20 christian women who died as martyrs file · web viewthe first martyr stephen, full of the holy...
TRANSCRIPT
PART 3THE WORK OF THE EARLY CHURCH
ARTICLE 10 THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT ON
PENTECOST QUITE LITERALLY DROVE THE APOSTLES OUTWARDhelliphellipDYNAMISM
UNDERSTOOD MISSIONARY WORK AS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF CHURCH
ASCENSION OF THE LORD WAS THE GREAT COMMISSIONINGhellipGO OUT
AMAZING REALITY THAT A VERY SMALL GROUP OF ORDINARY UNEDUCATED MENWOMEN BEGAN THE MOVEMENT
ARTICLE 11
ST PAULrsquoS JOURNEYrsquoS CRITICALmdashESTABLISHES CHURCHES WITH ELDERS IN THE VARIOUS PLACES HE PREACHED
AMAZING HOW QUICKLY THE FAITH SPREAD
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=C42WAWs13Gg
Pauls missionary journeys
INTERESTING THAT GOD CAN USE ANYTHING TO FURTHER THE MESSAGE EVEN OPPOSITION
FOR EXAMPLE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY THE ROMANS ROMAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAWS
FIRST CRITICAL TEST OF EARLY CHURCH WHAT DO WE DO WITH GENTILE CONVERTS IN OTHER WORDShellipWHO BELONGS
TERMS TRINITARIAN EVANGELIZATION GENTILE HELLENISTIC BLASPHEMY
AS THE GOSPEL SPREAD ADOPTED TO VARIOUS CULTURES TO MAKE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE AVAILABLE
MAKE SURE YOU READ CHAPTER INFO ON ST PAUL AND FRANCIS XAVIERhelliphellip
ARTICLE 12 httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=lCiW_frCCZA
Barron on the Martyrs MARTYR ONE WHO GIVES HISHER
LIFE FOR THE FAITH JEWISH LEADERSHIP AND ROMAN
AUTHORITIES STRANGE REALITY THAT AS MUCH AS
THE FAITH IS PERSECUTED THE MORE IT GROWS
ldquoTHE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS IS THE SEED OF THE CHURCHrdquo Tertullian
CHURCHrsquoS MISSION CONTINUES IN EACH GENERATION UNTIL THE END
AND THAT MOMENT IS ONLY IN GODrsquoS TIME
Dear brothers and sisters good morning
The first martyr Stephen full of the Holy Spirit was stoned because he confessed his faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God The only Son who comes into the world invites every believer to choose the path of light and life This is the meaning of his coming among us Loving the Lord and obeying his voice the deacon Stephen chose Christ Life and Light for every man By choosing the truth he became at the same time the victim of the mystery of evil present in the world But in Christ Stephen triumphed
Today too the Church to bear witness to light and truth experiences harsh persecution in different places [to the point of] the supreme test of martyrdom How many of our brothers and sisters in faith suffer abuse violence and are hated for Jesusrsquo sake Irsquoll tell you something The martyrs of today are greater in number than those of the first centuries When we read the history of the early centuries here in Rome we read about so much cruelty towards Christians I tell you there is this same cruelty today and in greater numbers with Christians Today we want to think about them and to be close to them with our affection our prayer and our tears Yesterday Christmas Day the persecuted Christians in Iraq celebrated Christmas in their destroyed Cathedral [Theirs] is an
example of fidelity to the Gospel Despite the trials and the dangers they bear witness with courage to their belonging to Christ and they live the Gospel committing themselves on behalf of the least the most overlooked doing good to all without distinction they bear witness in this way to charity in truth
20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
ldquoFor me to live is Christ to die is gainrdquo says Paul (Phil 121 ) who was beheaded for the faith in Rome In fact all the disciples were violently killed except for John Still the message spread And martyrdom never stopped Today 322 Christians are killed for their faith every month not counting the other violent acts perpetrated on Christians (according to Open Doors wwwopendoorsusaorg)
What follows are just over 20 women martyred for the Gospel We hope their stories will inspire you to ldquolive a life worthy of the calling you have receivedrdquo (Eph 41 ) and to be renewed in taking up your cross daily no matter what it might cost you
Edith Stein (October 12 1891 ndash August 9 1942)As a German Jew who converted to Christianity during the tumultuous time of World War II Edith soon knew the dangers of her ethnicity and her newfound faith She became a nun and
taught school in Speyer By 1933 the Nazis passed laws that prohibited any non-Aryan person from civil service Edith and her sister were moved to a Netherlands monastery for their safety but in 1942 the Nazis arrested them and sentenced both women to Auschwitz They died seven days later in the gas chambers
Esther John (December 14 1929 ndash February 2 1960)
Esther served as a nurse in Pakistan She was born into an Islamic family in British India but converted at age 17 because of her reading Isaiah in Christian school Her family moved to the new country of Pakistan in 1947 Fearing an arranged Muslim wedding she left home and changed her name She began work with orphans and then at a mission hospital evangelizing in the nearby villages She was found murdered at her home Though no one was arrested for the crime the suspicion is that Estherrsquos brothers found her and killed her because of her Christianity and disobedience to Islam
Two in Pakistan ( ndash September 22 2013) In Peshawar Pakistan stands All Saints Church a church sharing the love of Jesus since 1883 On September 22 2013 two Islamic suicide bombers entered the church 81 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan The two
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
ARTICLE 11
ST PAULrsquoS JOURNEYrsquoS CRITICALmdashESTABLISHES CHURCHES WITH ELDERS IN THE VARIOUS PLACES HE PREACHED
AMAZING HOW QUICKLY THE FAITH SPREAD
httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=C42WAWs13Gg
Pauls missionary journeys
INTERESTING THAT GOD CAN USE ANYTHING TO FURTHER THE MESSAGE EVEN OPPOSITION
FOR EXAMPLE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY THE ROMANS ROMAN INFRASTRUCTURE LAWS
FIRST CRITICAL TEST OF EARLY CHURCH WHAT DO WE DO WITH GENTILE CONVERTS IN OTHER WORDShellipWHO BELONGS
TERMS TRINITARIAN EVANGELIZATION GENTILE HELLENISTIC BLASPHEMY
AS THE GOSPEL SPREAD ADOPTED TO VARIOUS CULTURES TO MAKE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE AVAILABLE
MAKE SURE YOU READ CHAPTER INFO ON ST PAUL AND FRANCIS XAVIERhelliphellip
ARTICLE 12 httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=lCiW_frCCZA
Barron on the Martyrs MARTYR ONE WHO GIVES HISHER
LIFE FOR THE FAITH JEWISH LEADERSHIP AND ROMAN
AUTHORITIES STRANGE REALITY THAT AS MUCH AS
THE FAITH IS PERSECUTED THE MORE IT GROWS
ldquoTHE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS IS THE SEED OF THE CHURCHrdquo Tertullian
CHURCHrsquoS MISSION CONTINUES IN EACH GENERATION UNTIL THE END
AND THAT MOMENT IS ONLY IN GODrsquoS TIME
Dear brothers and sisters good morning
The first martyr Stephen full of the Holy Spirit was stoned because he confessed his faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God The only Son who comes into the world invites every believer to choose the path of light and life This is the meaning of his coming among us Loving the Lord and obeying his voice the deacon Stephen chose Christ Life and Light for every man By choosing the truth he became at the same time the victim of the mystery of evil present in the world But in Christ Stephen triumphed
Today too the Church to bear witness to light and truth experiences harsh persecution in different places [to the point of] the supreme test of martyrdom How many of our brothers and sisters in faith suffer abuse violence and are hated for Jesusrsquo sake Irsquoll tell you something The martyrs of today are greater in number than those of the first centuries When we read the history of the early centuries here in Rome we read about so much cruelty towards Christians I tell you there is this same cruelty today and in greater numbers with Christians Today we want to think about them and to be close to them with our affection our prayer and our tears Yesterday Christmas Day the persecuted Christians in Iraq celebrated Christmas in their destroyed Cathedral [Theirs] is an
example of fidelity to the Gospel Despite the trials and the dangers they bear witness with courage to their belonging to Christ and they live the Gospel committing themselves on behalf of the least the most overlooked doing good to all without distinction they bear witness in this way to charity in truth
20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
ldquoFor me to live is Christ to die is gainrdquo says Paul (Phil 121 ) who was beheaded for the faith in Rome In fact all the disciples were violently killed except for John Still the message spread And martyrdom never stopped Today 322 Christians are killed for their faith every month not counting the other violent acts perpetrated on Christians (according to Open Doors wwwopendoorsusaorg)
What follows are just over 20 women martyred for the Gospel We hope their stories will inspire you to ldquolive a life worthy of the calling you have receivedrdquo (Eph 41 ) and to be renewed in taking up your cross daily no matter what it might cost you
Edith Stein (October 12 1891 ndash August 9 1942)As a German Jew who converted to Christianity during the tumultuous time of World War II Edith soon knew the dangers of her ethnicity and her newfound faith She became a nun and
taught school in Speyer By 1933 the Nazis passed laws that prohibited any non-Aryan person from civil service Edith and her sister were moved to a Netherlands monastery for their safety but in 1942 the Nazis arrested them and sentenced both women to Auschwitz They died seven days later in the gas chambers
Esther John (December 14 1929 ndash February 2 1960)
Esther served as a nurse in Pakistan She was born into an Islamic family in British India but converted at age 17 because of her reading Isaiah in Christian school Her family moved to the new country of Pakistan in 1947 Fearing an arranged Muslim wedding she left home and changed her name She began work with orphans and then at a mission hospital evangelizing in the nearby villages She was found murdered at her home Though no one was arrested for the crime the suspicion is that Estherrsquos brothers found her and killed her because of her Christianity and disobedience to Islam
Two in Pakistan ( ndash September 22 2013) In Peshawar Pakistan stands All Saints Church a church sharing the love of Jesus since 1883 On September 22 2013 two Islamic suicide bombers entered the church 81 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan The two
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
AS THE GOSPEL SPREAD ADOPTED TO VARIOUS CULTURES TO MAKE THE GOSPEL MESSAGE AVAILABLE
MAKE SURE YOU READ CHAPTER INFO ON ST PAUL AND FRANCIS XAVIERhelliphellip
ARTICLE 12 httpswwwyoutubecomwatchv=lCiW_frCCZA
Barron on the Martyrs MARTYR ONE WHO GIVES HISHER
LIFE FOR THE FAITH JEWISH LEADERSHIP AND ROMAN
AUTHORITIES STRANGE REALITY THAT AS MUCH AS
THE FAITH IS PERSECUTED THE MORE IT GROWS
ldquoTHE BLOOD OF THE MARTYRS IS THE SEED OF THE CHURCHrdquo Tertullian
CHURCHrsquoS MISSION CONTINUES IN EACH GENERATION UNTIL THE END
AND THAT MOMENT IS ONLY IN GODrsquoS TIME
Dear brothers and sisters good morning
The first martyr Stephen full of the Holy Spirit was stoned because he confessed his faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God The only Son who comes into the world invites every believer to choose the path of light and life This is the meaning of his coming among us Loving the Lord and obeying his voice the deacon Stephen chose Christ Life and Light for every man By choosing the truth he became at the same time the victim of the mystery of evil present in the world But in Christ Stephen triumphed
Today too the Church to bear witness to light and truth experiences harsh persecution in different places [to the point of] the supreme test of martyrdom How many of our brothers and sisters in faith suffer abuse violence and are hated for Jesusrsquo sake Irsquoll tell you something The martyrs of today are greater in number than those of the first centuries When we read the history of the early centuries here in Rome we read about so much cruelty towards Christians I tell you there is this same cruelty today and in greater numbers with Christians Today we want to think about them and to be close to them with our affection our prayer and our tears Yesterday Christmas Day the persecuted Christians in Iraq celebrated Christmas in their destroyed Cathedral [Theirs] is an
example of fidelity to the Gospel Despite the trials and the dangers they bear witness with courage to their belonging to Christ and they live the Gospel committing themselves on behalf of the least the most overlooked doing good to all without distinction they bear witness in this way to charity in truth
20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
ldquoFor me to live is Christ to die is gainrdquo says Paul (Phil 121 ) who was beheaded for the faith in Rome In fact all the disciples were violently killed except for John Still the message spread And martyrdom never stopped Today 322 Christians are killed for their faith every month not counting the other violent acts perpetrated on Christians (according to Open Doors wwwopendoorsusaorg)
What follows are just over 20 women martyred for the Gospel We hope their stories will inspire you to ldquolive a life worthy of the calling you have receivedrdquo (Eph 41 ) and to be renewed in taking up your cross daily no matter what it might cost you
Edith Stein (October 12 1891 ndash August 9 1942)As a German Jew who converted to Christianity during the tumultuous time of World War II Edith soon knew the dangers of her ethnicity and her newfound faith She became a nun and
taught school in Speyer By 1933 the Nazis passed laws that prohibited any non-Aryan person from civil service Edith and her sister were moved to a Netherlands monastery for their safety but in 1942 the Nazis arrested them and sentenced both women to Auschwitz They died seven days later in the gas chambers
Esther John (December 14 1929 ndash February 2 1960)
Esther served as a nurse in Pakistan She was born into an Islamic family in British India but converted at age 17 because of her reading Isaiah in Christian school Her family moved to the new country of Pakistan in 1947 Fearing an arranged Muslim wedding she left home and changed her name She began work with orphans and then at a mission hospital evangelizing in the nearby villages She was found murdered at her home Though no one was arrested for the crime the suspicion is that Estherrsquos brothers found her and killed her because of her Christianity and disobedience to Islam
Two in Pakistan ( ndash September 22 2013) In Peshawar Pakistan stands All Saints Church a church sharing the love of Jesus since 1883 On September 22 2013 two Islamic suicide bombers entered the church 81 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan The two
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
Dear brothers and sisters good morning
The first martyr Stephen full of the Holy Spirit was stoned because he confessed his faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God The only Son who comes into the world invites every believer to choose the path of light and life This is the meaning of his coming among us Loving the Lord and obeying his voice the deacon Stephen chose Christ Life and Light for every man By choosing the truth he became at the same time the victim of the mystery of evil present in the world But in Christ Stephen triumphed
Today too the Church to bear witness to light and truth experiences harsh persecution in different places [to the point of] the supreme test of martyrdom How many of our brothers and sisters in faith suffer abuse violence and are hated for Jesusrsquo sake Irsquoll tell you something The martyrs of today are greater in number than those of the first centuries When we read the history of the early centuries here in Rome we read about so much cruelty towards Christians I tell you there is this same cruelty today and in greater numbers with Christians Today we want to think about them and to be close to them with our affection our prayer and our tears Yesterday Christmas Day the persecuted Christians in Iraq celebrated Christmas in their destroyed Cathedral [Theirs] is an
example of fidelity to the Gospel Despite the trials and the dangers they bear witness with courage to their belonging to Christ and they live the Gospel committing themselves on behalf of the least the most overlooked doing good to all without distinction they bear witness in this way to charity in truth
20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
ldquoFor me to live is Christ to die is gainrdquo says Paul (Phil 121 ) who was beheaded for the faith in Rome In fact all the disciples were violently killed except for John Still the message spread And martyrdom never stopped Today 322 Christians are killed for their faith every month not counting the other violent acts perpetrated on Christians (according to Open Doors wwwopendoorsusaorg)
What follows are just over 20 women martyred for the Gospel We hope their stories will inspire you to ldquolive a life worthy of the calling you have receivedrdquo (Eph 41 ) and to be renewed in taking up your cross daily no matter what it might cost you
Edith Stein (October 12 1891 ndash August 9 1942)As a German Jew who converted to Christianity during the tumultuous time of World War II Edith soon knew the dangers of her ethnicity and her newfound faith She became a nun and
taught school in Speyer By 1933 the Nazis passed laws that prohibited any non-Aryan person from civil service Edith and her sister were moved to a Netherlands monastery for their safety but in 1942 the Nazis arrested them and sentenced both women to Auschwitz They died seven days later in the gas chambers
Esther John (December 14 1929 ndash February 2 1960)
Esther served as a nurse in Pakistan She was born into an Islamic family in British India but converted at age 17 because of her reading Isaiah in Christian school Her family moved to the new country of Pakistan in 1947 Fearing an arranged Muslim wedding she left home and changed her name She began work with orphans and then at a mission hospital evangelizing in the nearby villages She was found murdered at her home Though no one was arrested for the crime the suspicion is that Estherrsquos brothers found her and killed her because of her Christianity and disobedience to Islam
Two in Pakistan ( ndash September 22 2013) In Peshawar Pakistan stands All Saints Church a church sharing the love of Jesus since 1883 On September 22 2013 two Islamic suicide bombers entered the church 81 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan The two
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
Today too the Church to bear witness to light and truth experiences harsh persecution in different places [to the point of] the supreme test of martyrdom How many of our brothers and sisters in faith suffer abuse violence and are hated for Jesusrsquo sake Irsquoll tell you something The martyrs of today are greater in number than those of the first centuries When we read the history of the early centuries here in Rome we read about so much cruelty towards Christians I tell you there is this same cruelty today and in greater numbers with Christians Today we want to think about them and to be close to them with our affection our prayer and our tears Yesterday Christmas Day the persecuted Christians in Iraq celebrated Christmas in their destroyed Cathedral [Theirs] is an
example of fidelity to the Gospel Despite the trials and the dangers they bear witness with courage to their belonging to Christ and they live the Gospel committing themselves on behalf of the least the most overlooked doing good to all without distinction they bear witness in this way to charity in truth
20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
ldquoFor me to live is Christ to die is gainrdquo says Paul (Phil 121 ) who was beheaded for the faith in Rome In fact all the disciples were violently killed except for John Still the message spread And martyrdom never stopped Today 322 Christians are killed for their faith every month not counting the other violent acts perpetrated on Christians (according to Open Doors wwwopendoorsusaorg)
What follows are just over 20 women martyred for the Gospel We hope their stories will inspire you to ldquolive a life worthy of the calling you have receivedrdquo (Eph 41 ) and to be renewed in taking up your cross daily no matter what it might cost you
Edith Stein (October 12 1891 ndash August 9 1942)As a German Jew who converted to Christianity during the tumultuous time of World War II Edith soon knew the dangers of her ethnicity and her newfound faith She became a nun and
taught school in Speyer By 1933 the Nazis passed laws that prohibited any non-Aryan person from civil service Edith and her sister were moved to a Netherlands monastery for their safety but in 1942 the Nazis arrested them and sentenced both women to Auschwitz They died seven days later in the gas chambers
Esther John (December 14 1929 ndash February 2 1960)
Esther served as a nurse in Pakistan She was born into an Islamic family in British India but converted at age 17 because of her reading Isaiah in Christian school Her family moved to the new country of Pakistan in 1947 Fearing an arranged Muslim wedding she left home and changed her name She began work with orphans and then at a mission hospital evangelizing in the nearby villages She was found murdered at her home Though no one was arrested for the crime the suspicion is that Estherrsquos brothers found her and killed her because of her Christianity and disobedience to Islam
Two in Pakistan ( ndash September 22 2013) In Peshawar Pakistan stands All Saints Church a church sharing the love of Jesus since 1883 On September 22 2013 two Islamic suicide bombers entered the church 81 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan The two
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
ldquoFor me to live is Christ to die is gainrdquo says Paul (Phil 121 ) who was beheaded for the faith in Rome In fact all the disciples were violently killed except for John Still the message spread And martyrdom never stopped Today 322 Christians are killed for their faith every month not counting the other violent acts perpetrated on Christians (according to Open Doors wwwopendoorsusaorg)
What follows are just over 20 women martyred for the Gospel We hope their stories will inspire you to ldquolive a life worthy of the calling you have receivedrdquo (Eph 41 ) and to be renewed in taking up your cross daily no matter what it might cost you
Edith Stein (October 12 1891 ndash August 9 1942)As a German Jew who converted to Christianity during the tumultuous time of World War II Edith soon knew the dangers of her ethnicity and her newfound faith She became a nun and
taught school in Speyer By 1933 the Nazis passed laws that prohibited any non-Aryan person from civil service Edith and her sister were moved to a Netherlands monastery for their safety but in 1942 the Nazis arrested them and sentenced both women to Auschwitz They died seven days later in the gas chambers
Esther John (December 14 1929 ndash February 2 1960)
Esther served as a nurse in Pakistan She was born into an Islamic family in British India but converted at age 17 because of her reading Isaiah in Christian school Her family moved to the new country of Pakistan in 1947 Fearing an arranged Muslim wedding she left home and changed her name She began work with orphans and then at a mission hospital evangelizing in the nearby villages She was found murdered at her home Though no one was arrested for the crime the suspicion is that Estherrsquos brothers found her and killed her because of her Christianity and disobedience to Islam
Two in Pakistan ( ndash September 22 2013) In Peshawar Pakistan stands All Saints Church a church sharing the love of Jesus since 1883 On September 22 2013 two Islamic suicide bombers entered the church 81 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan The two
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
taught school in Speyer By 1933 the Nazis passed laws that prohibited any non-Aryan person from civil service Edith and her sister were moved to a Netherlands monastery for their safety but in 1942 the Nazis arrested them and sentenced both women to Auschwitz They died seven days later in the gas chambers
Esther John (December 14 1929 ndash February 2 1960)
Esther served as a nurse in Pakistan She was born into an Islamic family in British India but converted at age 17 because of her reading Isaiah in Christian school Her family moved to the new country of Pakistan in 1947 Fearing an arranged Muslim wedding she left home and changed her name She began work with orphans and then at a mission hospital evangelizing in the nearby villages She was found murdered at her home Though no one was arrested for the crime the suspicion is that Estherrsquos brothers found her and killed her because of her Christianity and disobedience to Islam
Two in Pakistan ( ndash September 22 2013) In Peshawar Pakistan stands All Saints Church a church sharing the love of Jesus since 1883 On September 22 2013 two Islamic suicide bombers entered the church 81 Christians were killed in one of the deadliest attacks ever on the Christian community in Pakistan The two
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
sisters pictured were among the victims They were new to the family of God only recently accepting faith in Jesus after receiving a copy of ldquoThe Story of Jesusrdquo a booklet that explained the Gospel
Mary Sameh George (- March 28 2014) Mary traveled to Cairo Egypt to help a poor family with their basic needs On March 28 2014 this Christian service brought the ultimate sacrifice ldquoOnce they saw that she was a Christian [because of the cross hanging on her rear-view mirror] they jumped on top of the car to the point that the vehicle was no longer visiblerdquo an eyewitness said as reported by The Voice of the Martyrs ldquoThe roof of the car collapsed When they realized that she was starting to die they pulled her out of the car and started pounding on her and pulling her hair to the point that portions of her hair and scalp came off They kept beating her kicking her stabbing her with any object or weapon they could findrdquo It is also known that Mary was shot and her car burned
Sufia (Unkown ndash April 2014)Sufia a young Christian woman in Somalia was killed in Mogadishu She was dragged from her home by armed men who shot her and fled Her only offence was her Christian faith According to The Voice of Martyrs Somalia is second only to North Korea as the worst persecutors of Christians In fact a Muslim group in Somalia with allegiance to al qaeda has sworn to rid their country of all Christians So certain death will come even if a piece of Christian literature is found associated with a person So Sufia is not the real name of this Christian woman who died for her faith in case the perpetrators uncover others associated with her
Seija Jaumlrvenpaumlauml and Kaija Liisa Martin (- July 24 2014)
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
Seija and Kaija both from Finland worked for International Assistance Mission (IAM) an international Christian organization that has served the people of Afghanistan through health and economic development since 1966 They both had more 15 years of service with the ministry Seija with mental health patients and Kaija with low income women in business development In July of 2014 because of their work and identity they were both killed in Herat by ISIS
Shama and her husband Shehzad Masih (- November 4 2014)The village of Kot Radha Kishan in Punjab province of Pakistan saw great violence the night a mob came for Shama and Shehzad There was a rumor that this Christian couple burned a copy of the Quran It was a grievance that the owner of a local kiln knew he could make when a dispute arose about them owing him money The angry mob came for them even though their Christian witness was without repute Shama also was pregnant with their fourth child They were burned alive in the kiln at such a high temperature nothing remained Their three children are now with relatives and the 10 other Christian families in the village have fled seeking some retribution against similar accusations
Neima Abiad Idris (1965 ndash November 6 2014)Known as the Peace Singer in her Sudan village of Kadir in the Nuba Mountains Neima wrote songs leading a choir of ladies singing songs in her native Koliib that expressed peace and forgiveness faith and perseverance She didnrsquot run away even though genocidal terror was
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-
targeting her and her family in the warzone that she called home Even though it would be easier to flee to a garrison city she sought reconciliation with the Islamic warring factions by demonstrating a Christian witness of her word and witness She died from a bomb that hit her home
Kayla Mueller (August 14 1988 ndash February 6 2015)Kayla went to Jordan as a humanitarian worker From Prescott Arizona Kayla didnrsquot expect that her faith would be tried and ultimately strengthened through an ordeal of capture sexual torture and ultimate death Held by a ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi she sheltered two other girls from additional harm and when a chance for escape came she decided to stay telling the other two that her American appearance would endanger them Soon afterwards she was killed She wrote in a letter ldquoI have surrendered myself to our creator bc literally there was no elsehellip+ by God + by your prayers I have felt tenderly cradled in freefallrdquo
- 20 Christian Women Who Died as Martyrs
-