A Seed of Faith
Maria asked through the iron bars, “Varia, don’t you regret what you did?”
“No,” she answered. “And if they would free me, I would do it again and would tell them about the great love of Jesus. Don’t think that I suffer. I am very glad that the Lord loves me so much and gives me the joy to endure for His name.”
This was the first time Maria had been able to visit Varia in prison. Her friend was thin, pale, and beaten, but her eyes shone with the peace of God and an unearthly joy. The two Russian teenagers had once been schoolmates in a Communist boarding school. Varia, a member of the Communist Youth Organization, had constantly teased and tormented Maria, a Christian. In response, Maria prayed for the young Communist with special concern.
One day Varia said, “I cannot understand what a being you are. Here, so many insult and hurt you, and yet you love everyone.”
Maria said, “God has taught us to love everyone, not only friends but also enemies.” “Can you love me, too?” Varia asked. Maria hugged her, and they both began to weep. Not long afterward, Varia received Jesus as her personal Savior and witnessed openly to everyone about it.
Witnessing in the Face of Persecution
Maria wrote her parents, “We went together to the assembly of the godless [the school’s Communist Youth Club meeting]. I warned her to be reserved, but it was useless. I went with her to see what would happen. “After the Communist hymn, Varia came forward before the whole assembly. Courageously and with much feeling, she witnessed to those gathered about Jesus her Savior.
She implored all to give up the way of sin and to come to Christ. “All became silent and no one interrupted her. When she finished speaking, she sang with her splendid voice the whole Christian hymn: ‘I am not ashamed to proclaim the Christ who died to defend His commandments and the power of His cross.’
“Afterwards…afterwards they took Varia away. We know nothing about her. But God is powerful to save her. Pray!”
Faith and Joy in Captivity
Months passed after their single visit in prison. Then Maria received a letter from her friend who was in a Siberian labor camp. Varia wrote:
My heart praises and thanks God that, through you, He showed me the way to salvation. Now, being on this way, my life has a purpose and I know where to go and for whom I suffer. I feel the desire to tell and to witness to everybody about the great joy of salvation that I have in my heart. Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ? Nobody and nothing. Neither prison nor suffering. The sufferings that God sends us only strengthen us more and more in the faith in Him. My heart is so full that the grace of God overflows. At work, they curse and punish me, giving me extra work because I cannot be silent. I must tell everyone what the Lord has done for me.
He has made me a new being, a new creation, of me who was on the way to perdition. Can I be silent after this? No, never! As long as my lips can speak, I will witness to everyone about His great love.
Here, there are many who believe in Christ as their personal Saviour. More than half of the prisoners are believers. We have among us great singers and good preachers of the Gospel. In the evening, when we all gather after heavy work, how wonderful it is to pass at least some time together in prayer at the feet of our Saviour. With Christ, there is freedom everywhere. I learned here many beautiful hymns, and every day, God gives me more and more of His Word.
All our brethren greet you and are glad that your faith in God is so powerful and that you praise Him in your sufferings unceasingly.
Yours, Varia
Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question – we can’t keep quiet about what we’ve seen and heard. Acts 4:19-20.
Date: 20th May 2023
Martyr: Maria and Varia, 18 years old
Location: U.S.S.R. 1960s
Source: Jesus Freaks
Author: DC Talks, Voice of Matyrs
Suffering Saturday 041
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