“Christmas is a time of celebration for Christians everywhere, but in countries where Christians are persecuted, it is an especially dangerous day,” says Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr. Hyun Sook Foley. She says that’s why when the Christians were attacked in Pakistan on Christmas day last year, one of the ways her organization responded was by providing the families of persecuted Christians with Christmas care packs. These packs included food and, most importantly, Bibles for both adults and children. 

“Despite the difficulties and painful Christmas memories for many Christians in Pakistan, the care packs reminded Pakistani Christians that they have family in Christ, from all around the world who remembered them,” says Representative Foley. “One of the Christians who helped distribute the packs said, ‘For many children it was the first time in their lives they saw a children’s Bible.’ They were so grateful and thanking God for sending these gifts.” 

According to Representative Foley, Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s Christmas Care Package distribution to persecuted Christian children is one of the organization’s most logistically complex operations but also one of its most important.  

“Many churches and Christian groups do large scale distributions of Christmas gifts to various needy people, but the Voice of the Martyrs Korea Christmas Care Package distribution is different,” says Representative Foley. “We arrange to get Christmas gifts to the front lines of Christian persecution, to give to Christian children whose families are suffering for their faith.” 

Representative Foley says last year Voice of the Martyrs’ Korea’s supporters made it possible to send 500 Christmas Care Packages to children of persecuted Christian families in ten different areas: Burkina Faso, India, Pakistan, Nepal, Jordan, Ethiopia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nigeria and the West Bank. She says Voice of the Martyrs Korea hopes to send the same number of packages or more to children in those same areas. 

“Every package requires a miraculous delivery, because this is a dangerous operation,” says Representative Foley. “Every package really is an answer to the prayers of a Christian child or family that is struggling because of their faith.” She adds that some of the packages are used by the Christians to do outreach events to their non-Christian neighbors, many of whom are hostile to Christianity. 

Representative Foley recalls the story of one of the Christmas care package distributions, to a region in Nepal where a woman named Rachana lived. 

“Rachana had been married to Chepang, a Hindu man,” says Representative Foley. “After Rachana became a Christian, Chepang was enraged and opposed Rachana’s fellowship with other believers. Rachana, however, honored Christ at the cost of approval and acceptance from Chepang.” 

Representative Foley says that after some time, Rachana and Chepang’s two children also came to know the Lord, and Chepang eventually left Rachana and the children, relocating to another area and marrying another woman. 

“Without the financial support of her husband, Rachana was forced to work as a day laborer,” says Representative Foley. “When there was no work available, she would collect firewood to sell.” 

Representative Foley says that sometime later, Chepang returned to the village, wanting revenge for Rachana’s ‘betrayal’. Taking gas with him, he came to his former home in the middle of the night, doused Rachana with gas, and set her on fire. Rachana survived, and Chepang was arrested and is now in prison for attempted murder.  

“After three weeks in hospital, Rachana began to heal,” says Representative Foley. “In God’s healing care, she has since fully recovered!” 

Representative Foley says that with the encouragement and counsel of their pastor, Rachana has been able to emotionally heal and now visits her husband once a week in prison to bring him food, while her son talks to his father on the phone, and both children visit from time to time. 

“Voice of the Martyrs assisted Rachana by rebuilding her home and providing for the education of her children so that they will be able to pursue careers that will benefit the family,” says Representative Foley. “We also distributed Christmas care packages to the children in Rachana’s area.  It snowed so heavily on the day of the distribution that some children weren’t able to attend. But we saved a pack for each child who couldn’t attend and gave it to them at a later date. It was a powerful reminder to the Christians that they had not been forgotten, and that neither persecution nor even the weather could stop God’s care for them.” 

Each of the Nepal Christmas Care packages contained toys, stationary items, hygiene items, warm clothes and a children’s Bible.  

“Because it is so cold in the region, the children were thrilled with the warm clothes,” says Representative Foley. “Many of the children told us that they had never seen toys or stationary items before in their lives.”  

Representative Foley says the contents for each Christmas Care Package are sourced locally, with the contents tailored to the needs and preferences of local believers. This year’s packs will be distributed in late December and early 2026 by VOM frontline workers, who identify children eligible to receive the gifts.  

Representative Foley says that a donation of 45,000 KRW can send one Christmas Care Package. Donations for the Christmas Care Package program must be received no later than December 31.   

Representative Foley says that the number of Christmas Care Packages the ministry sends will depend on the total amount of donations it receives. 

Donations for 2025 Christmas Care Packages can be made until December 31 at www.vomkorea.com/en/donation or via electronic transfer to:  국민은행 (KB Bank) 463501-01-243303 예금주 (Account holder): (사)순교자의소리 Please include the phrase “Christmas” on the donation.