Just wanted to share this Voice of the Martyr's website where you can write letters to Christians imprisoned for their faith ~ http://www.prisoneralert.com/.. The kids loved this and we spent all afternoon writing letters to Uzbekistan, Pakistan, China, Vietnam & North Korea.
We have a dear friend of ours Joseph in his early 30's who told us about growing up with his father in a prison work camp. He said one year someone from Voice of the Martyr's somehow got their address and sent them a huge box of candy. Their family (8 children) were on the brink of starvation and the Mother took the *black market* American candy and sold it.. enough to buy bread and oatmeal to feed their family for an entire year! Joseph was a baby when his father was sent away to prison for refusing to stop teaching his children about God. He returned home when Joseph was 16 years old.. in very poor health and died 10 month later. Joseph told us he only knew him for 10 months but he said the one thing he would always remember about him was 'he had absolutely no fear of man, he only feared God and knew God personally in a way most everyone else didn't.'
I'm rambling.. :) but have been thinking lately about the importance of teaching our children that people suffer because of their faith; it's not a rosy picnic, it's not health, wealth and happiness. And we need to remember in our prayers the people around the world suffering for their faith.
Here's some random pictures of the kids playing in front of our house. I started laughing while I was looking at them.. thinking back to the gorgeous beauty of the Texas hill country and the parks we would take the kids to and the fun water crossings ~ and yet the kids have had a total blast all week building boats and floating them in the ditch filled with vodka bottles and trash.. every bit as much fun as in Kerrville.
Caleb reminds me so much of his 'live life to the fullest' Uncle Matthew. He even has all the pyromaniac qualities of Uncle Matt!! :) Oh and in case anyone is wondering.. no we don't randomly let them play with fire.. but every spring everyone burns away the old dead grass... it's one of Caleb's most anticipated holidays.
2 comments:
Susan, you have given me much to think about in this blog post of yours - the persecuted believers around the world and the contentment of children and their Moms when they are where God has called them. I admire your ability to guide your children into seeing this world from God's perspective. You are allowing them to find joy as they play in what some may view as dirty drabness and to prepare them for possible persecution as you share real life stories of persecution for Christ's sake around the world. Thanks for sharing.
Susan,
So much to catch up on, but I just finished reading a few books by Richard Wurmbrand, founder of VOM. it has been 30 year since he has written Tortured for Christ and I was ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED the extent of sufferings the underground church had to go through. Gulag Archapelago is a fairy tale by comparison... And these are our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. What a privilege to come across the member of the family of some of these saints!!! Their stories will not be recorded in any history book, but their names are written in Gods! Hallelujah!
Post a Comment