CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC — The Voice of the Martyrs is encouraging believers across the world to join them in a global prayer event taking place November 1, with a particular focus on standing with the many displaced Christians in the Central African Republic.

The charity has been providing much needed aid and Bibles to help many of the 30,000 Christians in this part of Africa who have been forced to flee their homes as a result of the civil war and Islamist violence.

As part of this year’s International Day of Prayer For the Persecuted Church taking place November 1, The Voice of the Martyrs has produced a video highlighting the plight of Christians in the Central African Republic, who have been displaced from their homes and villages by civil war and Islamist violence. The Voice of the Martyrs Todd Nettleton.

“This is a place where there is civil war going on, but in the midst of that Christians are being specifically targeted by Islamist groups in the country. Right now there are more than 30,000 Christians who have been displaced from their homes. They are in the bush, they are in displaced person camps and they need our help and they need our prayers.”

Nettleton shares how The Voice of the Martyrs is standing with believers in this troubled part of Africa.

“We are providing tarps, we are providing cook pots. We’re helping some of those 30,000 Christians that have been displaced. One of the other ways that we’re helping though is providing Bibles, helping to strengthen the church to be able to withstand the persecution and continue to advance the Gospel in spite of hardship and in spite of suffering.”

Nettleton concluded by challenging people across the world to stand with the persecuted church throughout the year.

“Their prayer request is not pray that we won’t suffer any more, pray that we won’t be persecuted. That’s not what they’re asking us to pray. Instead they’re saying will you pray that I’ll be faithful to Christ in spite of my suffering, in spite of the persecution. So their first request is that we pray for them. That’s why there is an International Day of Prayer for persecuted Christians. But it’s also why we need to pray throughout the year because we know persecution happens every day.”

About The Voice of the Martyrs

The Voice of the Martyrs is a nonprofit, interdenominational Christian missions organization dedicated to serving our persecuted family worldwide through practical and spiritual assistance and leading other members of the body of Christ into fellowship with them. VOM was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned for 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ; his wife, Sabina, was imprisoned for three years. In 1965 they were ransomed out of Romania, and soon thereafter they established the global network of missions of which VOM is a part. The Wurmbrands based these missions on Hebrews 13:3, which instructs us to “Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.”

Read more news on Africa and Christian Persecution on Missions Box.