Maryam Rostampour and Marziyeh Amirizadeh knew they were putting their lives on the line. They knew it when they handed out New Testaments, and they knew it when they shared the message of Jesus with their countrymen.

Their bold witness for Christ would cost them: they spent 259 days in Iran’s notorious Evin Prison. But even in prison God had a plan as He opened the doors for incredible ministry among their fellow prisoners.

Listen to their incredible story.

Pastor Eric Foley, VOM’s project partner for North Korea, discusses the persecution of our brothers and sisters in the most restricted nation on earth, a nation where the dictator wants to be worshiped as a God. Todd and Pastor Foley also discuss VOM’s Letter of Confession campaign to raise awareness about persecution in North Korea, and how North Korea’s government responds when the world shines a light on their dismal human rights record.

VOM staffer Grace Taylor shares how she learned about VOM when her parents received the newsletter, and how God planted the seeds through that which grew into her serving full-time with VOM. Dmitry Shestakov, former prisoner for Christ in Uzbekistan, shares what it meant when Christians around the world wrote letters of encouragement to him in prison. And Anna, the wife of a VOM international worker, shares about God’s call to their family to serve persecuted believers.

We hear different things about the church in China. Some say the church is completely free; others will tell you that persecution is real and common. Where does the truth lie? Nick, one of our VOM international workers, recently returned from China and shares an update on the status of the church there and some personal thoughts about what it means to sit down with persecuted Chinese believers and hearing their stories, including the family of a pastor who is in prison right now.