And the Lord said to Paul in the night by a vision, "Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent;  for I am with you, and no man will attack you in order to harm you, for I have many people in this city."  And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the Word of God among them. (Acts 18:9-11)

Our brethren all over the world are being heavily persecuted, tortured, maligned, mistreated, and sometimes killed because of their love for Christ and their passion for preaching the Gospel that has the power to save!  God has blessed me so recently with information about my brethren through Voice of the Martyrs[VOM]  (www.persecution.com), which is a website where you can be informed of the situations of the persecuted underground church all over the world in countless restricted nations.  There are names of actual brothers and sisters who need our prayers and encouragement, and even addresses where you can send them letters while they are imprisoned.  May we, in our protected country full of countless freedoms, be found faithful to lift them to the throne of God for strength and perseverance.  May the Lord give them all supernatural ability to stand strong in the face of peril, refusing to renounce the name of Christ who saved them.  May they be encouraged that God has His people in every nation!  May they never be silenced -- even in physical death!  Truly the testimonies of martyred brethren continue to speak of the power of Christ through generations as we read their stories.

If you are interested in becoming involved in support of the persecuted church, please visit these websites!  

www.prisoneralert.com   (Gain information so that you may write to and pray for brethren.)

www.vommeetings.com  (Learn how to schedule a meeting at your church so a VOM representative will come speak to a group.)

www.biblesunbound.com   (Send Bibles to unbelievers  in restricted nations, helping the underground church to get the Word to people before they go to witness.)

www.kidsofcourage.com    (Teach your kids about the persecuted church!  Pray that God will raise them up as missionaries to give their lives for the furtherance of God's kingdom!)

If you have not already done so, please read John Foxe's Book of the Martyrs!  It is a must read!  Also, Richard Wurmbrand's Tortured for Christ and Hearts of Fire by Voice of the Martyrs.  This reading has changed my focus and my entire worldview.  God has given me a much deeper appreciation for the freedoms and protection He has provided over me.  He has set me on fire to get involved in ministering to my persecuted brethren on the other side of this globe.  Someday, the cruelties and hardships I've read about in Indonesia, China, and Eritrea may be at America's doorstep.  Will the church in America stand faithful to Christ?   Will anyone remember to pray for us, send letters to us, provide for our needs when we're in prison? 

"Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation;  the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."  (Matthew 26:41) 

If you would like to join me in sending letters, please comment and I'll be happy to include your letters with mine when I do mailings.  Pray about writing to Dr. Kiflu.  He is able to read English, which is unusual and a blessing.   I have pasted his profile below so that you may seriously consider ministering to him.

Location: Eritrea
Arrested: May 2004
Days Imprisoned: 1371
Print Fact Sheet

Dr. Kiflu Gebremeskel, a leading figure of Full Gospel Church of Eritrea, founder and senior pastor of Southwest Full Gospel Church and member of the executive committee to the Full Gospel Church of Eritrea, was arrested on May 23, 2004. He was taken from his home in Asmara Gejeret, at approximately 5:00 a.m. Dr. Gebremeskel was a mathematics lecturer, department and faculty head at the University of Asmara until 1999, when he became a full-time pastor at the Southwest Full Gospel Church. He has a Ph.D. in mathematics from Chicago University. His wife and four children have not been able to visit him.

Nearly 1,800 Eritrean Christians are now believed to be under arrest because of their religious beliefs, held in police stations, military camps and prisons in 12 known locations across Eritrea. Dr. Gebremeskel is one of the 28 clergymen being held.

Jailed Protestants are routinely subjected to physical beatings and severe psychological pressure to deny their religious beliefs. Police and military authorities continue to demand the prisoners return to one of the three “official” Christian denominations recognized by the government. But even the legally recognized denominations-the nation’s historic Orthodox, Catholic and Lutheran churches-have come under government disfavor in the past year, incurring threats and even jailing by security police officials.

"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'"  (Matthew 25:40)