The hearings began this week in Turkey in a case involving three slaughtered Christians. Thank you to everyone who participated in our prayer for the just resolution of this case as well as for all of the Christians who risk their lives to spread the gospels.

Details about the martyrdom of three Christians at a Bible publishing house in Turkey last year are beginning to emerge as suspects testify in hearings, according to a report.

Ceker told court officials in Malatya's 3rd Criminal Court he watched as another suspect, identified as Emre Gunaydin, slit the throats of two of the Christians, Geske and Aydin, but he was unaware how Yuksel died.

'I didn't see how Ugur was killed," Ceker testified. 'I just heard him cry out 'Jesus!''

When the attack became known, Geske's widow, Susanne, responded in a way that hit the front pages of the nation's largest newspapers.

'Oh God, forgive them for they know not what they do", she said, agreeing with the words of Christ on Calvary (Luke 23.34), according to a letter Christians in Turkey have written to the worldwide church.

"In a country where blood-for-blood revenge is as normal as breathing, many many reports have come to the attention of the church of how this comment of Susanne [Geske] has changed lives," the letter said. "One columnist wrote of her comment, 'She said in one sentence what 1,000 missionaries in 1,000 years could never do."

Titled "A letter to the Global Church from The Protestant Church of Smyrna," it was received by VOM shortly after the slayings, and the ministry organization that works with the Persecuted Church worldwide publicized it.