There are those around us -- abused, martyred, displaced, disentitled, separated from loved ones -- who are wandering almost aimlessly amid the dusty dunes of the sultry, hot and parched rivers of sand that, more often than not, lead to desolation. Long gone are the dreams of rearing their children with any "HOPE" of cultural normalcy...the only issue remaining now is that of survival. A mother's hands grip the tattered shirts of her children, pulling them forward as if confidently toward a safe place, despite the anguish of potentially leading them to their death. During the treacherous journey, her children cry out in pain from -- among many maladies -- dehydration and heat stroke.
This being but a glimpse... a tragic moment in time, can you even imagine bearing the full brunt of this mother's pain? Can such even be conceived? And what awaits this daughter of God at the "checkpoints"? How much more can she sacrifice of her own dignity for the false hope of rescuing her children from the clutches of an evil so intense that it rivals the raging inferno now burning the soles of her weary feet?
For this is the journey of the outcasts on a desert highway. From those most vulnerable to those least merciful. This is the face of the persecuted, having experienced many horrific lifetimes in one. This is the young mother who would not relent, nor give up her faith in Christ, even when there was a "clear and present danger" as the gun barrel was tauntingly and frightfully placed against her temple. Perhaps the cries of woman's little children, whose worst fear had been losing their mother, were echoed in her own worst fear -- that of leaving them alone.
These are the suffering believers whom we serve on your behalf. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your interest in this ministry. We are praying that you -- and the members of our persecuted Christian family -- will find refuge and eternal protection under our Lord's wings (Psalm 91:4). May you know the mercies of His blessing.
In Christ,
Doug J. McKenzie
Chief Executive Officer
The Voice of the Martyrs Canada
