[revzeke]

... On Saturday (051708), a precious 19 year-old university coed was looking at some of my martyrs art @ deviantArt, and made some comments --- exchanging some very personal messages with me...
... Going by: "MissBigMouthShout(...fortheSaviour)"...
... She was very thankful for comfort and courage she got from reading some of the martyrs' testimonies, but she wanted some assurance and some prayers offered up in behalf of herself and two other close Christian girlfriends...
... She & they are fully expecting to be arrested soon and probably put to death for their faith... Several of their friends have already been martyred, they pretty much know HOW they will die... (MBMSftS and her friends will likely be whipped & stoned almost to death, dismembered with a chain-saw & beheaded with a ceremonial scimitar, and at last, left exposed to nature)... This is a most common and deemed "appropriate" end for an "infidel" (esp a female) condemned under Islamic law...
... Several of their friends have already suffered this dire fate...
... They are students @ the University of Tehran in IRAN...
... What struck me close to home is that we, in this country, have NO real clue as to what it really means to BE Christians & pay the price for our confessions of faith...
... We're bored so easily while surrounded by so much...
... We plan "fun" activities for tomorrow --- while dear brothers & sisters plan for their own cruel executions and pray for grace to remain faithful, "enduring to the end"...
... Our precious Iranian sisters are probably blessed to be going "home" to be with Jesus --- forever at rest, beyond the pain and troubles of this world --- but what a tragic waste of life and human potential !!!
... It hit me hard because I've never had someone thank me like that in advance of experiencing a true martyrdom...
... She actually wrote on my two reflexology charts (hands & feet), that she hoped someone with my understanding of human anatomy and a measure of compassion would be there to hold her bruised, yet living members gently as they cut her up...
... Such unspeakably brave resolve !!!
... I'm SURE our Lord will send His angels to comfort her in that way...
... It's just awfully darned HARD to swallow !!!
... On her art site, she'd drawn some portraits and figures of herself and her friends --- ALL detailed but "faceless" (reminded me of some of our local Amish dolls)... [And, yes, from what shows --- they are absolutely beautiful young women --- full of life and vitality, with so many talents and unfulfilled dreams]...
... To be identifiable would definitely be grounds for certain trial and death, yet that's how their culture views them anyway --- w/o faces or any form of distinct God-given person-hood... How sad !!!
... They're NOT considered humans or of any societal value...

... My heart is hurting, so burdened for those who truly NEED help, and my arms can't reach out far enough...
... I know that HIS can, but this has gotten very personal for me, and I am feeling very helpless in their plight...
... I am SO humbled that God chose to use me and my art to, like the woman with the alabaster box, break that vessel of sweet perfume to (even at a distance) symbolically wash their feet and anoint these dear souls for their inevitable sacrifice ahead...
... They truly need and deserve our prayers...
... Thanks for being among the FEW who DO care !

WEDNESDAY AM (052108) UPDATE:
... I appreciate the continuing prayers and contact...
... I tried reconnecting w/ Iran around 0500 this am...
... Two of the three sites are gone now, and the third had been "stripped" from about 2 dozen illustrations to only two, then only one --- as I was watching...
... The one left was essentially a death note --- buzzards in a tree, near the local landfill, waiting for food...
... It was a photo, and our sister's attached comment was:
"... despite what these birds represent to MOST people I find the scene one of peace and rest from earthly labors and the likelihood of coming pain; I'm now ready to give myself to them..."
... I doubt there will be any further follow-up possible there...

... An Islamic "friend" to the girls, responded to me that "...the 'blaspheming infidels' had been duly disposed of, according to Allah's will"...
[... It's really hard not to hate someone with such a calloused attitude...] :-(...
... My only real regret I have to confess, is that I deleted most of our exchanges as being just too private for public viewing, AND I was too late to download copies of their artwork from our visit last weekend...
... I AM searching among mutual local friends' sites and gleaning a few "collected" works in order to later "blog" this otherwise untold account...
... Some were truly as inspiring as the words above...
... I DID screen-shot the buzzard pic and comment...
(Sorry, I have tried to link the jpeg photo to my response here, but I don't think it is working properly...)

... I have a sense of peace in my heart that this ordeal is over, and that our sisters' three sweet voices have been added to Heaven's choir... May we enter Heaven's gates, worthy of their fellowship...
... Keep praying for so many other dear brothers and sisters --- facing this same fate, daily...
... That last website was off-line Thursday (052208)

PS: You can view some of my martyrs' art and future vision art --- with full text accounts @ deviant art link deleted