I just finished the book "Tortured for Christ", by Richard Wurmbrand. What a fabulous book and I certainly recommend it to anyone reading this. In fact, you can get this book for free at The Voice of the Martyrs website. Please order a copy and read it. This book will inspire you to share you faith in a tremendous way. Let me read you an excerpt from the book about a girl who loved Christ more than anything on earth:
"One of our workers in the Underground Church was a young girl. The Communist police discovered that she secretly spread Gospels and taught children about Christ. They decided to arrest her. But to make the arrest as agonizing and painful as they could, they decided to delay her arrest a few weeks, until the day she was to be married. One her wedding day, the girl was dressed as a bride-the most wonderful, joyous day in a girl's life! Suddenly, the door burst open and the secret police rushed in.
When the bride saw the secret police, she held out her arms toward them to be handcuffed. They roughly put the manacles on her wrists. She looked toward her beloved, then kissed the chains and said, 'I thank my heavenly Bridegroom for this jewel He has presented to me on my marriage day. I thank Him that I am worthy to suffer for Him.' She was dragged off, with weeping Christians and a weeping bridegroom left behind. They knew what happens to young Christian girls in the hands of Communist guards" (Wurmbrand 37-38)
What happened in those camps?
"I have seen Christians in Communist prisons with fifty pounds of chains on their feet, tortured with red-hot iron pokers, in those spoonfuls of salt had been forced, being kept afterward without waters, starving, whipped, suffering from cold..." (Wurmbrand 55)
I warn you the next story is graphic, but it demonstrates the horrible persecution endured, and the beauty of the suffering Christians:
"A pastor by the name of Florescu was tortured with red-hot iron pokers and with knives. He was beaten very badly. Then starving rats were driven into his cell through a large pipe. He could not sleep because he had to defend himself all the time. If he rested a moment, the rats would attack him.
He was forced to stand for two weeks, day and night. The Communists wished to compel him to betray his brethren, but he resisted steadfastly. Eventually, they brought his fourteen-year-old son to the prison and began to whip the boy in front of his father, saying that they would continue to beat him until the pastor said what they wished him to say. The poor man was half mad. He bore it as long as he colud, then he cried to his son, ' Alexander, I must say what they want! I can't bear your beating anymore!' The son answered, 'Father, don't do me the injustice of having a traitor as a parent. Withstand! If they kill me, I will die with the words, "Jesus and my fatherland."' The Communists, enraged, fell upon the child and beat him to death, with blood spattered over the walls of the cell. He died praising God." (Wurmbrand 34)
What a story. I will be blessed to meet that boy in heaven. This entire book is a hard call to love God, spread the Gospel, and pray and support your brothers and sisters around the world. Please read this book, it will have a positive effect on not only your spiritual life, but hopefully the lives of persecuted Christians all over the world.
