Back in 1951, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, was serving time in prison.  After already being in prison for over three years, he was dragged to the cell, “room four”, which was also known as the “death room”.  Why would they call it that?  No one usually came out alive.  The communists had beaten Richard mercilessly, over and over again while trying to interrogate him, and because of it, he was suffering from tuberculosis.  Many thought that he would die within weeks.  Some of Richard’s friends managed to sneak in some penicillin, but he told them to give it to one of the other men that was more sick than he. 

While Richard was semi-conscious, his trial was held outside of his cell.  What did he even do, to be put in such a place?  He was charged with spreading imperialist ideology under the cover of religion, as well as other things.  Richard’s only statement in his own defense was, “I love God”.  20 years of hard labor was his sentence, and his trial didn’t even last 10 minutes. 

The officers had locked Richard in a solitary cell, when he was first arrested.  They gave him a new identity, and tortured him.  They tried to use fear to force a confession out of him.  Richard told one of the officers, “Please place your hand on my heart.  If it beats rapidly showing that I am afraid, then know there is no God and no eternal life.  But if it beats calmly, as if to say, ‘I go to the One I love,’ then you must think again.  There is a God and an eternal life!” 

Sabina, Richard’s wife was also arrested, and they were told that their son had been put in prison.  The communists played recordings of a boy being beaten in the cell next to Richard’s.  Richard nearly went mad because of the screams.  The guards relentlessly tormented him, and claimed that his family would be no more.  They told him, ”There is no God.  There is only communism.” 

The ranking officer caught Richard praying, and he asked him, “Why would you pray?  You have lost everything!  What do you have left that you could possibly pray for?”  Richard looked up at him and said, “I am praying for you.” 

Richard Wurmbrand survived 14 years in communist prison because of his Christian faith, and activities.  Richard went on from there, and started The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM).  Today, VOM continues the vision that Richard started, serving the persecuted church in over 40 nations all over the world. 

Jesus Himself tells us to love our enemies, pray for our persecutors, and do good to those who would wrong us  (Matthew 5:40-48).  Richard Wurmbrand was a man who did those things.  He was imprisoned for a long time, and he remained faithful, and even though he forgot a lot of things during his time in prison, he did not forget God, and in turn he was not forgotten.  He wanted the rest of the world to know what goes on in other countries because many people are oblivious.  He didn’t want revenge.  Instead, he wanted the rest of God’s people to pray for, and support, their brothers and sisters who are persecuted, imprisoned, beaten, and tortured, for their faith in Jesus Christ. 

When it seemed like Richard Wurmbrand had nothing, he actually had all that he needed! 

Resource:  Part of this story taken from, The “Heartbeat” of Our Founder, by Steven Lear

It Seemed Like he Had Nothing, by Dave Earley

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