ENCOURAGEMENT 52 DECEMBER 2025 www.goodnewsfl.org Good News • South Florida Edition It took more than a year to finish. Sure, I read everything out loud and in the Spanish language, but usually after a couple of pages it was time to put it down until the next short tour of brutality. The annihilation by Attila the Hun, the cruelty of Genghis Khan, the exterminations of Joseph Stalin, the reign of Adolf Hitler and the savagery of Mao Zedong are some of the most documented horrific periods of mankind. But this is different, for it describes in painful detail a "religious civil war" of sorts that has spanned centuries. "The Book of Martyrs" by John Foxe is the story of the lives, sufferings and triumphs of Christians throughout the ages. It describes in vivid detail the tortures, torment and agony undergone by thousands who refused to deny Christ as their Savior. This is real... and raw... and sad, and the reason it took so long for me to complete. Modern day martyrs A sigh of relief and a pinch of sadness were two identifiable sentiments when I put the publication to bed. But, silly me... to think this broken world would allow a respite in such important matters as the persecution and destruction of our fellow human being. Immediately I am told of the latest killings and abductions in Nigeria, where hundreds of schoolgirls were taken as hostages in the latest episode of religious violence in this African country. The Christian-Muslim conflict that began in 1953 has continued unabated for over seven decades with a reported 53,000 Christian casualties since 2009. This seems so far gone, so far fetched, so far off, so remote from my bandwidth. I want to "close the book" on this episode too, but the news tomorrow will bring fresh atrocities. Where do I fit in all of this? By the time you read these words, Thanksgiving will be in the rear-view mirror; but as I write them, it is staring me in the face. In a few short days we will celebrate as a family all the incredible favors bestowed upon us by God. We will share in the abundance of The Lord not troubled about our safety or well being. But can I pass the cranberry sauce to my smiling daughter without being reminded of the horror these girls are undergoing in another continent? Can we have a superficial prayer asking His blessing for the meal without our eyes welling from anguish, sorrow and grief for today's young martyrs? And what good would it do, since crying is not "going to solve anything." Not only that, given the proliferation of global communication, we would be perennially paralyzed if we offered introspection to half of the world's daily atrocities. What to do? What to do The worst thing to do is to do nothing. One of the great perks of faithfully sharing my Christian walk with others has been my renewed craving for intentionality. The first half of my journey as a believer was marked by "scripted prayer," which was relegated to a determined time of day without real specific topics, concerns, or often times, people. Although I am far removed from 1st Thessalonians 5:16, "rejoice always, pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks," it is becoming more of a practice for me to inquire, heed and pray for those around me; not later, but right there and then. Folks need to know we care enough about them to intercede before the Lord in a timely manner. But can I somehow replicate this with unknown folks needing our prayer around the world? Adopt a terrorist For several years, I was a board member of an organization named Adopt a Terrorist for Prayer, a Christian initiative which provides resources to help participants commit to daily prayer for specific international terrorists. Many people, including Christians, are taken aback by this ministry. However, if terrorism seeks to inspire fear, and the antidote to fear is love, when we hate we become reactive victims and lose standing. By praying privately, corporately, specifically and persistently we take the baton against violence that is sponsored and perpetrated by people who think they are following God. What we are discussing here is praying for the same folks that kidnapped the aforementioned schoolgirls, be it Boko Haram or Fulani militants.... acceptable, but we must first pray for their prey. Adopt a country We don't need to be organizational overseers or influential people to embrace today's victims and bathe them in intercessory spiritual petitions. What keeps us from individually "adopting a country for prayer" every month and praying for those being persecuted for their faith in these locations? Unfortunately, we have a plethora of choices here. How about North Korea, where owning a Bible can get you killed; or maybe Yemen, where Christians are on extremist "wanted" lists; or how about Somalia, where following Jesus makes you an enemy? In Libya, evangelism is a death sentence; in Iran being a Christian is "a crime against the national security," and in Eritrea all those deemed Christians are imprisoned. Ever thought of adopting?......here is your chance. But if you do, be intentional. We as Christians are born enslaved, but Jesus purchases us with His blood, and we are adopted by the Father and given the Holy Spirit, thus becoming his heirs. So, the least he expects from me is to adopt an attitude of prayer and concern for those being enslaved for following Christ, for those who are attracted by the manger, attached to the cross and who will attain eternal life with God as a result.... may you have a Blessed Christmas. Omar Aleman is a retired federal agent and consultant. He and his wife Julianne assist and support several Christian non-profit organizations both here and abroad. Christmas in November: Remembering the Persecuted - Omar Aleman - Aleman and Associates
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