Friday, October 03, 2008

We still remember

nl-oct08 In the early years of The Voice of the Martyrs (when we were still called Jesus to the Communist World), countless Christians suffered abuse at the hands of communist authorities in places like the Soviet Union. And just as we continue to do today, we told their stories of faith and courage, of God’s gracious care of His people, and how Christians in Canada could stand with them in their afflictions.

With the fall of the Iron Curtain in the early 1990s, religious freedom was established in a number of these formerly communist countries. In others, like Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, the persecution of Christians has continued. Many of those who suffered under the communists are still alive and are now elderly and in poor health because of their earlier ordeals. For their faithfulness, we still owe them our gratitude and respect. They should still be remembered.

In the October edition of The Voice of the Newsletter, I share the testimonies of two faithful Christians I met last May in western Ukraine by the names of Anastasia Lenko and Hanna Kokotska.  

The Voice of the Martyrs currently helps support 35 pensioners like Hanna and Anastasia. All are elderly and many are ailing.  Life has not been easy for them, as many of them were sentenced to time in labour camps by the communists or have lived in abject poverty for most of their lives because of their dedication to Christ.  We have recently committed to increase our support of them to $50/month.  While this does not seem like much, it is a considerable help to them.  We have also set aside funds for emergency needs, such as the repair of Anastasia’s home or renovating the entry way to Hanna’s apartment.  Your partnership with us helps these dear elderly saints know that we remember them and continue to appreciate the sacrifices they have made for Christ. Find out more by subscribing to our newsletter today.

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