Peter Siemens lay on the grimy floor of a Russian prison after being unconscious for three days. He had been arrested for sharing the gospel with children. His fellow prisoners had horribly beaten him in return for being promised parole by the guards. As they attacked him, Peter remained silent. Seeing that he was conscious, one of the prisoners asked, “Why didn’t you scream as we beat you?”
“I wondered if you were beating me just for your own sport, without the approval of the guards,” Peter answered through bleeding lips. “If so, and I had yelled, you would have been punished for prison misconduct. I did not want you to suffer, because Jesus loves you, and I do, too.” Peter’s elegant declaration won the hearts of the hardened criminals in his cell. They sent word through the prison grapevine that no one should touch him, regardless of where he was transferred or what incentives the guards offered.
Millions of Christians living in the Middle East have been forced out of the region, and those who remain behind face daily persecution. A new film describing the plight of Christians in the region has recently been completed. It is imperative for the rest of the world to become educated about this prevalent but neglected persecution.
On June 24, Pastor Murugan was beaten by Hindu militants who ambushed him and two other believers while returning home from a prayer meeting in Moodalpalya, Karnataka, India. According to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts, "The other two managed to flee and escape any harm. The militants accused the pastor of forcibly converting people and 'spoiling the minds of the children' and took him to the local police station where he was detained." In an unrelated incident on June 26, Hindu militants barged into the home of a local believer in Hubli, Karnataka; shouted curses at the Christians gathered for a prayer meeting and beat Pastor Vinod Talakere.
1 comment:
hello ann_in_grace,
you have an excellent blog and i hope to be your friend.
i like teachers
sadek
elassli9@hotmail.com
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