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before the days when communism foul in

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Eastern Europe before the time when

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people could meet legally in public

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gatherings and enjoy the freedom of

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religious worship before that time

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Christians were often arrested and kept

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in prisons in dark damp underground

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cells or in labor camps where the

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Communists went to great lengths to

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break their faith or slowly let them die

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it was in the midst of this darkness

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away from any human comfort that the

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love of Christ shown Savior

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this is the story of a family that

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endured

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Richard worm Brad was born the youngest

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of four sons in an Orthodox Jewish

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family on March 24th 1909 in Bucharest

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Romania when he was still a young boy

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his father moved the family to Istanbul

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Turkey passionate driven and gifted

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intellectually Richard grew to be a

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highly motivated young man fluent in

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nine languages in time Richard met

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sabina Auster a young chemistry student

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also of Jewish descent soon thereafter

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on October 26th 1936 they married

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Richard began work as a stockbroker and

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the young couple spent much of their off

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hours enjoying the cosmopolitan life of

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Bucharest as atheists religion was the

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last thing on their minds they lived in

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the words of high finance so of course

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they were invited to all the parties he

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is a high finance in Romania they

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existed only to make money and to spend

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money eventually something happened that

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brought the high living couple to a

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standstill

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Richard was diagnosed with an illness

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rampant in Eastern Europe tuberculosis

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order to convalesce in the countryside

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the worm brands made their way to a

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small village very close to the city of

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brasov where they soon met Peter wolf

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keys an aged and unassuming carpenter it

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was an encounter that would prove to be

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life-changing

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wolf keys was a dedicated Christian

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whose lifelong prayer had been to share

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his Christian faith with Jews the

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challenge was that in the remote village

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in which he lived he had never

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encountered any that is until he met

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Richard and Sabina so he challenged them

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he said you're Jewish hardly any Jew has

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read about this Jew called Jesus Christ

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Jesus Christ was a greatest and most

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famous of all Jews and he gives him the

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gospel actually a New Testament in the

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German language my father took the New

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Testament to read

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being pointed to the Gospel of John he

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became extremely impressed I mean more

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than impressed his whole thinking went

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upside down

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he realized that here was somebody who

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like Jesus Christ who always spoke the

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truth he spoke about love

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he was ready out of love to sacrifice

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himself sacrifice his life and this

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turned my father around reading through

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the Gospels Richard began to ponder his

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own life and the emptiness that had

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often tugged on him eventually

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Richard worm brand the atheist

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pleasure-seeker humbled himself and

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opened his heart to God his life was

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wonderfully affected and while he

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experienced joy and excitement in his

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newfound faith Sabina was equally

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horrified she wanted to throw herself

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from the window all her hopes to lead a

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life of luxury and party and good life

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we're dashed because the one of the

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first thing my father did when he became

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a Christian was to resign from this

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stock brokerage it was only natural that

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Richard would want his wife to share in

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his newfound joy but Sabina would have

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none of his religious talk

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she was a young 23 year old woman and

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the last thing she wanted to do was give

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up her social events and entertainment

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for what she anticipated would be a

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boring religious life cunning as he was

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Richard sought the best way to get his

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point across he accepted an invitation

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to a high society party so a lot of

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people got drunk and rowdy

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and it was not a pretty sight and my

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mother said Richard let's go home and he

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said no we came to party

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and then there were all kind of stupid

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jokes and the party became you know just

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a drunken nonsense and my mother started

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crying and begging my father to take her

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home and she said if you take me home I

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will be baptised in the morning the

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party had been a fitting and vivid

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illustration of the emptiness of their

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social gatherings it seems clear that

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Richards words and prayers had someone a

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seed in Sabinas heart she soon embraced

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the faith of her husband and came to

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know Christ feeling the need for both

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training and guidance they joined the

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Anglican mission to the Jews in

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Bucharest and Richard was eventually

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ordained an Anglican Minister Richard

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and Sabina were both active in

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evangelism eventually becoming well

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known dedicated Christians among the

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religious circle of Romania rumors of

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war caused their message of hope and

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faith to be well received eventually in

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1939 on the eve of World War two they

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were blessed with a son a boy they named

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me hi my earliest recollections as a

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child the very earliest recollection is

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my mother holding my hand and running

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like crazy across a field into a bomb

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shelter because it was 1 or 2 the reason

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I was running with my mother by the hand

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to this bomb shelter my father was

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nowhere in sight was because my father

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purposely during all these bombing raids

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he had gathered a group of six or seven

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Christians most of them Jewish Christian

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and he was week visiting shelter by

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shelter and praying with people

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that's in no way that's how he became

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known in Romania World War two was

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cataclysmic the Germans invaded Romania

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and life was soon quite difficult and

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challenging rather than only being

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concerned for the survival of their own

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family Richard and Sabina gave

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themselves wholeheartedly to meet the

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needs of others people were scared and

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many suffered loss of all sorts they

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needed God and comfort more than ever

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the worm brands fulfilled their ministry

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by continuing to preach in the bomb

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shelters and rescuing Jewish children

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out of the ghettos Richard and Sabina

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were repeatedly arrested and beaten and

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at least once were nearly executed it

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was a time of hardship Sabina lost her

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Jewish family in Nazi concentration

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camps as did many others Romania reeled

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from internal political turmoil but the

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worm brands did not shirk their

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responsibilities rather than being

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concerned about themselves the worm

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brands rushed in where the need was

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greatest despite the risk and that's

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exactly what they did when in 1945 the

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Communists seized power and Romania was

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invaded by 1 million Russian troops

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Richard warned brands and he spoke Assam

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8 9 10 11 languages when the Russians

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invaded would walked into the Russian

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army basis just walk in

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and he would have a watch with him or

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something and squat down on the ground

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I've talked to all the Russian soldiers

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like they were talking about this watch

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for sale but actually down on the ground

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squatting around with all of them he

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would be talking about Jesus and the

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Russians were incredibly hungry to know

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anything about God he talked about God

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about Jesus because by that time God had

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been taken from their lives for 40 years

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they'd been told there is no God and

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they were very hungry to know what is my

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life what is my life all about is there

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a God and he would sit and just very

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gently patiently start talking with him

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about life about God and and all of them

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would be very curious

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although unauthorized religious meetings

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were prohibited Richard and Sabina were

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innovative in finding ways to gather

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Christian believers on many occasions a

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large get-together of families and

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children would take place in a park the

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worm brands would teach the adults while

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the young children were given Sunday

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School inevitably the police would

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arrive and they were told that it was

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someone's birthday the ruse worked and

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the believer celebrated birthdays every

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Sunday the passion the worm brands felt

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for reaching their people with the

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gospel was unstoppable

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Sabeena rose to many on occasion

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according to the need one night she rode

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on the roof of a train this train was

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carrying Russian troops and on the roof

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of the train was Sabina with bags of

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salt which the Christians could sell and

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Bibles so the troops were down in the

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Train to invade and take over political

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control Sabina was on the roof of the

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train to bring these spiritual freedom

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all night on the roof she never behaved

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with more love with more attention with

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more dedication with more sacrifice then

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with people who did her the greatest

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harm

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[Music]

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in a difficult situation like under

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communism in Romania we had many enemies

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we had many people who would be mean and

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do you was the most abject hardened I

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mean without second thought this would

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be the people who would be invited to

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our home this would be the people when

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we early we had something precious or

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special this would be the gifts to these

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people happy food is the greatest harm

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such was an occasion when the worm

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brands were visited in the middle of the

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night by the very man who had been

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responsible for the deaths of many

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members of Sabinas family the man was in

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terrible anguish of conscience he

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started crying and all that and it was

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late in the night maybe past midnight

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and my father woke up my mother and

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explained who this person was and my

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mother passed midnight embraced him told

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him she forgives him and started setting

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up the table and they had some wonderful

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meal

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needless to say one cannot fathom how

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difficult that must have been for her

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but she poured all of God's love into

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the man by daybreak he was kneeling with

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the worm Brants in prayer having arrived

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a tormented man he walked away a

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forgiving Christian and she would say to

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be a Christian he's not like you are a

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weight lifter or a sportsman between

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2:00 and 4:00 every afternoon you go to

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the gym and you train to be a Christian

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you have to take the opportunity right

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when is the most difficult to be a

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Christian that's when you have to be a

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Christian

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between 1945 and 1947 the worm brands

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distributed 1 million Gospels to Russian

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troops the books often disguised as

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communist propaganda Richard also

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smuggled Gospels into Russia

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in 1945 Richard and Sabina attended the

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Congress of the cult's organized by the

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Romanian communist government and

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attended by four thousand delegates

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Congress was publicized but beyond being

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published and was broadcast in the

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entire nation and priest after priest

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and pastor after pastor stood up and

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explained how they obtained light from

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Stalin and from the calmness and what

278
00:13:39,828 --> 00:13:44,419
freedoms they enjoy and like that the

279
00:13:42,828 --> 00:13:47,388
government was saying you can no longer

280
00:13:44,419 --> 00:13:50,299
have Sunday school and many of these

281
00:13:47,389 --> 00:13:52,818
Christian things and the hundreds or

282
00:13:50,299 --> 00:13:55,549
maybe thousands of pastors sitting there

283
00:13:52,818 --> 00:13:59,000
said nothing maybe they were afraid of

284
00:13:55,549 --> 00:14:00,799
the government and Sabina told Richard

285
00:13:59,000 --> 00:14:04,639
why don't you stand up and watch this

286
00:14:00,799 --> 00:14:06,679
shame off the face of Jesus Richard took

287
00:14:04,639 --> 00:14:09,049
the podium and to the dismay of the

288
00:14:06,679 --> 00:14:12,609
communist officials began to denounce

289
00:14:09,049 --> 00:14:14,990
communism as an evil not to be tolerated

290
00:14:12,610 --> 00:14:17,419
communism has made martyrs of our

291
00:14:14,990 --> 00:14:21,019
brothers how could it be praised by the

292
00:14:17,419 --> 00:14:23,568
church he boldly proclaimed this was a

293
00:14:21,019 --> 00:14:26,028
catalyst in arousing other believers to

294
00:14:23,568 --> 00:14:28,250
take rise to their feet while some tried

295
00:14:26,028 --> 00:14:31,818
to drown Richards message out others

296
00:14:28,250 --> 00:14:35,389
were yelling let the pastor speak let

297
00:14:31,818 --> 00:14:39,110
the pastor speak it was a chaotic scene

298
00:14:35,389 --> 00:14:41,720
so the broadcast was interrupted the

299
00:14:39,110 --> 00:14:46,669
company stood up asking that he be cut

300
00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:48,379
from speaking the whole Congress was

301
00:14:46,669 --> 00:14:50,990
finished rising in there

302
00:14:48,379 --> 00:14:53,058
Richard was relentless and his zeal to

303
00:14:50,990 --> 00:14:55,789
preach the gospel as well as denounced

304
00:14:53,058 --> 00:14:59,649
the evils of communism eventually the

305
00:14:55,789 --> 00:14:59,649
government made a move to silence him

306
00:15:03,210 --> 00:15:12,100
it was a Sunday morning a winter Sunday

307
00:15:07,450 --> 00:15:16,600
morning and my father lives the house

308
00:15:12,100 --> 00:15:19,000
and he walked it was like eight minutes

309
00:15:16,600 --> 00:15:21,850
ten minutes walk to the church the

310
00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:25,110
church was not far from where we was

311
00:15:21,850 --> 00:15:28,029
around the corner from where we live

312
00:15:25,110 --> 00:15:33,879
some car of the secret police was

313
00:15:28,029 --> 00:15:36,899
waiting for him and they overpowered him

314
00:15:33,879 --> 00:15:40,330
and took him in a car and he disappeared

315
00:15:36,899 --> 00:15:43,419
the first suit which came into my mind

316
00:15:40,330 --> 00:15:47,740
when I was in the hands of the Communist

317
00:15:43,419 --> 00:15:53,349
jurors was that in the Bible the words

318
00:15:47,740 --> 00:15:56,769
don't be afraid of you 366 times once

319
00:15:53,350 --> 00:15:59,259
for every day of the year and because

320
00:15:56,769 --> 00:16:04,809
that is the extra day of the leap here

321
00:15:59,259 --> 00:16:07,929
it is not 365 but 366 times

322
00:16:04,809 --> 00:16:11,259
I knew that evening the ban of the

323
00:16:07,929 --> 00:16:15,069
secret police I am in the hands of the

324
00:16:11,259 --> 00:16:20,129
Almighty God and this gave quite to my

325
00:16:15,070 --> 00:16:22,360
heart just after two weeks three weeks I

326
00:16:20,129 --> 00:16:26,110
kept asking where is father

327
00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:30,399
Varis father I saw my mother crying you

328
00:16:26,110 --> 00:16:32,600
know then I realized what had happened

329
00:16:30,399 --> 00:16:34,069
Sabina continued trying to locate

330
00:16:32,600 --> 00:16:36,230
Richard but to no avail

331
00:16:34,070 --> 00:16:38,750
she now knew he had been taken by the

332
00:16:36,230 --> 00:16:40,039
police but had little idea to where and

333
00:16:38,750 --> 00:16:43,279
for how long

334
00:16:40,039 --> 00:16:43,919
she would not see Richard for many many

335
00:16:43,279 --> 00:16:45,429
years

336
00:16:43,919 --> 00:16:49,969
[Music]

337
00:16:45,429 --> 00:16:54,559
she never knew if I'm a life or death

338
00:16:49,970 --> 00:16:57,590
she was totally that I am dead men were

339
00:16:54,559 --> 00:17:00,139
sent to see the life that they are

340
00:16:57,590 --> 00:17:03,889
released prisoners and that they have

341
00:17:00,139 --> 00:17:07,160
attended my burial and my wife continued

342
00:17:03,889 --> 00:17:10,970
to wait for me his rate dropped to 90

343
00:17:07,160 --> 00:17:15,890
pounds in a matter of three months he

344
00:17:10,970 --> 00:17:21,519
received four for long periods lice of

345
00:17:15,890 --> 00:17:24,650
bread a day that was peaceful was my son

346
00:17:21,519 --> 00:17:27,920
and the wonderful thing about it is my

347
00:17:24,650 --> 00:17:31,820
father recalls that as he was angry and

348
00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:32,390
like that his prayers he was praising

349
00:17:31,819 --> 00:17:34,789
the Lord

350
00:17:32,390 --> 00:17:37,040
Richard was interrogated and beaten

351
00:17:34,789 --> 00:17:39,589
relentlessly hung upside down from

352
00:17:37,039 --> 00:17:41,599
shackles his feet were beaten until they

353
00:17:39,589 --> 00:17:43,849
bled then he was forced to walk in

354
00:17:41,599 --> 00:17:59,539
circles around his small cell without

355
00:17:43,849 --> 00:18:09,769
permission to stop or sit down to sit

356
00:17:59,539 --> 00:18:13,279
just like this to close your eyes was a

357
00:18:09,769 --> 00:18:21,470
crime 17 hours a day you have to sit

358
00:18:13,279 --> 00:18:23,240
like this and he'll retreat suffered

359
00:18:21,470 --> 00:18:24,920
unspeakable treatment from his captors

360
00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:27,890
and their efforts to extract information

361
00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:29,539
about other Christians the isolation and

362
00:18:27,890 --> 00:18:34,040
physical and emotional torture were

363
00:18:29,539 --> 00:18:36,980
grueling it went on for years he had

364
00:18:34,039 --> 00:18:37,899
scarce in his body that you could put

365
00:18:36,980 --> 00:18:39,769
your son

366
00:18:37,900 --> 00:18:43,140
[Music]

367
00:18:39,769 --> 00:18:45,690
so you can imagine the type of torture

368
00:18:43,140 --> 00:18:47,580
at times he was angry he would shout and

369
00:18:45,690 --> 00:18:51,539
beat on the door of his cell saying give

370
00:18:47,579 --> 00:18:53,519
me back Mihai Mihai as his son they

371
00:18:51,539 --> 00:18:56,730
would actually place children in cells

372
00:18:53,519 --> 00:18:59,250
around them to make noises in the cells

373
00:18:56,730 --> 00:19:04,200
around his wife also so they would miss

374
00:18:59,250 --> 00:19:10,549
their children yes we will kept everyone

375
00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:10,549
alone in a Cell never have you seen

376
00:19:11,869 --> 00:19:25,619
never have you seen a man except the

377
00:19:15,109 --> 00:19:28,349
interrogators who beat and tortured when

378
00:19:25,619 --> 00:19:31,289
after many years I had to write again I

379
00:19:28,349 --> 00:19:35,039
did not remember how to write a capital

380
00:19:31,289 --> 00:19:37,920
V life had to continue and Sabina

381
00:19:35,039 --> 00:19:39,750
perhaps hiding her own grief did her

382
00:19:37,920 --> 00:19:42,390
best to continue to work among the

383
00:19:39,750 --> 00:19:44,849
underground church she instructed Mihai

384
00:19:42,390 --> 00:19:48,210
to do his best at school as a witness to

385
00:19:44,849 --> 00:19:51,029
others I was studying and learning very

386
00:19:48,210 --> 00:19:53,390
well so they came to make the first

387
00:19:51,029 --> 00:19:56,059
communist organization among the

388
00:19:53,390 --> 00:19:59,070
children they were called young pioneers

389
00:19:56,059 --> 00:20:03,389
you were given a red tie you were given

390
00:19:59,069 --> 00:20:08,119
a badge and as a child you had free

391
00:20:03,390 --> 00:20:12,540
access to swimming pools hobby making

392
00:20:08,119 --> 00:20:19,889
clubs lots of incentive for kids and I

393
00:20:12,539 --> 00:20:22,799
said I will not wear the necktie awful

394
00:20:19,890 --> 00:20:29,009
regime that keeps my father in jail and

395
00:20:22,799 --> 00:20:31,769
who denies the existence of God and it

396
00:20:29,009 --> 00:20:34,289
was total cost our nation I totally

397
00:20:31,769 --> 00:20:39,269
destroys the whole festivities of

398
00:20:34,289 --> 00:20:42,000
festivity at that moment was a journey

399
00:20:39,269 --> 00:20:45,180
they wanted to throw me out of school

400
00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:46,559
reisender think of it I was in fifth

401
00:20:45,180 --> 00:20:49,019
grade

402
00:20:46,559 --> 00:20:51,799
Richard continued to endure torture in

403
00:20:49,019 --> 00:20:53,940
prison without a formal trial finally

404
00:20:51,799 --> 00:20:55,230
approximately two and a half years after

405
00:20:53,940 --> 00:20:57,570
his disappearance

406
00:20:55,230 --> 00:21:00,180
a very ill Richard was brought into a

407
00:20:57,569 --> 00:21:02,519
small room for a hearing when asked if

408
00:21:00,180 --> 00:21:04,650
he had anything to say in his defense he

409
00:21:02,519 --> 00:21:08,700
was so sick all he could answer was I

410
00:21:04,650 --> 00:21:12,320
love God the hearing lasted ten minutes

411
00:21:08,700 --> 00:21:14,730
Richard was sentenced to 20 years

412
00:21:12,319 --> 00:21:17,460
outside the prison life had become

413
00:21:14,730 --> 00:21:19,259
difficult for Sabina and Mihai soon

414
00:21:17,460 --> 00:21:20,940
their small apartment was taken over by

415
00:21:19,259 --> 00:21:24,150
the government and they were left to

416
00:21:20,940 --> 00:21:27,180
live in only one small room not long

417
00:21:24,150 --> 00:21:29,970
thereafter in 1950 a new incident

418
00:21:27,180 --> 00:21:34,650
further affected his circumstances I was

419
00:21:29,970 --> 00:21:39,660
not in Bucharest when six o'clock in the

420
00:21:34,650 --> 00:21:42,170
morning seven eight secret policemen

421
00:21:39,660 --> 00:21:46,080
came to my mother's home where we lived

422
00:21:42,170 --> 00:21:48,420
by that time we were in one room they

423
00:21:46,079 --> 00:21:50,720
asked my mother to dress in front of

424
00:21:48,420 --> 00:21:54,630
them they took her straight out of bed

425
00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:57,329
they made an inspection a house search

426
00:21:54,630 --> 00:22:02,220
which was not much of houses was one

427
00:21:57,329 --> 00:22:04,199
room searched and she disappeared Sabina

428
00:22:02,220 --> 00:22:05,850
was taken prisoner and once later

429
00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,640
assigned to work with other captives

430
00:22:05,849 --> 00:22:10,409
building the Danube canal this they did

431
00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:13,410
by carrying the rocks with their bare

432
00:22:10,410 --> 00:22:15,840
hands in the freezing cold the prisoners

433
00:22:13,410 --> 00:22:17,820
were provided no warm clothing only what

434
00:22:15,839 --> 00:22:20,759
they came into prison with many

435
00:22:17,819 --> 00:22:23,009
prisoners died she disappeared in the

436
00:22:20,759 --> 00:22:27,059
communist prison system she was never

437
00:22:23,009 --> 00:22:31,470
told whether she's in for a day for a

438
00:22:27,059 --> 00:22:34,679
month for a year she was she never was

439
00:22:31,470 --> 00:22:38,279
taken to a judge a few times they

440
00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:40,170
in order to frighten her or frighten the

441
00:22:38,279 --> 00:22:45,558
other people's is threw her into the

442
00:22:40,170 --> 00:22:50,370
Danube River River and Fisher back up

443
00:22:45,558 --> 00:22:55,379
and so Z turns a prison cell

444
00:22:50,369 --> 00:22:58,949
we decided that Linds mornings when you

445
00:22:55,380 --> 00:23:03,180
open your eyes preparing yourself for

446
00:22:58,950 --> 00:23:07,710
the field to go to the work console ever

447
00:23:03,180 --> 00:23:12,299
you see yoga waiting will be give thanks

448
00:23:07,710 --> 00:23:14,480
to the Lord for he is good and His mercy

449
00:23:12,299 --> 00:23:21,169
endures forever

450
00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:21,170
dear dear sisters and deal veteran I

451
00:23:21,710 --> 00:23:31,759
could not describe inverts Vance's new

452
00:23:26,730 --> 00:23:35,220
greetings made in our prison cell

453
00:23:31,759 --> 00:23:39,750
sometimes during the night

454
00:23:35,220 --> 00:23:43,558
some political prisoner would come to

455
00:23:39,750 --> 00:23:49,558
one of the Christians please teach me

456
00:23:43,558 --> 00:23:57,099
your greetings they were ashamed to come

457
00:23:49,558 --> 00:24:02,269
during the day thieves and troubles

458
00:23:57,099 --> 00:24:06,349
have learned to repeat those words if

459
00:24:02,269 --> 00:24:10,480
thanks to the Lord for his good and His

460
00:24:06,349 --> 00:24:17,289
mercy endures forever

461
00:24:10,480 --> 00:24:20,358
and the hell was changed completely

462
00:24:17,289 --> 00:24:20,358
[Music]

463
00:24:21,279 --> 00:24:29,648
by divert of God

464
00:24:25,058 --> 00:24:33,638
by giving thanks to the Lord even in the

465
00:24:29,648 --> 00:24:38,069
most difficult circumstances the hunger

466
00:24:33,638 --> 00:24:41,349
in those prisons was incredible and

467
00:24:38,069 --> 00:24:46,388
literally the women's US prison he'd

468
00:24:41,349 --> 00:24:50,678
tree bark and in grass in order to

469
00:24:46,388 --> 00:24:55,508
sustain themselves she fasted one day a

470
00:24:50,679 --> 00:24:58,570
week through entire prison she always

471
00:24:55,509 --> 00:25:03,009
fasted one day a week her entire life

472
00:24:58,569 --> 00:25:05,319
but one day a week she fasted in prison

473
00:25:03,009 --> 00:25:07,569
not content with a torture they were

474
00:25:05,319 --> 00:25:09,308
inflicting on Richard and unsatisfied

475
00:25:07,569 --> 00:25:10,990
with his lack of cooperation

476
00:25:09,308 --> 00:25:13,960
Richard was placed in solitary

477
00:25:10,990 --> 00:25:14,940
confinement in a small cell deeper

478
00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:18,460
underground

479
00:25:14,940 --> 00:25:21,129
the guards wore felt sold shoes and no

480
00:25:18,460 --> 00:25:23,169
noise was permitted the silence being a

481
00:25:21,128 --> 00:25:25,778
way to further destabilize the prisoners

482
00:25:23,169 --> 00:25:27,788
who not long afterwards began to lose

483
00:25:25,778 --> 00:25:30,339
notion of day or night and would long

484
00:25:27,788 --> 00:25:32,618
for some familiar sound in this type of

485
00:25:30,339 --> 00:25:35,980
situation with little food and oft

486
00:25:32,618 --> 00:25:38,349
beatings men would despair it was mental

487
00:25:35,980 --> 00:25:41,079
torture a situation he would have to

488
00:25:38,349 --> 00:25:45,609
endure for several years my whole night

489
00:25:41,079 --> 00:25:51,249
I passed walking to and fro through the

490
00:25:45,609 --> 00:25:54,368
cell with I didn't have shoes every

491
00:25:51,249 --> 00:25:56,980
night I began by meditating on the Word

492
00:25:54,368 --> 00:26:01,778
of God the verses which I remembered by

493
00:25:56,980 --> 00:26:06,278
heart I meditated so much then I would

494
00:26:01,778 --> 00:26:08,859
pass hours praying praying for the whole

495
00:26:06,278 --> 00:26:11,950
bird I traveled in my spirit from one

496
00:26:08,859 --> 00:26:15,908
country to other to another every night

497
00:26:11,950 --> 00:26:19,749
I would pray for America for Britain for

498
00:26:15,909 --> 00:26:23,200
Africa Australia New Zealand Germany

499
00:26:19,749 --> 00:26:27,610
France every night I would deliver a

500
00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:30,580
sermon there was no visible audience but

501
00:26:27,609 --> 00:26:33,069
a French to God I preached to the Angels

502
00:26:30,579 --> 00:26:35,710
they are also interested to know

503
00:26:33,069 --> 00:26:38,918
what I think and what I have to say I

504
00:26:35,710 --> 00:26:41,860
would prepare a regular sermon and they

505
00:26:38,919 --> 00:26:46,320
deliver it then able to sit down

506
00:26:41,859 --> 00:26:49,750
sometimes and out of a very primitive

507
00:26:46,319 --> 00:26:53,138
think I had made a chess play and I

508
00:26:49,750 --> 00:26:57,009
would play chess with myself and then

509
00:26:53,138 --> 00:27:02,528
again I would walk around free and speak

510
00:26:57,009 --> 00:27:04,599
to God this for the time but afterwards

511
00:27:02,528 --> 00:27:09,849
a narcotics which we are putting our

512
00:27:04,599 --> 00:27:14,259
food had effect upon our minds and we

513
00:27:09,849 --> 00:27:16,449
could not really pray is usual sense of

514
00:27:14,259 --> 00:27:18,909
the world anymore it was one of the most

515
00:27:16,450 --> 00:27:22,090
desperate moments in my life when I

516
00:27:18,909 --> 00:27:24,580
tried one evening to say the Lord's

517
00:27:22,089 --> 00:27:27,189
Prayer that I found out that I had

518
00:27:24,579 --> 00:27:29,829
forgotten it I said our Father which art

519
00:27:27,190 --> 00:27:32,590
in heaven hallowed be thy name and I

520
00:27:29,829 --> 00:27:35,918
didn't know what follows and then for a

521
00:27:32,589 --> 00:27:37,990
long time I prayed only so much Jesus I

522
00:27:35,919 --> 00:27:41,139
love you Jesus I love you

523
00:27:37,990 --> 00:27:44,019
he seems that is fair enough and then I

524
00:27:41,138 --> 00:27:48,849
could not concentrate my mind evening on

525
00:27:44,019 --> 00:27:52,628
that and my only prayer would be the

526
00:27:48,849 --> 00:27:54,849
beating of a loving heart sometimes we

527
00:27:52,628 --> 00:27:56,408
would be overcome by such a joy of the

528
00:27:54,849 --> 00:27:59,019
presence of the Lord that we would have

529
00:27:56,409 --> 00:28:03,580
to dance and we danced like this this

530
00:27:59,019 --> 00:28:06,990
shows this love of singing Don will

531
00:28:03,579 --> 00:28:06,990
encounter Lysa

532
00:28:09,690 --> 00:28:16,990
my multitouch am i free you would feel

533
00:28:14,619 --> 00:28:19,719
that your heart-wrenching pieces if you

534
00:28:16,990 --> 00:28:22,079
would not dance for joy so great was the

535
00:28:19,720 --> 00:28:27,250
joy of the presence of the Brethren

536
00:28:22,079 --> 00:28:31,658
sometimes we would be handcuffed to his

537
00:28:27,250 --> 00:28:34,298
handcuffs like this to the back the

538
00:28:31,659 --> 00:28:38,679
hands tied to the back we could not move

539
00:28:34,298 --> 00:28:42,250
them food was brought to us we have to

540
00:28:38,679 --> 00:28:48,550
lap it exactly like the dogs like it

541
00:28:42,250 --> 00:28:52,900
we could not move our hands so the human

542
00:28:48,549 --> 00:28:57,669
body has many necessities the hands were

543
00:28:52,900 --> 00:29:02,560
tied to the back day and night but we

544
00:28:57,670 --> 00:29:06,039
can tie a soul the soul can fly to the

545
00:29:02,559 --> 00:29:10,569
Lord it has not even to fly because the

546
00:29:06,039 --> 00:29:16,509
Lord is everywhere we forgot that we are

547
00:29:10,569 --> 00:29:20,230
with our hands tied and repeated the

548
00:29:16,509 --> 00:29:24,490
Communists they have killed many

549
00:29:20,230 --> 00:29:27,069
Christians minions they have tried to

550
00:29:24,490 --> 00:29:31,900
kill earth not stupid

551
00:29:27,069 --> 00:29:36,879
they can kill only bodies we are not

552
00:29:31,900 --> 00:29:42,130
bodies we are spirit and the spirit

553
00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:46,000
can't be killed to die for Christ loving

554
00:29:42,130 --> 00:29:50,650
Christ means to go to glory means to

555
00:29:46,000 --> 00:29:53,410
Christ time during the present life we

556
00:29:50,650 --> 00:29:56,530
won for Christ our fellow prisoners even

557
00:29:53,410 --> 00:29:58,180
in the years of solitary confinement in

558
00:29:56,529 --> 00:30:00,849
the great silence

559
00:29:58,180 --> 00:30:06,730
you could hear during the night very

560
00:30:00,849 --> 00:30:09,490
discrete noises through Morse code

561
00:30:06,730 --> 00:30:12,759
through the wall from one cell to the

562
00:30:09,490 --> 00:30:15,460
other we preach the gospel and souls

563
00:30:12,759 --> 00:30:19,329
have been brought to Christ and the head

564
00:30:15,460 --> 00:30:22,539
before me the impose declared communist

565
00:30:19,329 --> 00:30:26,799
officer we confessed to them about

566
00:30:22,539 --> 00:30:30,069
Christ and we converted them I myself

567
00:30:26,799 --> 00:30:32,559
had before me a communist officer with a

568
00:30:30,069 --> 00:30:35,500
rubber truncheon in his hand and they

569
00:30:32,559 --> 00:30:36,389
told him about the love of Christ I told

570
00:30:35,500 --> 00:30:40,470
him about

571
00:30:36,390 --> 00:30:44,100
about God he put his rubber truncheon

572
00:30:40,470 --> 00:30:46,589
aside he asked me mr. hood not how can

573
00:30:44,099 --> 00:30:50,099
you love me I would never love somebody

574
00:30:46,589 --> 00:30:52,949
who puts me in prison and beats me and I

575
00:30:50,099 --> 00:30:55,678
told him about the new character about

576
00:30:52,950 --> 00:30:59,580
the new heart which Christ gives to men

577
00:30:55,679 --> 00:31:03,990
and they become embodied love and he

578
00:30:59,579 --> 00:31:08,099
became our brother in prison for having

579
00:31:03,990 --> 00:31:10,710
taken our defence Sabina endured her own

580
00:31:08,099 --> 00:31:13,199
torture haven't been put into a car sir

581
00:31:10,710 --> 00:31:15,120
on several occasions a small closet in

582
00:31:13,200 --> 00:31:17,250
which one can only stand and which is

583
00:31:15,119 --> 00:31:19,319
fitted with spikes so is not to allow

584
00:31:17,250 --> 00:31:20,730
movement many prisoners were placed

585
00:31:19,319 --> 00:31:23,490
there for an entire night

586
00:31:20,730 --> 00:31:25,798
she was allowed to see me high just once

587
00:31:23,490 --> 00:31:28,710
and only briefly enough to encourage him

588
00:31:25,798 --> 00:31:30,509
not to abandon the faith but there was

589
00:31:28,710 --> 00:31:32,009
also wonderful fruit in the midst of

590
00:31:30,509 --> 00:31:36,589
suffering even though it would take

591
00:31:32,009 --> 00:31:41,849
months or years the neighbor children

592
00:31:36,589 --> 00:31:45,058
there mentioned immediately tears were

593
00:31:41,849 --> 00:31:48,928
on the face of their mothers behind

594
00:31:45,058 --> 00:31:53,808
locked doors behind iron bars we didn't

595
00:31:48,929 --> 00:31:56,880
know anything about our children and

596
00:31:53,808 --> 00:32:00,539
here the children we are mentioned you

597
00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:06,330
sign a statement you deny your God and

598
00:32:00,539 --> 00:32:10,759
you will be with your children who could

599
00:32:06,329 --> 00:32:14,808
answer who could stand it

600
00:32:10,759 --> 00:32:18,679
who could ever refuse to start to sign

601
00:32:14,808 --> 00:32:24,979
the statement in order to be with the

602
00:32:18,679 --> 00:32:31,459
child no mother could no mother could

603
00:32:24,979 --> 00:32:37,639
ever but Jesus has promised I will be

604
00:32:31,459 --> 00:32:45,159
with you always and Jesus keeps his

605
00:32:37,638 --> 00:32:52,698
promise and just to mention in Hebrew

606
00:32:45,159 --> 00:32:58,369
always means call young all the days but

607
00:32:52,699 --> 00:33:01,759
it means all the days the whole day not

608
00:32:58,368 --> 00:33:05,538
that he comes to visit us for 10 minutes

609
00:33:01,759 --> 00:33:09,679
as we go to somebody visiting he

610
00:33:05,538 --> 00:33:14,989
promised he will be with us all the days

611
00:33:09,679 --> 00:33:17,629
the whole day eventually in 1953 after

612
00:33:14,989 --> 00:33:20,690
three years of incarceration Sabina was

613
00:33:17,628 --> 00:33:23,058
released but not before she was informed

614
00:33:20,690 --> 00:33:26,088
by the authorities that Richard had died

615
00:33:23,058 --> 00:33:29,628
in prison she went home in her mind a

616
00:33:26,088 --> 00:33:32,808
widow to uncertainty however what Sabina

617
00:33:29,628 --> 00:33:36,048
was told was not true Richard was alive

618
00:33:32,808 --> 00:33:38,959
and remained in prison experiencing both

619
00:33:36,048 --> 00:33:42,098
despair as well as glories of a God who

620
00:33:38,959 --> 00:33:42,099
had not abandoned him

621
00:33:49,910 --> 00:33:57,830
before in history just as a flower when

622
00:33:54,680 --> 00:34:00,710
you bruise her under your feet rewards

623
00:33:57,829 --> 00:34:04,039
you with her perfume the moment we were

624
00:34:00,710 --> 00:34:05,569
mocked the more we were tortured repeat

625
00:34:04,039 --> 00:34:08,960
it and beloved

626
00:34:05,569 --> 00:34:10,159
those who torture us it must be clearly

627
00:34:08,960 --> 00:34:14,389
understood

628
00:34:10,159 --> 00:34:17,239
we hate communism from all our art this

629
00:34:14,389 --> 00:34:21,230
devilish system of militant atheism

630
00:34:17,239 --> 00:34:25,069
which must be defeated if the Christian

631
00:34:21,230 --> 00:34:29,809
Church wishes to live but we loved the

632
00:34:25,070 --> 00:34:33,860
man and we asked ourselves how to win

633
00:34:29,809 --> 00:34:36,650
these men for Christ and when we were in

634
00:34:33,860 --> 00:34:41,269
the depths of this remorse and of the

635
00:34:36,650 --> 00:34:46,820
Spain at once words of the cell began to

636
00:34:41,269 --> 00:34:50,050
shine like diamonds I have been open in

637
00:34:46,820 --> 00:34:53,350
my life I've seen California I have seen

638
00:34:50,050 --> 00:34:57,560
Napoli I have seen many beautiful things

639
00:34:53,349 --> 00:35:01,929
never have I seen beauties which I have

640
00:34:57,559 --> 00:35:06,469
seen in the dark cell beneath the earth

641
00:35:01,929 --> 00:35:11,419
such beautiful music as a third day the

642
00:35:06,469 --> 00:35:14,959
King of Kings Jesus was with us we saw

643
00:35:11,420 --> 00:35:19,250
his understanding his loving eyes he

644
00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:22,369
wiped away from our eyes our tears he

645
00:35:19,250 --> 00:35:25,849
set wise words of love and words of

646
00:35:22,369 --> 00:35:26,739
forgiveness we knew everything which had

647
00:35:25,849 --> 00:35:31,960
been

648
00:35:26,739 --> 00:35:36,250
in Our Lives has passed away being

649
00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:40,389
forgotten by God now that came wonderful

650
00:35:36,250 --> 00:35:43,900
days the bright rose in the arms of the

651
00:35:40,389 --> 00:35:47,559
bridegroom we were with Christ we didn't

652
00:35:43,900 --> 00:35:50,019
know that we were in prison sometimes we

653
00:35:47,559 --> 00:35:53,949
were taken to interrogatories we were

654
00:35:50,019 --> 00:35:57,519
beaten we were tortured just a st.

655
00:35:53,949 --> 00:36:00,730
Stephen while they threw stones at him

656
00:35:57,519 --> 00:36:05,019
did not see his murderers did not see

657
00:36:00,730 --> 00:36:07,780
the stones so heaven open and Jesus

658
00:36:05,019 --> 00:36:10,239
standing at the right hand of the Father

659
00:36:07,780 --> 00:36:13,960
so we didn't see any more succumbing

660
00:36:10,239 --> 00:36:17,709
torturers we didn't see that we are in

661
00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:19,500
prison we were surrounded by angels we

662
00:36:17,710 --> 00:36:21,940
were with God

663
00:36:19,500 --> 00:36:24,820
after years of barbaric treatment

664
00:36:21,940 --> 00:36:27,099
Richard became extremely ill and was

665
00:36:24,820 --> 00:36:29,440
transferred to a room known as the death

666
00:36:27,099 --> 00:36:31,769
room the area were those without any

667
00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:34,929
hope of recovery were simply sent to die

668
00:36:31,769 --> 00:36:37,869
but Richard prayed and little by little

669
00:36:34,929 --> 00:36:40,389
to the amazement of his captors he began

670
00:36:37,869 --> 00:36:42,640
to recover he used the opportunity of

671
00:36:40,389 --> 00:36:44,889
being with other prisoners to minister

672
00:36:42,639 --> 00:36:47,139
to and help them the men would pray

673
00:36:44,889 --> 00:36:48,879
together they would sing hymns while

674
00:36:47,139 --> 00:36:51,909
using their shackles and chains as

675
00:36:48,880 --> 00:36:55,900
instruments and one by one each man came

676
00:36:51,909 --> 00:36:58,420
to Christ then one day in 1956 eight

677
00:36:55,900 --> 00:37:02,440
years after Richard had been taken there

678
00:36:58,420 --> 00:37:08,318
was a news after eight years

679
00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:11,940
it so happened that he turned around a

680
00:37:08,318 --> 00:37:13,989
very high official in the secret police

681
00:37:11,940 --> 00:37:19,539
my team Lucretia

682
00:37:13,989 --> 00:37:22,389
he's so witness to this guy he came back

683
00:37:19,539 --> 00:37:26,289
from one of the interrogatories and told

684
00:37:22,389 --> 00:37:31,059
his wife this well said I met today a

685
00:37:26,289 --> 00:37:34,000
man like I didn't think that existed on

686
00:37:31,059 --> 00:37:38,460
the surface of this earth I am sick I

687
00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:41,829
want to go into bed and he went to bed

688
00:37:38,460 --> 00:37:45,130
and then he made a plan how to free my

689
00:37:41,829 --> 00:37:49,980
father from prison and this secret

690
00:37:45,130 --> 00:37:56,079
policeman happened to be the immediate

691
00:37:49,980 --> 00:38:00,940
helper or secretary of the top secret

692
00:37:56,079 --> 00:38:03,730
police leader or if he was called the

693
00:38:00,940 --> 00:38:07,990
Minister of the Interior and this meant

694
00:38:03,730 --> 00:38:10,568
that my father turned around him and

695
00:38:07,989 --> 00:38:13,750
witness to abort the love of Christ and

696
00:38:10,568 --> 00:38:16,358
like that and said you live hate your

697
00:38:13,750 --> 00:38:19,389
whole life is full of hate you torture

698
00:38:16,358 --> 00:38:22,269
people you hate us you hate me you hate

699
00:38:19,389 --> 00:38:24,460
everybody one day you will turn around

700
00:38:22,269 --> 00:38:26,679
you'll hate your own wife your hate your

701
00:38:24,460 --> 00:38:29,500
own children what kind of life is that

702
00:38:26,679 --> 00:38:33,269
you and he witness about Jesus Christ

703
00:38:29,500 --> 00:38:37,420
and he was Jewish he turned the Jewish

704
00:38:33,269 --> 00:38:39,789
secret policeman into a Christian he

705
00:38:37,420 --> 00:38:44,010
made a plan how to free my father

706
00:38:39,789 --> 00:38:46,690
so what he did he he introduced and

707
00:38:44,010 --> 00:38:49,869
there's a hundreds of paper he usually

708
00:38:46,690 --> 00:38:52,480
gave to the Minister of Interior to sign

709
00:38:49,869 --> 00:38:54,720
every morning he was the guy who would

710
00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:58,659
give him hundreds of papers to sign

711
00:38:54,719 --> 00:39:04,139
official stuff he introduced one paper

712
00:38:58,659 --> 00:39:08,139
that said free Richard Wurman it was a

713
00:39:04,139 --> 00:39:10,480
dick a degree a decree of pardon for

714
00:39:08,139 --> 00:39:10,929
each of them he had no idea what he was

715
00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,778
saying

716
00:39:10,929 --> 00:39:15,818
hundreds of papers he's saying that and

717
00:39:13,778 --> 00:39:18,039
one day my father was freed out of

718
00:39:15,818 --> 00:39:20,920
prison after eight years of prison a

719
00:39:18,039 --> 00:39:24,640
frail Richard suddenly found himself out

720
00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:27,880
of prison he had nothing no clothes no

721
00:39:24,639 --> 00:39:30,730
money but he had his freedom a blessing

722
00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:32,260
he could not but praise God for it was

723
00:39:30,730 --> 00:39:34,599
through the help of local people who

724
00:39:32,260 --> 00:39:36,730
recognized him as a freed prisoner and

725
00:39:34,599 --> 00:39:39,789
took pity that he got enough coins to

726
00:39:36,730 --> 00:39:42,789
take buses back to his old home seeing

727
00:39:39,789 --> 00:39:45,069
Richard again was a shock for Sabina she

728
00:39:42,789 --> 00:39:45,880
thought he was dead it was a joyous

729
00:39:45,068 --> 00:39:48,009
reunion

730
00:39:45,880 --> 00:39:50,349
the first thing Richard did was to kneel

731
00:39:48,010 --> 00:39:53,319
with his family and give thanks to God

732
00:39:50,349 --> 00:39:57,278
not long thereafter he began to minister

733
00:39:53,318 --> 00:39:59,019
again he was re-arrested in 1959 through

734
00:39:57,278 --> 00:40:02,500
the conspiracy of an associate and

735
00:39:59,019 --> 00:40:03,489
sentenced to 25 years he was accused of

736
00:40:02,500 --> 00:40:06,278
preaching ideas

737
00:40:03,489 --> 00:40:07,989
contrary to communist doctrine due to

738
00:40:06,278 --> 00:40:08,949
increased political pressure from

739
00:40:07,989 --> 00:40:11,199
Western countries

740
00:40:08,949 --> 00:40:15,338
Richard was granted amnesty and released

741
00:40:11,199 --> 00:40:17,679
in 1964 some churches in the West had

742
00:40:15,338 --> 00:40:21,190
paid a ransom for their family of ten

743
00:40:17,679 --> 00:40:22,989
thousand dollars and letters from

744
00:40:21,190 --> 00:40:25,900
different officials I think this was

745
00:40:22,989 --> 00:40:28,269
from a group in Norway and during this

746
00:40:25,900 --> 00:40:30,910
time after one of his releases from

747
00:40:28,269 --> 00:40:33,190
prison and it was felt he would be more

748
00:40:30,909 --> 00:40:35,618
valuable in the West in the free

749
00:40:33,190 --> 00:40:37,539
countries to share the message of

750
00:40:35,619 --> 00:40:39,250
persecuted Christians sort of tried to

751
00:40:37,539 --> 00:40:43,539
keep him alive and get him out of

752
00:40:39,250 --> 00:40:47,650
Romania at that time and so they flee

753
00:40:43,539 --> 00:40:50,910
from Romania to a refugee camp in Italy

754
00:40:47,650 --> 00:40:55,990
and eventually made their way to America

755
00:40:50,909 --> 00:40:58,960
God had a plan for him but after having

756
00:40:55,989 --> 00:41:03,669
tuberculosis bones broken many things in

757
00:40:58,960 --> 00:41:05,829
prison he continued to live perhaps to

758
00:41:03,670 --> 00:41:07,430
bring that message out to to the rest of

759
00:41:05,829 --> 00:41:09,798
the world

760
00:41:07,429 --> 00:41:11,629
Richard began his ministry of being a

761
00:41:09,798 --> 00:41:13,730
voice for persecuted Christians in

762
00:41:11,630 --> 00:41:16,068
England with Reverend Stewart Harris

763
00:41:13,730 --> 00:41:17,809
where he also wrote his testimony in the

764
00:41:16,068 --> 00:41:20,179
book tortured for Christ

765
00:41:17,809 --> 00:41:22,789
later the worm brands moved on to the

766
00:41:20,179 --> 00:41:24,739
United States and in 1965

767
00:41:22,789 --> 00:41:27,140
Richard appeared before a US Senate

768
00:41:24,739 --> 00:41:29,528
Internal Security subcommittee he took

769
00:41:27,139 --> 00:41:32,750
his shirt off in front of the Senate

770
00:41:29,528 --> 00:41:34,730
showing them the scars that that these

771
00:41:32,750 --> 00:41:37,639
different forces around the world that

772
00:41:34,730 --> 00:41:41,329
opposed Christians in his case communism

773
00:41:37,639 --> 00:42:29,480
are real they tried to do physical

774
00:41:41,329 --> 00:42:34,910
damage to their body out in the West we

775
00:42:29,480 --> 00:42:37,449
will reward us by creating a mission to

776
00:42:34,909 --> 00:42:39,649
the community his story spread rapidly

777
00:42:37,449 --> 00:42:43,848
leading to more and more speaking

778
00:42:39,650 --> 00:42:45,858
engagements in 1967 the worm brand's

779
00:42:43,849 --> 00:42:47,990
officially began a ministry committed to

780
00:42:45,858 --> 00:42:50,420
serving the persecuted Church called

781
00:42:47,989 --> 00:42:54,048
Jesus to the Communist world and later

782
00:42:50,420 --> 00:42:56,150
named the voice of the martyrs the worm

783
00:42:54,048 --> 00:42:58,068
brands poured their heart and soul into

784
00:42:56,150 --> 00:43:00,079
the ministry which in turn helped to

785
00:42:58,068 --> 00:43:01,759
open the eyes of many people to the

786
00:43:00,079 --> 00:43:02,809
plight of persecuted Christians around

787
00:43:01,760 --> 00:43:05,028
the world

788
00:43:02,809 --> 00:43:06,979
Richard and Sabina never forgot their

789
00:43:05,028 --> 00:43:08,630
time in prison and prayed desperately

790
00:43:06,978 --> 00:43:11,058
for those who continue to experience

791
00:43:08,630 --> 00:43:13,390
hardship in Romania the Beloved Country

792
00:43:11,059 --> 00:43:17,150
they had never expected to return to

793
00:43:13,389 --> 00:43:22,489
until a change of events opened a door

794
00:43:17,150 --> 00:43:24,559
in 1989 a revolutionary wave that began

795
00:43:22,489 --> 00:43:26,838
in Poland swept across the communist

796
00:43:24,559 --> 00:43:29,119
countries of Central and Eastern Europe

797
00:43:26,838 --> 00:43:32,688
resulting in the fall of Soviet style

798
00:43:29,119 --> 00:43:35,108
regimes one by one countries once under

799
00:43:32,688 --> 00:43:37,879
the rule of communism began to collapse

800
00:43:35,108 --> 00:43:40,900
the Romanian head of state Nicolae

801
00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:43,849
Ceausescu a dictator since 1965

802
00:43:40,900 --> 00:43:45,829
stubbornly clung to power until an

803
00:43:43,849 --> 00:43:49,880
unprecedented revolt by his own

804
00:43:45,829 --> 00:43:51,709
countrymen toppled him in Timisoara the

805
00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:54,019
people gathered in the public square and

806
00:43:51,708 --> 00:43:56,509
prayed the Lord's Prayer the gathering

807
00:43:54,018 --> 00:43:58,488
itself was considered illegal and even

808
00:43:56,509 --> 00:44:00,079
much more so the fact that so many

809
00:43:58,489 --> 00:44:03,139
people were praying in public and

810
00:44:00,079 --> 00:44:05,778
chanting communism is dead God is alive

811
00:44:03,139 --> 00:44:08,179
the cry was heard across the country and

812
00:44:05,778 --> 00:44:10,759
not long thereafter the suppressive

813
00:44:08,179 --> 00:44:14,059
communist government of Romania came to

814
00:44:10,759 --> 00:44:16,159
an end what a time of jubilation it was

815
00:44:14,059 --> 00:44:19,630
and what a triumph for those who had

816
00:44:16,159 --> 00:44:22,818
endured such torment for so long after

817
00:44:19,630 --> 00:44:24,400
25 years of exile and continually

818
00:44:22,818 --> 00:44:26,748
upholding their country in prayer

819
00:44:24,400 --> 00:44:29,209
Richard and Sabina returned to their

820
00:44:26,748 --> 00:44:31,038
beloved Romania the country where they

821
00:44:29,208 --> 00:44:34,548
had given their hearts to Christ and

822
00:44:31,039 --> 00:44:36,829
labored so fervently for him it was a

823
00:44:34,548 --> 00:44:39,858
memorable and emotional occasion and

824
00:44:36,829 --> 00:44:41,749
they were warmly received Christians met

825
00:44:39,858 --> 00:44:44,449
him at the airport with flowers saying

826
00:44:41,748 --> 00:44:48,139
he spoke in many large churches they

827
00:44:44,449 --> 00:44:50,630
returned two maybe three times the

828
00:44:48,139 --> 00:44:54,048
Christians the government the media they

829
00:44:50,630 --> 00:44:56,539
had opened doors across the country many

830
00:44:54,048 --> 00:44:58,998
things in Romania had changed since the

831
00:44:56,539 --> 00:45:00,949
worm brand's departure constructed on

832
00:44:58,998 --> 00:45:02,509
top of the deep underground cell where

833
00:45:00,949 --> 00:45:05,389
Richard had suffered the tortures of

834
00:45:02,509 --> 00:45:08,059
solitary confinement there stood a new

835
00:45:05,389 --> 00:45:10,248
building the thousand room palace that

836
00:45:08,059 --> 00:45:12,979
the former dictator Ceausescu had built

837
00:45:10,248 --> 00:45:14,569
for himself it now stood empty The

838
00:45:12,978 --> 00:45:16,730
Dictator now dead

839
00:45:14,570 --> 00:45:19,010
but beneath in some of the areas where

840
00:45:16,730 --> 00:45:21,289
the cells had once stood Richard and

841
00:45:19,010 --> 00:45:23,120
Sabina were now able to store Bibles and

842
00:45:21,289 --> 00:45:25,300
Christian literature which would be

843
00:45:23,119 --> 00:45:28,130
openly available to their countrymen

844
00:45:25,300 --> 00:45:30,710
Richard's place of torture where he had

845
00:45:28,130 --> 00:45:33,320
labored quietly in prayer was now used

846
00:45:30,710 --> 00:45:35,869
for the service of his Savior arrogant

847
00:45:33,320 --> 00:45:37,490
communism was gone and in its place God

848
00:45:35,869 --> 00:45:40,339
now began his work

849
00:45:37,489 --> 00:45:42,949
although happy to be back in Romania the

850
00:45:40,340 --> 00:45:45,920
worm brands did not settle they had a

851
00:45:42,949 --> 00:45:48,230
mission to continue when we lived in the

852
00:45:45,920 --> 00:45:51,500
same house with him for some seven eight

853
00:45:48,230 --> 00:45:53,869
years we only really saw them about two

854
00:45:51,500 --> 00:45:56,300
months a year because they lived out of

855
00:45:53,869 --> 00:45:59,000
a suitcase they had five or six

856
00:45:56,300 --> 00:46:01,280
suitcases and they spoke in 10,000

857
00:45:59,000 --> 00:46:03,619
churches in America they stayed active

858
00:46:01,280 --> 00:46:06,200
as long as they could even editing and

859
00:46:03,619 --> 00:46:09,619
writing from their hospital beds so they

860
00:46:06,199 --> 00:46:12,889
lived their faith their love right up

861
00:46:09,619 --> 00:46:16,089
until the last moment on earth Sabina

862
00:46:12,889 --> 00:46:20,019
went to be with her Lord in August 11th

863
00:46:16,090 --> 00:46:23,300
2002 months later in February 17th 2001

864
00:46:20,019 --> 00:46:24,710
both left a legacy rich in devotion to

865
00:46:23,300 --> 00:46:28,220
Christ and His Church

866
00:46:24,710 --> 00:46:30,530
their talks books instant form of

867
00:46:28,219 --> 00:46:32,899
witnessing and their courage in the face

868
00:46:30,530 --> 00:46:36,050
of so much spiritual and physical

869
00:46:32,900 --> 00:46:38,550
adversity remain a lasting example for

870
00:46:36,050 --> 00:46:41,650
Christians everywhere

871
00:46:38,550 --> 00:46:44,920
they brought a depth of love and mercy I

872
00:46:41,650 --> 00:46:48,550
think to many Christians in America that

873
00:46:44,920 --> 00:46:51,490
were unused to this aggressive love in

874
00:46:48,550 --> 00:46:54,039
the face of evil this was something that

875
00:46:51,489 --> 00:46:56,500
caused many people to say what where

876
00:46:54,039 --> 00:46:59,050
does this strength come from well the

877
00:46:56,500 --> 00:47:05,199
first time for me to a large extent I

878
00:46:59,050 --> 00:47:09,160
understood how we went through it was

879
00:47:05,199 --> 00:47:14,079
when I saw the Sequoias in the Sequoia

880
00:47:09,159 --> 00:47:17,199
National Park it turns out to be that

881
00:47:14,079 --> 00:47:19,630
the secret of the non gvt of this

882
00:47:17,199 --> 00:47:24,299
Sequoia and it says that these trees

883
00:47:19,630 --> 00:47:28,630
have very thin bark extremely thin bark

884
00:47:24,300 --> 00:47:32,789
it's very easy for insects and for pests

885
00:47:28,630 --> 00:47:36,880
to penetrate this part but this bark

886
00:47:32,789 --> 00:47:39,039
excretes a substance called tanning that

887
00:47:36,880 --> 00:47:42,369
kills all these insects and all these

888
00:47:39,039 --> 00:47:46,300
pests they cannot penetrate this thick

889
00:47:42,369 --> 00:47:49,389
bark because unlike other trees it has

890
00:47:46,300 --> 00:47:54,850
this substance that would kill the moans

891
00:47:49,389 --> 00:47:58,569
on touch and that's the nature of the

892
00:47:54,849 --> 00:48:02,380
Christian faith you have seen skin like

893
00:47:58,570 --> 00:48:05,320
everybody else and you suffer if you

894
00:48:02,380 --> 00:48:10,960
have the face and the knowledge from the

895
00:48:05,320 --> 00:48:15,820
gospel no communist propaganda thing

896
00:48:10,960 --> 00:48:19,030
no no idea can penetrate tell you my

897
00:48:15,820 --> 00:48:22,780
last confirmation class in Romania I am

898
00:48:19,030 --> 00:48:26,470
a Lutheran pastor and I took a group of

899
00:48:22,780 --> 00:48:29,530
10 15 boys and girls on Sunday morning

900
00:48:26,469 --> 00:48:33,489
to the zoological garden before the den

901
00:48:29,530 --> 00:48:37,600
of lions and tigers and there I told

902
00:48:33,489 --> 00:48:38,629
them your forefathers in face the throne

903
00:48:37,599 --> 00:48:41,719
before the

904
00:48:38,630 --> 00:48:45,440
beasts for the love to Christ and they

905
00:48:41,719 --> 00:48:49,209
died gladly for their Savior you also

906
00:48:45,440 --> 00:48:53,059
may be arrested maybe beaten or killed

907
00:48:49,210 --> 00:48:56,119
decide here and now if you wish to be

908
00:48:53,059 --> 00:48:59,180
Christians or not they had tears in

909
00:48:56,119 --> 00:49:00,980
their eyes when they said yes and then

910
00:48:59,179 --> 00:49:03,768
we didn't bother them anymore

911
00:49:00,980 --> 00:49:06,409
asking them Bible verses they didn't

912
00:49:03,768 --> 00:49:09,500
know them we have no Bible then they

913
00:49:06,409 --> 00:49:14,929
they are arrested every scene was taken

914
00:49:09,500 --> 00:49:18,440
from us everything everything even our

915
00:49:14,929 --> 00:49:22,518
clothes we were put in a prisoner

916
00:49:18,440 --> 00:49:29,440
uniform but what we had gathered in our

917
00:49:22,518 --> 00:49:29,439
heart nobody could take it away nobody

918
00:49:50,360 --> 00:50:17,699
[Music]

919
00:50:22,239 --> 00:50:24,299
you