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In 1997, Warren and Donna Pett sold their 96-year-old family farm in Mukwonago, Wisconsin, after sensing God's call to the mission field. In 2002, they moved to serve in Uganda's Yumbe district, one of Uganda's poorest districts and the only majority-Muslim district in the country. Warren and Donna provided agricultural training and spiritual discipleship at the Evangelical School of Technology in Aringa (ESTA). On March 18, 2004, ESTA was attacked by masked men with guns. Warren and Donna, along with a Ugandan student, were killed. Ezra and Saul Pett are the sons of Warren and Donna. Listen this week as they share on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio about their parents' ministry and how Saul and Ezra wrestled with God and their own faith after their parents' murder. "My faith basically evaporated," says Saul. "This event devastated me." But in the years since, God has gently and faithfully ministered to Saul and Ezra. He has comforted them in their loss and helped them address the anger they felt at their parents' death. Today, they see His plan to produce eternal fruit, even when we may not understand what He is doing. Listen as Saul and Ezra talk about renewing their faith, accepting God's plan and even going to minister in the very place in Uganda where their parents were killed—and seeing the legacy Warren and Donna left even in their short time of missionary service. You can give online to support the Pett's ongoing work in Uganda here. You can read the story of Warren and Donna, from The Voice of the Martyrs free monthly magazine, here. June 29 marks Day of the Christian Martyr, when Christians around the world honor a persecuted Christian who laid down their life for the cause of Christ. This year's video and other resources from VOM focus on the story of Abdiwelli Ahmed, an ethnic Somali former Muslim gunned down in northern Kenya in 2013. Watch a video about Abdiwelli's faith and ministry and access all the resources for this year's Day of the Christian Martyr to bless your church, small group or family with his inspiring example. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

It's been more than a month since fighting broke out in the capital city of Sudan. Christians and non-Christians alike are dealing with extreme hardship, difficulty, and terror as the battle between two warring Islamist factions continues. For our Christian brothers and sisters in Sudan, war has made life even more difficult than usual as they try to survive the fighting, find food and shelter and still face persecution for their faith in Christ. Brad Phillips, founder and president of Persecution Project Foundation (PPF), began working in Sudan in 1997 and has partnered with The Voice of the Martyrs to serve Sudanese Christians since 2002. Listen as he explains the current fighting and tells how our Christian family members are being affected. Brad and the PPF team are daily hearing stories of tremendous loss in the church, yet also stories of heroism as persecuted Christians risk their lives to serve others in this season of upheaval and need. Others are trying to flee major cities for the Nuba Mountains—which previously was a site of great persecution and repeated bombings by the Sudanese military. Listen as Brad shares how to pray for persecuted Christians in Sudan, and invite a Christian friend to pray with you for followers of Jesus caught in the crossfire there. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily reminders to pray for persecuted Christians—in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

As the Taliban retook control of Afghanistan in 2021, many Afghan Christians—especially those widely known to be followers of Christ—had to flee the country. Today, many of those Christians grieve the loss of their homeland, especially as they watch the suffering of their countrymen under Taliban rule. Some desire to return but while they wait are still faithfully reaching Afghans through a variety of digital means. In Part 2 of our conversation with author John Weaver (Part 1), he calls us to pray God will bless Afghan people—including both persecuted Christians and the governing Taliban—and that God will draw many to Himself. Listen as Weaver, the author of Najiba: A Love Story from Afghanistan (affiliate link), shares what life is like for Afghans now under Taliban rule. He will also tell what life is like for those who've fled the country and deal with the culture shock of navigating healthcare, education, work and relationships in a completely new environment and culture. As Christians, John gives us advice on first steps in welcoming Afghans into our communities and churches. Christians in Afghanistan are seeing increased response to the gospel as they discern hearts that are hungry and seeking truth. Once they become followers of Jesus, new Afghan Christians hunger for like-minded fellowship. Pray for the Taliban to lead with peace and focus on what's best for Afghanistan's people. Most importantly, pray for their salvation. Pray for our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan to know God is with them and for endurance in their faith. Pray for Afghans sharing the gospel through social media as they continue in their ministry. 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.

Twenty months into the second Taliban rule of Afghanistan, all Afghans—but especially Afghan Christians—face great challenges. What pressures do our persecuted brothers and sisters face living in Afghanistan today, and how has their life changed under the strict Islamic rule of the Taliban? Listen as John Weaver, author of Inside Afghanistan, A Flame on the Frontline, and Najiba: A Love Story from Afghanistan (affiliate links), explains what life is like for Muslims and Christians in Afghanistan as they experience economic crisis and lack of assistance from the outside world. Many of the Taliban fighters come from the Pashtun people group, one of the largest unreached people groups in the world with 50 million people primarily in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Persecution against Afghan Christians has always come from local mosques, communities, and families. With the Taliban takeover, the nation's government is now also openly opposed to the gospel. Amid isolation and economic hardship, many Afghans are desperate and dissatisfied with Islam. That dissatisfaction means they are more open to the gospel. Christian brothers and sisters in Afghanistan continue boldly witness in conversations with Muslims. Listen as John tells how Christians are carefully sharing the gospel and finding "people of peace" in their communities. Pray for Afghan Christians outside the country who are reaching their people through digital tools and pray for wider distribution of the Pashtun Bible. Pray the Holy Spirit will draw more Afghan people to become followers of Jesus Christ. 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.

This podcast explores the challenges faced by Christians in North Korea, where possessing a Bible is illegal. It discusses how persecuted Christians practice their faith under the brutal regime, and the growth of Christianity in the country. It also touches on the delivery of Bibles via balloons, the recent law criminalizing information movement across the border, and the importance of prayer for the ministry of VOM Korea.

A Muslim man from Central Asia shares his journey to becoming a follower of Jesus, influenced by the JESUS Film and a Christian friend. He describes his shock upon entering a church and the love he found there. The speaker emphasizes the importance of whole families coming to faith and discusses the honor and difficulties of suffering for Jesus. They also highlight the need to trust God in difficulties and to pray for Central Asia.

One night, TK, extremely sick, found himself in his room praying, "I am ill and if you are the one true God then I will commit my life to you." TK slept through the night and woke up completely healed! From that moment, he was committed to following Christ. His father—a former drug dealer who met Christ in prison for his crimes—encouraged TK to learn more about the one true God. With passion for following Christ after he had experienced God's power over disease, TK went to Bible school in Thailand. Returning to Laos with Christian materials to help his ministry, TK was arrested at the border and imprisoned for three months before God ordained his release from prison. Today TK serves persecuted Christians inside Laos and holds a leadership position within Laos's registered church organization. He says at the time of his arrest it was common for Christians in Laos to endure physical suffering for being a Christian—arrests, beatings and other pressure. Today, he says, mental and spiritual pressure for following Christ is more common, including being ostracized by family members, cut off from work or educational opportunities and even kicked out of your village. Listen as TK shares what our persecuted church family faces in Laos today. TK will also explain how he is serving persecuted brothers and sisters there. Pray for communist authorities in Laos and for wisdom and discernment for TK as he assists persecuted Christians. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or you can listen each week—and get daily prayer reminders—in the new VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

This podcast explores the challenges faced by a couple who were persecuted for their faith in China. They share their experiences of interrogation and the mental stress it caused. The role of the body of Christ in supporting them is emphasized. The chapter also discusses their departure from China and the gratitude they felt for leaving as a family. They reflect on the importance of faithfulness and prayer amidst difficult situations and invite listeners to explore more stories of Chinese Christians on their website.

We left off last week as Richard and Jeanette's apartment was raided by 25 Chinese policemen. The couple knew that their time in China was over after 10 years of ministry, but they didn't know how long it might be before they were allowed to leave. Listen now as Jeanette recalls exactly what happened when she returned to their apartment to find police searching through their bookshelves and closets and questioning her husband. Despite the chaos of the raid, Jeanette continued relying on the sovereignty and goodness of God, reminding herself often that He is trustworthy no matter our circumstances. She prayed fervently for Richard as he was taken away by the police. Richard experienced God's sovereignty and the Holy Spirit at work as he sat in the police station interrogation room, living in the truth of Luke 12:11-12. In spite of police threats, Richard relied on scripture God brought to his mind and four things he knew he had to stand firm in as he tried to answer the police accusations. Listen also for how Chinese Christians supported Richard and Jeanette during their ordeal, including a local church pastor who knocked on their door and offered a bold prayer for Richard. Their local Christian community brought Jeanette great comfort, providing practical proof that the Lord was with them. Pray persecuted Chinese Christians will stand firm in faith and be encouraged by the Body of Christ. One group of Chinese Christians, the Mayflower Church, made the decision as a congregation to flee their homeland. Pastor Pan, leader of the group, was our guest on VOM Radio last month. Listen this week for a praise update on this group of believers and their immigration case. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week in the VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.

Richard and Jeanette had served in China for several years when—around 2018—they began hearing stories of foreign Christians forced to leave the country. "Everyone knows it happens, but no one thinks it's going to happen to them," Richard says. The couple decided to stay in China as long as God kept the door open—even when Covid put the entire country under lockdown. They were prepared to be kicked out; they'd even begun to think about when it would happen instead of if it would happen. The threat gave them a sense of urgency in their ministry as they continued shepherding and teaching God's Word to Chinese people. Richard and Jeanette felt the Lord work in their hearts during their college years, and both knew that overseas gospel work was God's call for them. They met after Jeanette returned from two years working in China, married, and then received an invitation to serve in China. Listen as Richard and Jeanette share how they thought about risk and danger of serving in a Communist country, and the joys and challenges of their first years of missions service, including learning Chinese. You'll also hear about the day Richard opened the door of their apartment to find 25 uniformed Chinese national police and knew their time of serving the Lord in China was coming to an end. Richard and Jeanette will return to VOM Radio next week to continue their story. Never miss an episode of VOM Radio! Subscribe to the podcast. Or listen each week in the new VOM App for your smartphone or tablet.