0:00:13.618,0:00:18.550
before the days when communism foul in

0:00:16.449,0:00:20.198
Eastern Europe before the time when

0:00:18.550,0:00:22.359
people could meet legally in public

0:00:20.199,0:00:24.868
gatherings and enjoy the freedom of

0:00:22.359,0:00:27.580
religious worship before that time

0:00:24.868,0:00:30.998
Christians were often arrested and kept

0:00:27.579,0:00:34.000
in prisons in dark damp underground

0:00:30.998,0:00:35.829
cells or in labor camps where the

0:00:34.000,0:00:38.439
Communists went to great lengths to

0:00:35.829,0:00:40.870
break their faith or slowly let them die

0:00:38.439,0:00:43.869
it was in the midst of this darkness

0:00:40.869,0:00:55.968
away from any human comfort that the

0:00:43.869,0:00:58.759
love of Christ shown Savior

0:00:55.969,0:01:01.300
this is the story of a family that

0:00:58.759,0:01:01.299
endured

0:01:06.420,0:01:11.109
Richard worm Brad was born the youngest

0:01:09.009,0:01:15.219
of four sons in an Orthodox Jewish

0:01:11.109,0:01:18.609
family on March 24th 1909 in Bucharest

0:01:15.219,0:01:20.950
Romania when he was still a young boy

0:01:18.609,0:01:25.329
his father moved the family to Istanbul

0:01:20.950,0:01:27.368
Turkey passionate driven and gifted

0:01:25.329,0:01:30.009
intellectually Richard grew to be a

0:01:27.368,0:01:33.399
highly motivated young man fluent in

0:01:30.009,0:01:36.099
nine languages in time Richard met

0:01:33.399,0:01:38.890
sabina Auster a young chemistry student

0:01:36.099,0:01:43.708
also of Jewish descent soon thereafter

0:01:38.890,0:01:46.390
on October 26th 1936 they married

0:01:43.709,0:01:47.950
Richard began work as a stockbroker and

0:01:46.390,0:01:50.709
the young couple spent much of their off

0:01:47.950,0:01:54.009
hours enjoying the cosmopolitan life of

0:01:50.709,0:01:57.429
Bucharest as atheists religion was the

0:01:54.009,0:02:01.060
last thing on their minds they lived in

0:01:57.429,0:02:04.359
the words of high finance so of course

0:02:01.060,0:02:06.700
they were invited to all the parties he

0:02:04.359,0:02:09.939
is a high finance in Romania they

0:02:06.700,0:02:13.449
existed only to make money and to spend

0:02:09.939,0:02:15.549
money eventually something happened that

0:02:13.449,0:02:16.649
brought the high living couple to a

0:02:15.549,0:02:19.120
standstill

0:02:16.650,0:02:23.099
Richard was diagnosed with an illness

0:02:19.120,0:02:25.420
rampant in Eastern Europe tuberculosis

0:02:23.099,0:02:27.489
order to convalesce in the countryside

0:02:25.419,0:02:29.589
the worm brands made their way to a

0:02:27.489,0:02:32.590
small village very close to the city of

0:02:29.590,0:02:35.979
brasov where they soon met Peter wolf

0:02:32.590,0:02:37.659
keys an aged and unassuming carpenter it

0:02:35.979,0:02:38.619
was an encounter that would prove to be

0:02:37.659,0:02:41.259
life-changing

0:02:38.620,0:02:43.389
wolf keys was a dedicated Christian

0:02:41.259,0:02:46.179
whose lifelong prayer had been to share

0:02:43.389,0:02:48.219
his Christian faith with Jews the

0:02:46.180,0:02:49.750
challenge was that in the remote village

0:02:48.219,0:02:52.719
in which he lived he had never

0:02:49.750,0:02:56.680
encountered any that is until he met

0:02:52.719,0:03:00.789
Richard and Sabina so he challenged them

0:02:56.680,0:03:03.939
he said you're Jewish hardly any Jew has

0:03:00.789,0:03:06.909
read about this Jew called Jesus Christ

0:03:03.939,0:03:10.209
Jesus Christ was a greatest and most

0:03:06.909,0:03:13.299
famous of all Jews and he gives him the

0:03:10.209,0:03:18.039
gospel actually a New Testament in the

0:03:13.299,0:03:19.560
German language my father took the New

0:03:18.039,0:03:24.459
Testament to read

0:03:19.560,0:03:30.128
being pointed to the Gospel of John he

0:03:24.459,0:03:33.819
became extremely impressed I mean more

0:03:30.128,0:03:34.780
than impressed his whole thinking went

0:03:33.818,0:03:38.488
upside down

0:03:34.780,0:03:41.680
he realized that here was somebody who

0:03:38.489,0:03:43.539
like Jesus Christ who always spoke the

0:03:41.680,0:03:46.750
truth he spoke about love

0:03:43.539,0:03:52.590
he was ready out of love to sacrifice

0:03:46.750,0:03:55.959
himself sacrifice his life and this

0:03:52.590,0:03:58.360
turned my father around reading through

0:03:55.959,0:04:00.159
the Gospels Richard began to ponder his

0:03:58.360,0:04:02.560
own life and the emptiness that had

0:04:00.159,0:04:04.509
often tugged on him eventually

0:04:02.560,0:04:06.699
Richard worm brand the atheist

0:04:04.509,0:04:10.120
pleasure-seeker humbled himself and

0:04:06.699,0:04:12.129
opened his heart to God his life was

0:04:10.120,0:04:14.200
wonderfully affected and while he

0:04:12.129,0:04:16.569
experienced joy and excitement in his

0:04:14.199,0:04:19.269
newfound faith Sabina was equally

0:04:16.569,0:04:22.209
horrified she wanted to throw herself

0:04:19.269,0:04:26.500
from the window all her hopes to lead a

0:04:22.209,0:04:30.430
life of luxury and party and good life

0:04:26.500,0:04:35.228
we're dashed because the one of the

0:04:30.430,0:04:37.750
first thing my father did when he became

0:04:35.228,0:04:40.959
a Christian was to resign from this

0:04:37.750,0:04:43.060
stock brokerage it was only natural that

0:04:40.959,0:04:45.759
Richard would want his wife to share in

0:04:43.060,0:04:47.680
his newfound joy but Sabina would have

0:04:45.759,0:04:50.439
none of his religious talk

0:04:47.680,0:04:52.930
she was a young 23 year old woman and

0:04:50.439,0:04:54.339
the last thing she wanted to do was give

0:04:52.930,0:04:56.949
up her social events and entertainment

0:04:54.339,0:05:00.310
for what she anticipated would be a

0:04:56.949,0:05:02.439
boring religious life cunning as he was

0:05:00.310,0:05:04.839
Richard sought the best way to get his

0:05:02.439,0:05:08.319
point across he accepted an invitation

0:05:04.839,0:05:12.879
to a high society party so a lot of

0:05:08.319,0:05:17.469
people got drunk and rowdy

0:05:12.879,0:05:23.050
and it was not a pretty sight and my

0:05:17.470,0:05:25.720
mother said Richard let's go home and he

0:05:23.050,0:05:28.509
said no we came to party

0:05:25.720,0:05:32.290
and then there were all kind of stupid

0:05:28.509,0:05:37.240
jokes and the party became you know just

0:05:32.290,0:05:39.819
a drunken nonsense and my mother started

0:05:37.240,0:05:45.689
crying and begging my father to take her

0:05:39.819,0:05:49.389
home and she said if you take me home I

0:05:45.689,0:05:50.980
will be baptised in the morning the

0:05:49.389,0:05:52.479
party had been a fitting and vivid

0:05:50.980,0:05:54.879
illustration of the emptiness of their

0:05:52.480,0:05:56.740
social gatherings it seems clear that

0:05:54.879,0:05:59.949
Richards words and prayers had someone a

0:05:56.740,0:06:01.930
seed in Sabinas heart she soon embraced

0:05:59.949,0:06:05.709
the faith of her husband and came to

0:06:01.930,0:06:07.810
know Christ feeling the need for both

0:06:05.709,0:06:09.370
training and guidance they joined the

0:06:07.810,0:06:11.589
Anglican mission to the Jews in

0:06:09.370,0:06:14.500
Bucharest and Richard was eventually

0:06:11.589,0:06:16.149
ordained an Anglican Minister Richard

0:06:14.500,0:06:18.250
and Sabina were both active in

0:06:16.149,0:06:20.349
evangelism eventually becoming well

0:06:18.250,0:06:23.079
known dedicated Christians among the

0:06:20.350,0:06:24.850
religious circle of Romania rumors of

0:06:23.079,0:06:28.139
war caused their message of hope and

0:06:24.850,0:06:31.660
faith to be well received eventually in

0:06:28.139,0:06:34.449
1939 on the eve of World War two they

0:06:31.660,0:06:38.620
were blessed with a son a boy they named

0:06:34.449,0:06:43.930
me hi my earliest recollections as a

0:06:38.620,0:06:47.199
child the very earliest recollection is

0:06:43.930,0:06:51.610
my mother holding my hand and running

0:06:47.199,0:06:54.909
like crazy across a field into a bomb

0:06:51.610,0:06:57.850
shelter because it was 1 or 2 the reason

0:06:54.910,0:06:59.800
I was running with my mother by the hand

0:06:57.850,0:07:03.900
to this bomb shelter my father was

0:06:59.800,0:07:07.629
nowhere in sight was because my father

0:07:03.899,0:07:11.489
purposely during all these bombing raids

0:07:07.629,0:07:14.228
he had gathered a group of six or seven

0:07:11.490,0:07:19.060
Christians most of them Jewish Christian

0:07:14.228,0:07:22.689
and he was week visiting shelter by

0:07:19.060,0:07:25.759
shelter and praying with people

0:07:22.689,0:07:28.279
that's in no way that's how he became

0:07:25.759,0:07:30.949
known in Romania World War two was

0:07:28.279,0:07:33.258
cataclysmic the Germans invaded Romania

0:07:30.949,0:07:35.389
and life was soon quite difficult and

0:07:33.259,0:07:36.979
challenging rather than only being

0:07:35.389,0:07:38.870
concerned for the survival of their own

0:07:36.978,0:07:40.909
family Richard and Sabina gave

0:07:38.870,0:07:43.519
themselves wholeheartedly to meet the

0:07:40.910,0:07:46.250
needs of others people were scared and

0:07:43.519,0:07:48.788
many suffered loss of all sorts they

0:07:46.250,0:07:51.288
needed God and comfort more than ever

0:07:48.788,0:07:53.149
the worm brands fulfilled their ministry

0:07:51.288,0:07:55.699
by continuing to preach in the bomb

0:07:53.149,0:07:57.888
shelters and rescuing Jewish children

0:07:55.699,0:07:59.840
out of the ghettos Richard and Sabina

0:07:57.889,0:08:03.978
were repeatedly arrested and beaten and

0:07:59.839,0:08:07.008
at least once were nearly executed it

0:08:03.978,0:08:08.508
was a time of hardship Sabina lost her

0:08:07.009,0:08:12.169
Jewish family in Nazi concentration

0:08:08.509,0:08:14.389
camps as did many others Romania reeled

0:08:12.168,0:08:16.038
from internal political turmoil but the

0:08:14.389,0:08:18.470
worm brands did not shirk their

0:08:16.038,0:08:20.598
responsibilities rather than being

0:08:18.470,0:08:22.490
concerned about themselves the worm

0:08:20.598,0:08:25.459
brands rushed in where the need was

0:08:22.490,0:08:29.538
greatest despite the risk and that's

0:08:25.459,0:08:32.208
exactly what they did when in 1945 the

0:08:29.538,0:08:35.019
Communists seized power and Romania was

0:08:32.208,0:08:37.788
invaded by 1 million Russian troops

0:08:35.019,0:08:40.639
Richard warned brands and he spoke Assam

0:08:37.788,0:08:42.620
8 9 10 11 languages when the Russians

0:08:40.639,0:08:45.370
invaded would walked into the Russian

0:08:42.620,0:08:48.519
army basis just walk in

0:08:45.370,0:08:50.259
and he would have a watch with him or

0:08:48.519,0:08:52.379
something and squat down on the ground

0:08:50.259,0:08:54.879
I've talked to all the Russian soldiers

0:08:52.379,0:08:58.149
like they were talking about this watch

0:08:54.879,0:08:59.769
for sale but actually down on the ground

0:08:58.149,0:09:02.409
squatting around with all of them he

0:08:59.769,0:09:04.600
would be talking about Jesus and the

0:09:02.409,0:09:06.879
Russians were incredibly hungry to know

0:09:04.600,0:09:10.389
anything about God he talked about God

0:09:06.879,0:09:14.700
about Jesus because by that time God had

0:09:10.389,0:09:17.409
been taken from their lives for 40 years

0:09:14.700,0:09:19.930
they'd been told there is no God and

0:09:17.409,0:09:22.838
they were very hungry to know what is my

0:09:19.929,0:09:25.479
life what is my life all about is there

0:09:22.839,0:09:28.810
a God and he would sit and just very

0:09:25.480,0:09:32.860
gently patiently start talking with him

0:09:28.809,0:09:34.649
about life about God and and all of them

0:09:32.860,0:09:37.300
would be very curious

0:09:34.649,0:09:39.730
although unauthorized religious meetings

0:09:37.299,0:09:41.500
were prohibited Richard and Sabina were

0:09:39.730,0:09:44.259
innovative in finding ways to gather

0:09:41.500,0:09:45.879
Christian believers on many occasions a

0:09:44.259,0:09:48.309
large get-together of families and

0:09:45.879,0:09:50.200
children would take place in a park the

0:09:48.309,0:09:51.819
worm brands would teach the adults while

0:09:50.200,0:09:54.129
the young children were given Sunday

0:09:51.820,0:09:55.810
School inevitably the police would

0:09:54.129,0:09:58.689
arrive and they were told that it was

0:09:55.809,0:10:01.929
someone's birthday the ruse worked and

0:09:58.690,0:10:05.140
the believer celebrated birthdays every

0:10:01.929,0:10:06.489
Sunday the passion the worm brands felt

0:10:05.139,0:10:08.169
for reaching their people with the

0:10:06.490,0:10:10.659
gospel was unstoppable

0:10:08.169,0:10:13.059
Sabeena rose to many on occasion

0:10:10.659,0:10:16.389
according to the need one night she rode

0:10:13.059,0:10:18.909
on the roof of a train this train was

0:10:16.389,0:10:21.250
carrying Russian troops and on the roof

0:10:18.909,0:10:23.980
of the train was Sabina with bags of

0:10:21.250,0:10:27.970
salt which the Christians could sell and

0:10:23.980,0:10:31.060
Bibles so the troops were down in the

0:10:27.970,0:10:33.610
Train to invade and take over political

0:10:31.059,0:10:36.969
control Sabina was on the roof of the

0:10:33.610,0:10:41.350
train to bring these spiritual freedom

0:10:36.970,0:10:44.110
all night on the roof she never behaved

0:10:41.350,0:10:48.278
with more love with more attention with

0:10:44.110,0:10:50.950
more dedication with more sacrifice then

0:10:48.278,0:10:51.899
with people who did her the greatest

0:10:50.950,0:10:53.379
harm

0:10:51.899,0:10:55.720
[Music]

0:10:53.379,0:10:59.350
in a difficult situation like under

0:10:55.720,0:11:04.060
communism in Romania we had many enemies

0:10:59.350,0:11:09.009
we had many people who would be mean and

0:11:04.059,0:11:11.829
do you was the most abject hardened I

0:11:09.009,0:11:14.169
mean without second thought this would

0:11:11.830,0:11:16.930
be the people who would be invited to

0:11:14.169,0:11:20.769
our home this would be the people when

0:11:16.929,0:11:24.759
we early we had something precious or

0:11:20.769,0:11:27.069
special this would be the gifts to these

0:11:24.759,0:11:29.230
people happy food is the greatest harm

0:11:27.070,0:11:30.910
such was an occasion when the worm

0:11:29.230,0:11:32.889
brands were visited in the middle of the

0:11:30.909,0:11:34.600
night by the very man who had been

0:11:32.889,0:11:37.569
responsible for the deaths of many

0:11:34.600,0:11:39.759
members of Sabinas family the man was in

0:11:37.570,0:11:43.540
terrible anguish of conscience he

0:11:39.759,0:11:47.259
started crying and all that and it was

0:11:43.539,0:11:53.639
late in the night maybe past midnight

0:11:47.259,0:11:57.819
and my father woke up my mother and

0:11:53.639,0:12:03.549
explained who this person was and my

0:11:57.820,0:12:07.270
mother passed midnight embraced him told

0:12:03.549,0:12:10.089
him she forgives him and started setting

0:12:07.269,0:12:11.039
up the table and they had some wonderful

0:12:10.090,0:12:13.629
meal

0:12:11.039,0:12:15.159
needless to say one cannot fathom how

0:12:13.629,0:12:17.710
difficult that must have been for her

0:12:15.159,0:12:20.679
but she poured all of God's love into

0:12:17.710,0:12:23.320
the man by daybreak he was kneeling with

0:12:20.679,0:12:26.079
the worm Brants in prayer having arrived

0:12:23.320,0:12:31.410
a tormented man he walked away a

0:12:26.080,0:12:35.410
forgiving Christian and she would say to

0:12:31.409,0:12:38.199
be a Christian he's not like you are a

0:12:35.409,0:12:40.600
weight lifter or a sportsman between

0:12:38.200,0:12:46.540
2:00 and 4:00 every afternoon you go to

0:12:40.600,0:12:49.480
the gym and you train to be a Christian

0:12:46.539,0:12:51.490
you have to take the opportunity right

0:12:49.480,0:12:53.649
when is the most difficult to be a

0:12:51.490,0:12:54.180
Christian that's when you have to be a

0:12:53.649,0:12:58.659
Christian

0:12:54.179,0:13:01.088
between 1945 and 1947 the worm brands

0:12:58.659,0:13:03.309
distributed 1 million Gospels to Russian

0:13:01.089,0:13:05.920
troops the books often disguised as

0:13:03.309,0:13:08.750
communist propaganda Richard also

0:13:05.919,0:13:12.528
smuggled Gospels into Russia

0:13:08.750,0:13:14.750
in 1945 Richard and Sabina attended the

0:13:12.528,0:13:16.490
Congress of the cult's organized by the

0:13:14.750,0:13:19.028
Romanian communist government and

0:13:16.490,0:13:22.310
attended by four thousand delegates

0:13:19.028,0:13:24.500
Congress was publicized but beyond being

0:13:22.309,0:13:29.869
published and was broadcast in the

0:13:24.500,0:13:32.720
entire nation and priest after priest

0:13:29.870,0:13:35.778
and pastor after pastor stood up and

0:13:32.720,0:13:39.829
explained how they obtained light from

0:13:35.778,0:13:42.828
Stalin and from the calmness and what

0:13:39.828,0:13:44.419
freedoms they enjoy and like that the

0:13:42.828,0:13:47.388
government was saying you can no longer

0:13:44.419,0:13:50.299
have Sunday school and many of these

0:13:47.389,0:13:52.818
Christian things and the hundreds or

0:13:50.299,0:13:55.549
maybe thousands of pastors sitting there

0:13:52.818,0:13:59.000
said nothing maybe they were afraid of

0:13:55.549,0:14:00.799
the government and Sabina told Richard

0:13:59.000,0:14:04.639
why don't you stand up and watch this

0:14:00.799,0:14:06.679
shame off the face of Jesus Richard took

0:14:04.639,0:14:09.049
the podium and to the dismay of the

0:14:06.679,0:14:12.609
communist officials began to denounce

0:14:09.049,0:14:14.990
communism as an evil not to be tolerated

0:14:12.610,0:14:17.419
communism has made martyrs of our

0:14:14.990,0:14:21.019
brothers how could it be praised by the

0:14:17.419,0:14:23.568
church he boldly proclaimed this was a

0:14:21.019,0:14:26.028
catalyst in arousing other believers to

0:14:23.568,0:14:28.250
take rise to their feet while some tried

0:14:26.028,0:14:31.818
to drown Richards message out others

0:14:28.250,0:14:35.389
were yelling let the pastor speak let

0:14:31.818,0:14:39.110
the pastor speak it was a chaotic scene

0:14:35.389,0:14:41.720
so the broadcast was interrupted the

0:14:39.110,0:14:46.669
company stood up asking that he be cut

0:14:41.720,0:14:48.379
from speaking the whole Congress was

0:14:46.669,0:14:50.990
finished rising in there

0:14:48.379,0:14:53.058
Richard was relentless and his zeal to

0:14:50.990,0:14:55.789
preach the gospel as well as denounced

0:14:53.058,0:14:59.649
the evils of communism eventually the

0:14:55.789,0:14:59.649
government made a move to silence him

0:15:03.210,0:15:12.100
it was a Sunday morning a winter Sunday

0:15:07.450,0:15:16.600
morning and my father lives the house

0:15:12.100,0:15:19.000
and he walked it was like eight minutes

0:15:16.600,0:15:21.850
ten minutes walk to the church the

0:15:19.000,0:15:25.110
church was not far from where we was

0:15:21.850,0:15:28.029
around the corner from where we live

0:15:25.110,0:15:33.879
some car of the secret police was

0:15:28.029,0:15:36.899
waiting for him and they overpowered him

0:15:33.879,0:15:40.330
and took him in a car and he disappeared

0:15:36.899,0:15:43.419
the first suit which came into my mind

0:15:40.330,0:15:47.740
when I was in the hands of the Communist

0:15:43.419,0:15:53.349
jurors was that in the Bible the words

0:15:47.740,0:15:56.769
don't be afraid of you 366 times once

0:15:53.350,0:15:59.259
for every day of the year and because

0:15:56.769,0:16:04.809
that is the extra day of the leap here

0:15:59.259,0:16:07.929
it is not 365 but 366 times

0:16:04.809,0:16:11.259
I knew that evening the ban of the

0:16:07.929,0:16:15.069
secret police I am in the hands of the

0:16:11.259,0:16:20.129
Almighty God and this gave quite to my

0:16:15.070,0:16:22.360
heart just after two weeks three weeks I

0:16:20.129,0:16:26.110
kept asking where is father

0:16:22.360,0:16:30.399
Varis father I saw my mother crying you

0:16:26.110,0:16:32.600
know then I realized what had happened

0:16:30.399,0:16:34.069
Sabina continued trying to locate

0:16:32.600,0:16:36.230
Richard but to no avail

0:16:34.070,0:16:38.750
she now knew he had been taken by the

0:16:36.230,0:16:40.039
police but had little idea to where and

0:16:38.750,0:16:43.279
for how long

0:16:40.039,0:16:43.919
she would not see Richard for many many

0:16:43.279,0:16:45.429
years

0:16:43.919,0:16:49.969
[Music]

0:16:45.429,0:16:54.559
she never knew if I'm a life or death

0:16:49.970,0:16:57.590
she was totally that I am dead men were

0:16:54.559,0:17:00.139
sent to see the life that they are

0:16:57.590,0:17:03.889
released prisoners and that they have

0:17:00.139,0:17:07.160
attended my burial and my wife continued

0:17:03.889,0:17:10.970
to wait for me his rate dropped to 90

0:17:07.160,0:17:15.890
pounds in a matter of three months he

0:17:10.970,0:17:21.519
received four for long periods lice of

0:17:15.890,0:17:24.650
bread a day that was peaceful was my son

0:17:21.519,0:17:27.920
and the wonderful thing about it is my

0:17:24.650,0:17:31.820
father recalls that as he was angry and

0:17:27.920,0:17:32.390
like that his prayers he was praising

0:17:31.819,0:17:34.789
the Lord

0:17:32.390,0:17:37.040
Richard was interrogated and beaten

0:17:34.789,0:17:39.589
relentlessly hung upside down from

0:17:37.039,0:17:41.599
shackles his feet were beaten until they

0:17:39.589,0:17:43.849
bled then he was forced to walk in

0:17:41.599,0:17:59.539
circles around his small cell without

0:17:43.849,0:18:09.769
permission to stop or sit down to sit

0:17:59.539,0:18:13.279
just like this to close your eyes was a

0:18:09.769,0:18:21.470
crime 17 hours a day you have to sit

0:18:13.279,0:18:23.240
like this and he'll retreat suffered

0:18:21.470,0:18:24.920
unspeakable treatment from his captors

0:18:23.240,0:18:27.890
and their efforts to extract information

0:18:24.920,0:18:29.539
about other Christians the isolation and

0:18:27.890,0:18:34.040
physical and emotional torture were

0:18:29.539,0:18:36.980
grueling it went on for years he had

0:18:34.039,0:18:37.899
scarce in his body that you could put

0:18:36.980,0:18:39.769
your son

0:18:37.900,0:18:43.140
[Music]

0:18:39.769,0:18:45.690
so you can imagine the type of torture

0:18:43.140,0:18:47.580
at times he was angry he would shout and

0:18:45.690,0:18:51.539
beat on the door of his cell saying give

0:18:47.579,0:18:53.519
me back Mihai Mihai as his son they

0:18:51.539,0:18:56.730
would actually place children in cells

0:18:53.519,0:18:59.250
around them to make noises in the cells

0:18:56.730,0:19:04.200
around his wife also so they would miss

0:18:59.250,0:19:10.549
their children yes we will kept everyone

0:19:04.200,0:19:10.549
alone in a Cell never have you seen

0:19:11.869,0:19:25.619
never have you seen a man except the

0:19:15.109,0:19:28.349
interrogators who beat and tortured when

0:19:25.619,0:19:31.289
after many years I had to write again I

0:19:28.349,0:19:35.039
did not remember how to write a capital

0:19:31.289,0:19:37.920
V life had to continue and Sabina

0:19:35.039,0:19:39.750
perhaps hiding her own grief did her

0:19:37.920,0:19:42.390
best to continue to work among the

0:19:39.750,0:19:44.849
underground church she instructed Mihai

0:19:42.390,0:19:48.210
to do his best at school as a witness to

0:19:44.849,0:19:51.029
others I was studying and learning very

0:19:48.210,0:19:53.390
well so they came to make the first

0:19:51.029,0:19:56.059
communist organization among the

0:19:53.390,0:19:59.070
children they were called young pioneers

0:19:56.059,0:20:03.389
you were given a red tie you were given

0:19:59.069,0:20:08.119
a badge and as a child you had free

0:20:03.390,0:20:12.540
access to swimming pools hobby making

0:20:08.119,0:20:19.889
clubs lots of incentive for kids and I

0:20:12.539,0:20:22.799
said I will not wear the necktie awful

0:20:19.890,0:20:29.009
regime that keeps my father in jail and

0:20:22.799,0:20:31.769
who denies the existence of God and it

0:20:29.009,0:20:34.289
was total cost our nation I totally

0:20:31.769,0:20:39.269
destroys the whole festivities of

0:20:34.289,0:20:42.000
festivity at that moment was a journey

0:20:39.269,0:20:45.180
they wanted to throw me out of school

0:20:42.000,0:20:46.559
reisender think of it I was in fifth

0:20:45.180,0:20:49.019
grade

0:20:46.559,0:20:51.799
Richard continued to endure torture in

0:20:49.019,0:20:53.940
prison without a formal trial finally

0:20:51.799,0:20:55.230
approximately two and a half years after

0:20:53.940,0:20:57.570
his disappearance

0:20:55.230,0:21:00.180
a very ill Richard was brought into a

0:20:57.569,0:21:02.519
small room for a hearing when asked if

0:21:00.180,0:21:04.650
he had anything to say in his defense he

0:21:02.519,0:21:08.700
was so sick all he could answer was I

0:21:04.650,0:21:12.320
love God the hearing lasted ten minutes

0:21:08.700,0:21:14.730
Richard was sentenced to 20 years

0:21:12.319,0:21:17.460
outside the prison life had become

0:21:14.730,0:21:19.259
difficult for Sabina and Mihai soon

0:21:17.460,0:21:20.940
their small apartment was taken over by

0:21:19.259,0:21:24.150
the government and they were left to

0:21:20.940,0:21:27.180
live in only one small room not long

0:21:24.150,0:21:29.970
thereafter in 1950 a new incident

0:21:27.180,0:21:34.650
further affected his circumstances I was

0:21:29.970,0:21:39.660
not in Bucharest when six o'clock in the

0:21:34.650,0:21:42.170
morning seven eight secret policemen

0:21:39.660,0:21:46.080
came to my mother's home where we lived

0:21:42.170,0:21:48.420
by that time we were in one room they

0:21:46.079,0:21:50.720
asked my mother to dress in front of

0:21:48.420,0:21:54.630
them they took her straight out of bed

0:21:50.720,0:21:57.329
they made an inspection a house search

0:21:54.630,0:22:02.220
which was not much of houses was one

0:21:57.329,0:22:04.199
room searched and she disappeared Sabina

0:22:02.220,0:22:05.850
was taken prisoner and once later

0:22:04.200,0:22:08.640
assigned to work with other captives

0:22:05.849,0:22:10.409
building the Danube canal this they did

0:22:08.640,0:22:13.410
by carrying the rocks with their bare

0:22:10.410,0:22:15.840
hands in the freezing cold the prisoners

0:22:13.410,0:22:17.820
were provided no warm clothing only what

0:22:15.839,0:22:20.759
they came into prison with many

0:22:17.819,0:22:23.009
prisoners died she disappeared in the

0:22:20.759,0:22:27.059
communist prison system she was never

0:22:23.009,0:22:31.470
told whether she's in for a day for a

0:22:27.059,0:22:34.679
month for a year she was she never was

0:22:31.470,0:22:38.279
taken to a judge a few times they

0:22:34.680,0:22:40.170
in order to frighten her or frighten the

0:22:38.279,0:22:45.558
other people's is threw her into the

0:22:40.170,0:22:50.370
Danube River River and Fisher back up

0:22:45.558,0:22:55.379
and so Z turns a prison cell

0:22:50.369,0:22:58.949
we decided that Linds mornings when you

0:22:55.380,0:23:03.180
open your eyes preparing yourself for

0:22:58.950,0:23:07.710
the field to go to the work console ever

0:23:03.180,0:23:12.299
you see yoga waiting will be give thanks

0:23:07.710,0:23:14.480
to the Lord for he is good and His mercy

0:23:12.299,0:23:21.169
endures forever

0:23:14.480,0:23:21.170
dear dear sisters and deal veteran I

0:23:21.710,0:23:31.759
could not describe inverts Vance's new

0:23:26.730,0:23:35.220
greetings made in our prison cell

0:23:31.759,0:23:39.750
sometimes during the night

0:23:35.220,0:23:43.558
some political prisoner would come to

0:23:39.750,0:23:49.558
one of the Christians please teach me

0:23:43.558,0:23:57.099
your greetings they were ashamed to come

0:23:49.558,0:24:02.269
during the day thieves and troubles

0:23:57.099,0:24:06.349
have learned to repeat those words if

0:24:02.269,0:24:10.480
thanks to the Lord for his good and His

0:24:06.349,0:24:17.289
mercy endures forever

0:24:10.480,0:24:20.358
and the hell was changed completely

0:24:17.289,0:24:20.358
[Music]

0:24:21.279,0:24:29.648
by divert of God

0:24:25.058,0:24:33.638
by giving thanks to the Lord even in the

0:24:29.648,0:24:38.069
most difficult circumstances the hunger

0:24:33.638,0:24:41.349
in those prisons was incredible and

0:24:38.069,0:24:46.388
literally the women's US prison he'd

0:24:41.349,0:24:50.678
tree bark and in grass in order to

0:24:46.388,0:24:55.508
sustain themselves she fasted one day a

0:24:50.679,0:24:58.570
week through entire prison she always

0:24:55.509,0:25:03.009
fasted one day a week her entire life

0:24:58.569,0:25:05.319
but one day a week she fasted in prison

0:25:03.009,0:25:07.569
not content with a torture they were

0:25:05.319,0:25:09.308
inflicting on Richard and unsatisfied

0:25:07.569,0:25:10.990
with his lack of cooperation

0:25:09.308,0:25:13.960
Richard was placed in solitary

0:25:10.990,0:25:14.940
confinement in a small cell deeper

0:25:13.960,0:25:18.460
underground

0:25:14.940,0:25:21.129
the guards wore felt sold shoes and no

0:25:18.460,0:25:23.169
noise was permitted the silence being a

0:25:21.128,0:25:25.778
way to further destabilize the prisoners

0:25:23.169,0:25:27.788
who not long afterwards began to lose

0:25:25.778,0:25:30.339
notion of day or night and would long

0:25:27.788,0:25:32.618
for some familiar sound in this type of

0:25:30.339,0:25:35.980
situation with little food and oft

0:25:32.618,0:25:38.349
beatings men would despair it was mental

0:25:35.980,0:25:41.079
torture a situation he would have to

0:25:38.349,0:25:45.609
endure for several years my whole night

0:25:41.079,0:25:51.249
I passed walking to and fro through the

0:25:45.609,0:25:54.368
cell with I didn't have shoes every

0:25:51.249,0:25:56.980
night I began by meditating on the Word

0:25:54.368,0:26:01.778
of God the verses which I remembered by

0:25:56.980,0:26:06.278
heart I meditated so much then I would

0:26:01.778,0:26:08.859
pass hours praying praying for the whole

0:26:06.278,0:26:11.950
bird I traveled in my spirit from one

0:26:08.859,0:26:15.908
country to other to another every night

0:26:11.950,0:26:19.749
I would pray for America for Britain for

0:26:15.909,0:26:23.200
Africa Australia New Zealand Germany

0:26:19.749,0:26:27.610
France every night I would deliver a

0:26:23.200,0:26:30.580
sermon there was no visible audience but

0:26:27.609,0:26:33.069
a French to God I preached to the Angels

0:26:30.579,0:26:35.710
they are also interested to know

0:26:33.069,0:26:38.918
what I think and what I have to say I

0:26:35.710,0:26:41.860
would prepare a regular sermon and they

0:26:38.919,0:26:46.320
deliver it then able to sit down

0:26:41.859,0:26:49.750
sometimes and out of a very primitive

0:26:46.319,0:26:53.138
think I had made a chess play and I

0:26:49.750,0:26:57.009
would play chess with myself and then

0:26:53.138,0:27:02.528
again I would walk around free and speak

0:26:57.009,0:27:04.599
to God this for the time but afterwards

0:27:02.528,0:27:09.849
a narcotics which we are putting our

0:27:04.599,0:27:14.259
food had effect upon our minds and we

0:27:09.849,0:27:16.449
could not really pray is usual sense of

0:27:14.259,0:27:18.909
the world anymore it was one of the most

0:27:16.450,0:27:22.090
desperate moments in my life when I

0:27:18.909,0:27:24.580
tried one evening to say the Lord's

0:27:22.089,0:27:27.189
Prayer that I found out that I had

0:27:24.579,0:27:29.829
forgotten it I said our Father which art

0:27:27.190,0:27:32.590
in heaven hallowed be thy name and I

0:27:29.829,0:27:35.918
didn't know what follows and then for a

0:27:32.589,0:27:37.990
long time I prayed only so much Jesus I

0:27:35.919,0:27:41.139
love you Jesus I love you

0:27:37.990,0:27:44.019
he seems that is fair enough and then I

0:27:41.138,0:27:48.849
could not concentrate my mind evening on

0:27:44.019,0:27:52.628
that and my only prayer would be the

0:27:48.849,0:27:54.849
beating of a loving heart sometimes we

0:27:52.628,0:27:56.408
would be overcome by such a joy of the

0:27:54.849,0:27:59.019
presence of the Lord that we would have

0:27:56.409,0:28:03.580
to dance and we danced like this this

0:27:59.019,0:28:06.990
shows this love of singing Don will

0:28:03.579,0:28:06.990
encounter Lysa

0:28:09.690,0:28:16.990
my multitouch am i free you would feel

0:28:14.619,0:28:19.719
that your heart-wrenching pieces if you

0:28:16.990,0:28:22.079
would not dance for joy so great was the

0:28:19.720,0:28:27.250
joy of the presence of the Brethren

0:28:22.079,0:28:31.658
sometimes we would be handcuffed to his

0:28:27.250,0:28:34.298
handcuffs like this to the back the

0:28:31.659,0:28:38.679
hands tied to the back we could not move

0:28:34.298,0:28:42.250
them food was brought to us we have to

0:28:38.679,0:28:48.550
lap it exactly like the dogs like it

0:28:42.250,0:28:52.900
we could not move our hands so the human

0:28:48.549,0:28:57.669
body has many necessities the hands were

0:28:52.900,0:29:02.560
tied to the back day and night but we

0:28:57.670,0:29:06.039
can tie a soul the soul can fly to the

0:29:02.559,0:29:10.569
Lord it has not even to fly because the

0:29:06.039,0:29:16.509
Lord is everywhere we forgot that we are

0:29:10.569,0:29:20.230
with our hands tied and repeated the

0:29:16.509,0:29:24.490
Communists they have killed many

0:29:20.230,0:29:27.069
Christians minions they have tried to

0:29:24.490,0:29:31.900
kill earth not stupid

0:29:27.069,0:29:36.879
they can kill only bodies we are not

0:29:31.900,0:29:42.130
bodies we are spirit and the spirit

0:29:36.880,0:29:46.000
can't be killed to die for Christ loving

0:29:42.130,0:29:50.650
Christ means to go to glory means to

0:29:46.000,0:29:53.410
Christ time during the present life we

0:29:50.650,0:29:56.530
won for Christ our fellow prisoners even

0:29:53.410,0:29:58.180
in the years of solitary confinement in

0:29:56.529,0:30:00.849
the great silence

0:29:58.180,0:30:06.730
you could hear during the night very

0:30:00.849,0:30:09.490
discrete noises through Morse code

0:30:06.730,0:30:12.759
through the wall from one cell to the

0:30:09.490,0:30:15.460
other we preach the gospel and souls

0:30:12.759,0:30:19.329
have been brought to Christ and the head

0:30:15.460,0:30:22.539
before me the impose declared communist

0:30:19.329,0:30:26.799
officer we confessed to them about

0:30:22.539,0:30:30.069
Christ and we converted them I myself

0:30:26.799,0:30:32.559
had before me a communist officer with a

0:30:30.069,0:30:35.500
rubber truncheon in his hand and they

0:30:32.559,0:30:36.389
told him about the love of Christ I told

0:30:35.500,0:30:40.470
him about

0:30:36.390,0:30:44.100
about God he put his rubber truncheon

0:30:40.470,0:30:46.589
aside he asked me mr. hood not how can

0:30:44.099,0:30:50.099
you love me I would never love somebody

0:30:46.589,0:30:52.949
who puts me in prison and beats me and I

0:30:50.099,0:30:55.678
told him about the new character about

0:30:52.950,0:30:59.580
the new heart which Christ gives to men

0:30:55.679,0:31:03.990
and they become embodied love and he

0:30:59.579,0:31:08.099
became our brother in prison for having

0:31:03.990,0:31:10.710
taken our defence Sabina endured her own

0:31:08.099,0:31:13.199
torture haven't been put into a car sir

0:31:10.710,0:31:15.120
on several occasions a small closet in

0:31:13.200,0:31:17.250
which one can only stand and which is

0:31:15.119,0:31:19.319
fitted with spikes so is not to allow

0:31:17.250,0:31:20.730
movement many prisoners were placed

0:31:19.319,0:31:23.490
there for an entire night

0:31:20.730,0:31:25.798
she was allowed to see me high just once

0:31:23.490,0:31:28.710
and only briefly enough to encourage him

0:31:25.798,0:31:30.509
not to abandon the faith but there was

0:31:28.710,0:31:32.009
also wonderful fruit in the midst of

0:31:30.509,0:31:36.589
suffering even though it would take

0:31:32.009,0:31:41.849
months or years the neighbor children

0:31:36.589,0:31:45.058
there mentioned immediately tears were

0:31:41.849,0:31:48.928
on the face of their mothers behind

0:31:45.058,0:31:53.808
locked doors behind iron bars we didn't

0:31:48.929,0:31:56.880
know anything about our children and

0:31:53.808,0:32:00.539
here the children we are mentioned you

0:31:56.880,0:32:06.330
sign a statement you deny your God and

0:32:00.539,0:32:10.759
you will be with your children who could

0:32:06.329,0:32:14.808
answer who could stand it

0:32:10.759,0:32:18.679
who could ever refuse to start to sign

0:32:14.808,0:32:24.979
the statement in order to be with the

0:32:18.679,0:32:31.459
child no mother could no mother could

0:32:24.979,0:32:37.639
ever but Jesus has promised I will be

0:32:31.459,0:32:45.159
with you always and Jesus keeps his

0:32:37.638,0:32:52.698
promise and just to mention in Hebrew

0:32:45.159,0:32:58.369
always means call young all the days but

0:32:52.699,0:33:01.759
it means all the days the whole day not

0:32:58.368,0:33:05.538
that he comes to visit us for 10 minutes

0:33:01.759,0:33:09.679
as we go to somebody visiting he

0:33:05.538,0:33:14.989
promised he will be with us all the days

0:33:09.679,0:33:17.629
the whole day eventually in 1953 after

0:33:14.989,0:33:20.690
three years of incarceration Sabina was

0:33:17.628,0:33:23.058
released but not before she was informed

0:33:20.690,0:33:26.088
by the authorities that Richard had died

0:33:23.058,0:33:29.628
in prison she went home in her mind a

0:33:26.088,0:33:32.808
widow to uncertainty however what Sabina

0:33:29.628,0:33:36.048
was told was not true Richard was alive

0:33:32.808,0:33:38.959
and remained in prison experiencing both

0:33:36.048,0:33:42.098
despair as well as glories of a God who

0:33:38.959,0:33:42.099
had not abandoned him

0:33:49.910,0:33:57.830
before in history just as a flower when

0:33:54.680,0:34:00.710
you bruise her under your feet rewards

0:33:57.829,0:34:04.039
you with her perfume the moment we were

0:34:00.710,0:34:05.569
mocked the more we were tortured repeat

0:34:04.039,0:34:08.960
it and beloved

0:34:05.569,0:34:10.159
those who torture us it must be clearly

0:34:08.960,0:34:14.389
understood

0:34:10.159,0:34:17.239
we hate communism from all our art this

0:34:14.389,0:34:21.230
devilish system of militant atheism

0:34:17.239,0:34:25.069
which must be defeated if the Christian

0:34:21.230,0:34:29.809
Church wishes to live but we loved the

0:34:25.070,0:34:33.860
man and we asked ourselves how to win

0:34:29.809,0:34:36.650
these men for Christ and when we were in

0:34:33.860,0:34:41.269
the depths of this remorse and of the

0:34:36.650,0:34:46.820
Spain at once words of the cell began to

0:34:41.269,0:34:50.050
shine like diamonds I have been open in

0:34:46.820,0:34:53.350
my life I've seen California I have seen

0:34:50.050,0:34:57.560
Napoli I have seen many beautiful things

0:34:53.349,0:35:01.929
never have I seen beauties which I have

0:34:57.559,0:35:06.469
seen in the dark cell beneath the earth

0:35:01.929,0:35:11.419
such beautiful music as a third day the

0:35:06.469,0:35:14.959
King of Kings Jesus was with us we saw

0:35:11.420,0:35:19.250
his understanding his loving eyes he

0:35:14.960,0:35:22.369
wiped away from our eyes our tears he

0:35:19.250,0:35:25.849
set wise words of love and words of

0:35:22.369,0:35:26.739
forgiveness we knew everything which had

0:35:25.849,0:35:31.960
been

0:35:26.739,0:35:36.250
in Our Lives has passed away being

0:35:31.960,0:35:40.389
forgotten by God now that came wonderful

0:35:36.250,0:35:43.900
days the bright rose in the arms of the

0:35:40.389,0:35:47.559
bridegroom we were with Christ we didn't

0:35:43.900,0:35:50.019
know that we were in prison sometimes we

0:35:47.559,0:35:53.949
were taken to interrogatories we were

0:35:50.019,0:35:57.519
beaten we were tortured just a st.

0:35:53.949,0:36:00.730
Stephen while they threw stones at him

0:35:57.519,0:36:05.019
did not see his murderers did not see

0:36:00.730,0:36:07.780
the stones so heaven open and Jesus

0:36:05.019,0:36:10.239
standing at the right hand of the Father

0:36:07.780,0:36:13.960
so we didn't see any more succumbing

0:36:10.239,0:36:17.709
torturers we didn't see that we are in

0:36:13.960,0:36:19.500
prison we were surrounded by angels we

0:36:17.710,0:36:21.940
were with God

0:36:19.500,0:36:24.820
after years of barbaric treatment

0:36:21.940,0:36:27.099
Richard became extremely ill and was

0:36:24.820,0:36:29.440
transferred to a room known as the death

0:36:27.099,0:36:31.769
room the area were those without any

0:36:29.440,0:36:34.929
hope of recovery were simply sent to die

0:36:31.769,0:36:37.869
but Richard prayed and little by little

0:36:34.929,0:36:40.389
to the amazement of his captors he began

0:36:37.869,0:36:42.640
to recover he used the opportunity of

0:36:40.389,0:36:44.889
being with other prisoners to minister

0:36:42.639,0:36:47.139
to and help them the men would pray

0:36:44.889,0:36:48.879
together they would sing hymns while

0:36:47.139,0:36:51.909
using their shackles and chains as

0:36:48.880,0:36:55.900
instruments and one by one each man came

0:36:51.909,0:36:58.420
to Christ then one day in 1956 eight

0:36:55.900,0:37:02.440
years after Richard had been taken there

0:36:58.420,0:37:08.318
was a news after eight years

0:37:02.440,0:37:11.940
it so happened that he turned around a

0:37:08.318,0:37:13.989
very high official in the secret police

0:37:11.940,0:37:19.539
my team Lucretia

0:37:13.989,0:37:22.389
he's so witness to this guy he came back

0:37:19.539,0:37:26.289
from one of the interrogatories and told

0:37:22.389,0:37:31.059
his wife this well said I met today a

0:37:26.289,0:37:34.000
man like I didn't think that existed on

0:37:31.059,0:37:38.460
the surface of this earth I am sick I

0:37:34.000,0:37:41.829
want to go into bed and he went to bed

0:37:38.460,0:37:45.130
and then he made a plan how to free my

0:37:41.829,0:37:49.980
father from prison and this secret

0:37:45.130,0:37:56.079
policeman happened to be the immediate

0:37:49.980,0:38:00.940
helper or secretary of the top secret

0:37:56.079,0:38:03.730
police leader or if he was called the

0:38:00.940,0:38:07.990
Minister of the Interior and this meant

0:38:03.730,0:38:10.568
that my father turned around him and

0:38:07.989,0:38:13.750
witness to abort the love of Christ and

0:38:10.568,0:38:16.358
like that and said you live hate your

0:38:13.750,0:38:19.389
whole life is full of hate you torture

0:38:16.358,0:38:22.269
people you hate us you hate me you hate

0:38:19.389,0:38:24.460
everybody one day you will turn around

0:38:22.269,0:38:26.679
you'll hate your own wife your hate your

0:38:24.460,0:38:29.500
own children what kind of life is that

0:38:26.679,0:38:33.269
you and he witness about Jesus Christ

0:38:29.500,0:38:37.420
and he was Jewish he turned the Jewish

0:38:33.269,0:38:39.789
secret policeman into a Christian he

0:38:37.420,0:38:44.010
made a plan how to free my father

0:38:39.789,0:38:46.690
so what he did he he introduced and

0:38:44.010,0:38:49.869
there's a hundreds of paper he usually

0:38:46.690,0:38:52.480
gave to the Minister of Interior to sign

0:38:49.869,0:38:54.720
every morning he was the guy who would

0:38:52.480,0:38:58.659
give him hundreds of papers to sign

0:38:54.719,0:39:04.139
official stuff he introduced one paper

0:38:58.659,0:39:08.139
that said free Richard Wurman it was a

0:39:04.139,0:39:10.480
dick a degree a decree of pardon for

0:39:08.139,0:39:10.929
each of them he had no idea what he was

0:39:10.480,0:39:13.778
saying

0:39:10.929,0:39:15.818
hundreds of papers he's saying that and

0:39:13.778,0:39:18.039
one day my father was freed out of

0:39:15.818,0:39:20.920
prison after eight years of prison a

0:39:18.039,0:39:24.640
frail Richard suddenly found himself out

0:39:20.920,0:39:27.880
of prison he had nothing no clothes no

0:39:24.639,0:39:30.730
money but he had his freedom a blessing

0:39:27.880,0:39:32.260
he could not but praise God for it was

0:39:30.730,0:39:34.599
through the help of local people who

0:39:32.260,0:39:36.730
recognized him as a freed prisoner and

0:39:34.599,0:39:39.789
took pity that he got enough coins to

0:39:36.730,0:39:42.789
take buses back to his old home seeing

0:39:39.789,0:39:45.069
Richard again was a shock for Sabina she

0:39:42.789,0:39:45.880
thought he was dead it was a joyous

0:39:45.068,0:39:48.009
reunion

0:39:45.880,0:39:50.349
the first thing Richard did was to kneel

0:39:48.010,0:39:53.319
with his family and give thanks to God

0:39:50.349,0:39:57.278
not long thereafter he began to minister

0:39:53.318,0:39:59.019
again he was re-arrested in 1959 through

0:39:57.278,0:40:02.500
the conspiracy of an associate and

0:39:59.019,0:40:03.489
sentenced to 25 years he was accused of

0:40:02.500,0:40:06.278
preaching ideas

0:40:03.489,0:40:07.989
contrary to communist doctrine due to

0:40:06.278,0:40:08.949
increased political pressure from

0:40:07.989,0:40:11.199
Western countries

0:40:08.949,0:40:15.338
Richard was granted amnesty and released

0:40:11.199,0:40:17.679
in 1964 some churches in the West had

0:40:15.338,0:40:21.190
paid a ransom for their family of ten

0:40:17.679,0:40:22.989
thousand dollars and letters from

0:40:21.190,0:40:25.900
different officials I think this was

0:40:22.989,0:40:28.269
from a group in Norway and during this

0:40:25.900,0:40:30.910
time after one of his releases from

0:40:28.269,0:40:33.190
prison and it was felt he would be more

0:40:30.909,0:40:35.618
valuable in the West in the free

0:40:33.190,0:40:37.539
countries to share the message of

0:40:35.619,0:40:39.250
persecuted Christians sort of tried to

0:40:37.539,0:40:43.539
keep him alive and get him out of

0:40:39.250,0:40:47.650
Romania at that time and so they flee

0:40:43.539,0:40:50.910
from Romania to a refugee camp in Italy

0:40:47.650,0:40:55.990
and eventually made their way to America

0:40:50.909,0:40:58.960
God had a plan for him but after having

0:40:55.989,0:41:03.669
tuberculosis bones broken many things in

0:40:58.960,0:41:05.829
prison he continued to live perhaps to

0:41:03.670,0:41:07.430
bring that message out to to the rest of

0:41:05.829,0:41:09.798
the world

0:41:07.429,0:41:11.629
Richard began his ministry of being a

0:41:09.798,0:41:13.730
voice for persecuted Christians in

0:41:11.630,0:41:16.068
England with Reverend Stewart Harris

0:41:13.730,0:41:17.809
where he also wrote his testimony in the

0:41:16.068,0:41:20.179
book tortured for Christ

0:41:17.809,0:41:22.789
later the worm brands moved on to the

0:41:20.179,0:41:24.739
United States and in 1965

0:41:22.789,0:41:27.140
Richard appeared before a US Senate

0:41:24.739,0:41:29.528
Internal Security subcommittee he took

0:41:27.139,0:41:32.750
his shirt off in front of the Senate

0:41:29.528,0:41:34.730
showing them the scars that that these

0:41:32.750,0:41:37.639
different forces around the world that

0:41:34.730,0:41:41.329
opposed Christians in his case communism

0:41:37.639,0:42:29.480
are real they tried to do physical

0:41:41.329,0:42:34.910
damage to their body out in the West we

0:42:29.480,0:42:37.449
will reward us by creating a mission to

0:42:34.909,0:42:39.649
the community his story spread rapidly

0:42:37.449,0:42:43.848
leading to more and more speaking

0:42:39.650,0:42:45.858
engagements in 1967 the worm brand's

0:42:43.849,0:42:47.990
officially began a ministry committed to

0:42:45.858,0:42:50.420
serving the persecuted Church called

0:42:47.989,0:42:54.048
Jesus to the Communist world and later

0:42:50.420,0:42:56.150
named the voice of the martyrs the worm

0:42:54.048,0:42:58.068
brands poured their heart and soul into

0:42:56.150,0:43:00.079
the ministry which in turn helped to

0:42:58.068,0:43:01.759
open the eyes of many people to the

0:43:00.079,0:43:02.809
plight of persecuted Christians around

0:43:01.760,0:43:05.028
the world

0:43:02.809,0:43:06.979
Richard and Sabina never forgot their

0:43:05.028,0:43:08.630
time in prison and prayed desperately

0:43:06.978,0:43:11.058
for those who continue to experience

0:43:08.630,0:43:13.390
hardship in Romania the Beloved Country

0:43:11.059,0:43:17.150
they had never expected to return to

0:43:13.389,0:43:22.489
until a change of events opened a door

0:43:17.150,0:43:24.559
in 1989 a revolutionary wave that began

0:43:22.489,0:43:26.838
in Poland swept across the communist

0:43:24.559,0:43:29.119
countries of Central and Eastern Europe

0:43:26.838,0:43:32.688
resulting in the fall of Soviet style

0:43:29.119,0:43:35.108
regimes one by one countries once under

0:43:32.688,0:43:37.879
the rule of communism began to collapse

0:43:35.108,0:43:40.900
the Romanian head of state Nicolae

0:43:37.880,0:43:43.849
Ceausescu a dictator since 1965

0:43:40.900,0:43:45.829
stubbornly clung to power until an

0:43:43.849,0:43:49.880
unprecedented revolt by his own

0:43:45.829,0:43:51.709
countrymen toppled him in Timisoara the

0:43:49.880,0:43:54.019
people gathered in the public square and

0:43:51.708,0:43:56.509
prayed the Lord's Prayer the gathering

0:43:54.018,0:43:58.488
itself was considered illegal and even

0:43:56.509,0:44:00.079
much more so the fact that so many

0:43:58.489,0:44:03.139
people were praying in public and

0:44:00.079,0:44:05.778
chanting communism is dead God is alive

0:44:03.139,0:44:08.179
the cry was heard across the country and

0:44:05.778,0:44:10.759
not long thereafter the suppressive

0:44:08.179,0:44:14.059
communist government of Romania came to

0:44:10.759,0:44:16.159
an end what a time of jubilation it was

0:44:14.059,0:44:19.630
and what a triumph for those who had

0:44:16.159,0:44:22.818
endured such torment for so long after

0:44:19.630,0:44:24.400
25 years of exile and continually

0:44:22.818,0:44:26.748
upholding their country in prayer

0:44:24.400,0:44:29.209
Richard and Sabina returned to their

0:44:26.748,0:44:31.038
beloved Romania the country where they

0:44:29.208,0:44:34.548
had given their hearts to Christ and

0:44:31.039,0:44:36.829
labored so fervently for him it was a

0:44:34.548,0:44:39.858
memorable and emotional occasion and

0:44:36.829,0:44:41.749
they were warmly received Christians met

0:44:39.858,0:44:44.449
him at the airport with flowers saying

0:44:41.748,0:44:48.139
he spoke in many large churches they

0:44:44.449,0:44:50.630
returned two maybe three times the

0:44:48.139,0:44:54.048
Christians the government the media they

0:44:50.630,0:44:56.539
had opened doors across the country many

0:44:54.048,0:44:58.998
things in Romania had changed since the

0:44:56.539,0:45:00.949
worm brand's departure constructed on

0:44:58.998,0:45:02.509
top of the deep underground cell where

0:45:00.949,0:45:05.389
Richard had suffered the tortures of

0:45:02.509,0:45:08.059
solitary confinement there stood a new

0:45:05.389,0:45:10.248
building the thousand room palace that

0:45:08.059,0:45:12.979
the former dictator Ceausescu had built

0:45:10.248,0:45:14.569
for himself it now stood empty The

0:45:12.978,0:45:16.730
Dictator now dead

0:45:14.570,0:45:19.010
but beneath in some of the areas where

0:45:16.730,0:45:21.289
the cells had once stood Richard and

0:45:19.010,0:45:23.120
Sabina were now able to store Bibles and

0:45:21.289,0:45:25.300
Christian literature which would be

0:45:23.119,0:45:28.130
openly available to their countrymen

0:45:25.300,0:45:30.710
Richard's place of torture where he had

0:45:28.130,0:45:33.320
labored quietly in prayer was now used

0:45:30.710,0:45:35.869
for the service of his Savior arrogant

0:45:33.320,0:45:37.490
communism was gone and in its place God

0:45:35.869,0:45:40.339
now began his work

0:45:37.489,0:45:42.949
although happy to be back in Romania the

0:45:40.340,0:45:45.920
worm brands did not settle they had a

0:45:42.949,0:45:48.230
mission to continue when we lived in the

0:45:45.920,0:45:51.500
same house with him for some seven eight

0:45:48.230,0:45:53.869
years we only really saw them about two

0:45:51.500,0:45:56.300
months a year because they lived out of

0:45:53.869,0:45:59.000
a suitcase they had five or six

0:45:56.300,0:46:01.280
suitcases and they spoke in 10,000

0:45:59.000,0:46:03.619
churches in America they stayed active

0:46:01.280,0:46:06.200
as long as they could even editing and

0:46:03.619,0:46:09.619
writing from their hospital beds so they

0:46:06.199,0:46:12.889
lived their faith their love right up

0:46:09.619,0:46:16.089
until the last moment on earth Sabina

0:46:12.889,0:46:20.019
went to be with her Lord in August 11th

0:46:16.090,0:46:23.300
2002 months later in February 17th 2001

0:46:20.019,0:46:24.710
both left a legacy rich in devotion to

0:46:23.300,0:46:28.220
Christ and His Church

0:46:24.710,0:46:30.530
their talks books instant form of

0:46:28.219,0:46:32.899
witnessing and their courage in the face

0:46:30.530,0:46:36.050
of so much spiritual and physical

0:46:32.900,0:46:38.550
adversity remain a lasting example for

0:46:36.050,0:46:41.650
Christians everywhere

0:46:38.550,0:46:44.920
they brought a depth of love and mercy I

0:46:41.650,0:46:48.550
think to many Christians in America that

0:46:44.920,0:46:51.490
were unused to this aggressive love in

0:46:48.550,0:46:54.039
the face of evil this was something that

0:46:51.489,0:46:56.500
caused many people to say what where

0:46:54.039,0:46:59.050
does this strength come from well the

0:46:56.500,0:47:05.199
first time for me to a large extent I

0:46:59.050,0:47:09.160
understood how we went through it was

0:47:05.199,0:47:14.079
when I saw the Sequoias in the Sequoia

0:47:09.159,0:47:17.199
National Park it turns out to be that

0:47:14.079,0:47:19.630
the secret of the non gvt of this

0:47:17.199,0:47:24.299
Sequoia and it says that these trees

0:47:19.630,0:47:28.630
have very thin bark extremely thin bark

0:47:24.300,0:47:32.789
it's very easy for insects and for pests

0:47:28.630,0:47:36.880
to penetrate this part but this bark

0:47:32.789,0:47:39.039
excretes a substance called tanning that

0:47:36.880,0:47:42.369
kills all these insects and all these

0:47:39.039,0:47:46.300
pests they cannot penetrate this thick

0:47:42.369,0:47:49.389
bark because unlike other trees it has

0:47:46.300,0:47:54.850
this substance that would kill the moans

0:47:49.389,0:47:58.569
on touch and that's the nature of the

0:47:54.849,0:48:02.380
Christian faith you have seen skin like

0:47:58.570,0:48:05.320
everybody else and you suffer if you

0:48:02.380,0:48:10.960
have the face and the knowledge from the

0:48:05.320,0:48:15.820
gospel no communist propaganda thing

0:48:10.960,0:48:19.030
no no idea can penetrate tell you my

0:48:15.820,0:48:22.780
last confirmation class in Romania I am

0:48:19.030,0:48:26.470
a Lutheran pastor and I took a group of

0:48:22.780,0:48:29.530
10 15 boys and girls on Sunday morning

0:48:26.469,0:48:33.489
to the zoological garden before the den

0:48:29.530,0:48:37.600
of lions and tigers and there I told

0:48:33.489,0:48:38.629
them your forefathers in face the throne

0:48:37.599,0:48:41.719
before the

0:48:38.630,0:48:45.440
beasts for the love to Christ and they

0:48:41.719,0:48:49.209
died gladly for their Savior you also

0:48:45.440,0:48:53.059
may be arrested maybe beaten or killed

0:48:49.210,0:48:56.119
decide here and now if you wish to be

0:48:53.059,0:48:59.180
Christians or not they had tears in

0:48:56.119,0:49:00.980
their eyes when they said yes and then

0:48:59.179,0:49:03.768
we didn't bother them anymore

0:49:00.980,0:49:06.409
asking them Bible verses they didn't

0:49:03.768,0:49:09.500
know them we have no Bible then they

0:49:06.409,0:49:14.929
they are arrested every scene was taken

0:49:09.500,0:49:18.440
from us everything everything even our

0:49:14.929,0:49:22.518
clothes we were put in a prisoner

0:49:18.440,0:49:29.440
uniform but what we had gathered in our

0:49:22.518,0:49:29.439
heart nobody could take it away nobody

0:49:50.360,0:50:17.699
[Music]

0:50:22.239,0:50:24.299
you