Pastor Hassan Abduraheem Taour helped train Sudanese pastors to be ready for persecution. He didn't know that he was also preparing himself for the day he'd be arrested in Sudan, charged with aiding espionage alongside VOM's Africa Regional Director, Petr Jasek, and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

There were difficult days in prison, yet Pastor Hassan experienced the joy of the Lord—joy so powerful it brought tears to his eyes. It is because of that joy, and because of the ministry God gave him in prison, that Pastor Hassan looks back on those long months as "one of the best times of my life."

The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily in 2026 for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.