• Feb. 18, 2021 | India

    Pregnant Mother Beaten, Loses Baby

    [329] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Lila.
    Christians in India risk attacks by Hindu radicals when they worship in church.

    Radical Hindus recently attacked Christians in India, beating several church members, including a pastor, and killing an unborn baby. One extremist assaulted Lila Bhai, who was eight months pregnant with her second child. Read More.

  • Feb. 18, 2021 | Iran

    Firouzi Re-Arrested

    [214] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Ebrahim Firouzi.
    A screenshot from a video Ebrahim Firouzi released before his re-arrest. (Credit: Article18)

    Iranian Christian convert Ebrahim Firouzi was summoned from internal exile in early February 2021 to a court hearing, after which he was re-arrested. Ebrahim had already spent nearly seven years in prison and was completing a three-year internal exile 1,000 miles from home. Read More.

  • Feb. 18, 2021 | Ethiopia

    Local Officials Oppose Church Being Rebuilt

    [167] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Local government officials.
    Believers pray over the plans for the new buildings before construction was stopped.

    Though a church in the Alaba zone received permission to rebuild a church destroyed by Muslim extremists in 2019, local officials are not allowing them to begin work. On Feb. 9, 2019, extremists systematically moved through the town of Alaba Kulito dismantling churches. Read More.

  • Feb. 11, 2021 | Myanmar

    Christ on the Throne

    [283] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Christians in Myanmar.
    Christians know their hope is in the Lord, not the government.

    Christians in Myanmar request urgent prayer after a military coup that occurred on Feb. 1. A military junta (committee) had ruled Myanmar for more than five decades, and when national elections were held in 2015, the country entered its brightest period of history in the modern era, said a VOM worker in Myanmar. Read More.

  • Feb. 11, 2021 | Iran

    From Smuggling Drugs to Smuggling Bibles

    [194] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Former Drug Smuggler.
    A former drug addict is now baptizing new believers.

    A former drug smuggler became an evangelist after meeting Jesus. The man's father was an Islamic leader who groomed his son to become an Islamic cleric. However, the son abandoned the path his father intended, turning to alcoholism and drugs. Read More.

  • Feb. 11, 2021 | Ethiopia

    Persecution Changed Priorities for Members of Destroyed Churches

    [190] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Members of Destroyed Churches.
    One of the destroyed churches.

    After Muslim mobs destroyed 12 churches in the Alaba zone in 2019, believers waiting for their churches to be rebuilt report an increased dedication to missions and outreach in their communities. In a single day, extremists moved through the town of Alaba Kulito and destroyed 12 church buildings. Read More.

  • Feb. 04, 2021 | Middle East

    Extremists Threaten Pastor with Knives

    [315] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Threatened Pastor and His Family.
    The pastor and his family serve in a difficult part of the Middle East.

    A pastor and his family haven't left their home for more than 30 days after receiving threats from extremists. The pastor serves in a difficult area of the Middle East and has lived under pressure for many years. Read More.

  • Feb. 04, 2021 | China

    House Church Pastor Given Five Years in Prison

    [207] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Pastor Li Juncai.
    The church after the cross was removed.

    Chinese Communist Party authorities recently sentenced a Henan house church pastor to five and a half years in prison after he refused to let officials place patriotic slogans in his church. Pastor Li Juncai also received a fine of more than $7,000 USD. Read More.

  • Feb. 04, 2021 | Iran

    Two Sisters Lead House Churches

    [189] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for "A" and her sister.
    Two sisters have planted 27 house churches.

    In an Islamic regime where women do not have many rights, God is using women as his brave ambassadors. After someone shared the gospel with Sister A, she became a believer and was later baptized. Read More.

  • Jan. 28, 2021 | Turkey

    Producing Christian Truth in a Dark Place

    [257] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Christian literature producers.
    Turkey can be a dark place for Christians to work in.

    A group of Turkish believers who produce Christian literature ask for prayer as they operate in Turkey's tense climate for believers. After nine years of publishing a theological magazine, "we are still able to do our job in this dark atmosphere," they wrote. Read More.

  • Jan. 28, 2021 | Iran

    A Surge of Bibles into Iran

    [192] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Believers needing Bibles.
    The number of believers began growing faster than the leaders expected, leading to a need for Bibles.

    Believers in Iran training new Christians realized the house churches were growing at such a rate that they needed to smuggle Bibles into the country. Read More.

  • Jan. 28, 2021 | Nigeria

    Ongoing Attacks in Northern Nigeria

    [203] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Christians in Gora Gan.
    One of the burned homes

    Christians in the Gora Gan community sent urgent requests for prayer as they were under attack by Fulani militants. The area has experienced repeated incursions by Fulani attackers against the Christians there. Read More.

  • Jan. 21, 2021 | Ethiopia

    Pastor Martyred While Preaching

    [335] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Pastor Aklilu's family.
    Pastor Aklilu

    A man enraged with a pastor went to the pastor's church and stabbed him just as he began his sermon. Pastor Aklilu of Hossana, Ethiopia had been intentional about sharing the gospel in his community. Read More.

  • Jan. 21, 2021 | Laos

    Worship Continues in Spite of Persecution and Tight Conditions

    [213] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Mr. Han.
    Worship in Mr. Han's home can get cramped because so many have come to Christ.

    Mr. Han came to Christ when he hit a dead end after many years of being sick. Neither the doctor nor the village witchdoctor could help him, even though he spent most of his money and killed much of his lifestock. He heard that Jesus could perform miracles, so he took his whole family to the Christian village to accept Christ. Read More.

  • Jan. 21, 2021 | Lebanon

    Still Serving Syrian Refugees

    [192] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Front-line workers.
    Syrian refugees who remain in Lebanon continue to need practical assistance.

    Front-line workers in Lebanon continue to assist the many Syrian refugees still in the country. One pastor has dedicated part of his church property to growing produce for refugee families, an endeavor carried out by the refugees themselves who are planting, maintaining, picking and distributing the produce. Read More.

  • Jan. 14, 2021 | Laos

    Teenager Kicked Out of House for Following Christ

    [313] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Sa.
    Since being kicked out of her home, Sa is now living with her Christian friend who led her to Jesus.

    After several conversations about Jesus with Peng, her 14-year-old friend, 15-year-old Sa finally accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. Leaders in Sa's village have a history of persecuting Christians, and numerous villagers hate Christians, evicting many believers. Read More.

  • Jan. 14, 2021 | Tanzania

    Providing Homes for Persecuted Pastors

    [191] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Pastors evicted from their homes.
    One of the families who received a home.

    Pastors working in Tanzania's semi-autonomous islands face oppressive persecution as Muslim political leaders have systematically tried to remove all churches from the region. Read More.

  • Jan. 14, 2021 | Myanmar

    Five Families Kicked Out of Village in Rakhine State

    [193] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Maung Cia and his family and friends.
    Maung Cia (middle) and his family were one of five families kicked out of their village after they participated in a worship service.

    After being shackled for three days and fined for buying a banana from a Christian vendor, Maung Cia sought out a pastor in a neighboring village. The pastor shared the gospel with Maung and two of his friends, and they all accepted Christ. Read More.

  • Jan. 07, 2021 | India

    Family Blessed By Christmas Care Pack

    [218] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Sahil and his family.
    Children receive Christmas Care Packs.

    Last fall, 6-year-old Sahil received a VOM Christmas Care Pack filled with a Bible, a toy and personal hygiene products. When he returned to his home with the backpack, his father's eyes filled with tears. His mother, who passed away a few years ago, had always wanted to give her son a nice backpack, but it was not something his single father could afford to buy. Read More.

  • Jan. 07, 2021 | Laos

    Next Door to the Enemy

    [182] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Khmu Christian families.
    Christians worship right next door to a man who opposes them.

    Tensions have deepened in a Khmu village where two families have come to Christ and one lives next door to a high-ranking solider - who happens to despise Christians. Read More.

  • Jan. 07, 2021 | Cuba

    Authorities Try to Force Church from Home

    [185] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Pastor Osmani and wife.
    Pastor Osmani and his wife are being forced from their home by Cuban authorities.

    After a two-year standoff, authorities informed a Cuban pastor on Nov. 13, 2020, that he had 24 hours to vacate his home, which functions as a house church. Read More.

  • Dec. 31, 2020 | Egypt

    On the Run as Converts to Christianity

    [291] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Adel and his wife.
    Adel and his wife fled Egypt after severe persecution.

    An Egyptian couple bears on their bodies the effects of their choice to follow Christ. When Adel became a believer in 2009, his brother and his friends brutally beat him, crushing his shoulder. Read More.

  • Dec. 31, 2020 | Laos

    Permission to Follow Christ Denied

    [226] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Wat and his wife.
    This 27-year-old woman refused to renounce Christ in spite of the threat of going to prison.

    When Wat and his wife wanted to accept Christ, the front-line worker who shared the gospel with them was afraid. He knew their village head was a tough man. So he advised them to ask for permission first. Read More.

  • Dec. 24, 2020 | Vietnam

    13 Families Beaten, Kicked Off Land

    [241] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Thirteen Hmong families.
    One of 13 Hmong families in Vietnam recently pushed out of their village after being beaten and having their land confiscated.

    Thirteen Hmong families moved from Northern Vietnam to the Dak Lak province after enduring physical beatings and having their land confiscated. Read More.

  • Dec. 24, 2020 | Pakistan

    Freed from the Brick Kiln

    [198] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Hamza.
    Hamza and his family will now operate a rickshaw business.

    A laborer in Pakistan who has experienced ongoing persecution from the owner of the brick kiln where he was indentured is now free. Read More.

  • Dec. 24, 2020 | Laos

    Six Believers Evicted from Village at Gunpoint

    [190] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Six Believers Evicted.
    Christians in Laos who were forced out of their village are praying they can return home soon.

    Near the end of July, six believers were evicted from their village in the Luang Nam Tha province for their Christian faith. Armed village leaders and others invaded their homes and demanded they leave the village. Read More.

  • Dec. 17, 2020 | India

    Angry Mob Displaces 84 Christians

    [252] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Displaced Christians.
    Christians in Odisha state experienced massive attacks that began in a similar fashion.

    A Hindu mob drove 84 Christians out of their homes in eastern India after the Christians refused to convert back to Hinduism. Read More.

  • Dec. 17, 2020 | Syria

    War, Trauma and Cancer

    [209] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Rida and Wife.
    His choice to follow Christ has been costly.

    War, trauma and a child stricken with cancer drove Rida and his wife to seek hope at a Christian church, and there they met and accepted Jesus Christ. When the couple, who had formerly been committed Muslims, told Rida's father about their conversion, he beat and cursed his son, spitting on him and telling him he would receive no inheritance. Read More.

  • Dec. 17, 2020 | Egypt

    Constant Abuse for Egyptian Converts

    [185] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Nour.
    Life is not easy for those who leave Islam to follow Christ in Egypt.

    The path to Christ for an Egyptian convert is not a smooth one. Nour has followed this road for more than 18 years after coming to faith in 2002. Read More.

  • Dec. 11, 2020 | Laos

    Pray for Families Denied Rice Following Drought

    [249] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Families Denied.
    These families remained firm in their faith when they were denied rice after a drought.

    Authorities in a Laos village denied rice distributions for Christian families. Read More.

  • Dec. 11, 2020 | Iran

    Imprisoned Christian Dangerously Depressed

    [228] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Depressed Christian.
    Christian activity is highly dangerous in Iran.

    A Christian woman in prison is dangerously depressed. Read More.

  • Dec. 11, 2020 | China

    Bob Fu Faces Continued Harassment in the U.S. by Chinese Communist Party

    [185] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Bob Fu Harassed.
    Bob Fu

    Bob Fu, founder of ChinaAid, has been the target of harassment by Chinese Communist Party actors ongoing since September. Read More.

  • Dec. 03, 2020 | India

    Virus Restrictions Embolden Those Opposed to Christianity

    [254] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Families under restrictions.
    One of the affected families.

    Christians in the state of Chhattisgarh have faced a tough time since coronavirus restrictions were placed in India. According to a VOM worker, they face four main challenges: they are not allowed to farm, which is their main source of income; they live in ongoing fear of social excommunication; they are prohibited from using communal wells; and their Christian activities are closely monitored. Read More.

  • Dec. 03, 2020 | China

    Hotel Fined for Allowing Christians to Conduct Worship Activities

    [195] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Chinese Christians.
    Chinese authorities fined the Xiamen Sea View Garden Hotel for allowing Christians to gather at the hotel.

    On Oct. 16, Chinese authorities charged the Xiamen Sea View Garden Hotel with violating regulations on religious affairs. The hotel allowed Christians to gather several times from late June to early August. Authorities fined the hotel owners the equivalent of nearly $3,000. Read More.

  • Dec. 03, 2020 | Myanmar

    Woman Kicked Out of Her Village for Following Christ

    [209] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Leah.
    Leah has grown in her faith since being thrown out of her village for it.

    After her mother and sisters died, villagers isolated Leah, a Christian, to the point where she could no longer survive on her own. She traveled to a nearby village where the missionary and pastor who had led her to Jesus Christ lived. Read More.

  • Nov. 26, 2020 | Cuba

    Officials Demolish Second Church in Santiago de Cuba

    [276] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Pastor Alain and congregation.
    Authorities previous demolished another church in Santiago.

    The congregation of an Assemblies of God church stood outside singing and weeping as authorities in Santiago de Cuba demolished their church. The Los Pinos congregation has operated for more than 10 years in this city at Cuba's southeastern tip, but authorities decided it must be destroyed. Read More.

  • Nov. 26, 2020 | Laos

    Laotian Teenager Kicked Out

    [224] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Monthida.
    Monthida is now living with a pastor's family.

    A Laotian teenager was kicked out after her mother and stepfather realized she had become a Christian. Monthida, 16, accepted Christ after a friend brought her to church. Whenever Monthida would come home late from school, her mother would quiz her on where she had been and why she was late. Read More.

  • Nov. 26, 2020 | Iran

    Imprisoned Christian's Son Expelled from School

    [205] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Ali and his son.
    Believers are imprisoned for their Christian activities, but others continue to share the gospel in spite of the risks.

    An imprisoned Christian is asking for prayer specifically for his son. Ali was arrested for his participation in a house church, and he is being kept in a prison separate from other Christians arrested at the same time. He also says he is often insulted by other prisoners for his faith. Read More.

  • Nov. 19, 2020 | Myanmar

    Front-Line Worker Accused of Denigrating Buddhism

    [257] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Aung Tun Oo.
    Buddhism has a strong hold in Myanmar.

    A Christian accused of speaking against Buddhism has been told that a verdict will be delivered this fall. Aung Tun Oo was accused by two radical Mahbahtah monks of denigrating Buddhism in 2017. Read More.

  • Nov. 19, 2020 | Mali

    Kidnapped Swiss Missionary Dead

    [202] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Beatrice's Family.
    Beatrice was known for distributing tracts like this one, called "Have you read the Bible?"

    Swiss missionary Beatrice Stockli arrived in Mali in 1998 as part of a missions team. Beatrice grew close to a local pastor's family, staying in Timbuktu for several years and becoming known for distributing tracts. She was kidnapped in April 2012 during an Islamist insurgency in the country and held for 10 days before being released. She briefly returned to Switzerland but returned to Mali in 2013 against her family's wishes and the advice of her government. Read More.

  • Nov. 19, 2020 | China

    Early Rain Elder Twice Banished

    [195] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Li Yingqiang and family.
    Elder Li Yingquiang spent time in prison, then exile before returning to Chengdu. He's been forced out again.

    A leading elder from the Early Rain church has been forced out of Chengdu again after intense pressure. Elder Li Yingqiang was arrested in Dec. 2018, a few days after lead pastor Wang Yi had been arrested. Li Yingqiang spent eight months in prison before banishment from the city of Chengdu for one year. Read More.

  • Nov. 12, 2020 | Kazakhstan

    Pastor Jailed

    [267] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Pastor Zhetis.
    Pastor Zhetis has long dealt with harassment from the local authorities as he serves in Shymkent.

    A pastor in Shymkent spent 10 days in prison on a false charge of breaking pandemic quarantine requirements, the latest in a string of harassments. Read More.

  • Nov. 12, 2020 | Indonesia

    Village Will Not Allow Renovation for Christian Home

    [196] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Christian accused of causing unrest.
    Christians are allowed to worship in Indonesia, but Muslim radicals often use laws to restrict them.

    A Christian in Indonesia has been told by local officials that she cannot renovate her house if she intends to use it for Christian purposes. Read More.

  • Nov. 12, 2020 | Laos

    Pray for Village Elder Ostracized by Family for Faith

    [198] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Khampang.
    Khampang is discouraged by his family's rejection.

    Khampang came to Christ after witnessing God's goodness and being healed. Only two others in his village were Christians, and both had experienced harsh reactions from their families. Read More.

  • Nov. 05, 2020 | Ethiopia

    Christian Loses Hand in Beating

    [345] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Kofi.
    Kofi is willing to sacrifice his life for Christ.

    When the young Ethiopian man came to faith his community turned against him, but he remains committed to following Christ. Kofi grew up as a Muslim, but when an evangelist introduced him to Christ, he was instantly drawn to the saving grace of God and became a Christian. Read More.

  • Nov. 05, 2020 | Myanmar

    Lingering Effects of Imprisonment

    [213] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Aikhun Plot.
    Christianity has been rendered illegal in Myanmar's Wa State.

    A key denominational leader targeted by Communist separatists continues to suffer lasting effects from his imprisonment. In 2018, the Wa State Army arrested Christians and at least 120 pastors in northeastern Myanmar, including Aikhun Plot. In prison, he spent most of his time with a metal leg chain digging into his ankle, causing long-term bone damage and pain, and he also contracted a skin disease. Read More.

  • Nov. 05, 2020 | Lebanon

    Pastor in Lebanon Struggling as He Serves

    [236] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Baki.
    Serving among the Muslim majority people in Lebanon can be discouraging.

    A pastor in Lebanon is struggling under repeated challenges. Pastor Baki grew up in a Muslim family but later converted to Christianity. He became a pastor and now often leads other Muslims to Christ in his mountain community in Lebanon. Read More.

  • Oct. 29, 2020 | Uganda

    Woman Poisoned by Family

    [296] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Anna's children.
    Anna is now healthy at home with her heavenly father.

    A VOM-supported Christian woman died earlier this month from complications due to poisoning. Anna came to Christ from a Muslim background, and her family did not accept her choice. Read More.

  • Oct. 29, 2020 | Syria

    Pray for Pastor Zaki in Damascus

    [204] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Pastor Zaki.
    A pastor distributes a Bible along with food aid to a refugee.

    Christian leaders in Syria are struggling to operate fully after years of trying circumstances and constant instability. War, economic struggles, and now coronavirus all contribute to a constant influx of displaced peoples in need. Read More.

  • Oct. 29, 2020 | Colombia

    Paramilitary Groups Close at Least 60 Churches

    [206] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Pastors and members of closed churches.
    A secretly-taken photo of one of the closed churches.

    In the last few weeks, field workers in Colombia have been inundated with reports of paramilitary groups closing churches throughout northern Colombia in the states of Antioquia, Bolívar, Chocó and Córdova. They began compiling a list, which has grown to 60 churches. Read More.

  • Oct. 22, 2020 | Laos

    Teenager Kicked Out

    [317] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Seng.
    Seng will commute to school by bicycle.

    Only days after he accepted Christ, 15-year-old Seng was already facing the persecution Jesus often spoke about. After his parents learned of his decision, they sat down to talk with him, telling him he needed to renounce his "foreign" faith. Read More.

  • Oct. 22, 2020 | Iran

    Court Removes "Muslim" Toddler from Christian Parents

    [263] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Sam, Maryam and Lydia.
    Sam, Maryam and Lydia

    An Iranian court has taken a "Muslim" child out of the home of the Christian couple who adopted her. Sam and Maryam adopted Lydia from a local orphanage in the city of Bushehr when she was three months old. Lydia has significant health issues, including a heart defect and digestive problems. Six months after the couple adopted her, intelligence agents arrested Sam and Maryam in their home. Read More.

  • Oct. 22, 2020 | Ethiopia

    Finding a Good Heart

    [205] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Shaikh Adam.
    Sheik Adam is now sharing the gospel in his hometown after coming to faith in Christ.

    ​When a local Islamic leader saw a Christian helping people from different tribal and religious groups, he experienced Jesus' transformational power. Sheikh Adam saw a VOM-supported front-line worker serving people from both evangelical and Orthodox churches in a Muslim-majority region, and he wondered why. The front-line worker told him, "This is what we've learned from Christ and the Bible." Read More.

  • Oct. 15, 2020 | Somalia

    Family in Police Custody

    [318] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Family arrested for evangelizing.
    Somali is one of the world's most highly restricted nations for Christians, but God still prevails there.

    A Somali Christian family is in police custody after being arrested for evangelism in Somaliland, a semi-autonomous region of Somalia. Hargeisa police released a statement on Oct. 5 that they had captured "two individuals who were apostates and evangelists spreading Christianity … Read More.

  • Oct. 15, 2020 | Laos

    Bomb, Fire Used Against Christians in Bru Village

    [209] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Christian families in danger by villagers.
    These three families are determined to follow Christ in their home village in spite of the persecution.

    A Bru community in rural Laos was so determined to drive out a group of Christian families that they resorted to drastic measures. "They were so resistant to their faith, they were trying to scare them out of the village or to renounce their faith," a VOM field worker said. Read More.

  • Oct. 15, 2020 | Egypt

    Convert Couple Severely Tested

    [232] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for John and Malika.
    John and Malika escaped their abusive families.

    Though Egypt has a small Christian population, life is not easy for Muslims who choose to convert to Christianity. John, a committed hardliner Muslim, came to faith in 2014 after studying the Bible in order to convince Christian friends to convert to Islam. His wife, Malika, also became a Christian after observing his new character for three years. Read More.

  • Oct. 08, 2020 | Pakistan

    Muslim Convert Faces Murderous Family

    [286] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Huzaifa and family.
    Huzaifa and his family

    A Muslim man came to faith after a Christian family witnessed to him for more than 10 years. Huzaifa had been a devout Muslim since childhood, but he was impressed with how loving Christians were. When a young Christian woman began to work in his shop, she answered his questions about her faith and invited him to church. Read More.

  • Oct. 08, 2020 | Israel

    Congregation Facing Repeated Harassment from Anti-Missionaries

    [194] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Beit Hallel Messianic Congregation.
    Anti-missionary groups oppose Messianic (Christian) meetings.

    The Beit Hallel Messianic Congregation in Ashdod, southern Israel has experienced systematic harassment from the local anti-missionary group. Read More.

  • Oct. 08, 2020 | Ethiopia

    Persecution Did Not Destroy Churches

    [186] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Christians rebuilding churches.
    This church that was attacked has since been rebuilt.

    When mobs damaged three churches in a small village southeast of Addis Ababa, it initially seemed like their enemies had succeeded. Christians were discouraged and humiliated, and some new believers left. Read More.

  • Oct. 01, 2020 | Turkey

    Turkish-Born Resident Expelled

    [259] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Damla.
    Damla has lived in Turkey all her life, but the government doesn't want her there anymore.

    Another Christian has been kicked out of Turkey on the same grounds used by the government to eject more than 50 foreigners in the last 18 months. Damla Villanueva, 26, was born in Turkey and has lived there all her life, and her parents have been in the country for almost three decades. Read More.

  • Oct. 01, 2020 | Laos

    Villagers Threaten to Kill Christians

    [199] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Christian families facing threats.
    VOM purchased rice for the families.

    A community in Laos blatantly told the four Christian families living among them that the only way to get rid of Christians is to kill them. In an effort to get the Christians to leave, villagers have illegally logged all the trees on the property of one of the Christians. Read More.

  • Oct. 01, 2020 | Nepal

    No Home or Job for Jesus-Follower

    [204] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Binsa.
    Binsa was rejected by her parents after she became a Christian.

    A young woman was first kicked out of her home and later fired from her job after she became a Christian. 24-year-old Binsa grew up in a Hindu family. One day, she heard a gospel song on the radio, which led her to think about Christianity. Read More.

  • Sep. 24, 2020 | Uganda

    Three Children Kicked Out by Grandmother

    [316] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Penny, Elijah, and Charity.
    Penny cared for her younger siblings after their grandmother abandoned them for becoming Christians.

    Three children in Uganda have been living on their own since their grandmother forced them out of her home for becoming Christians. Penny, Elijah and Charity's parents are Muslim, and when it was time for Penny, the oldest, to attend school, her parents couldn't afford it. A teacher in her grandmother's town agreed to teach the children, so the they moved in with their grandmother. Read More.

  • Sep. 24, 2020 | Ethiopia

    Anti-Government Rebels Kill Pastor

    [216] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Pastor Negus's family.
    Pastor Negus was killed by anti-government rebels.

    A pastor in western Ethiopia was murdered after he refused to give money to a rebel group. Pastor Negus, in ministry for 20 years, was from a small town in the West Elega Zone of the Oromia region. Read More.

  • Sep. 24, 2020 | Uzbekistan

    Children Stop Harassment

    [213] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Shokhida Musallam and husband.
    Shokhida Musallam

    An older believer whose adult children were persecuting her for her faith has been granted a reprieve. Shokhida Musallam and her husband became Christians about 20 years ago, but their Muslim children opposed their conversion. Read More.

  • Sep. 17, 2020 | Mozambique

    Islamists Displace Thousands

    [281] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Displaced Christians.
    Thousands have been displaced from their homes.

    Islamic insurgents seek to establish a caliphate in East Africa, rendering life in the northern coastal regions impossible and severely affecting Christians. Islamists have been active in the region for the past three years, but a group has now launched attacks on villages from the north, displacing thousands into other parts of the country. Read More.

  • Sep. 17, 2020 | Laos

    A Living Understanding of the Scriptures

    [212] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Sei Wang and her husband.
    Sei Wang refused to abandon her faith even under threats from her husband.

    A pastor's teaching on suffering was timely for a young woman attending a discipleship seminar. Sei Wang, 20, gave her life to Christ earlier this year, unbeknownst to her husband. One Sunday morning in June, he followed her to church and discovered her new faith. Read More.

  • Sep. 17, 2020 | Cuba

    Communist Officials Seek to Close Church

    [193] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Pastors and members of closed churches.
    Cuban Christians live under constant pressure.

    A legally registered church in central Cuba is being forced to close after three years in existence. The house church of 60 in Holguin was established with the proper paperwork in 2017. In 2019, however, various government agencies began restricting the church's activities. Read More.

  • Sep. 10, 2020 | Turkey

    American-Born Wife of Turkish Pastor Expelled

    [271] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Joy and Lütfü.
    Joy met her husband Lutfu while working in Turkey. With a Turkish husband and three children who are Turkish citizens, she wants to stay.

    The US-born wife of a Turkish citizen was recently told that her residency permit was revoked, even though she has lived in Turkey for nearly 10 years. Joy Subaşıgüller was told her residency permit had been revoked on June 5. Read More.

  • Sep. 10, 2020 | Tanzania

    Pastor and His Wife in Zanzibar Assaulted

    [209] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Pastor Philemon and family.
    Churches in Zanzibar have been under assault for decades.

    Vandals attacked the Calvary Mission Church in Mwamboni, Zanzibar on Feb. 24 and Feb. 29, 2020. Before the attack, Pastor Philemon Mafilili, 51, said he had received threats from a local official. Read More.

  • Sep. 10, 2020 | Ethiopia

    Priests Provoke, Then Attack Evangelicals

    [196] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Shango and his friends.
    The evangelical families faced years of harassment before their homes were burned down.

    When five families came to faith in a small village, they became at odds with the rest of their community. Shango became a believer in 2002. Through his faithful witness, he led four other families to faith in Jesus, and they worshipped at his house. Read More.

  • Sep. 03, 2020 | Laos

    Transformation for Young Man

    [287] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Khamla and family.
    A young man experienced transformation after being set free.

    Khamla was devastated when his wife left him. One day, as he walked past the Buddhist temple in extreme sorrow, something that looked like a small bird hit him in the chest. He became a strange person, violently strong and unable to communicate. Read More.

  • Sep. 03, 2020 | Sri Lanka

    Villagers Demand an End to Christian Worship

    [199] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Church members told to stop worshipping.
    Christians in Sri Lanka worship openly, but under pressure.

    On June 28, a group of about 30 individuals descended on the Jesus Witness Church house service in eastern Sri Lanka, demanding that the family stop the worship. From outside, a member of the group phoned the pastor and told him he was not allowed to hold worship in their village. Read More.

  • Sep. 03, 2020 | Tanzania

    Wife Discovers Young Convert's Books

    [222] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Juma.
    When his wife discovered the young man's Christian books, his conversion was revealed.

    Juma met with his pastor secretly after coming to Christ, afraid that his Muslim family would find out about his conversion. When his wife eventually found some of his Christian books, she immediately called his brothers, all radical Muslims. Read More.

  • Aug. 27, 2020 | Uganda

    Two Muslim Friends Become Brothers in Christ

    [290] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Syamusudini and Muhindo.
    These two young man have become each other's family.

    Syamusudini began sharing the gospel with friends at school after being rejected by his Muslim family and moving in with a local pastor. One of his friends, Muhindo, listened carefully and soon decided that he, too, would follow Christ. Read More.

  • Aug. 27, 2020 | Myanmar

    Persecution Fosters New Church Strategy

    [213] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Front-line workers in Myanmar.
    Leaders in the Wa State region will move to house church worship.

    Pastors and front-line workers in Myanmar's Wa region are rethinking church strategies after an intense season of persecution. Read More.

  • Aug. 27, 2020 | Pakistan

    Family of Martyred Christian Grateful for Ongoing Support

    [211] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Rahib's family.
    Rahib's family is thankful for the assistance that is allowing them to navigate this difficult time.

    A couple whose only son was killed in a shooting two years ago is surviving economic losses amid the pandemic with assistance from VOM. In April 2018, 16-year-old Rahib Khalid was leaving a church service in Quetta, Pakistan, when four men on motorbikes sprayed the area with gunfire, killing Rahib and another Christian. Read More.

  • Aug. 20, 2020 | China

    Cross Removals Continue

    [267] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Christians facing government crackdowns.
    Officials removed two more crosses from two churches in Wenzhou.

    Chinese authorities removed two more crosses from church buildings in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, on July 7, reminiscent of mass cross removals across the province in 2014. Read More.

  • Aug. 20, 2020 | Vietnam

    Woman Burned After Refusing to Abandon Christian Faith

    [259] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Dinh.
    Dinh suffered major burns on her legs, requiring hospital treatment.

    A 49-year-old woman was assaulted by local authorities after she refused to give up her Christian faith. On May 5, 2020, authorities visited Dinh and told her they would help her during the coronavirus pandemic if she would sign a statement giving up her faith. Read More.

  • Aug. 20, 2020 | Tanzania

    Christians Under Pressure

    [185] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Church members facing destroyed churches.
    Christianity has a long history in Tanzania, but Islamists are trying to push it out.

    Though Tanzania is a majority-Christian country, Christians in some areas face intense persecution, and it seems to be growing. According to a VOM worker, Muslim hardliners have burned or demolished six churches there in the last year. Read More.

  • Aug. 13, 2020 | Nigeria

    Islamist Attacks Continue

    [256] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Christians with loved ones lost to attacks.
    VOM is helping feed some of the displaced.

    When Islamists sent a warning letter to the Bakkai community in Kankara state, villagers requested protection from local vigilantes. But when the attack occurred, on June 28, the militants easily overpowered them, killing nine and injuring many others. Read More.

  • Aug. 13, 2020 | Laos

    New Believer Disinherited by Family

    [191] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Jai.
    Jai's family cut him off from any inheritance after he accepted Christ.

    When Jai placed his faith in Christ in December 2019, his Hmong family was very unhappy with him. They told him he could have no share in their father's inheritance, and they divided the property among themselves. Read More.

  • Aug. 13, 2020 | Iraq

    Turkish Attacks Displace Christians in Kurdistan

    [184] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Displaced Christians.
    VOM has distributed aid previously in the Dohuk region.

    Turkish bombardments in northern Iraq this summer have displaced Christians in the Zakho district for the second time since 2014. Read More.

  • Aug. 06, 2020 | Iran

    Twelve Arrested in Coordinated Raids

    [260] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Arrested Christians.
    Iranians worship in a house church.

    Intelligence agents from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC) arrested 12 Christians in coordinated operations on Tuesday, June 30, and Wednesday, July 1. Read More.

  • Aug. 06, 2020 | China

    Officials Target Xingguang Church in Fujian

    [189] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Xingguang church members.
    More than 100 officials dragged personal belonging into hallways in order to destroy them.

    On June 11, authorities in China's Fujian province destroyed more than a dozen Christian homes that had been used as worship spaces by members of the Xingguang Church. Read More.

  • Aug. 06, 2020 | Eritrea

    More than 600 Christians Now Imprisoned in Eritrea

    [202] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Imprisoned Christians.
    Pastor Haile Naygi has been in prison since 2004.

    The number of Christians imprisoned in Eritrea has reportedly risen to 640 in recent months. In May, 15 women were arrested at a house church and are now imprisoned in Mai Serwa, the same prison where Helen Berhane was held in a shipping container. Read More.

  • Jul. 30, 2020 | Egypt

    The Lord Jesus Has Chosen You

    [342] prayers in [21] nations have been posted for Ahmed.
    Ahmed found his way to the Lord despite unbelievable obstacles.

    A young man was beaten, held captive and later disinherited after becoming interested in Christianity. Ahmed was 16 when he found a scrap of paper on his bus seat that said, "The Lord Jesus has chosen you for Him." Read More.

  • Jul. 30, 2020 | Vietnam

    Displaced Families Temporarily Hosted by Local Christians

    [201] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Displaced families.
    This family of 5 were displaced from their home.

    Thirteen Christian families are temporarily living with Christian host families in another province after being displaced by the government. Read More.

  • Jul. 30, 2020 | Nepal

    Woman Stoned by Neighbor

    [214] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Miriamu.
    Miriamu at the hospital after receiving treatment.

    A Christian woman spent a week in the hospital after a neighbor attacked her. Miriamu became a Christian in 2014, but when the distance became too great to travel to the nearest church for worship, she decided to start her own in her home. Read More.

  • Jul. 23, 2020 | Laos

    No Rice for Christians

    [312] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Starving familise.
    Villagers do not allow the Christians to farm.

    Seven families from two tribal groups are nearing starvation after village authorities confiscated their farmland because of their faith in Christ. About 50 people from the Khmu and Hmong tribes form the seven families. "Their faith is strong and everyone is actively serving one another and the Lord," wrote a VOM partner. Read More.

  • Jul. 23, 2020 | India

    Young Husband Killed by Fanatics

    [243] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Kande's wife and children.
    Hindu fanatics harassed Kande for two years until they murdered him.

    When Kande Mudu became a Christian in 2018, the Hindu fanatics in his village in Jharkhand state pressured him to renounce his faith. When he refused to participate in Hindu religious festivals, they threatened him. Read More.

  • Jul. 23, 2020 | Uganda

    She Transformed Her Bar into a Church

    [230] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Betty.
    Betty and her family in the former bar.

    Betty became a believer late in her life, and this complete life change prompted her to turn a bar she owned into a church. Her decision to leave Islam deeply angered her three adult sons. Read More.

  • Jul. 16, 2020 | Turkey

    Syrian Christian Shares Christ While Serving Muslims

    [271] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Church Leader in Turkey.
    A committed Muslim man gave his life to Christ after he saw how Christians cared for him.

    A Syrian church leader in Turkey has been serving his community during the coronavirus pandemic by transporting sick people to the hospital. Read More.

  • Jul. 16, 2020 | India

    Hindu Radicals Kill Christian Teenager

    [248] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Samaru's family.
    Samaru was killed by Hindu extremists.

    On June 4, Hindu fanatics in Odisha state burst into the home of 16-year-old Samaru Madkami and kidnapped him. They then took Samaru and other Christian villagers they had kidnapped to a wooded area. Although the other Christians managed to escape, the Hindus overpowered and killed Samaru, burying him nearby. Read More.

  • Jul. 16, 2020 | Guinea

    Christian Woman Faces Difficulties After Husband's Death

    [230] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Miraha.
    These women are all believers from Muslim backgrounds who have been rejected by their families.

    Miraha, a Christian woman in Guinea, has faced ongoing difficulties since her husband's death. Her Muslim in-laws tried to persuade her to marry her husband's brother and convert to Islam, but she refused to abandon her faith in Christ. Read More.

  • Jul. 09, 2020 | Central Asia

    Church Members Minister to the Sick

    [267] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Ministering Church Women.
    Believers in Central Asia understand that Christ-like actions speak loudly in their culture.

    Members of a church in a Central Asian country are reaching out to help those affected by the coronavirus, even though their church is closed and their pastor is stuck in Russia. Read More.

  • Jul. 09, 2020 | Laos

    Authorities Hold Church Leader Without Charges Because of Coronavirus

    [209] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Phong.
    Frightened at the number of people turning to Christ, officials arrested a pastor and told believers to renounce their faith.

    A church leader who has not yet been charged with a crime remains in prison while officials wait for an end to the "Covid situation." Phong was arrested in early March after refusing police orders to renounce his faith. About 130 Christians live in Phong's village, and police thought that arresting him would cure their Christian "problem." Read More.

  • Jul. 09, 2020 | Ethiopia

    Orthodox Extremists Burn Down Full Gospel Church

    [216] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Members of Full Gospel Church.
    Timaru was the first man attacked by the youth.

    On March 10, a mob of several hundred Ethiopian Orthodox extremists assaulted three men at the Enewari Full Gospel Church and burned all buildings on the property. After destroying the church, the mob confronted evangelical believers at their homes and told them they would kill them if they left their houses. Read More.

  • Jul. 02, 2020 | Korea, North

    Propaganda Film Helps Lead Defector to Christ

    [247] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Mrs. An.
    Ms. An learned how to pray from a propaganda film in North Korea.

    Mrs. An wasn't yet a Christian when she was arrested in China as a North Korean defector, but she did know how to pray. She had learned about prayer from an anti-Christian propaganda film she had seen while still in North Korea. Read More.

  • Jul. 02, 2020 | Israel

    New Christian Faces Daily Struggles in Orthodox Jewish Culture

    [216] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Noa.
    It is common for Orthodox Jews to limit children's education to the Torah and Jewish traditions.

    A former Orthodox Jew who came to faith in Jesus Christ is now homeless and has little hope of finding work. After meeting a Christian worker nine years ago, Noa gradually came to understand and believe the gospel. And recently, he placed his faith in Jesus as Savior. Read More.

  • Jul. 02, 2020 | Laos

    Father Expels and Threatens Sons for Attending Church

    [197] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Chan and Huang.
    After he kicked two boys out, their father graffitied angry warnings against coming home if the boys don't leave Christianity.

    A teenager and his younger brother were kicked out of their home recently for attending church. Chan and Huang were in a church service outside Vientiane on May 24 when their father burst in and began swearing at them. He told them to stop worshiping and go home. Read More.

  • Jun. 25, 2020 | Laos

    Christian Families Expelled from Village

    [296] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Mua family.
    Some of the family members camping on the side of the road after they were kicked out of the village.

    Two Christian families were expelled from their Laotian village recently after declaring their faith in Christ. When the Mua family became Christians, village leaders wrote an official complaint to district authorities, saying, "[Our] village does not want to cooperate or associate with those that take on the Jesus religion. … We dislike that the Christians keep coming to tell others about this Jesus religion. It is annoying." Read More.

  • Jun. 25, 2020 | Congo, Democratic Republic of the

    VOM Supports Orphans of Martyrs

    [212] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Orphaned Children.
    The two children now live with their grandmother.

    VOM is supporting four children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) whose missionary parents were killed by Muslim extremists. On the night of Oct. 16, 2014, Islamists attacked Cadeau and a neighboring village in the DRC, killing the missionaries and 11 members of their church. Read More.

  • Jun. 25, 2020 | Syria

    Border Closures Complicate Relief Efforts

    [189] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Christians serving the needy.
    A Syrian woman collects food aid from a church at a previous distribution.

    Border closures related to coronavirus suppression have complicated an already difficult situation in Syria. The closures have halted the transport of food aid and have also prevented pastors from traveling into and out of the country. Read More.

  • Jun. 18, 2020 | Central Asia

    Boy Gives Jesus Glory for Healing

    [287] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Young Believer Healed.
    A front-line worker witness God's healing power in the life of a young boy.

    When a young boy got extremely sick, a front-line worker in the village accompanied him and his family to a hospital. While in the waiting room, the 10-year-old began to cry at the thought that he might be permanently confined to a wheelchair. Read More.

  • Jun. 18, 2020 | China

    Pastor Arrested During Online Meeting

    [200] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Pastor Luo.
    Many Christian meetings have moved online in this era of tightened security.

    Authorities in Wuhan seized the pastor of the Nanjing Road Church on Saturday, May 30, during an online Christian gathering. Read More.

  • Jun. 18, 2020 | Turkey

    Iranian Christian Refugees Struggle to Feed Families

    [215] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Iranian Christian Refugees.
    Life is challenging for Iranians in Turkey.

    Christian workers in Turkey report that restrictions and changes caused by the global pandemic have hit Iranian refugees hard. Many of the Iranians lost everything when they fled their country because of persecution for their Christian faith. Read More.

  • Jun. 11, 2020 | Colombia

    Evangelist and Former Rebel in Hiding

    [301] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Sara and family.
    Sara used to be a rebel, but now she can't stop telling others how Jesus changed her life.

    A front-line evangelist and former rebel is currently in hiding after learning that members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) are looking for her. Read More.

  • Jun. 11, 2020 | Guinea

    Finding Healing, with Persecution, in Christ

    [200] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Hamade.
    Hamade finds encouragement with a group of other Christian women from Muslim backgrounds.

    Hamade had been sick for many years before becoming a believer. When traditional healers couldn't cure her, she began attending church. And after three months of prayer, she was healed of her longstanding illness. Read More.

  • Jun. 11, 2020 | Laos

    Teen Sunday School Teacher Interrogated by Police

    [210] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Sunday School Teacher.
    A young Sunday school teacher cannot attend college now because she chose to teach children about Jesus.

    Local police berated and interrogated a teenager after catching her teaching a Sunday school class. They were convinced that the young woman was being paid as a teacher, even though she insisted she was doing it voluntarily. Read More.

  • Jun. 04, 2020 | Nigeria

    Nine Killed in Islamist Attack

    [306] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Families of killed Christians.
    The aftermath of a burned out home with destroyed food supplies in Plateau state.

    Fulani Islamic militants killed nine people, including four children, in an April 14 attack on the predominantly Christian village of Hura, in Plateau state. Read More.

  • Jun. 04, 2020 | Laos

    Education Committee Threatens to Fire Christian Teacher

    [205] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Kye.
    The community is threatening to fire this teacher because he is a Christian.

    Kye accepted Christ in 2004, after he had been at his teaching post for a year. When the education committee learned of his conversion, they told him they were going to reassign him to a remote village if he did not renounce his faith. Read More.

  • Jun. 04, 2020 | Cuba

    Cuban Christians Face New Difficulties

    [210] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Christians unable to fellowship.
    There are no packed church services like this on the island right now.

    While many churches around the world have moved their services online because of the coronavirus pandemic, Christians in Cuba do not have that option. Since very few people have access to the internet, Christians have been completely without worship and fellowship. Read More.

  • May. 28, 2020 | Uganda

    Christian Woman Loses Business and Home to Fire

    [302] prayers in [23] nations have been posted for Faridah.
    Faridah's home and restaurant were burned down by arsonists angry that she had become a Christian.

    When the restaurant she owned and operated was burned six months after she became a believer, Faridah assumed it had been an accident. But earlier this year, the two rooms she rented in a home were also burned, and neighbors mentioned smelling gasoline. Read More.

  • May. 28, 2020 | Guinea

    New Believers Rejected by Their Families

    [196] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Mariam and other new Christians.
    These women are new converts from Islam who are being supported by a local church.

    A number of Guinean Christian converts from Islam are being persecuted by their Muslim families. One pastor reported that 13 church members are in need of a place to stay after being expelled from their homes. Read More.

  • May. 28, 2020 | Indonesia

    Islamists Protest Churches Meeting in Mall

    [187] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Churches meeting in mall.
    Islamists protest Christian churches in Indonesia.

    An Islamic political organization is protesting the use of a shopping mall for church services. Read More.

  • May. 21, 2020 | Nigeria

    Pandemic Hasn't Stopped Attacks or Aid

    [273] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Christian villages being attacked.
    This woman in northern Nigeria received food aid at a VOM distribution.

    The global pandemic has not stopped Muslim militants from continuing their attacks on Christian villages in northern Nigeria. Read More.

  • May. 21, 2020 | Turkmenistan

    Police Raid Christian Meetings

    [179] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Christians fined for religious gatherings.
    Police raided home meetings in Turkmenistan.

    Police have raided several Christian meetings at private homes recently. A homeowner was fined a week's wages when police raided his home during a Christmas celebration. Read More.

  • May. 21, 2020 | Laos

    Young Couple Become Non-Citizens

    [214] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Phiarune and Lai.
    Phiarune and his wife, Lai, paid a heavy price after they became believers.

    A young couple who placed their faith in Christ less than six months ago have already paid a heavy price. Read More.

  • May. 14, 2020 | Nigeria

    Militant Attacks Continue Through March

    [264] prayers in [20] nations have been posted for Attacked Christians.
    Displaced Nigerian Christians await a food distribution.

    In the last week of March, Christians reported multiple attacks by both Boko Haram terrorists and Fulani Islamic militants in the north. On March 23, Boko Haram ambushed a military convoy, killing about 70 soldiers and taking some captive. Read More.

  • May. 14, 2020 | Central Asia

    University Teacher Loses Job Because of Faith

    [245] prayers in [22] nations have been posted for Vera.
    Central Asian women live under conservative societal rules.

    A Christian woman was dismissed from her job teaching Russian at a national university after school officials learned of her faith. Read More.

  • May. 14, 2020 | Somalia

    Somali Scholars Urge Followers to Defend Islam

    [196] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Somali Christians.
    This cleric issued a warning against a Christian ministry.

    Realizing that a growing number of Somalis are leaving Islam and embracing Christianity, Somali Islamic leaders are issuing warnings and urging their followers to defend Islam. Read More.

  • May. 07, 2020 | Laos

    Three Families Expelled from Village

    [360] prayers in [24] nations have been posted for Exiled Families.
    This family was removed from their village by force after they became Christians.

    Three Christian families from the Akha tribe were expelled from their village recently after refusing to renounce their faith in Christ. Read More.

  • May. 07, 2020 | Iraq

    Iraqi Christian Asks for Prayer After Brother's Murder

    [273] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Brother of Murdered Christian.
    Families often apply heavy pressure to new converts to get them to come back to Islam.

    An Iraqi Christian is asking for prayer after his brother was killed because of his faith. Read More.

  • May. 07, 2020 | Guinea

    Widow Remains Faithful After Being Kicked Out of Several Homes

    [249] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Zainab.
    Zainab is being cared for by a pastor along with other persecuted believers.

    Zainab, a blind widow, was kicked out of her in-laws' home after refusing to give up her Christian faith. Read More.

  • Apr. 30, 2020 | Indonesia

    Family Worship Interrupted by Muslim Neighbor

    [279] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Family Threatened.
    Two Muslim men threatened a family meeting for worship in their home during stay at home orders.

    A Christian family worshiping at home were interrupted recently by a Muslim neighbor who burst in and told them they could not hold a Christian meeting in their house. Read More.

  • Apr. 30, 2020 | Pakistan

    Imprisoned Christian Mourns Loss of His Mother

    [253] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Imran Ghafur.
    Imran Ghafur has been in prison for more than 10 years.

    Imran Ghafur, a Christian who has been imprisoned for 10 years on a blasphemy conviction, learned recently that his elderly mother had died on Feb. 1, 2020. Read More.

  • Apr. 30, 2020 | Kenya

    Christians Face New Threats Along Somali Border

    [215] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Christians Threatened by Al Shabab.
    Al Shabab seeks a pure, Muslim society.

    Christians in the Kenya-Somalia border region are concerned about new threats and attacks by the Somali militant group al-Shabab. The militants released a video recently in which they threatened "infidels" coming into the region, calling the settlement of Christians in Muslim areas "Kenyan colonization." Read More.

  • Apr. 23, 2020 | Syria

    Refugee Remains Faithful Amid Hardships

    [329] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Abdallah.
    Abdallah felt a pull toward Christ from an early age.

    Abdallah, a Syrian refugee in Lebanon, holds fast to his Christian faith despite suffering unemployment, homelessness and persecution from Muslim family members. Read More.

  • Apr. 23, 2020 | Southeast Asia

    Hmong Christians' Home Destroyed

    [204] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Hmong Christians.
    Angry relatives destroyed their house while the Christian family was gone.

    A family of Hmong Christians returned home one evening to find their home destroyed. When the family became Christians, their relatives worried that their ancestral spirits would be offended. Read More.

  • Apr. 23, 2020 | Israel

    Messianic Jews Harassed by Ultra-Orthodox

    [224] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Messianic Jews.
    Members of the radical group stand outside the church. Credit: Middle East Concern.

    Messianic Jews in the city of Arad have faced ongoing harassment from a group of ultra-Orthodox Jews, but they are thankful that their most recent interaction was more peaceful. Read More.

  • Apr. 16, 2020 | Tajikistan

    Church Leaders Fined for Translating the Bible

    [363] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Fined Churches.
    Arranging translation the Bible into a local language got Christians in Tajikistan into trouble.

    Four churches in Tajikistan have been fined for their participation in a Bible translation project. Between August 2019 and January 2020, the committee for religious affairs fined church leaders the equivalent of between $700 and $1,100. Read More.

  • Apr. 16, 2020 | Indonesia

    Church in Central Java Forced to Close

    [207] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Members of Closed Church.
    Neighbors protested the church outside as the police met with the pastor.

    Another church in Central Java was forced to close in February. Police, local officials, neighbors and members of the Indonesia Muslim Clerics Council interrupted services on Sunday morning, Feb. 16, to demand that the service be halted. Read More.

  • Apr. 16, 2020 | Afghanistan

    God's Kingdom Advancing One Heart at a Time

    [215] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Underground Small Groups.
    Afghans are being won to the Lord on heart at a time.

    Hundreds of small groups are meeting in homes throughout Afghanistan to study the Bible using a storytelling method, according to a VOM worker. Read More.

  • Apr. 09, 2020 | Laos

    Young Couple Kicked Out of Home

    [338] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Phu, Sri, and baby.
    Sri's mother-in-law beat her severely for her faith in Christ.

    A young married couple were expelled from their family's home recently after coming to faith in Christ. Phu and Sri married at a young age and moved in with Phu's parents. After Sri gave birth to their daughter, she was often ill and had no one to care for her while Phu was working long hours on a banana plantation. Read More.

  • Apr. 09, 2020 | Burkina Faso

    Islamists Murder Two Church Leaders

    [227] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Families of Lankoande Babribile and Tindano Omar.
    Lankoande Babribile

    In mid-February, Islamic extremists murdered two church leaders in eastern Burkina Faso, announcing to the community that they will not tolerate Christianity in the area. On Feb. 10, the extremists arrived at the home of well-known church leader Lankoande Babribile and shot him to death in front of his wife. Read More.

  • Apr. 09, 2020 | Mexico

    Displaced Families Share the Gospel

    [204] prayers in [16] nations have been posted for Exiled Families.
    Families who were kicked out of their home village after they decided to follow Christ are now thriving in a new place.

    More than a year after being expelled from their village because of their faith, a group of Christians are now sharing the gospel with their new neighbors. Read More.

  • Apr. 02, 2020 | Syria

    Children Targeted by Extremist Ideology

    [354] prayers in [19] nations have been posted for Refugee Children.
    Syrian refugee children

    A VOM partner who operates a summer camp and supports a school in Syria has requested prayer for the many children affected by the conflict there. Read More.

  • Apr. 02, 2020 | Korea, North

    Chinese Citizen Remains in North Korean Prison

    [263] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Deacon Jang.
    Deacon Jang, aka Zhang Wen Shi

    Zhang Wen Shi, also known as Deacon Jang, is an ethnically Korean Christian who lived and ministered in Changbai, China, a town located on China's border with North Korea. Read More.

  • Apr. 02, 2020 | Indonesia

    Protests Against Churches Continue

    [199] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Santo Joseph Church.
    A mob met a construction crew at the Santo Joseph church.

    Protestors have stopped construction of a new church building in Pangkal Pinang on Bangka Island's east coast. Read More.

  • Mar. 26, 2020 | Turkey

    Front-Line Worker Encouraged by Church Growth

    [283] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Church planters seeing growth.
    This church in Turkey ministers to both Turkish people and Iranians.

    A believer working to plant churches in each of Turkey's 81 provinces reports that three years of work is bearing fruit. A third church began services recently in one of Turkey's major cities, and the first church planted there has grown from 10 members to nearly 100 in less than three years. Read More.

  • Mar. 26, 2020 | Kenya

    Terrorists Threaten Pastor

    [243] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Threatened Pastor.
    Pastors in Kenya who work with Muslims often encounter terrorist threats.

    A pastor in Kenya is asking for prayer after receiving repeated death threats by phone. Although the calls are anonymous, the pastor suspects they are coming from members of al-Shabab. Read More.

  • Mar. 26, 2020 | Nepal

    Community Warns Against Following Foreign Religion

    [244] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Ishika.
    Ishika's husband told her to stop following a foreign religion.

    After seeking treatment at home and abroad for a longstanding illness, Ishika was restored to health when a church shared the gospel with her and prayed for her. Grateful to God for her healing, she continued to attend church and placed her faith in Jesus Christ. Read More.

  • Mar. 19, 2020 | Myanmar

    Imprisoned Pastor Cannot Leave Wa State

    [310] prayers in [17] nations have been posted for Rev. Ai and family.
    Buddhism has a strong hold in Myanmar.

    Rev. Ai was arrested in 2018 along with other Christian leaders during a separatist crackdown in Wa state. His family struggled while he was in prison, and members of the Wa State Army prevented other believers from helping them. Read More.

  • Mar. 19, 2020 | Indonesia

    Local Muslims Reject Church's Presence

    [281] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Pillar Asih church members.
    Christians in Indonesia gather in a house church meeting.

    When local Muslims in the Bekasi City area noticed that some Christians were using an empty building for a worship service on Jan. 23, they gathered at the building to protest the meeting. Read More.

  • Mar. 19, 2020 | Morocco

    New Christian Denied Child Support

    [247] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Latifa.
    A woman sharing the gospel in Morocco.

    When a woman named Latifa came to know Christ, her husband vehemently opposed her new faith. Eventually, he gave her an ultimatum: Give up your faith or I will divorce you. Latifa chose her faith, and her husband divorced her. Read More.

  • Mar. 12, 2020 | Iran

    Redeeming Women Bound by Islam

    [292] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for New Believers.
    A women's meeting in Iran

    Christian workers in Iran have been ministering to women driven to prostitution, and at least 15 of the women have come to know Christ. Read More.

  • Mar. 12, 2020 | China

    Online Preaching Banned

    [221] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Chinese Christians.
    The official notice released by the religious bodies

    The two official church bodies in Shandong province announced in a joint statement that authorities have banned all online preaching. Read More.

  • Mar. 12, 2020 | Korea, North

    Gospel Message Reaching North Korean Capital

    [227] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for North Koreans in Pyongyang.
    North Korean defectors also broadcasts messages of truth and and love into North Korea over the radio.

    Memory cards loaded with videos explaining Jesus and Christianity are reaching citizens in Pyongyang. Someone living in the country's capital, where only the most loyal citizens are permitted to live, wrote an encouraging letter recently to Christian workers in the region. Read More.

  • Mar. 05, 2020 | Pakistan

    Bombing Victim Suffers Ongoing Health Issues

    [349] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Mehak.
    This sweet girl continues to deal with major health complications as a result of the church bombing in 2013.

    A young victim of the Peshawar church bombing is experiencing new medical issues as a result of her injuries. Mehak was just 4 years old when she was severely injured in the Sept. 22, 2013, bombing that killed her father. Read More.

  • Mar. 05, 2020 | Sri Lanka

    Buddhist Monks Lead Assault on Pastor

    [221] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Attacked Christians.
    Buddhist monks demanded that the church in the village stop meeting.

    On Sunday, Feb. 2, a group of Buddhist monks led a mob of 150 people to a house church in north central Sri Lanka. The mob demanded an end to the worship service and threated violence if it continued, but police allowed the Christians to continue the service. Read More.

  • Mar. 05, 2020 | Laos

    Young Believer Denied Medical Care

    [236] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for John.
    John (left) gave up medical treatment for his injured leg so he could continue to follow Christ.

    John became interested in Christianity through a friend who shared Christian music and videos with him. He came to faith in Christ after eventually finding a pastor in another village who explained the gospel to him. But about six months after professing his faith, his foster parents and others in his village began to complain, cursing him and treating him badly. Read More.

  • Feb. 27, 2020 | Nepal

    Finding Peace in Christ

    [333] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Grishma.
    Grishma was kicked out of her home as a teenager when she decided to follow Christ.

    Grishma came to faith in Christ in 2016 after some teenage friends invited her to church. She had never known who her father was, and her stepfather abused her. When he learned that she had become a Christian, he beat her and threatened to stop paying her school fees. Read More.

  • Feb. 27, 2020 | Malawi

    Yao Believers Gather for Worship and Encouragement

    [224] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Yao Believers.
    New believers from the Yao people groups met together for fellowship and encouragement.

    About 750 Christians from the Yao people group gathered recently for fellowship, worship, prayer and mutual encouragement. The Yao believers, who are spread across three different countries, had never gathered for worship in such a large group. Read More.

  • Feb. 27, 2020 | Iran

    A Great Harvest Waiting in Iran

    [235] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Christian Workers.
    New believers must be secretly baptized, like this man was in a shower.

    Though Iranians have faced political and economic crises in recent months, Christian workers report that they are more open to the gospel than before. Read More.