Spotlight

In the mid-1900s, Pastor Richard Wurmbrand and his wife Sabina were arrested and put in prison for teaching people in Romania about Jesus. Communists who ruled the country wanted people to depend on the government and not God.

Pastor and Mrs. Wurmbrand were not brought up in Christian families. Their families were Jewish, though they did not follow Jewish teachings and religious customs. In fact, as a boy, Pastor Wurmbrand did not even believe in God!

After the Wurmbrands read the Bible and gave their lived to Jesus, they were eager to share their faith with others. They especially loved to share the gospel with Russian communists who had invaded Romania. Their son Mihai helped them in their work. The following story about Mihai is told in Pastor Wurmbrand’s words.

Before Sabina and I became Christians, we didn’t want children. We were afraid a child would keep us from having fun.

After we gave our lives to Jesus, we had a son. We named him Mihai.

“He’s very beautiful,” I said to Sabina. “But he only cries. When will he say something clever?”

I didn’t have much experience with babies.

It wasn’t long before Mihai learned to be clever. Some may have thought he was a bit too clever—maybe even rude.

By this time, I had become a pastor. One Sunday when he was 5, Mihai played noisily through an entire church service. By the time we got home, I had decided to punish him.

“Do you think it is nice that the pastor’s son is the one who misbehaves the most in church?” I asked.

He answered, “You think I wasn’t listening to the sermon. But I know every word of it.”

“All right,” I said. “Tell me about it.”

“You preached about forgiving somebody who has sinned,” he said. “And I think you ought to practice what you preach and do that right now!”

“Very clever,” I thought.

Witnessing in the Park

By the time he turned 6, Mihai wanted to share God with everyone he met.

One day in the park, Mihai noticed a man sitting on a park bench reading a book.

Mihai asked, “What are you reading?”

“A novel,” the man answered.

“You should be reading the Bible,” said Mihai.

“Why?” asked the man.

“Because it tells you how to go to heaven,” Mihai explained. “See that tall man over there? He’s my father. He can explain things better.”

I shared the gospel with the man. He later became one of Romania’s greatest Christian poets.

Candy for Bibles

It was forbidden to share the gospel with the Russian invaders of our country. But Mihai often had no difficulty doing what was forbidden!

Mihai and other children often filled their pockets with small Bibles and Christian booklets. Then they played near Russian soldiers on the streets or in parks. The soldiers patted them on the head and treated them kindly. Many of them had sons and daughters back home in Russia that they had not seen in years.

The soldiers gave Mihai and his friends candy and other treats. In return, the children gave the soldiers Bibles. It would have been dangerous for adults to give the soldiers Bibles in public. But children could get away with it. They were young missionaries to the Russians.

Still, Mihai knew what can happen to those who proclaim the name of Jesus where it is forbidden to do so. He had heard about some verses in the Book of Revelation. The verses say that those who endure struggles for their faith will one day walk with Jesus in white garments.

“Does Jesus have white robes in children’s sizes?” he asked me.

I assured him that they come in all sizes.

The story above is from the book Imprisoned for Christ. For information about ordering the book, check the bookstore at www.vombooks.com.