For the written (w/ pics) version of this podcast, visit my substack:

https://chinacall.substack.com/p/collateral-damage-the-children-of

Follow and/or message me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I post (among other things) daily reminders to pray for China.You can also email me @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. Lastly, to learn more about our ministry endeavors or get one of my missionary biographies, visit PrayGiveGo.us!

Why did I begin this weekly Prison Pulpit series?

To remind us all to pray for persecuted pastors and believers (such as Pastor Wang Yi) as Hebrews 13:3 teaches us to do (“as bound with them”), by sharing from his own published writings in China, as well as anecdotes from other persecuted ministers who have gone before, such as Richard Wurmbrand.

Also, here’s my own humble attempt at expositing Hebrews 13:3: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/remember-my-chains

Today we are going to talk about praying for the children of persecuted pastors/believers…

Praying for Christian Children in China

https://chinapartnership.org/blog/2025/07/fuzhou-how-to-pray/

Next, I want to read some excerpts from an interview I found of Michael Wurmbrand, the now 80+ year old son of Richard Wurmbrand and founder of the Richard Wurmbrand Foundation.

BTW, Michael does NOT recommend the ministry of Voice of the Martyrs, which he helped to found many decades ago. He was fired from the ministry more than ten years ago, when he demanded a more broad inquiry into the travels and contacts of former VOM director, Tom White, who committed suicide in VOM’s Bartlesville, OK, warehouse in 2012, after allegations surfaced of him molesting a ten year old girl. (Read his “Open Letter” about VOM here: https://www.billionbibles.com/michael-wurmbrand-vom.html)

Michael Wurmbrand also runs another ministry, Help For Refugees, focused primarily on his native Romania, and has made all of his father’s books (and formerly unpublished writings) available for free since VOM continues to use his parents’ likeness and writings without his permission. I personally support Wurmbrand’s Help for Refugees monthly and love getting their newsletter with previously unpublished reflections by Richard Wurmbrand included each month.

Now, without further ado, let’s work through much of the following interview, which covers key events in Michael Wurmbrand’s very difficult childhood in communist Romania…

Michael (aka, Mihai) Talks About His Childhood Suffering

https://www.richardwurmbrandfoundation.com/pdfs/michael-wurmbrand-interview.pdf

Follow China Compass

Follow or subscribe to China Compass on whichever platform you use. You can also send any questions or comments on X: @chinaadventures or via email (bfwesten at gmail dot com). Hebrews 13:3!

Today’s podcast begins with a few personal updates (1:00), followed by a 22 year old newsletter of mine from Black Dragon River (5:11). Then, after talking about the waterspout I saw just after returning from my illegal voyage (12:52), I give more background info on my Cuban refugee friend, Mitchell, and Cuba's laws against beef(!) (14:39). Last, after a final follow-up conversation on illegal immigration (34:56), I finish by talking through the unique places in China we’ll be praying for this week. (51:18)

Welcome to China Compass on the Fight Laugh Feast Network! I'm your China travel guide, Missionary Ben. Follow and/or message me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I post (among other things) daily reminders to pray for China.You can also email me @ bfwesten at gmail dot com or find everything we are involved in at PrayGiveGo.us!

Pray for China places of the week (follow @chinaadventures to see which city daily):

https://open.substack.com/pub/chinacall/p/pray-for-china-july-27-aug-2-2025

Follow or subscribe to China Compass and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform.

Don’t forget: Follow @chinaadventures on X, and find everything else @ PrayGiveGo.us.

Luke 10, verse 2, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few!

Today we are going to take a few minutes to remember to pray for a small group of persecuted and/or suffering Christians that have been in the news this past week…

A Christian pastor in Syria was massacred recently, along with others from the Druze community, including one from my home state of Oklahoma (and others with connections to friends in Venezuela).

Follow and/or message me on Twitter/X (@chinaadventures) where I post (among other things) daily reminders to pray for China.You can also email me @ bfwesten at gmail dot com. Lastly, to learn more about our ministry endeavors or get one of my missionary biographies, visit PrayGiveGo.us!

BTW, here’s my own humble attempt at expositing Hebrews 13:3: https://chinacall.substack.com/p/remember-my-chains

Evangelical pastor, family massacred by terrorists in Syria; at least 12 dead

https://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelical-pastor-family-killed-by-terrorists-in-syria-20-dead.html

https://syriacpress.com/blog/2025/07/19/pastor-khalid-mezher-martyred-alongside-his-family-in-suwayda/

https://www.osvnews.com/syrian-christian-leaders-say-islamist-government-cant-protect-them-or-druze/

CBN Video/Audio Clip I Shared On Today’s Podcast: https://youtu.be/e-iziN2MSgM?si=_PM6bCjS0OMaE5us (0:05-5:52)

'They shot patients in beds' – BBC hears claims of massacre at Suweida hospital

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly84jn000do

Family says US citizen killed in Syria’s Suwayda

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2025/07/family-says-us-citizen-killed-syrias-suwayda

From a former missionary to Venezuela and the Muslims of the Mediterranean:

Over 40 years ago a lot of Lebanese and Syrians went to Venezuela. Two young Syrian Druze girls got saved in Venezuela… Eventually more of the family got saved and made a connection with one of [our] ministers… I got to know them too although they lived far from Caracas - about 12 hours by bus. We are still in close contact and now a lot of the family has moved to Michigan. I called one friend yesterday and she told me about their family in Syria (including cousins who have been killed). In Venezuela, all our Arab friends were Druze from Lebanon and Syria and one of our missionaries [taught] English in the Druze village of Majdal Shams [in Israel’s Golan Heights], on the border of Syria and Lebanon.

Follow China Compass

Follow or subscribe to China Compass on whichever platform you use. You can also send any questions or comments on X: @chinaadventures or via email (bfwesten at gmail dot com). Hebrews 13:3!