Voice of the Martyrs Partners With Churches in Turkey for Earthquake Relief

Says mission is not relief & development, but to serve the church

When a devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, Christians in Turkey saw an opportunity to help. A handful of churches approached Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) with ideas, and the organization assisted by providing funding and equipment to set up relief efforts like water delivery stations and soup kitchens.

Now, VOM is currently partnering with four Turkish congregations to help with earthquake relief, though that is outside their normal scope.

“We are not a humanitarian and relief organization so earthquake relief is not a part of [Voice of the Martyrs] calling, but helping the church is a part of our calling,” Voice of the Martyr’s Chief of Media Relations Todd Nettleton told MinistryWatch in response to our inquiry about a recent fundraising email sent by the group.

On March 21, VOM sent a fundraising email asking for donations to support front-line workers in Turkey by providing Bibles and other disaster relief supplies. It also referenced a TikTok video circulating throughout Turkey where two Muslim leaders are warning fellow Muslims to “be careful” and “stay away from” Christians “serving soup…showing respect as they provide food to the hungry and helping those in need.”

The VOM email claims the video is having the opposite effect and leading Turkish people to seek out those Christians “for help and hope” and that they are even “asking for Bibles!”

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One of VOM’s partner churches in Turkey first saw the video and recognized it was shot near the area where they were serving soup, Nettleton said. After posting the video to social media, the church received some comments from Muslims asking the leaders to leave the Christians alone because they were providing help.

The VOM fundraising email asks donors to “support front-line workers” through prayer and giving. If undesignated, the gift would go to “frontline workers” around the world, not just in Turkey or Syria, Nettleton said.

However, if a donor specifically asks to support the relief efforts and Bible distribution in Turkey and Syria, Nettleton said VOM will follow the designation any donor makes.

Since its inception 57 years ago, Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) has been working with local churches and serving persecuted Christians around the world. Turkey was the site of martyrdom in 2007, but the majority of persecution there consists of family pressure and isolation from employment and educational opportunities.

Having local Turkish Christians provide the relief is significant. According to Nettleton, most Turkish people equate their national identity with being Muslim. Fewer than 1% of the Turkish population is Christian.

Encountering a Turkish person who loves Turkey and loves Jesus raises questions and opens an opportunity to share their testimony of faith. It might also open an opportunity to give a Bible.

Bible distribution is a sensitive subject in Turkey, according to Nettleton, and the church relief stations do not require anyone to accept a Bible. However, if someone asks for a Bible, they would be provided one, he added.

Nettleton did not know how many Bibles have been distributed in Turkey during earthquake relief efforts.

Nettleton didn’t have a fundraising goal in mind for helping the Turkish churches with earthquake relief because the work is ongoing—the projects are “at the behest of Turkish Christian brothers and sisters.” After this initial emergency response is completed, he believes the churches there will evaluate future long-term opportunities to advance the Gospel.

Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, who were persecuted and imprisoned in Romania for their Christian faith, VOM supports and equips persecuted Christians around the world. It also works to inform and inspire other Christians to pray for suffering believers.

It publishes a magazine about persecution around the world, produces movies about the Wurmbrands’ testimony, and compiles a global prayer guide.

Voice of the Martyrs has four stars and a “C” transparency grade in the MinistryWatch database, and a donor confidence score of 85. VOM has been a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability since 1993. The ministry took in $76 million in revenue in 2020.

MinistryWatch compiled a list of highly-ranked Christian humanitarian and relief agencies who are working in Turkey and Syria following the earthquake in February. The article also includes advice for assessing a ministry to support.

Main photo: Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs