Hannelie Groenewald and her family were missionaries in Afghanistan in 2014 when a targeted Taliban attack claimed the lives of her husband and two children. Today, despite her grief, Hannelie continues to share Jesus. Hannelie and her husband Werner moved to Afghanistan from their native
Padina was a dedicated Muslim in Iran who sought to grow closer to Allah but after hearing a sermon on satellite television, she placed her faith in Christ and became a dedicated evangelist herself. Padina’s life in Iran became so unbearable that she wanted to
Mrs Han and her husband served for many years on the border of North Korea and China until her husband was kidnapped and killed by North Korean assassins in 2016. In the 1990s, famine pushed many North Koreans to seek work and help outside of
In 2008, Alex was on his way to work at a banana plantation in Colombia when armed guerrillas boarded the bus he was on and drove it to a remote location before forcing everyone off the bus and making them kneel before shooting each one
Esther’s faith was transformed after her parents’ arrest and imprisonment in China, now many years on, she shares the Gospel with Chinese students in Los Angeles. Esther’s father, Yang Xuan, and mother, Yang Caizhen, were imprisoned in 2009 when their 50,000-member house church network, Linfen,
Delfiana wasn’t interested in church and would often complain about going, that is until she was the victim of a suicide bombing attack outside her church building. On 25 September 2011, when Delfiana was just 18 years old she walked outside of her church and
Danjuma Shakaru was thought to be dead after being brutally attacked by Islamic insurgents in his Nigerian village just three years ago, but now he recounts the story and calls himself a miracle. At just 13, Danjuma was awoken at 6am by gunshots as insurgents
David’s thirst for truth started as a young child in Indonesia during his Islamic schooling. Today, as a Christian, David is committed to bringing the Gospel to Muslims. David’s father was the local village imam and held a strict Muslim regime in the family’s home
Most Turks are proudly Muslim and hold the faith as a core part of their nationalist identity, even if they aren’t devout. Christians are heavily persecuted by their families, neighbours and employers. Though freedom of religion is legally protected, the laws are not enforced. Christian
Nine-year-old Clarissa Angeline was at church one day in Indonesia when an explosion took place in their church building injuring her and severely injuring her mother who spent three months recovering in hospital. On Sunday 13 May, Clarissa and her mother left for their church
Raised in a Christian home, 15-year-old Isaac was faced with the decision to quit school after the local government refused to pay his mother (a widow) her pension, just for being a Christian. Born in a small village in Inner Mongolia, Isaac was only 10
Lina was 13 when she first discovered Christianity but her desire to go to church meant her own family persecuted her. Lina is originally from Kano State, Nigeria and was first drawn to church when she heard children singing in her language in a nearby
At just 15 years old, Egyptian born Meriam first experienced persecution for her faith, after her family discovered she converted from Islam to Christianity. Meriam was just three years old when she was left without a mother after her parents divorced. Meriam’s mother discovered that
As we contemplate the year’s end, which is fast approaching, let us not forget the very many children who are victims of persecution for their faith in Christ. We have seen and met many, who through no fault of their own, find themselves having to
I didn’t grow up in North Korea but rather in Japan. My parents, however, had lived in Korea and were strong supporters of North Korea. They were members of the pro-North Korean Resident’s League. North Korea created propaganda specifically for people like my parents (Koreans
Voice of the Martyrs Korea has learned the story of a previously unknown North Korean Christian martyr from a North Korean government video used to train state security agents how to identify and silence proponents of religion inside North Korea. The purpose of the North
As a young girl, I can remember my grandfather praying, in secret, to avoid being reported by his neighbours and receiving consequent reprisals from the authorities. In North Korea, Christians practise their faith in secret and never discuss it, not even with family members. As
On a recent visit to Korea, I visited a facility which receives defectors from North Korea and ‘reprograms’ them for life in a Western country like South Korea. There, I was struck by the lack of basic skills of the defectors, which we in the
Our contacts in China report that there has been a huge increase in persecution against Christians since the new religious ordinance took effect on 1 February. As we are planning to distribute Christmas Care packs in China this year, we wanted an update on how
When Pastor Richard Wurmbrand spoke at Australian churches in 1969 he delivered a very challenging message about the persecution of Christians in Romania, his home country. Richard’s feet had been beaten so severely during his imprisonment that he could not stand or wear shoes. Instead,
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