Staying in School with the BtJ Martyrs Scholarship Fund

School has started, and more than ever parents in the West have to think about what is right for their children. Some parents must carefully weigh the risks of infection when their child or a family member is clinically vulnerable. Other parents are hoping and praying schools will open and remain open because their children did not cope well with home learning.

In the end, all parents want the best for their children and want them to thrive in their education. We are willing to sacrifice our time and resources so they can have the best opportunities to succeed. It is no different for underground Christians. They also want their children to thrive. But one of the consequences of their faithfulness to Jesus can be that their children’s education suffers.

Sometimes parents are arrested, and the family is left with no income. Sometimes they are hit with unrealistically high fines so they can no longer afford school fees. Sometimes they have to run away to another country, without a source of income or even a family home. In all these cases not only do the parents suffer but so do their children. And the children’s opportunities for their future become limited.

We believe we should bear each other’s burdens as believers, and as one family in Jesus look after the needs of the children of the church. One way in which we can do that is by helping the children of persecuted believers finish their education.

For this reason, we have our Martyrs Scholarship Fund. So far, we have helped two Chinese and one Iranian young person to stay in school. Their parents have suffered tremendously for their service to Jesus. They counted the cost and have chosen to follow Him in the hard places. It is our honour and joy to help their children get what they need for their futures.

So far, donations from all over the world have helped make this possible. For example, in the Netherlands, a special offering was taken up during a meeting about the Chinese church. And in the US, the Martyrs Scholarship Fund is supported by ‘Schoolhouse Tea’ which you can order from our website.

Especially for those of you with a heart for education or youth work, our Martyrs Scholarship Fund is a great way to support the underground church. With your help, we can keep supporting the children of our brothers and sisters on the frontlines of evangelism and persecution.