com
