S e r v i n g t h e P e r s e c u t e d C h u r c h W o r l d w i d e | D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 7

Celebrating God's Greatest Gift!

Are we ‘praying without ceasing’ in the faith part-nership that we enjoy with our loving Heavenly

Father? Do our prayer requests, while potent in the asking, rush all to soon to a sincere, though abbrevi-ated, close – “In Jesus’ name…Amen”?

Those whom we serve in the spiritual battle that’s waging against the persecuted church have a strong sense of an all-powerful God; and by our prayerful and consistent petitions to heaven, they have tapped into His endless aquafer of front-line support. Their faithfulness is strikingly more persistent than ours, and I’m convinced that it has something to do with their sense of desperation and vulnerability, as com-pared to the comfort zone from which we may express our own compassion.

In the process of praying in faith, we need to ask ourselves that pertinent opening question, thereby avoiding the abdication of some of our God-given responsibilities with the belief that He alone is the Author and Finisher of our faith, as stated in Hebrews 12:2:

“…looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

This intrinsic relationship between God and human-kind – as evidenced when the hearts of His people are united in and through prayer, and there’s the willing-ness to participate in the expression and practice of His Kingdom principals – makes it possible to draw upon His eternal strength according to our faith and by its power. When we do, there is the potential for our prayers to be answered…for things to change.

Yet, it occurs to me, perhaps in the lessons learned at the feet of the persecuted, that there may be a logical and apparent corollary to the convenient traditions of our faith and prayer practice. In Paul’s earnest concerns regarding the apparent lack of faith amongst the Thessalonians, he expressed per-sistency in his letters to them. Especially note his words in 1 Thessalonians 3:10:

“…night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?”

I would ask us to likewise consider whether our prayers are as effective as they might be if we, for example, were to pray “exceedingly” and compas-sionately during those times when there’s a potential lack of faith within each other. Is it possible that we are praying expediently by briefly uttering the prayer

Commentary by Doug J. McKenzieChief Executive Officer for The Voice of the Martyrs Canada

IN JESUS’ NAME…

Amen!

2 VOM Canada | December 2017

P.O. Box 608 Streetsville, ON L5M 2C1

Tel: 905-670-9721 Toll Free: 1-888-298-6423

Fax: 905-670-0246

Email: thevoice@vomcanada.org Internet: www.vomcanada.com

Founders: Klaas and Nellie Brobbel with Pastor Richard Wurmbrand

Chief Executive Officer: Doug J. McKenzie Director of Communications

and Publications: Karyn Marianne Communications Assistants: Bethany Ann

and Alexandra Chelse Graphic Design: Big Footprints Inc.

Special thanks to our International Ministry team for contributing to this issue.

The Voice of the Martyrs

The goals of VOMC are expressed in our “Ministry Purposes” as follows:

1. To encourage and empower Christians to fulfill the Great Commission.

2. To give relief to families of Christian martyrs.

3. To undertake projects of encouragement, helping persecuted Christians rebuild their lives and witness.

4. To equip persecuted Christians to love and lead their enemies (persecutors) to Christ.

5. To promote the fellowship of all Christian believers.

6. To infuse, distribute and exhibit to the Canadian church constituency the faith and testimony of those Christians in the world who are persecuted for Christ.

7. To give voice to those Christians whose cries of pain and proclamation of praise go unheard.

The Voice of the Martyrs newsletter is the flagship publication of The Voice of the Martyrs in Canada.

Published monthly, it is available free of charge and without obligation in one-year subscriptions to

anyone in Canada who requests it.

Spending of funds is confined to board-approved programs and projects. Each restricted contribution designated

towards a board-approved program or project will be used as designated with the understanding that when the need for such a program or project has been met, or cannot be completed for any reason determined by the board, the remaining restricted contributions designated for such

program or project will be used where needed most. Gifts from individual donors of $10 and more are acknowledged and

receipted with an official receipt for income tax purposes.

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request and submission to heaven, and then assigning that prayer and its presumed outcome to Jesus in His holy name? This may, in fact, be the ultimate missed opportunity; a potential breach of a “Kingdom” protocol between you, me, and God our Father. “How so a breach?” you may ask.

Well, what if the Lord intends for us to participate more wholeheartedly and integrally in the prayer process? What if our initial request is more than just a drop at a celestial depository for the registration of our prayer requests, follow-ing which we systematically move on – assuming our prayer is in good hands?

What if God intends us to further commit to protecting and sustaining our prayers through faith, much like a mother hen warms and protects her eggs…each one developing daily into a new life? If such were true, would we not consistently pray in a way that nurtures the prayer and protects God’s purposes for its life among, or to the benefit of, the followers of Christ and His church? According to James 5:15-17, praying fervently results in great benefits – as well as the fulfillment of His divine purposes.

“And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.”

May I suggest that as you pray on behalf of those who are

persecuted for Jesus’ sake, you initiate the prayers as God leads – declaring the covenant with Him that follows such fervent intercession by upholding each prayer recipient consis-tently until the Lord releases you of that commitment? While remaining mindful to intercede for the persecuted church, it is my prayer during this time of Christmas celebration that the blessings of Christ will also be upon you and your family, as we together acknowledge God’s faith-fulness to follow through with His incarnation in the life of the Promised Messiah.

In Jesus’ name…Amen!

FRONT COVER: Note the Christmas greetings we're conveying from another VOMC-sponsored children's home in India.

INTERVIEW WITH PETR JASEK CONDUCTED BY GREG MUSSELMAN MINISTER-AT-LARGE FOR VOM CANADA

Petr, you and I have both travelled to many countries, interviewing persecuted Christians for The Voice of the Martyrs. In fact, we both travelled together to Africa more than a decade ago. Please explain what happened in December 2015 when you were in Sudan.

Petr: I went for a short four-day trip because of my busy travel schedule. Basically, I wanted to document the persecu-tion that I heard about at a conference in Ethiopia, and see how VOM could help the persecuted Christians in Sudan – individuals, as well as churches.”

You mentioned in our previous discussion that you were being followed in Sudan, and that the country’s secret police were even using surveillance cameras designed to take photos in the dark. As a result, your meeting activities were being monitored. What happened when you were arrested?

Petr: When they asked me to follow them right after I received my boarding pass (at the airport in Khartoum) for my three flights back home (through Nairobi and Amsterdam to Prague), I thought it was a normal security procedure for leaving the country – like what I have expe-rienced before in many other countries. I didn’t pay close attention until they started to show me the photos, and then I realized that the situation was very serious because they even had photos from our night meetings in Sudan.

So you were arrested, and then what happened?

Petr: They held me for several minutes at the airport hall where they went through all the stuff I had with me – my computer bag, camera, phone, external hard drives…. While going through these things, they kept asking me ques-tions. The problem was they couldn’t speak proper English.

HOMEFOR Christmas

In December 2015, Czech Christian aid worker, Petr Jasek, made a trip to Sudan – as he had many times before – but this time would be different. Petr, who has a 20-year background in the medical field, was participating in various humanitarian efforts by providing care for persecuted Christians in Sudan and Nigeria on behalf of The Voice of the Martyrs. Due to his ministry involvement, charges were brought forth against him of alleged spying and inciting hatred during his brief 2015 visit. He was then subsequently arrested, along with two other Sudanese Christian leaders, and sentenced to life imprisonment amid horrific prison conditions and the hostility of ISIS sympathizers.

Following negotiations between Sudanese authorities and the Czech Foreign Minister, Petr was released in February of this year after having served a duration of 14 months in prison. During his recently aired television interview with Greg Musselman, co-host of “100 Huntley Street” and Minister-at-Large for VOM Canada, Petr candidly spoke of his own personal experience with persecution and how it has largely impacted his faith today.

4 VOM Canada | December 2017

INTERVIEW WITH PETR JASEK CONDUCTED BY GREG MUSSELMAN MINISTER-AT-LARGE FOR VOM CANADA

So I tried speaking to them in French, German, and also Russian, as I know the Sudanese are working closely with Russia. But they were not able to communicate, and it was a major problem – until their boss, who spoke better English, had arrived.

At that point, did you know you were in big trouble?

Petr: The most difficult moment – when I realized I was in great trouble – took place after they had discovered my second passport. I always travel with two passports because when travelling to Africa (Greg, you probably know this better than me), you can get robbed by different people. So I always have my second passport hidden somewhere on my body with some money, just in case. But when they discovered my second passport, it was the last drop for them. They now thought I was a spy.

You were eventually charged with espionage and treason, and it looked like it was going to be a death sentence according to Sudanese law. Instead, you were given a life sentence. Did you ever think you would have to complete that sentence (20-plus years)? As a Czech national, you knew your government would try to help.

Petr: I was always kind of confident that I wouldn’t get the death penalty. Yet when I heard that the death penalty applied to two of the accusations against me, there was a moment when I started to think that I was in real danger. By the time they sentenced me for life, I was already in touch with representatives from the Czech embassy who informed me that a diplomatic solution was being prepared…. I told my family that because of the way the Sudanese authorities were portraying me in the local pro-government newspaper, I should expect something like 15 to 20 years in prison. I prepared my family for that possibility, telling them not to get discouraged because I knew there were some negotiations already going on.

While in Sudan, you were in five different prisons. Tell me what it was like there. Was it difficult, or would that be an understatement?

Petr: This was the first time in my life to be in prison…. The conditions in the Sudanese prisons were very difficult. I thought that the first prison was really bad – with its filth and humidity, the different crawling animals and flies all over the room, plus the fact that there was not enough space. The prison cell they put me into that first night was designed for one prisoner, and yet there were already six other prison-ers there on the floor. It was about 1:30 a.m. when I was put into this cell. The conditions always seemed to be bad. But I

had no idea at the time that the other prisons (in Sudan) would be even worse, as far as accommodations and food.

At times, you were in prison cells with guys who were sympathetic to ISIS (Islamic State) terrorism. As they knew you were a Christian, you suffered beatings.

Petr: My conditions in prison got worse and worse…week by week, day after day. At first, they started to limit my move-ment within the cell during their prayer times and when they were reading the Quran. At first, I was supposed to stay behind them, and then they thought I shouldn’t even look at them when they were bowing down and praying. So they told me to stand in the toilet corner. Later on, they demanded that I face the toilet sink whenever they were praying so that I would not interfere with their prayers. Then they started using slander, calling me a “filthy pig” or a “filthy rat.” If I did not respond to their use of these names, they started beat-ing me with a wooden stick. So I learned that it was better to respond than to be beaten.

As a Christian ministry worker, you have travelled all over the world. You know what the Bible teaches about persecution. How was that a comfort to you in the middle of being called horrible names and getting beaten up?

Petr: I remember the time I was on my knees being inter-rogated because they wanted to find out about the Christian work our organization was doing in Sudan. Whenever they didn’t like the answer, they started to beat me. While I was on my knees being hit with the wooden stick, I vividly saw a picture of the Lord Jesus who was beaten when He was being interrogated. So I knew that Someone already went this way – ahead of us – and suffered for our sins. I felt it was a privilege to go the same way as our Lord Jesus, whom people had beaten and spat upon…. For me, at the time of the physical attacks, I experienced the deepest peace in my mind. I do not even remember the pain I experienced from those beatings….

Eventually you got a Bible, tell us about that.

Petr: I got my Bible after five months of being in prison. When travelling to restricted countries, I don’t travel with a printed Bible because I have 200 different Scriptural trans-lations on my cell phone. At least I can read some of those languages or translations. Yet they took my cell phone away so I didn’t have access to the Bible. I asked for one but was told that they didn’t have any, which was not true. They said, “We only have Qurans.” In fact, every cell in the first prison had at least two or three Qurans. Apart from these, five times a day, there were spoken Islamic prayers. During these times, three

December 2017 | VOM Canada 5

or four people would read the Quran. They read it out loud or they would sing it.

So that was the situation. It was very complicated for me, as I could not concentrate in my mind. I heard all these prayers and the reading of the Quran while, at the same time, feel-ing weak and not very healthy. I lost 55 pounds within two months and was also anemic, which was later on discovered when I was on a hunger strike. I was eight days on the hunger strike. After the first four days, they took me to the hospital where some blood tests were done. I was forced to take a dextrose infusion so I would have enough glu-cose in my blood. Later on, I contin-ued another four days (on the hunger strike) but realized my health was not very good. I worked 20 years in a hematology clinic, and so blood transfu-sions were my specialty at the hospital. I knew immediately when I saw my results that I was in serious condition. That explains why I couldn’t concen-trate. Because I had a low hemoglobin concentration, there wasn’t enough oxy-gen getting to my brain.

What did you learn from this prison experience? I know you would not have chosen it. But you went through it and, as you said, the Lord allowed you to go through it which you count a privilege. Has it made you a stronger follower of Jesus?

Petr: I learned what it means to wait on the Lord. When I read the Scriptures after five months of receiving my Bible, so many passages spoke directly to me about what it means to wait on the Lord. For instance, I never thought about the many years that Rebekah and Isaac had to wait for their two children – Jacob and Esau – to be born. It was 20 years! Then I read in the New Testament about the Apostle Paul who was imprisoned in Caesarea. Even though it was not writ-ten there, when reading about his ministry in context, it’s estimated that he spent about two years there. The time factor was something I had learned. Not only did I learn to wait on the Lord, but to also expect help from Him – and, therefore, completely trust Him and put everything into His hands.

(In keeping with this December issue, and the soon approaching Christmas season, we asked Petr the following question after the on-air interview.) Last year, Petr, you spent Christmas locked up in a Sudanese prison cell – far away from family and friends. What does Christmas mean to you

now after having experienced 14 months of separation from loved ones…not to mention, isolation from the world you once knew?

The Christmas of 2015 was very hard for me, and espe-cially for my family. My wife told me that they were crying through it. For me, it was a little bit easier as I was very

busy that day. In the early morning of December 24th, our cell, where I was imprisoned together with the ISIS members, got flooded by water from a ruptured pipe. I woke up when it was still dark and my body was all wet. We spent the entire day cleaning the cell and drying our clothes.

Thankfully, Christmas in 2016 was much more joyful, as I preached on Christmas Eve in the chapel of Al-Houda prison where there was great response from the prison inmates. I managed to secretly call my family for a brief moment and share my joy with them, despite the horrible conditions in prison.

Did you sense the prayers of God’s people when you were in prison?

Petr: Absolutely! I was later informed by my family through the letters they were able to send me in prison that many Christians from all over the world were praying for me and sending encouraging letters or emails to my family, as well as to me. While I was in prison, I received some of those letters which was a great encouragement to me.

On behalf of Petr and his family, we at VOM Canada wish to thank you for joining us in prayer for his safe release, and for the release of the Sudanese Christian leaders imprisoned with him. One of the 100 Huntley Street hosts stated just days after this interview was taped that preceding a “testimony,” there must be a “test.” Thankfully, the test that Petr experienced during his gruelling imprisonment has not only given him an opportunity to testify of the Lord before his former inmates in Sudan but now on a global scale through the international news head-lines. (Petr's interview on "100 Huntley Street" can be viewed at www.vomcanada.com/video/petr.) May God use Petr’s testimony to serve as a “voice of the martyrs” and, most importantly, as a means of leading multitudes who are desperately in need of salvation to the “Saviour of the world” – the true meaning of Christmas.

The “Extreme Devotion” of

St. NicholasSaint Nicholas Heroically Stood

Against Persecution in Ancient Rome

The Voice of the Martyrs International

Petr is holding Weng, whose feet were badly injured during an attack on his Nigerian village.VOM has since provided the young child new

prosthetic shoes so he can walk.

6 VOM Canada | December 2017

“Don’t do it,” Nicholas yelled as he saw the execu-tioner lift his sword to kill another prisoner. “He’s done nothing to deserve this.” The man was about to be executed for his faith in Jesus Christ. Nicholas bravely grabbed the executioner’s sword before it pen-etrated the prisoner’s flesh.

“Have it your way, Nicholas…. I have many others to kill today.” The executioner spat as he walked away and resumed his duties elsewhere.

Nicholas boldly spoke up for Christ at a difficult time in history. In the year 303, Emperor Diocletian began one of the most brutal persecutions of Christians. So many were being killed that the execu-tioners were exhausted and took turns at their work.

Nicholas himself was branded with hot irons. He survived terrible beatings from the guards. And he endured other tortures as well – simply for refusing to deny that Jesus is the Son of God. How could he deny the One who was so real to him? Nicholas remained resolute in the midst of great injustice.

After being released from prison, he spent the rest of his life establishing orphanages and protecting poor children. He was committed to advancing the Gospel

of Christ in creative ways. Once, he even threw money wrapped in a stocking through the window of a home of two very poor girls so they would not be sold to a house of prostitution.

Many years after his death, Nicholas was affection-ately called “St. Nicholas.” For many children, the night before Christmas is the most magical night of the year as they await a visit from Santa Claus, a cari-cature of St. Nicholas. However, the real-life story behind St. Nicholas is much more heroic and loving than most children could even dream.

Think about your own life’s story. Do people know the truth about your faith in Jesus Christ? Or do they merely know you as an affectionate and unusually moral person? Although Santa Claus is not real, St. Nicholas was, and you must be too. You may not feel like a saint, but the world needs real examples of reso-lute Christians. What will you do today to live your faith in a real way?

The above message was taken from The Voice of the Martyrs’ book, “Extreme Devotion” which is featured on page 11.

...the real-life story behind St. Nicholas is much more heroic and loving than most children could even dream.

The “Extreme Devotion” of

St. NicholasSaint Nicholas Heroically Stood

Against Persecution in Ancient Rome

The Voice of the Martyrs International

“ ”December 2017 | VOM Canada 7

“Time flies,” it is said! It flew by so quickly with our biological son. The memory of David’s birth – when I first held him in my arms – is still so vivid, and yet nearly 25 years have passed by. It is the same with our 24 [adopted] sons as well. Only some time ago, I used

to have four or five of them hanging onto my arms as I swung them around. Now they have all grown up. In fact, a couple of them are now taller than me! It is com-forting to know that our times are in God’s hands, and that He has a time for every-thing. Thank you, Lord – and thank you,

beloved VOM family – for being with us at all times.When I think back, some of those times have been

challenging, like when we were under the threat of being arrested for “kidnapping and illegally detaining children,” or when we faced a communally charged mob storming into our compound a few years ago. Other times have included moving all 35 of us to another home. Then there was the time that three hospitals refused to treat our little Debashish. In the middle of that dark night, all we had left was to cry out in prayer and insist the hospital provide our seri-ously ill child needed treatment.

The fear and anxiety of such scary and difficult moments are nothing in comparison to the joy of seeing transformation in the lives of these children. For we see them growing more into the image of our Lord Jesus. Let me share a couple incidents that took place in recent times.

INDI A: Rainbow Promise Centre Prov ides HopeIn 2008, the Christian community of the Orissa state witnessed the worst outbreak of violence since

India had gained its independence in 1947. While trying to forcefully convert people to Hinduism, the perpetrating extremists committed brutal murders and acts of widespread destruction to churches and Christian properties. As a result of the horrific massacres, many children were left traumatized, and

without one or both of their Christian parents.

Despite the trauma they have endured, these rescued children are learning that they are of infinite value to their Creator. For this is the message that VOMC’s in-country ministry partners at the Rainbow Promise Centre convey every day while nurturing and discipling these young lives. Through the demon-stration of God’s love, the “family members” of this orphanage (one of the two children’s homes in India

supported by VOM Canada) are also able to reach out and offer hope to others in the community.

Report by Jiggu Bogi, Director of Rainbow Promise Centre

Having fun with "Dad"

8 VOM Canada | December 2017

Raising Young DisciplesDuring a vacation break, one of the boys noticed a

bag containing new shirts in our store room. He qui-etly took a couple shirts for himself, and then gave one to another boy. After saying that he got the new shirt [he was wearing] from a friend at school, one of our other sons doubted the statement and decided to confront him. The convicted child confessed to tak-ing the shirts without the knowledge of the staff in charge. Afterwards, both boys involved went together and confessed to the staff. We ended up having a family meeting, allowing time for con-fession and forgiveness. While these children are no angels, I am extremely happy that the values of mutual accountability are now the norm among them. Each one is helping the other to grow in faith, integrity, purpose and discipleship. We are getting better as a disciple-ship community.

Serving with JoyHere’s another noteworthy incident…. Recently, one

of our boys was in the hospital with a serious viral infection, accompanied by fever. During the time, his blood platelet count had fallen dangerously low. Members of our staff who were attending to him at the hospital came home for lunch, leaving one of our other boys there to keep him company. When our

staff returned, they found the attending son visiting other patients in the ward and praying for them. We managed to capture that moment in a photo! Then when noticing the family members of another patient crying, we were able to share the Gospel and minister

to them as well. Witnessing, ministering

and praying has become a lifestyle for our boys. These and other praise-worthy incidents give us so much joy and satisfac-tion. All the risks and challenges we’ve faced over the years are worth it! There is such joy in knowing that when we serve among these chil-dren, we have the advan-tage of training them

in the Word of God during the most crucial time of their young lives, so that when they are old they will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).

Love Covers All By raising these children as if they are our own – in

a loving and Godly atmosphere – their emotional and spiritual needs are also being met. Each one of them is growing up with a healthy self-image and a God-ordained sense of identity. Through this loving Christian family relationship, these children are able to attain a higher level of discipleship and, therefore, gain access to opportunities that would otherwise not be possible.

Thank you for your prayers and support VOM family!

Ministering in hospital Devotional time

One big happy family!

December 2017 | VOM Canada 9

The Torchlighters DVD Series $15 each ❄ Christmas Special: 2 for $25 ❄You will be greatly encouraged by the inspiring testimonies of these ‘heroes of the faith’ whose obedience to the call of God on their lives have touched the hearts of so many around the world – including those who had openly opposed them and their faith. Each animated story is about 30 minutes in length, plus there’s an added bonus documentary for parents, educators, and others who are interested in learning more about these exemplary lives. The heroes featured in the DVD series include: Amy Carmichael, Corrie ten Boom, Eric Liddell, Gladys Aylward, Jim Elliot, John Bunyan, Perpetua, Richard Wurmbrand, Robert Jermain Thomas, Samuel Morris, St. Augustine, William Booth, William Tyndale.

“The Apostle” or “The Twelve” Illustrated Novels for Teens

$18 each ❄ Christmas Special: 2 for $25 ❄

Once a persecutor of Jesus' followers, Saul of Tarsus would eventually become one of the Lord’s greatest apostles. This new illustrated novel, The Apostle, recounts the miraculous transformation of Saul to Paul from the Book of Acts, including his dramatic conversion on the road

to Damascus and the epic missionary adventures that followed. (Paperback, 151 pages)

The first apostles were sent forth by Jesus Christ and they witnessed His miracles and resurrection firsthand. In essence, they were eyewitnesses of His majesty (2 Peter 1:16). The apostles had something else in common – all but one was martyred or killed for his faith. The Twelve apostles were compelled to "teach all nations" about God’s message of saving grace which is available through faith in Christ. (Paperback, 100 pages)

Extreme Devotion $15In an age of extremes, this daily devotional by The Voice of the Martyrs features messages of faith, strength, encouragement and hope, based on the true stories of fellow believers from all over the world – throughout the centuries past to the present. (It also includes the testimony of St. Nicholas that was featured on page 7 of this December issue.) These men and women, both young and old, went to the outer limits of human devotion. Each story is true, unforgettable… and extreme. The truths they convey will change your life! (Paperback, 368 pages)

“Closure” DVD $15Based on recent events in Iran, Closure is a compelling movie about the discovery of redemption in the midst of heart-wrenching struggle. It all begins when the son of a Christian doctor witnesses his father's cruel death and is forever changed as a result. Several years later, filled with resentment and bitterness, Cyrus finds himself unable to cope with the past while facing the future. At the turn of events, the embittered young man finds himself face-to-face with his father's killer, leaving him with a major life-altering decision…. This multi-award-winning film has been produced by Joseph Film & Animation Productions in association with The Voice of the Martyrs Canada and Hovsepian Ministries.

(The feature film, which is presented in the Farsi language with English subtitles, is about one hour in length. Plus, there are extras!)

'Holiday Heroes' Storybooks$19 each ❄ Christmas Special: Set of 3 for $45 ❄Beautifully written and illustrated, each of these children’s hardcover books highlights a real-life ‘hero of the faith’ who has courageously stood firm in their faith during challenging times. Whether featuring believers from the ancient days of the apostles to well-known figures such as St. Nicholas, children will be captivated as they read these heartwarming true stories. More important are the Biblical truths and life lessons that are taught through each of the testimonies – featuring the Apostle Paul, Apostle Stephen, Apostle Thomas, John Bunyan, Richard Wurmbrand, St. Nicholas, St. Patrick, St. Valentine, William Tyndale.

For more helpful resources, please check our

online catalogue at: www.vomcanada.com/catalogue

Wishing you a most blessed and meaningful Christmas season!

Antagonism towards Christianity continues to threaten the general security and safety of the church in Egypt. This is evidenced by this year’s Palm Sunday attack in the Nile Delta which killed more than 40 people and injured many others. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack, the deadliest since the December 2016 attack on St. Mark’s cathedral in Cairo which killed mostly women and children.

VOMC’s Christmas Blessing project strives to convey our solidarity with persecuted Christian brothers and sisters facing severe challenges for their faith, and prayerfully provide them a measure of help, hope and encouragement. Our goal this year is to bless 3,000 Christian families in nine villages throughout Egypt with a Christmas Blessing package. These families live with the daily pressures of persecution while seeking to live out their faith in a hostile environment.

Each Christmas Blessing package, which contains practical supplies and a special gift for the children, will bring joy to the recipients. More importantly, these families will appreciate the fact that the gifts they receive come from Christian brothers and sisters in Canada who have remembered them in their suffering.

The giving of a Christmas Blessing package is an expression of love. As we remember the gift of God’s love, as demonstrated through His Son Jesus, let us be motivated to share this Good News with others around the world!

Christmas Blessing

201 7

To participate in this year’s Christmas Blessing project,please contact us at www.vomcanada.com/cb

1-888-298-6423