a mere housewife
Not your cup of tea
Probably many people know this already, but Voice of the Martyrs has a website where Christians can write to other Christians in prison, around the world (the site allows you to choose from verses and certain phrases, which they translate). In this way, we can visit those that are in prison.
You can also write to government officials, requesting the release of the prisoners. Here is the weblink:
http://www.persecution.com/basic/prisonerList.cfm
Some things I have found very useful in helping me to think of and pray for the Persecuted Church are prayer calendars. Voice of the Martyrs has one, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide also sends out pamphlets with updated prayer information for every day of the month. CSW is less evangelical than VOM (though VOM supports a lot of Catholics as well, I believe); but they seem to have more political sway. They're based in England, I think, and do a lot with the European Parliment. (http://www.csw.org.uk)
Both of these organizations offer specific county information that can be printed and used in prayer meetings, etc. I find I have to read the Psalms whenever I take time out to read and pray for these Christians: the Psalmist cries out in the language of persecuted believers, but he also cries out in the language of trust and of hope, and even of joy in the Lord.
I often look at a map I have of the countries in which Christians are being persecuted, and the staggering percentages of Muslims & Buddhists that dominate such a significant strip of the world & feel that my insignificant heap prayers, and my even more insignificant heap of actual efforts hardly be worth undertaking at all-- but Christ told the people who visited the prisoners that they did it to Him; and the God of heaven has His ears open unto the cries of His children. In fact the most powerful thing I can is to pray. Christ stopped at the cry of Bartemeus: He will stop for the cries of the persecuted church-- He will stop for my cries.
You can also write to government officials, requesting the release of the prisoners. Here is the weblink:
http://www.persecution.com/basic/prisonerList.cfm
Some things I have found very useful in helping me to think of and pray for the Persecuted Church are prayer calendars. Voice of the Martyrs has one, and Christian Solidarity Worldwide also sends out pamphlets with updated prayer information for every day of the month. CSW is less evangelical than VOM (though VOM supports a lot of Catholics as well, I believe); but they seem to have more political sway. They're based in England, I think, and do a lot with the European Parliment. (http://www.csw.org.uk)
Both of these organizations offer specific county information that can be printed and used in prayer meetings, etc. I find I have to read the Psalms whenever I take time out to read and pray for these Christians: the Psalmist cries out in the language of persecuted believers, but he also cries out in the language of trust and of hope, and even of joy in the Lord.
I often look at a map I have of the countries in which Christians are being persecuted, and the staggering percentages of Muslims & Buddhists that dominate such a significant strip of the world & feel that my insignificant heap prayers, and my even more insignificant heap of actual efforts hardly be worth undertaking at all-- but Christ told the people who visited the prisoners that they did it to Him; and the God of heaven has His ears open unto the cries of His children. In fact the most powerful thing I can is to pray. Christ stopped at the cry of Bartemeus: He will stop for the cries of the persecuted church-- He will stop for my cries.