God’s Witness Protection Program
We usually associate
the term “safe house” with places where government agencies hide those
thought to be in danger, such as witnesses or undercover agents. But for
The Voice of the Martyrs, a safe house is much more.
In addition to providing a place of refuge where persecuted
Christians can safely hide from angry families, extremists or government
authorities, VOM seeks to come alongside these believers and help them
accomplish their goal — heading back into society to share the gospel as
Christ’s witnesses.Persecuted believers that we help through refuge programs receive holistic care. We provide job training, equip them with ministry tools, provide care and schooling for their children and help reaffirm them spiritually through the counsel of mature believers. They are reestablished in the foundation of Christ so they can return to sharing their witness.
VOM provides these places of refuge wherever they are needed; we currently support similar projects in Central Asia, South Asia, Nigeria and Colombia. In some cases persecuted believers are referred to safe houses through the local church, while in other cases VOM field workers see an urgent need and meet it right away.
“When a pastor dies, all the family stays frozen in that spot,” said Mauricio, a pastor whose church manages a safe house. “They keep living that hurt. So whether it’s been eight years or two months, it’s the same for them.”
The safe-house program provides a place of refuge where persecuted believers can begin to heal and put the traumatic events they’ve experienced in an eternal perspective. “People in [the] program don’t need to worry about anything,” Mauricio said. “This is the time that they can prepare themselves and be with their kids being a parent. This gives the mother and children time to stabilize their lives and develop like a family.”
Despite their difficulties, these Christians don’t recklessly confront dangerous situations. Instead, they view their physical safety as less important than the eternal safety of being shining lights for Christ in places where his name is unknown or scorned. They are God’s witnesses.
