Not the book, but rather the real deal.

As I read one of the persecuted church testimonies in my latest edition of the Voice of the Martyrs magazine, one quote really caught my attention. The story was about three women who were imprisoned for allowing Muslim children to attend their Christian Sunday School program. They served 2 years of a 3 year sentence, and when released, they continued their ministry by constructing a bunker 10 feet underground where they could host their SS in concealment. The VOM articles says, “Children who attend the class wear T-shirts that say, ‘Ready or Not, Jesus will come. I am ready. What about you?‘” Lukas, the husband of one of the women, declared, “In Indonesia Christians have to be extreme or we will turn into ice cream.” What a great word picture and stinging indictment! I’m sure that in comparison to believers such as these, even in my extremest moments, I am closer to ice cream than I am anything else.

Just a few days ago I was sent an email via The Voice of the Martyrs sub-ministry, Prisoner Alert, that one of the imprisoned believers whom they intercede for and encourage others to write letters of encouragement to, has finally been released. The freed man is Pastor Abraham Bentar. He has an incredible testimony which you can read on his profile located at Prisoner Alert’s website. But, in a nutshell, on March 7, 2006, he was attacked by Muslims in West Java who destroyed his van and attempted to burn him alive. Thankfully, the police stepped in and originally detained him for security purposes. However, he was subsequently charged with blasphemy against the Prophet Muhammad, and was sentenced to 4 and 1/2 years in a local prison Tasikmalaya.

Recently, VOM contacts in Indonesia informed representatives that Bentar had been released last week on parole. He served 2/3 of his sentence but was set free early. It is a joy to see prayers for his release answered, but it is also a joy to know that so many believers from around the globe were able to encourage this “prisoner of the Lord” while he was behind bars. According to Prisoner Alert’s statistics, Bentar’s profile has been viewed 16,700 times, and over 2900 letters of encouragement were sent his way. Praise God!

I still encourage all of you to become involved with this simple and cost-free ministry to our brothers and sisters who are in chains for the sake of the gospel. Prisoner Alert just about does all the work for you in terms of phasing and translation. All you have to do is print out your letter and mail it. Let us rejoice with the Bentar family and pray that the Lord will continue to use his life in amazing ways for making Christ known in the hard places among the hard peoples. Would you commit to writing one Christian prisoner with me this month?

As most of you know, Kim and I contribute to the Voice of the Martyrs ministry in two main ways. The first is the BiblesUnbound ministry where we aid VOM in smuggling Bibles to underground Christians. The second is through their Prisoner Alert ministry. Periodically, I receive emails from VOM that request us to help spread the word about the reality of the persecuted church and Christian prisoners all over this world. On Prisoner Alert’s website, you are able to view the profiles of numerous incarcerated brothers and sisters in Christ so that you may be able to intercede on their behalf more intelligently as well as write them a personal letter in their own language.

Today’s featured prisoner is Li Mei. I know the picture is hard to make out, but that is the only one that VOM had to offer. She is 42 yrs old, and in 2007 she was captured along with 9 other house church leaders because they were discovered having Christian worship services and showing the Jesus Film. She spent the first part of her sentence in a hospital handcuffed to the bed. Those imprisoning her continued to beat her and torture her to the point that she was forced to have a hysterectomy. She is currently in prison in China and needs your prayers.

Would you consider writing her a letter through the Prisoner Alert online resource? The only things you have to pay for are the envelope and postage. A very small price to pay, I might add too, for sending a fellow believer a priceless letter of love and encouragement. This is an invaluable ministry and an incredible opportunity for us in the States to be more hands-on in serving the family of God abroad. I hope you will.