RICHARD WURMBRAND

Richard Wurmbrand is an evangelised lutheran pastor of Jewish descent who was born in 1909 in Rumania. When the communists took power in his country in 1945, he became leader of the church in clandestinity.

In 1948, he and his wife Sabina were arrested and he spent the next 14 years in communist prisons, including 3 years in solitary confinement in an underground cell, he was not able to see the sun, the stars nor flowers during this confinement. He saw only his guards and his torturers. Christian friends in Norway bought his freedom for US$ 10,000.00 in 1964.

Rev. Richard Wurmbrand and your wife Sabina

Pastor Wurmbrand now lives in Rancho Palos Verdes CA. and is the founder of the International Organisation "LA VOZ DE LOS MARTIRES" which has helped christians persecuted in communist countries over the last 25 years.

His numerous literary works have been translated into many languages and show a life dedicated to the service of God and the plain conviction of love to one’s neighbour.

28 th. ANNIVERSARY OF THE "VOICE OF THE MARTYRS"

I am a pastor who considers himself neither greater nor smaller than the other pastors, I have friends and brothers in diverse countries of whom I have fond memories, some these I have known personally and others through correspondence and photographs.

President of "The Voice of the Martyrs". Perú

Rev. José Zapata Barzola

One day, in the city of Cali, Colombia, a sister gave me a book by the Rev. RICHARD WURMBRAND, entitled "TORTURADO POR CRISTO". I read the book that very evening and the next morning I awoke with my eyes full of tears as I understood then for the first time that Christianism is the renouncement of all the vain things in life and above all obedience to the word of Jesus Christ, especially the quotation "GO OUT INTO THE WORLD AND PREACH MY WORD TO EVERY MAN". Mr. 16:15.

Rev. José Zapata, your wife Yolanda and Rev. Richard Wurmbrand in the VOM 1996 MISSIONS CONFERENCE APRIL 25^TH-28^TH in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (USA)

This precious book led me by the hand through Russia, Poland, Rumania, Letonia etc, entering the prisons, the torture chambers and solitary confinement cells, I saw my CHRISTIAN brothers , who in their agony managed to cry out to their torturers "God loves you" or Jesus shall pay for your sins", Father forgive my torturer" "Jesus, I deliver my life into your hands" . On seeing these grand servants of God, I felt small and insignificant I felt nothing in comparison to them. I prayed to God as I had never prayed before and begged him to take my life and do with it whatever he willed.

On that glorious morning, I wrote a letter to the Rev. R. Wurmbrand, explaining my feelings about his work and several days later I received an unexpected reply. Rev. Ro. Wurmbrand told me that my letter had arrived at the moment when he was praying to the Lord for a Director in Peru. He told him that he accepted my letter as an answer to his prayers and asked me if I wanted to assume the responsibility of being the Peruvian Director. "What do

Rev. James Colbert(USA), Director of the Anticomunist Mission, Rev. José Zapata and Sergio Navarrete, Director of the Hispanic Departament of the Anticomunist Mission in New Jersey (USA).

you think my answer was"? I felt overcome and told myself I was not capable of handling such responsibility, however in the name of the Lord I made a crucial decision and wrote the most laconic letter I have ever written in my life "brother pastor, I assume the responsibility of the administration of the Voz de los Martires (Voice of the Martyrs) in Peru, in the name of Jesus Christ our saviour, Amen."

On December 17, 1971, a received a letter confirming my appointment as Director of the "Voz de los Martires" in Peru. This date coincided with my wife’s birthday and all those present prayed for God’s blessing of our work in Peru.

Dr. Fred Schwarz, Fundador of the Anticomunist Mission and Rev. José Zapata. 

Now, twenty seven years later when I look back on the path followed, I can see many happy moments, especially when I was honoured to meet the man called "Saint Paul of the XX century" and his wife, our sister Sabina. I had the honour of receiving this special couple in my house for dinner on three occasions.

 I also recall however, the moments of anguish in those years of terrorist violence, when despite many difficulties we worked even harder and delivered thousands of christian books, ran many correspondence courses and gave away many cassettes with christian messages , all on a massive scale, not only in Peru but also Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia. When the opportunities arose, I also gave conferences both in Peru and in other countries.

I am currently praying for time to write a book which narrates all of the work carried out silently in this part of the Continent, in order to guide and encourage the future generations to whom I will

Klaas Brobble, Merv Knight (Australian Director), José Zapata (Peruvian Director) and Tom White (USA Director) in the VOM 1996 MISSIONS CONFERENCE in Tulsa, Oklahoma (USA). 

 We are currently responsible for running the children’s home "HOGAR WURMBRAND" for orphaned and abandoned children. We also run the church "CASA DE ORACION" and we hope soon to open a Biblical Institute.

Over the last seven years, I have also been conducting a radio programme on Radio del Pacifico in Lima, on Horizonte Radial in Chimbote and Radio Cajabamba in Cajabamba.

TRANSMISSION ON 60 METRE SHORT WAVE BAND, FREQUENCY 4,975 MHZ.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray that the Lord blesses all our brothers WURMBRAND, BRAUN, WHITE, KUNTZ and all those brothers I have been honoured and privileged to have met. God bless their families. Amen.