• May. 15, 2025 | Kenya

    Rejected Convert Encouraged by Christian Fellowship

    [135] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Hussein.
    Hussein has been rejected by his family because of his faith in Christ.

    Hussein finds strength in community with other Christians after familial rejection for his faith. Hussein came to faith in Christ 20 years ago after experiencing him in a dream and was soon baptized. Since then, Hussein has faced opposition for his Christian faith. He was kicked out of his village, his property was taken from him and his wife left him. He has also been ridiculed by his family and isolated from his children, all of which negatively impacted Hussein's wellbeing. "The rejection and discrimination Hussein went through resulted in some level of trauma and depression in his life," his pastor said. Read More.

  • May. 15, 2025 | Pakistan

    Christian Survives Knife Attack

    [110] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Waqas.
    Waqas has had two throat surgeries and remains hospitalized.

    Waqas, a Christian who worked at a paper factory, was attacked at work for refusing to reject Christ. When a Muslim supervisor asked him to renounce his faith and embrace Islam as the "true religion," Waqas responded, "I do not need to change my religion. I have the living God." Waqas was told that if he converted, his life would be easier, but his mother encouraged him to stand firm. "You have Jesus, who is the truth and the life. Therefore, do not worry and just focus on your work," she said. Read More.

  • May. 15, 2025 | Middle East

    Locked in a Tomb for Turning to Christ

    [105] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Wahid.
    A Middle Eastern family used a mausoleum to torture a living family member.

    Wahid was persecuted by his family to the point of mental instability but still seeks Christ. A former Muslim, Wahid had a cousin who became a follower of Christ and shared the gospel with him. On hearing the gospel explained, Wahid became convinced of its truth and placed his trust in Christ. But when Wahid's family discovered his conversion, they locked him inside an unused tomb, causing him to lose his sanity. When he emerged, they forced him to deny Christ, which he did and afterwards fell into a coma-like state. Read More.

  • May. 08, 2025 | Benin

    Young Christian Rejects Voodoo Ritual

    [171] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Michelle.
    Voodooists on parade in Benin.

    When Michelle, a college student, refused to participate in a voodoo ritual, her family abused and rejected her. On March 18, 2025, Michelle was at church when her mother and sister came in and urged her to come home. Not knowing what they wanted, Michelle left with them and went home to find her father performing an occultic ritual with a voodoo leader. The leader held a blade, covered with an allegedly magic powder to drive away a spirit of death, that he wanted to cut her with. Read More.

  • May. 08, 2025 | Laos

    Bold Witness Undeterred by Opposition

    [114] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for TuYang.
    TuYang and his wife host a house church of nine families that he led to Christ.

    TuYang, a 32-year-old tribal Christian in Laos, remains firm in his faith despite persecution from his family and village. When his older brother, a police officer, found out that TuYang and his wife had come to faith in Christ in 2021, he became angry and began a campaign of persecution. He encouraged his extended family and the village to cut off TuYang, his wife and their children. Even so, TuYang and his wife have brought nine families to Christ. Read More.

  • May. 08, 2025 | Turkmenistan

    Front-Line Workers Serve Amid Many Risks

    [109] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Batyr.
    Christians in Turkmenistan, famous for its white buildings, face harassment and pressure.

    Batyr is a house church leader who regularly faces persecution as he travels throughout Turkmenistan to train and encourage leaders and their small congregations. He has been followed by police, harassed, and detained several times. Government officials recently held him overnight, and guards prohibited him from answering his phone as his worried wife called repeatedly over several hours. After that incident, Batyr met with another front-line worker and shared his stress and the struggles he faces as a ministry leader with a young family. Read More.

  • May. 01, 2025 | Kenya

    Recent Fellowship Highlights Need for Christian Community

    [130] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Christian workers.
    A local pastor encouraged a group of Christian workers with God's Word at a recent fellowship gathering.

    When a group of Christian leaders gathered for fellowship, they realized its necessity and importance. The gathering was facilitated by a local pastor, one of only two full-time pastors in the region, and composed of 13 lay leaders. Front-line workers reported that the gathering highlighted the need for more opportunities to fellowship with other Christian workers in this region of Kenya, which is dominated by Islam. "The gratitude of the teachers ... after the fellowship evidenced how they critically needed such fellowships and encouragements regularly," a front-line worker said. Read More.

  • May. 01, 2025 | Mauritania

    Mob Desecrates Body, Threatens Christians

    [122] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Christians in Mauritania.
    Though conversion can carry a death sentence, nearly all Mauritanian Christians are former Muslims.

    Christians in the town of Selibaby fear for their safety after threats made on social media resulted in a mob attack and desecration of a grave. The social media posts called local Christians infidels and apostates and urged action against them. On April 7, an angry mob entered a cemetery where a Christian man had recently been buried, destroyed his tombstone and exhumed his body. They then dragged his body through the streets to a village over 10 miles away to rebury it. Read More.

  • May. 01, 2025 | South Asia

    Imprisoned for a Powerful Purpose

    [120] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Pastor Gul.
    The families of imprisoned Christians in India often endure social and financial pressure as their loved ones are in jail.

    Pastor Gul was arrested and sentenced to six years in prison for the activity of his Christian faith. His elderly parents, brother and sisters continue to gather for worship with other Christians in their small, rented home, although the constant judgment and scrutiny from the community have created an atmosphere of anxiety and distress for them. They expressed both deep pain and joy that Gul "had been chosen by God to bear his name and bring hope and the gospel to inmates." In a recent visit, Gul reminded his father of the story of Joseph. Read More.

  • Apr. 24, 2025 | Central African Republic

    Christian Mother Abducted, Others Killed by Islamists

    [180] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Emil's wife.
    Radical Muslims are demanding a huge ransom to return Emil's wife.

    On Feb. 13, 2025, Islamists abducted a Christian mother of five as she worked in her family's cropland in Bocaranga, in the northwestern region of the Central African Republic. "That day I didn't go to the garden. I stayed at home," said her husband, Emil. "While she was in the garden, she was caught by them and kidnapped." The kidnappers have called Emil and demanded an exorbitant ransom for her return. "I don't have any solution, so I cry out to the Lord for help in this situation. Read More.

  • Apr. 24, 2025 | Pakistan

    Violence Increasing Against Christians

    [125] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Pakistani Christians.
    A Pakistani church attacked and burned by radical Muslims in 2023.

    Front-line workers in Pakistan report that the level of brutality against Christians in the country has been increasing in recent months. "In my 65 years, I have never seen these kinds of things in Pakistan," said one worker. On March 24, 2025, a Muslim in the Punjab province attacked a Christian coworker with a paper cutter, slashing his throat. The Christian barely survived and is currently unable to speak. On March 27, 2025, a Christian couple was stopped in the Faisalabad district and robbed at gunpoint by two masked men. Read More.

  • Apr. 24, 2025 | Laos

    Shunned Christian Widow Embraces Hope

    [128] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for YeanFin.
    YeanFin led her four children to Christ, even when she knew it would cost her financial support from her family.

    YeanFin is persevering in faith despite total rejection from her family and community. In 2015, YeanFin became a Christian and led her four children to Christ. Already a widow at that time, she was dependent on her extended family as she raised her children alone. Her relatives and the officials of her Laotian village were at first curious about her decision but then threatened her to return to the worship of their ancestral spirits. They said they would not help her if she persisted in following what they saw as a foreign religion: "You should choose us, not choose God!" Read More.

  • Apr. 17, 2025 | Burkina Faso

    A Solemn Baptism

    [184] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for young Christians.
    Burkinabe Christians who publicly profess their faith through baptism face real danger.

    On Saturday, March 8, eight young Christians were baptized. The ceremony took place in a village in the southwestern part of the country where Muslim terrorists from neighboring Mali sometimes attack and kill followers of Christ. "These baptisms are different than most I have attended as they are quite solemn," said a front-line worker. "Once these individuals are baptized, they are targeted and are likely to be beaten or even killed for their faith in Jesus Christ." Read More.

  • Apr. 17, 2025 | Iran

    Pastors Rearrested, One Suffers Stroke

    [144] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Iranian pastors.
    Pastor Nasser (left) and Pastor Joseph (right). (Source: Article 18)

    Iranian pastors Nasser Navard Gol-Tapath, age 63, and Joseph Shahbazian, age 61, were rearrested in their homes on Feb. 6, 2025, and taken to Evin Prison. No reason for their arrests was given. Pastor Nasser immediately began a hunger strike in protest but suffered a debilitating stroke on March 17. While he reportedly has received some medical treatment, he remains behind bars. Pastor Nasser had previously served nearly 5 years in the same prison on a 10-year sentence on charges of "action against national security" for leading house churches. Read More.

  • Apr. 17, 2025 | Korea, North

    Ministry Training Evolves to Reach New Students

    [126] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for ministry students.
    North Korean ministry students practice Bible translation as part of their training and discipleship.

    Front-line workers and students in a discipleship training program for North Korean defectors are continually adapting their ministry to encourage the participation of more students in different regions of South Korea. At the beginning of 2025, 42 North Koreans enrolled in a new regionally based program. Pray that, during recruitment trips, the Lord will send new North Korean defectors who have a heart for gospel ministry to be trained in discipleship techniques that have been effective. Read More.

  • Apr. 10, 2025 | Indonesia

    Continued Healing for Bombing Survivor

    [182] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Fenny.
    Fenny underwent many procedures to regain use of her arms and hands.

    Fenny's life was forever changed after a May 2018 church bombing in Surabaya, Indonesia, but she continues to heal spiritually and physically. She shared how, through the recovery process, the Lord gave her purpose and helped her understand her worth in God's eyes. She has undergone years of medical treatment and is making much progress. Read More.

  • Apr. 10, 2025 | Kenya

    Elder Evangelist Still "Longs to Go for Outreach"

    [132] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Ibrahim.
    Ibrahim has been a bold witness for Christ among Somalis for more than 50 years.

    Even though Ibrahim came to faith in Christ more than 50 years ago, he has lost none of his zeal for ministry. He has been a passionate evangelist, sharing the gospel among ethnic Somalis and planting more than 20 churches. His ministry work has come at great cost, however, as most Somalis believe that to be Somali is to be Muslim. Therefore, those who faithfully serve Christ or convert from Islam in Somali communities face severe persecution. Still, Ibrahim has been a bold witness for Christ among Somalis despite risks. Read More.

  • Apr. 10, 2025 | Algeria

    Christians Face Opposition on Multiple Fronts

    [125] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Algerian Christians.
    The Algerian government has closed many churches across the country.

    The Algerian Christian community has struggled in multiple ways since the government forced numerous churches across the country to close in 2017. While some Algerian followers of Christ have faced governmental pressures, others, especially those who have left Islam to follow Christ, are dealing with opposition from their own families. Malak is an Algerian Christian who is currently facing both pressures. Read More.

  • Apr. 03, 2025 | Togo

    Pastors Targeted by Islamists

    [181] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for pastors in Togo.
    Pastor Kokouvi is one of many who serve in dangerous parts of Togo.

    Several pastors in the north of Togo have been persecuted by Islamists, who sometimes cross over from neighboring countries to attack Christians. In April 2024, Islamists attacked a village where Pastor Gbendja Félidja was serving, killing five people. He fled at that time, but he returned during the summer. On Feb. 7, 2025, armed militants came to his house and shot and stabbed him to death. He left behind seven married adult children. In the same region of Togo, Pastor Patrice Kokouvi continues to minister despite ongoing threats for sharing the gospel with Muslims. Read More.

  • Apr. 03, 2025 | Arabian Peninsula

    Christian Sisters Escape Family, Fear Forced Return

    [144] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Noor and Rana.
    Women face harsh restrictions in some Muslim-majority nations.

    Two sisters were imprisoned by their family for their faith and now seek safety in another country. Noor and Rana grew up in a Muslim home but did not like the way they and other women were treated. They searched the internet for information on different faiths and eventually met some Christians online. Through the Christians' friendship and witness, the two sisters became followers of Christ. But when their family discovered their new faith, they locked the sisters inside and physically abused them for 13 months. Read More.

  • Apr. 03, 2025 | Laos

    Village Head Refuses to Register Christian Families

    [130] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Vat and family.
    Vat and his family cannot get their family registration book because of their faith in Christ.

    A Christian family's registration book is being withheld because of their faith. Vat was born and registered in a village in northern Laos, but as a young man he left for the southern part of the country to work at a coffee farm. While there, he married and also heard the gospel, and he and his family came to faith in Jesus Christ. In Jan. 2024, he returned to his home village. However, after learning that Vat and his family were Christians, the head of the village refused to renew their registration book - a document with vital records such as ID, travel and work permits, marriage and birth records, educational records, and residence permits. Read More.

  • Mar. 27, 2025 | Central Asia

    Young Christian Pressured by Family

    [185] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Yasmina.
    Yasmina left Islam to follow Christ.

    Yasmina, a former Muslim, faces pressure from her family after placing her faith in Christ. When Yasmina and her husband first became followers of Christ, they stopped praying in the Islamic manner. Their Muslim family pressured the young couple to recant, even taking legal measures to try to annul their marriage. After several days of severe pressure, Yasmina's husband yielded and reverted to Islam, but Yasmina remained firm. Read More.

  • Mar. 27, 2025 | Middle East

    Christian Daughter Miraculously Escapes

    [153] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Sarah.
    Christian converts from Islam sometimes face death threats from their own families.

    Sarah's father imprisoned her for her faith, yet she was rescued. She became a follower of Christ after Christians invited her to church. When her Muslim father discovered her new faith, he locked her within his guarded compound and confiscated her phone. For 10 days, he asked her to return to Islam; she refused. Then he threatened to marry her to a Muslim man, saying her husband could then kill her. "Let your God save you from me," he taunted. Sarah prayed to God, "Where are you? You said you would be with me, but I am here. What am I supposed to do?" Read More.

  • Mar. 27, 2025 | Indonesia

    Obstacles Used to Suppress Gospel Advance

    [130] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Indonesia.
    The cost of Christian burials in Indonesia have kept some interested Muslims from converting to Christianity. Muslims do not pay burial fees.

    In a Muslim-dominated area of Indonesia, several different obstacles cause Muslims to hesitate placing their faith in Christ. Prohibitions against Christian burial in common cemeteries and exorbitant fees for Christian burial in approved locations remain a stumbling block for many who have expressed genuine interest in converting to Christianity. The cost of burial in an approved Christian plot can cost up to a few months' wages, whereas Muslims can be buried for free on any private land. Read More.

  • Mar. 20, 2025 | Lebanon

    Persecuted Christian Concerned for Cousin

    [168] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Salim and cousin.
    Christian converts from Islam sometimes flee to other nations to escape extreme persecution.

    Salim, a believer, shared the gospel with a cousin who now faces severe persecution. When Salim became a Christian, his wealthy family took away his job, and a few relatives tried to kill him. Those relatives even followed him to another country, hoping to harm him. But Salim's faith grew stronger, and he shared it with other family members, including an older relative. At one point that relative became sick and asked Salim, "Why doesn't your God heal?" Read More.

  • Mar. 20, 2025 | Bangladesh

    Church Threatened by Large Mobs for Ongoing Ministry

    [119] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Christians in Bangladesh.
    This social media post about "some vile people… who have embraced Christianity for the sake of money" exposed 10 Christian families and prompted a backlash from 12 nearby mosques.

    After a secret Christmas program at Saiful's house church in late December 2024, someone obtained photos and exposed the church on social media, prompting outrage against Saiful and the church from several nearby mosques. Within hours, the situation escalated until a large Muslim crowd marched to the church, threatening violence. Police intervened to stop the procession, but the leaders of the rally vowed to return with more people to burn Saiful's house. Local authorities have granted permission for the Christians to continue meeting, but Saiful has been warned to take safety precautions. Read More.

  • Mar. 20, 2025 | Indonesia

    Safe Houses Bless Muslim-Background Believers

    [123] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Safe Houses.
    "Blessing houses" provide shelter, fellowship, discipleship and training for Muslim-background Christians.

    A Christian ministry in Indonesia runs four "blessing houses" that serve as temporary safe houses for Christian converts from Islam who are from one of Indonesia's largest minority groups. These houses also serve as places of worship, discipleship and skill development centers for persecuted Christians. A front-line worker there said that every week she experiences "small-scale persecution" in the community. Read More.

  • Mar. 13, 2025 | Afghanistan

    Young Afghan Christian Forcibly Married

    [217] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Mina.
    Despite restrictions, some Afghans are still accessing online Christian resources.

    Mina, an Afghan Christian, was forced by her father to marry an abusive Muslim man because of her faith. The twenty-year-old became a follower of Christ after meeting some Christians online, and through her online community, she continued to grow in her faith. One day a neighbor overheard her worshiping God through an open window. The neighbor informed Mina's father, and he beat her severely. He then forced her to marry an older Muslim man. Read More.

  • Mar. 13, 2025 | Laos

    Literature Distribution Leads to Backlash Against Church

    [127] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Lao church and pastor.
    A local Lao church was blamed for the illegal distribution of Bibles and Christian literature in schools.

    A pastor in Laos was arrested and accused of distributing Christian materials to local schools. In a part of northern Laos where Christians have faced harsh persecution, a church received a call from the district chief of police on Dec. 18, 2024. Two government primary schools had mysteriously received Bibles and pamphlets about salvation in Christ, enough for each student to have one. The police believed the members of this church were responsible for the distribution, which was illegal, but the pastor insisted that he had never even seen the pamphlet before. Read More.

  • Mar. 13, 2025 | Ethiopia

    Christian Convert Rejected by Family

    [129] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Momina and Mohammed.
    Momina and Mohammed

    When Momina's family rejected her because of her faith, the body of Christ took her in. After the death of her husband, Momina was the sole provider for their young son, Mohammed. She met two Christian women who shared the gospel with her, and through their persistent witness, she came to faith in Christ. Soon after, the Muslim woman whom Momina lived with kicked her out of the house; her Muslim family members tried to kidnap Mohammed; and they refused to help Momina when she was hospitalized for a serious illness in 2024. Read More.

  • Mar. 06, 2025 | India

    Pastor in "Land of Gods" Delivered by the Living God

    [176] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Hira.
    Himachal Pradesh is known as Dev Bhoomi, or Land of the Gods. Many Hindu devotees come here on pilgrimage.

    A pastor named Hira Singh has used notoriety from being persecuted to share the gospel with even more people. In 2000, Hira Singh, who was formerly from a high-caste Hindu background, came to faith in Christ in Himachal Pradesh. This region is a North Indian state known as Dev Bhoomi (Land of Gods) and a prominent Hindu pilgrimage destination. In the early years of his Christian faith, Hira faced opposition from his family and community. Read More.

  • Mar. 06, 2025 | Turkey

    Beaten Bible Distributor Needs Surgery

    [155] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Faraj.
    Handing out Bibles, or leaving them to be found, is dangerous in Iran.

    A believer named Faraj has needed multiple surgeries after severe persecution. Faraj would carefully place Bibles on empty bus seats in Iran, praying people would find them, read them and come to know Jesus like he did. Eventually, Iranian authorities discovered his clandestine Bible distribution program and arrested him. His jailers tortured him, knocking out numerous teeth and breaking his back. When they stopped their abuse, Faraj fled to Turkiye, where the body of Christ helped provide for replacement teeth and two back surgeries. Read More.

  • Mar. 06, 2025 | Ethiopia

    Bold Witness Murdered by Militants

    [140] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Melke and family.
    Melke (right) and Yeshi (left) both lost their husbands in an attack by militants.

    Kitessa was a dedicated church leader murdered by armed militants, leaving behind his wife, Melke, and five children. Because of his passionate evangelism, Kitessa was warned he would be killed if he did not stop preaching the gospel. Still, he remained committed to sharing the gospel and leading a church in his community. On Aug. 25, 2024, Kitessa was returning home after preaching a Sunday service when armed militants opened fire on him. Kitessa's wife, Melke, was within earshot of the gunfire and quickly tried to reach her husband by phone. Read More.

  • Feb. 27, 2025 | Cameroon

    Bibles Bring Freedom to New Believers

    [167] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Christians in Cameroon.
    Violent attacks by Boko Haram militants are common in northern Cameroon.

    Northern Cameroon is a dangerous place for Christians, but that hasn't stopped gospel workers from working to advance God's kingdom in the region. The Islamist group Boko Haram regularly attacks Christians, and followers of ethnic animistic religions also persecute family members who become followers of Christ. One pastor is helping a widow whose husband was murdered by his own Muslim father after he became a Christian. The pastor said Bibles, especially audio Bibles, are needed for that area to help bring freedom to those enslaved to false ideologies. Read More.

  • Feb. 27, 2025 | Bangladesh

    Persecution Spurs Muslim Family to Support Christian Brother

    [135] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Arif.
    Some Muslims in Bangladesh have become disillusioned with Islam because of extremist violence.

    Like many Bangladeshi Christians in the months since the August 2024 overthrow of the government, Arif has faced increased pressure from Muslim extremist groups because of his faith in Christ. Witnessing this, Arif's brothers, who are still Muslim, have declared their support for him and their opposition to the Muslim clerics who have harassed Arif. Pray for Arif to stand firm in the truth of 2 Corinthians 4:17–18, verses he shared with front-line workers: "For this light momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen." Read More.

  • Feb. 27, 2025 | Iran

    Church Leader Targeted by Government

    [141] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Iranian Christians.
    Iran's government seeks to stop the growth of the church among Iranian women and men.

    Authorities sentenced a man involved in evangelism to 10 years in prison for his Christian activities. The government also confiscated his family's possessions and revoked his wife's right to work, even though she has their small children to care for. Her own family has also rejected her, but the global body of Christ is standing with her. Read More.

  • Feb. 20, 2025 | Afghanistan

    Christian Convert in Hiding After Husband's Murder

    [223] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Asmaan.
    Afghan women, especially those who follow Christ, face great danger if they offend relatives.

    Asmaan is in hiding with her children after her husband was murdered. She and her family had fled Afghanistan when the Taliban took over the country. While displaced in another country, they met some Christians and became followers of Christ. But when Asmaan's brother-in-law learned his brother had rejected Islam, he poisoned him, leaving Asmaan a widow with several young children to raise. Without her husband, Asmaan lost the ability to pay her rent and was evicted from her home. Read More.

  • Feb. 20, 2025 | Laos

    Prayers for New Bible Answered

    [139] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Vanh.
    Vanh received a new Bible after her first one was stolen from her hut.

    A Laotian woman received a new Bible after hers was stolen. When Vanh became a believer in Christ, her husband divorced her and drove her and their children out of the house. With help from the global body of Christ, they were able to build a hut to live in. Their situation improved, but Vanh continued to face harassment from others in the community. On Dec. 2, 2024, while she was out working her fields, someone entered her hut and took her most prized possession - her Bible. Read More.

  • Feb. 20, 2025 | Middle East

    Former Jihadi Now Serves Jesus

    [149] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Brother Yazan.
    Some Muslims have questioned their faith because of the destructive battles between Syrian Islamist groups.

    Brother Yazan, once a jihadi, now serves Christ despite persecution. He served as a jihadi fighter with al-Qaida in Syria, then joined the al-Nusra Front, an Islamist group fighting a civil war against the Syrian government. At one point during the war, the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) began fighting against al-Nusra Front, upsetting Yazan. "How could two Muslim groups want to kill each other?" he thought. He soon ceased to be a jihadi soldier. Read More.

  • Feb. 13, 2025 | Cameroon

    Christian Convert Rescued from Captivity

    [167] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Mahamat.
    Mahamat hopes to live in a place of safety where he can grow in his faith.

    Mahamat, a young Christian living in northern Cameroon, was imprisoned by his parents but later rescued. Mahamat was studying to become a teacher of the Quran when he rejected Islam and turned to Christ. On Jan. 3, 2025, his parents learned of Mahamat's new faith and tried to convince him to recant. When that failed, they locked him inside a house. They also summoned Islamic clerics to persuade him to return to Islam. But when a relative who had also become a follower of Christ learned what was happening, she rescued Mahamat, who had been held captive for about a week. Read More.

  • Feb. 13, 2025 | Djibouti

    Rejected by Family, Resolute in Faith

    [136] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Moussa and Safia.
    Moussa and his wife, Safia.

    A Muslim man was disowned by his family for placing his faith in Christ after his daughter's miraculous healing. Moussa, 65, was a devout Muslim until around five years ago when his daughter began experiencing severe abdominal pain. After seeking the aid of imams and local physicians without success, Moussa prayed to Christ for his daughter's healing. His wife, Safia, had been a follower of Christ for more than three decades, consistently praying for her husband's salvation. At one point, Moussa had even kicked her out of their home because of her Christian faith. Read More.

  • Feb. 13, 2025 | India

    Former Imam in Danger After Known as Christian

    [139] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Farooq.
    Farooq faces danger and an uncertain future because of his faith in Christ.

    Farooq, a former imam, is in hiding after his Christian faith was made public. For several years since his conversion to the Christian faith, Farooq has continued his teaching role in a majority-Muslim region of northern India, taking every opportunity to point his students to the Bible. When Farooq was exposed as a Christian, however, he was beaten severely and forced into hiding. Pray for Farooq and his family to find refuge and encouragement; for the safety of other Christians who have been in fellowship and ministry partnership with Farooq; and for the many students Farooq has influenced. Read More.

  • Feb. 06, 2025 | Benin

    Standing Firm After Her Husband's Murder

    [220] prayers in [18] nations have been posted for Victorie and family.
    Victorie lost everything she owned but remains faithful to Christ.

    Victorie and her husband had become followers of Christ, but their families and most of the people in their village follow traditional Voodoo practices. Victorie's in-laws were not happy that the young couple had become Christians. They threatened them and tried to scare them into converting back to pagan beliefs. "We would see blood around the house," Victorie said. One day her husband's parents threatened her. "They told me, ‘If anything happens to our son, it is your fault.'" As Victorie and her husband were returning home from a visit to his family one night, he suddenly collapsed and died shortly afterwards. Read More.

  • Feb. 06, 2025 | Bangladesh

    Pastor's Mob-Wrecked Home Cultivates Christian Unity

    [150] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Pastor Dulal.
    Christians in Bangladesh have experienced greater unity in the face of increasing persecution.

    Pastor Dulal had received threats because of his Christian witness in his village. But when political upheaval in the summer of 2024 left the area without police or army protection, Muslim extremists took the opportunity to fulfill those threats. Attackers destroyed his home, gouging large holes in the walls and ripping out windows and doors while carrying away anything of value. Dulal said he was thankful that he and his family were not home at the time because he believes the attackers would have killed them. Read More.

  • Feb. 06, 2025 | Vietnam

    Imprisoned Pastor Dies in Custody

    [148] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Xa and family.
    Xa was overcome with emotion while sharing about her husband's death.

    Pastor Diem and his wife, Xa, lived in a majority-Christian community, so they did not face persecution locally. When Diem would travel beyond the village for ministry, however, he was always under scrutiny. On Jan. 5, 2018, police and security officials surrounded the couple's house and announced Diem's arrest on suspicion of anti-government activities. Months of secret court proceedings ended with a 16-year prison sentence for Diem. On Dec. 14, 2022, Diem was permitted to call home and wish his family a merry Christmas. It was the last time Xa heard his voice. Read More.

  • Jan. 30, 2025 | India

    Hindu Father Charges Christian Son with Illegal Conversion

    [184] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Chhater Singh.
    Indian pastors and church planters are under severe pressure due to anti-conversion laws intended to curtail Christian activities.

    Chhatar Singh, a schoolteacher in India, placed his faith in Christ in 2002 and has planted churches in seven villages. In 2010, when his mother died, he refused Hindu funeral rituals for her, which turned his father against him. On Jan. 27, 2021, the police arrested Singh and three other Christians on false charges of forced conversion. They spent a month in jail; consequently, Singh was suspended from his school. In July 2024, after Singh's father cut off his inheritance, he filed a criminal complaint against Singh of trying to convert him to Christianity. Read More.

  • Jan. 30, 2025 | Middle East

    Woman Abused After Coming to Faith in Christ

    [172] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Basma.
    A woman who was abused for turning away from Islam worries she might be returned to her abusers.

    Basma, who comes from a fervent Muslim family, placed her faith in Christ in 2018. As a result, her husband and brother began to abuse her violently. Eventually, Basma escaped from her family and took her two teenage children, who had also become Christians, with her. Basma said that if her brother and husband find her, they will surely kill her. Basma requests prayer for her son, who feels he cannot trust anyone, and for her daughter, because they live in constant fear that someone will turn them in. Read More.

  • Jan. 30, 2025 | Yemen

    Yemeni Christians Pray for Safety

    [150] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Yemeni Christians.
    Yemeni youth who turn to Christ need security and training.

    Amid regional instability, bombs regularly fall in some parts of Yemen, creating a dangerous environment for Christian brothers and sisters. "The situation is not stable for anyone in Yemen," said a front-line worker. "The electricity goes out, and one Christian community heard bombs exploding during a church service." Despite this situation, the worker said the church in Yemen is growing. "Fifteen years ago, it was a dream to find any believers," he said. Read More.

  • Jan. 23, 2025 | Bangladesh

    Family Loses Everything in Attack on Home

    [194] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Monoara and her family.
    Attacks against Christians in Bangladesh are on the rise in the wake of political upheaval.

    When protests forced the resignation of the prime minister in August 2024, Islamist groups took advantage of the lack of police presence across the country to attack the Christian minority. Attackers have looted and destroyed churches and targeted Christians' homes. Monoara, 75; her daughter, Salma, and her granddaughter, 14, were among those who were attacked. On Aug. 5, they escaped from their home and watched from the nearby jungle as their belongings were carried away or destroyed by an extremist mob. "I thought that was my last day," Monoara recalled. Read More.

  • Jan. 23, 2025 | Lebanon

    God at Work in War Zones

    [154] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Halim and Salim.
    Smoke rises from a recent bombing in southern Lebanon.

    Halim is a Muslim-background believer who fled to Lebanon from a neighboring country when his family tried to kill him. After arriving in the war-torn country, he decided to visit a local hospital amid ongoing attacks. "I was able to pray for five people and seek the Lord for them," he said. "And I had a wonderful conversation with a young Palestinian man. I shared with him how Jesus can give peace and comfort." Another former Muslim, Salim, came to know Christ and has been persecuted in his Shiite town in the Beqaa Valley. Read More.

  • Jan. 23, 2025 | Indonesia

    Pastor Imprisoned for Online Testimony

    [143] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Indonesian Christians.
    Muhammad Kace remains behind bars for allegedly violating Indonesia's anti-blasphemy laws.

    Pak Aman, a Sundanese Christian from a Muslim background, leads a small church and faithfully evangelizes in his community. He was arrested and held in police custody after appearing on the YouTube channel of another Muslim-background believer in Christ. He was accused of violating Indonesia's blasphemy law. Aman said he originally anticipated that he would serve several years in prison due to the outcomes of other blasphemy cases, but the courts ruled in favor of Aman, and he was released from police detention after nine months. Read More.

  • Jan. 16, 2025 | Benin

    Evangelist Dies in Traffic Accident

    [192] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for the family of Pastor Tchando.
    Pastor Tchando, his wife and two of their children.

    Pastor Mathieu Tchando, along with 13 others, was leaving a Christian conference in Nigeria on November 1, 2024 when a large truck hit their minibus. The group was outside of Lagos when the truck hit three vehicles. One person was killed at the accident site, and three others were seriously injured. Pastor Tchando suffered a brain injury that left him comatose; another minister was hospitalized with broken ribs, and doctors were concerned about internal bleeding; and the third was in stable condition. Read More.

  • Jan. 16, 2025 | Middle East

    Christian Fears Being Sent to Eritrea

    [147] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Ishaq.
    Maintaining residency status can be difficult for Christians who move to Arab nations.

    Ishaq is active in evangelism and Bible distribution in the Arab nation where he was born, but his future there is tenuous. Ishaq was permitted to be in the country while his Eritrean father, who had lived and worked there for decades, maintained his official work status. But when Ishaq's father died during the coronavirus pandemic, Ishaq's residency visa expired, and he has been unable to renew it. Ishaq has not been arrested for his unofficial status but has been stopped by police numerous times. "If he were to be deported to Eritrea, where he has never lived, it could be very dangerous for him," said a front-line worker. Read More.

  • Jan. 16, 2025 | Vietnam

    Family Loses Benefits, Income for Not Recanting

    [148] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Gia and Dai.

    Gia and her husband, Dai, have been believers for 15 years. Because they chose biblical names for their children, getting birth certificates for them was difficult. Their daughter, Ruth, was diagnosed with a condition that has affected her neurological and physical development. There is a fund intended for children with Ruth's condition, and the family was called to a government office to receive these funds. After waiting there all day, however, they were presented with an ultimatum: Change Ruth's name and renounce their faith or leave without the funding. Read More.

  • Jan. 09, 2025 | Bhutan

    Authorities Raid Christian Youth Conference

    [198] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Christians in Bhutan.
    Young Christians in Bhutan have few avenues for ongoing discipleship.

    A Christian youth conference scheduled in Bhutan was disrupted when authorities raided the location and demanded that organizers show permits, which did not exist because Christian events are not allowed by the Buddhist government. Authorities then summoned the organizers for interrogation. The raid caused organizers of other youth events to change their plans as they wait to see the consequences. Read More.

  • Jan. 09, 2025 | Burkina Faso

    Ministry Helps Fulani Christians

    [132] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Fulani Christians.
    Pastors rejoice over new audio Bibles for Fulani followers of Christ.

    In recent years, militant Fulani Muslims have attacked and killed numbers of Christians, but some have also become followers of Christ. Fulani converts are often rejected by their families and struggle to find supportive communities. A ministry in Burkina Faso is helping Fulani Christian converts by providing a safe place where they can grow in their walk with the Lord and meet other Fulani followers of Christ. In a four-month period, the center hosted Saturday vacation Bible schools which 675 children attended. Read More.

  • Jan. 09, 2025 | Tajikistan

    Tajik Wife Abandons Christian Husband

    [151] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Nurbol.
    Most Tajiks are Sunni Muslims.

    A Tajik follower of Christ named Nurbol is requesting prayer after his wife suddenly abandoned him. She took their two young children and most of their possessions and fled while Nurbol was away. Both Nurbol and his wife grew up as Muslims, but Nurbol came to faith in Christ recently. A front-line worker says he has been very bold in sharing Christ with others and was fired from his job for his faith. His wife seemed interested in Christianity, but after she left him, she said, "You reject Jesus, and I will come back. But if you don't, I won't." He responded, "I am not leaving Christ." Read More.

  • Jan. 02, 2025 | Vietnam

    Former Prisoner for Christ Receives Medical Care

    [198] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Thang.
    Thang, shown with his wife, travels thousands of miles a year on his motorbike to serve churches in his region.

    Thang has been a follower of Christ for more than 35 years. His extended family rejected him when they learned of his conversion, and he spent almost 10 years in prison suffering forced labor, poor rations and regular beatings for his ongoing testimony about Christ. Thang is regularly harassed, and he has been blacklisted by the government. Read More.

  • Jan. 02, 2025 | Burkina Faso

    Christian Women Widowed by Islamists

    [163] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for widows and families.

    Alimata's husband, Yacouba, was the assistant pastor at a church in Kounla. On August 25, 2024, Islamic terrorists came to their house looking for Christian men. They forced Yacouba and another man, bound and blindfolded, into the church at gunpoint. As militants hunted more Christians, Alimata and other women fled with their children. As they ran, they heard gunshots. "I knew that they had killed my husband," Alimata said. While hiding, a woman named Fadima also heard the gunshots that killed her husband and 27 more men inside the church. "Please pray for me as I am in trauma," she said. Read More.

  • Jan. 02, 2025 | Turkey

    Armed Men Stopped from Entering Turkish Church

    [139] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Turkish Christians.
    Christians make up less than one percent of Turkiye's population and some churches have been attacked by extremist Muslims.

    On November 3, 2024, shortly after worship services and during the Sunday school hour at an Istanbul church, someone rang the bell. A member opened the door, and two unknown men asked to come inside. She told them it was not possible at the moment. Local police officers who were guarding the church then intervened and took the men away. The pastor had previously faced death threats, prompting police to watch the church. Read More.

  • Dec. 26, 2024 | India

    Front-Line Workers Breaking into Hindu Stronghold

    [176] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for front-line workers.
    Front-line workers joyfully open Village Outreach kits that contain study Bibles, flashlights, instruments, raincoats and other items to help and encourage them in their ministry.

    Ashok and his wife, Nila, have spent 25 years reaching out to the small and isolated community of Himachal Pradesh, India, which is overwhelmingly Hindu. Pastor Pravin, who was among the first Christians in this area, leads a rural church there. This church faces the daily challenge of reaching villages that are ruled by chiefs associated with Hindu nationalist groups, which oppose any kind of Christian activities in the village. Through personal evangelism and Bible study, however, they are seeing hearts change. Read More.

  • Dec. 26, 2024 | Indonesia

    Prayers Answered in Case of Imprisoned Evangelist

    [143] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Kace.
    Muhammad Kace

    Muhammad Kace is an evangelist in an Indonesian prison for charges of blaspheming Islam on his YouTube channel. Kace's lawyers succeeded in getting his 12-year sentence reduced to eight years and are appealing to further reduce the sentence. Despite suffering and being imprisoned for his faith, Kace has been supported by local pastors and by the global body of Christ, enabling his family to rent a home near the prison and providing Kace with essential medication and food during his imprisonment. In a video call with front-line workers, Kace praised God and shared about his ministry in prison to the guards and others he interacts with. Read More.

  • Dec. 26, 2024 | Cameroon

    Christian Converts Threatened

    [140] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Christian Converts.
    Motorcycles are the main mode of transport in rural parts of many African nations including Cameroon. When they are stolen it can cause severe hardships.

    Fadimatou, 18, grew up in a Muslim home. A college roommate shared the gospel with her, and she became a follower of Christ. Her grandfather, however, is upset about her conversion and has threatened to stop paying her tuition. If she must return home, Fadimatou fears she will be forced to marry a Muslim man. She requests prayer for protection and provision so she can continue her education. Another convert, Moussa, was born into a Muslim family in Cameroon to a father who had three wives and 26 children. When Moussa came to faith in Christ in 2020, some of his brothers blindfolded him and beat him. Read More.

  • Dec. 19, 2024 | Bangladesh

    Extremists Issue Christmas Warnings

    [186] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Christians in Bangladesh.
    Christian pastors have been warned against practicing their faith, especially when it involves leading Muslims to faith in Christ.

    Since a coup last summer that created chaos across Bangladesh and increased violence against Christians, an Islamic extremist group called Hefazat-e-Islam has been rising in power. Several Christian leaders from different parts of Bangladesh reported that they received threatening letters from Hefazat leaders, warning them that any celebration of Christmas this year "will be the last celebration they do in this life." Read More.

  • Dec. 19, 2024 | Benin

    Kicked Out Twice But Firm in Faith

    [151] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Ariane.
    Ariane has faced harsh persecution from her husband and people who practice witchcraft.

    Ariane visited several voodoo practitioners in her area, but no one could heal her of her intense stomach pain. Someone suggested she go to a Christian hospital in Togo. A nurse there urged her to give her life to Christ, and she became a Christian. She was then healed of her stomach pain. When she returned home, her voodooist husband rejected her and kicked her out of her home. Later, he threatened to kill her with a machete. But she regularly prayed for him, and he eventually let her return home. He even asked her to pray for some struggles he faced which she believed were brought on by witchcraft. Read More.

  • Dec. 19, 2024 | Syria

    Islamist Takeover Worries Local Christians

    [145] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Syrian Christians.
    Christians used make up around 10% of Syria's population, but many have fled in recent years due to war and persecution.

    On Sunday, December 1, 2024, the Syrian city of Aleppo was suddenly attacked and captured by Islamist militias. One week later, the rebel groups succeeded in taking over the capital city, Damascus, when the Syrian government and military collapsed and its leader, Bashar al-Assad, fled. The jihadist groups have been fighting the Syrian government for more than a decade, and Christians are concerned that they may soon become targets. "The situation is still unclear," said a front-line worker, who added that, so far, Christians and churches have not been specifically threatened, and some have even held services. Read More.

  • Dec. 12, 2024 | Pakistan

    Evangelist Remains Faithful After Brutal Treatment

    [209] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Pakistani evangelist.
    A remote, mountainous region of Pakistan.

    A Pakistani evangelist was arrested in a remote part of the country and tortured. "He returned to us today not just physically broken but mentally and emotionally scarred, bearing the burden of trauma that words can scarcely express," said a senior front-line worker. The evangelist had visited a remote part of Kashmir to meet someone who wanted to talk about Christ. But when the two sat down for tea, security officers suddenly appeared and rushed the evangelist to interrogation. Read More.

  • Dec. 12, 2024 | Vietnam

    Demolished Church Rebuilt in Faith

    [130] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Pastor Xuong and congregation.
    The new building, shown here under construction, now houses a vibrant ministry.

    The congregation led by Pastor Xuong outgrew their meeting space in a member's home and looked for an opportunity to build a church. One of the deacons offered his land, and members raised money for the new building. For a year after the building was completed, officials routinely threatened to tear it down. One night in September 2021, Pastor Xuong was called to the church, only to find the building completely destroyed. Though angry, disheartened and unsure how members would finance a new building, Pastor Xuong began searching for a new location. Read More.

  • Dec. 12, 2024 | Cameroon

    Specialized Care Helps Persecuted Youth

    [131] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for northern Cameroon.
    The violent Islamist group Boko Haram regularly attacks villages in northern Cameroon.

    Between April and July 2024, militants with the radical Islamist group Boko Haram attacked villages of the predominately Christian Hdi tribe in far northern Cameroon 11 different times. During their raids, the jihadis murdered villagers and abducted young people to serve as child soldiers or child brides. As many of the Hdi children who survived were traumatized, some of them received holistic spiritual care designed to help heal their emotional wounds. Afterward, one child told a front-line worker, "This is the first time this year that I have slept more than four hours uninterrupted. Read More.

  • Dec. 05, 2024 | Indonesia

    Brothers Minister to Minority People Group

    [165] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Joyo and Setiaban.
    Though Christian worship is not officially restricted in Indonesia, Christian activities outside the church are sometimes met with hostility.

    The Sundanese are one of the largest unreached minority groups in the world and have been resistant to the gospel. However, when three Muslim-background Sundanese brothers - Joyo, Setiaban and Wira - came to faith in Jesus Christ, they also became passionate evangelists. Their evangelistic success in their village eventually led to persecution. When the news of dozens of Christian conversions began to spread, one of the Islamic social organizations in Indonesia, Muhammadiyah, rallied members to stop the brothers and the spread of Christianity in their village. Read More.

  • Dec. 05, 2024 | Central Asia

    Christian Broadcaster in Hiding

    [137] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Central Asian Christian.
    Internet-based video broadcasts are helping Central Asian Christians bring Christ's teachings to their Muslim neighbors.

    Christians form a fraction of the population in the Muslim-majority nations of Central Asia, and followers of Christ in these lands often face severe restrictions on their worship and outreach activities. Broadcasting through the internet is a strategy some Central Asian Christians are employing to share the gospel message with their countrymen. However, utilizing digital media also comes with risk. One Central Asian Christian created a series of videos that directly challenge Islamic beliefs and uploaded them to YouTube. Soon, he received death threats from offended Muslims. "His videos are very confrontational," said a front-line worker. Read More.

  • Dec. 05, 2024 | Benin

    Abandoned by Her Family, Loved by Jesus

    [147] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Maelle.
    Maelle felt rejected by her family but loved by Christ.

    Maelle was only five years old when she was sent to a wealthier family's home to care for their infant child. While working there, Maelle attended church for the first time. Raised in a Muslim home, she placed her trust in Christ when she heard that "Jesus loves the little children." She said she felt that "Jesus loves [her] more than [her] family," who had abandoned her. Two years later, she was sent back to her family, but when they learned that she had come to know Christ, they were upset and prevented her from attending church. Read More.

  • Nov. 28, 2024 | Lebanon

    Front-Line Workers Face Danger in War Zones

    [169] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Christians in Lebanon.
    Christians in Lebanon are praying for peace and safety during this time of regional conflict.

    Christians compose 33% of Lebanon's population, the largest percentage of Christians in any Middle Eastern country, which has made Lebanon a place of refuge for many persecuted Christians from throughout the region. But the ongoing conflict in the region has created a dangerous environment for front-line workers there. "Bombing is happening on a daily basis in Lebanon," said one front-line worker. "And one happened very close to one of our workers as he went to meet with some persecution survivors." Read More.

  • Nov. 28, 2024 | Sri Lanka

    Building Restriction Threatens Sri Lankan Church

    [131] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Pastor Benedict.
    In Sri Lanka, the construction of church buildings is often met with local opposition.

    Pastor Benedict purchased land and in March 2023 began constructing a building for the church he had planted in the area. However, the chief monk of the local Buddhist temple opposed this work, which halted for a few months. When Benedict resumed construction in May 2023, the monk again opposed the work and informed the police, leading to the arrest of Benedict and six other Christians. They spent four days in jail, where they began a prison ministry. Read More.

  • Nov. 28, 2024 | Burkina Faso

    Christians Killed During Church Services

    [141] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Burkinabe Christians.
    This Burkinabe woman's husband, a pastor, was murdered by Islamic militants in 2023.

    On August 25, 2024, Islamic extremists killed 28 Christians and injured several others after opening fire on a Sunday night church service. Some who fled the attack are still missing. Later in the same week, extremists attacked an area outside the town of Kaya and killed at least 400 people. Then, during the last week of September, Islamists attacked a church located near the border of Burkina Faso and Niger. Read More.

  • Nov. 21, 2024 | Vietnam

    Christian Family Loses Home to Arson

    [187] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Cai and Hien.
    Hien (second from right) and Cai (far right) pray with other persecuted tribal Christians.

    Cai and Hien, whose story was published in the October 2024 issue of The Voice of the Martyrs magazine, have endured several years of persecution since placing their faith in Jesus in 2021. The persecution includes imprisonment, shunning by their community, denial of public services like electricity and water, and refusal to admit their children to school. In the early morning of November 5, 2024, after continuous threats, Cai and Hien's house was set aflame, destroying their home and all their possessions. Read More.

  • Nov. 21, 2024 | Kazakhstan

    Woman Forgives Attacker After Being Beaten

    [134] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Samal.
    While 15 percent of Kazakhs are Christian, those outside of the Russian Orthodox Church are often harassed by the government officials or relatives.

    Samal suffered a head wound and impaired movement in one arm after her drunken relative, Arman, attacked her with a shovel. Kazakh police arrested Arman and said he could face seven years in prison for the assault. While meeting with police, Samal, a new Christian, said she experienced an angelic vision during which she was encouraged to forgive Arman. Though she initially resisted, Samal eventually forgave her relative. When she did, her pain vanished, and her arm was healed. Read More.

  • Nov. 21, 2024 | Benin

    Voodooist Threatens Church

    [150] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for the church in Benin.
    A voodoo practitioner has built this occult alter across the street from a church.

    A voodoo practitioner in Benin built an altar directly across the street from a church. He regularly kills animals and places occult items he believes are infused with mystical powers on the altar, often on Sunday mornings. He also puts voodoo powder on the church's steps, hoping to scare church members away, and plays music at a high volume on Sunday mornings to disrupt church services. In response, the church bought a sound system to drown out the music. Read More.

  • Nov. 14, 2024 | India

    Jail Time Provides Fruitful Ministry

    [170] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Kashvi.
    Anti-conversion laws have not stopped Christians in India from sharing the gospel.

    When Kashvi was visiting her Hindu sister-in-law in the hospital, sharing the gospel and praying with her, another person in the hospital heard her and called the police. Kashvi was arrested under state anti-conversion laws and spent three days in jail. While in jail, she said, she had no fear or worry. She had an opportunity to minister to a girl who had been in prison for two years. Many of the Hindu prisoners and some of the police officials also asked her to pray for them, and she was able to share the gospel with the police superintendent, who had asked her to pray for him after noticing her character and honesty. Read More.

  • Nov. 14, 2024 | Afghanistan

    Christian Fears Being Returned to the Taliban

    [132] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Fazal.
    Roughly 1.6 million Afghans fled to neighboring countries after the Taliban took control in 2021.

    Fazal, a displaced Afghan Christian, was recently arrested in Central Asia for his Christian activities. Police eventually released him after he paid a significant fine. Front-line workers say Fazal has been very active in sharing his faith with other displaced Afghans. Since his arrest, Fazal has moved from house to house to avoid authorities, and he fears being returned to the Taliban. "If I go to Afghanistan, the Taliban will kill me," he said. "There is no clear future right now … but I know Jesus is always with me." Read More.

  • Nov. 14, 2024 | Vietnam

    Family Evicted, Children Killed in Rockslide

    [150] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Duy and Sua.
    Duy and Sua have hope in Christ even as they grieve for their children.

    Duy and Sua are a minority couple in Vietnam. When Sua decided to place her trust in Christ in 2016, her marriage nearly collapsed because Duy didn't want his wife to follow this "foreign faith." God miraculously intervened, however, and Duy became not just a believer but a committed evangelist. His family kicked them out, and their village would not let them have good land for building, so they built a house at the foot of a hill outside town. On August 5, 2023, a rockslide destroyed part of their house, killing their 2-year-old and 2-month-old daughters and injuring Sua and their 6-year-old daughter. Read More.

  • Nov. 07, 2024 | East Africa

    Entire Village Changed by God's Word

    [188] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Musa.
    Musa (the man in the middle) studies the Bible with Saad and a local pastor.

    As Musa was serving as an imam in his village in East Africa, he kept hearing about his son, Saad, preaching the gospel throughout the village. Saad's bold witness angered other local Muslim leaders, who warned Musa to stop Saad from evangelizing. Though Musa didn't find any fault with his son's evangelistic activities, he decided to confront Saad about them. But when Musa went to Saad, something surprising happened. Saad was studying the Bible with his pastor, and Musa watched and listened as Saad and the pastor discussed different verses. "He was so impressed at what he was hearing," a front-line worker said. Read More.

  • Nov. 07, 2024 | China

    Freed Pastor Still Under Pressure

    [138] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Pastor John.
    Pastor John Cao was released from prison in March 2024 but continues to face persecution.

    Pastor John Cao served as a missionary in Myanmar's Wa State, transforming lives by building schools and working to fight poverty and drug addiction. On March 5, 2017, Chinese authorities intercepted Cao, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence. He was released on March 4, 2024. Cao continues to face restrictions on his freedom and movement by Chinese authorities, including video monitoring, forced "re-education," and refusal to issue him an ID card, which prevents him from medical care, even when he suffered a life-threatening bout of coronavirus. Read More.

  • Nov. 07, 2024 | Pakistan

    Oppressive Blasphemy Law Used to Arrest More Christians

    [121] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Pakastani Christians.
    Pakastani Christians stand amid the rubble of a church destroyed by a mob of Muslims.

    Pakistan's blasphemy laws continue to be a tool for persecution of our Pakistan Christian family members. "Every week we have at least one case of Christians being wrongly accused," a front-line worker said. Two 18-year-old boys, Tabish and Kalu, were accused of cutting up parts of the Quran and using the fragments as confetti during a festival in August. The boys are now in hiding. A pastor's son was also accused of participating and was arrested, but police released him after realizing he wasn't at the event. Two Christian sisters, Sonia and Samia, were also charged with blasphemy in August for allegedly throwing parts of the Quran into the trash. Read More.

  • Oct. 31, 2024 | Benin

    Young Christian Escapes Voodooist Family

    [188] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Marc.
    Marc was beaten then locked in a room for following Christ.

    Marc, 21, battled a chronic illness and could not find a cure. He visited doctors and voodoo practitioners, but nothing seemed to help. Then a friend urged him to come to church. When Marc heard the gospel, he became a follower of Christ and was physically healed, later deciding to receive baptism. When he returned home from the baptismal service, his voodooist father had hired people to beat him. His father was upset that Marc, his oldest son, would forsake his duties to the family's voodoo rituals and told him to leave. Marc stayed at a relative's house, but some family members locked him in a room and tried to force him to return to pagan practices. Read More.

  • Oct. 31, 2024 | India

    Family Beaten, Shunned for Refusing Idol Worship

    [149] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Basavaraj and family.
    Basavaraj and his family refused to perform idol worship in the local Hindu temple.

    Basavaraj, his wife and their six children are the only believers in a village of 200 families. They faithfully share Christ among the villagers. Each family is expected to serve at the local Hindu temple. Basavaraj told the village leaders that he could not perform the idol worship because he was a follower of Christ. At a village meeting, the family again refused to perform temple duties. Basavaraj told the leaders, "Even if you kill me, we will only worship Jesus." Villagers beat them and continue to harass and pressure the family, poisoning their rice fields, destroying their crops and vandalizing their home. Read More.

  • Oct. 31, 2024 | Vietnam

    Children Orphaned After Father Martyred

    [140] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Tien.
    Tien is learning cosmetology so she can make a home for her younger brothers.

    In the summer of 2022, Tien received a call and was told her father had been seriously beaten. He had been evangelizing and then returned home with her younger brother, Thanh. Some men, including one of her uncles, came into the house and beat him in front of Thanh. By the time Tien got home, her father had already died. Thanh has been mute since that day. Tien's mother, who had a heart condition, was so shocked that she never recovered, dying two months later. Read More.

  • Oct. 24, 2024 | Nepal

    Christian Wife Stands Firm Despite Continuous Abuse

    [204] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Goma.
    Goma Kunwar

    Goma Kunwar has suffered repeated beatings and mistreatment at the hands of her Hindu husband since putting her faith in Christ in 2022. More than once, his attacks have been life-threatening. On Jan. 2, 2024, Goma's husband beat her badly and attacked her with a sickle, cutting her head so that she required medical treatment. Despite the abuse, Goma does not want to leave the Lord. Read More.

  • Oct. 24, 2024 | Turkmenistan

    Turkmen Christian Flees Government Oppression

    [135] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Turkmen Christian.
    Four percent of Turkmen are Christian, but the government regularly persecutes Christians outside of government-sanctioned denominations.

    A bi-vocational evangelist has fled Turkmenistan after being threatened by authorities. He has been active in sharing his faith and had previously been arrested, along with other Christians, for attending Christian worship services. He was also fined for his evangelistic efforts. Authorities now want to charge him for work he did at his place of business. "But he feels the government is really using that as an excuse to arrest him for his Christian activities," said a front-line worker. Read More.

  • Oct. 24, 2024 | Laos

    Village Denies Funeral Customs to Christian Family

    [137] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Laos Christians.
    Local Christians collected rice for Lod's grieving family.

    In spring 2024, Lod, a Khmu villager, placed his faith in Jesus Christ at the age of 90. On June 20, he passed away. Typically, every villager would make a small donation of money and rice to the grieving family. However, because Lod was a Christian, the head of the village refused to collect donations to assist Lod's family and did not allow any villagers to attend Lod's funeral. Only the 10 Christians families in the community supported Lod's family. Read More.

  • Oct. 17, 2024 | Colombia

    Pastor and Family Flee for Lives from "Red Zone" Guerrillas

    [191] prayers in [15] nations have been posted for Pastor Santiago and family.
    Pastors in Colombia's red zones live in constant danger of guerrilla reprisals because of their gospel work.

    After months of seeing villagers and friends extorted, abused and killed by violent guerrillas who control the dangerous "red zones" of Colombia, Pastor Santiago and his family have fled from their village to a safe location, leaving most of their personal belongings behind. According to a church member, Pastor Santiago is on the guerrillas' hit list for his refusal to support their illicit activities, prompting his decision to flee with his family. Pastor Santiago also shared with VOM staff that he had received death threats for preaching the gospel. His greatest concern is for his family and their provision if anything happens to him. Read More.

  • Oct. 17, 2024 | Vietnam

    Christian Man Dies After Street Attack

    [167] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Duyen and family.
    Duyen shared about her husband's joyful faith.

    Duyen, 33, and her husband, Hieu, were drawn to Christ both by the healing they received and the love and care they were shown by the body of Christ. They were mocked, threatened and even attacked several times because of their faith in Christ. Their land was taken on the grounds that land grants were only for those loyal to the government, but Christians were not loyal. After an appeal, their land was returned. Finally, when traveling with another man in 2022, Hieu was attacked by three men. His companion ran for help and provided first aid before carrying Hieu home. Read More.

  • Oct. 17, 2024 | Sierra Leone

    Mother Seeks Son Who Fled Human Sacrifice

    [157] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Brima.
    Brima hopes to reunite with her son who fled witchcraft and occult rituals.

    Brima's village had been steeped in occult practices for generations. It even had a tree where children were sacrificed to local gods. These deaths would go uninvestigated because villagers reported only that the missing children were "swallowed by the jungle." Brima's son learned of the wicked practice and fled before anything could happen to him. Later, a Christian evangelist came to the village, and most people in the village came to know Christ. Read More.

  • Oct. 10, 2024 | Somalia

    Christian Widows Displaced by Islamists

    [175] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Hawa.
    Most Somalis believe that to be Somali is to be Muslim, so those who come to faith in Christ are accused of rejecting not only their religion but also their nationality.

    Hawa is a Christian convert from Islam who maintains a farm in a rural area of Somalia. Though raised as a Muslim, Hawa became a follower of Christ through her son's witness. Hawa's Muslim husband divorced her and kicked her out of the house when he learned of her newfound faith. Through another Christian woman, Hawa came to help work and maintain the farm, which also houses 19 Christian widows whose husbands had been killed by al-Shabab, a terrorist group active in Somalia and Kenya. Hawa disciples the widows and actively shares her faith with other women who work on neighboring farms. Read More.

  • Oct. 10, 2024 | India

    Couple Resists Persecution, Shares Gospel in Village

    [133] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Pastor Prem and family.
    Hindu nationalists threaten Indian Christians in a variety of ways.

    Since 2011, Pastor Prem and his wife, Amala, have served in an area of India where pastors and Christian organizations serve for a short time but then leave because of persecution. The area is the central hub in the district for the Hindu nationalist organization Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Prem and Amala now lead a church with about 35 believers. Prem has been beaten four times, faces constant pressure from the community and is continually watched. Read More.

  • Oct. 10, 2024 | Indonesia

    Attack Survivor Finds Faith Is Stronger

    [128] prayers in [6] nations have been posted for Kila.
    Kila survived both a kidnapping and a murderous attack by Islamic terrorists.

    Kila, who is in his late twenties, survived an East Indonesia Mujahideen (MIT) terrorist attack on a small group of Kalimago villagers in 2022. His friend, Marten Solon, was killed in the attack. Kila shared about the experience and how God used it to motivate him when he was a nominal Christian to live his life for God rather than himself. Kila is still experiencing some ongoing health complications due to the trauma of the attack. Read More.

  • Oct. 03, 2024 | Nepal

    Threatened Pastor Continues Ministry

    [175] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Pastor Yadav.
    Hindu extremists sometimes accuse Christians of slaughtering cows, which are sacred in Hindu culture.

    After a Christmas worship service in December 2023, Pastor Raj Kumar Yadav received a phone call from an unknown person. At first, the caller asked seemingly innocent questions about the celebratory service, and the pastor answered in general terms. Then the person asked how many people were fed cow meat during the meal. The question raised concerns in the pastor's mind, since Hindus consider cows sacred and have sometimes made trouble by claiming that Christians have slaughtered and eaten cows. Read More.

  • Oct. 03, 2024 | Central Asia

    Pastors Pay Huge Fines for Teaching Children about Christ

    [147] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for children's ministry.
    Christians in some parts of Central Asia are prohibited from ministering to children.

    Some governments in Central Asia have outlawed all ministry to children. Nevertheless, Christians in the region remain committed to teaching young people about the Bible and Jesus Christ. In recent years, numerous pastors have had to pay fines for their outreach efforts. "The bank accounts of one pastor were checked and analyzed. When his activities were found, he had to pay a huge fine," said a front-line worker. Read More.

  • Oct. 03, 2024 | Laos

    Leaders Command 100 Christians to Leave Village

    [133] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Somanid.
    Christians in Laos often face eviction and expulsion because of their faith in Christ.

    When Somanid came to faith in Christ in 2000 at age 17, he immediately faced persecution. He decided to move to a new province, where he built a home, started a family in his new village and became part of a fellowship of more than 100 Christians. Recently, village leaders demanded that all families, including Christians, must donate money for the traditional spirit ceremonies, but the Christians all refused. On May 15, 2024, the leaders announced over loudspeakers that all Christians were required to leave the village, on the grounds that they were disobedient to village authorities. Read More.

  • Sep. 26, 2024 | Sierra Leone

    Christian Woman Attacked by Family

    [191] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Georgieta.
    Georgieta now lives in a safe area where she is receiving Christian teaching and training to become a garment maker.

    Georgieta's family worshiped demonic spirits in an area where human sacrifice is said to still occur. When Georgieta became a Christian, she refused to participate in her family's occultic rituals, so her parents threw her out of the house. Homeless, Georgieta lived with a pastor and his family. Later, Georgieta's father became sick, and her family planned to ritually sacrifice her, hoping it would heal her father. Georgieta escaped, but when her father later died of the illness, Georgieta's mother blamed her for his death. Read More.

  • Sep. 26, 2024 | Iran

    Salvation and Ministry Behind Prison Bars

    [139] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Iranian Converts.
    Iranian Converts to Christianity face increased threats of imprisonment under new government restrictions, but even after being imprisoned some witness for Christ in their cells.

    Nasser, a political prisoner in Iran, tried to commit suicide while imprisoned. A Christian inmate witnessed the attempt and prevented Nasser's death. The Christian then shared the gospel with Nasser, and he came to faith in Christ. Nasser now meets with imprisoned Christians for times of secret prayer and worship. Another prisoner named Darius, a Muslim, reported a desire to know more about Christ after experiencing him in a dream. Read More.

  • Sep. 26, 2024 | Vietnam

    Former Witch Doctor Becomes Motorbike Evangelist

    [142] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Tuan.
    Tuan is an enthusiastic evangelist.

    Tuan has been a bold evangelist among the Hmong for more than two decades. Born into a family of fortune-tellers and witch doctors overseeing spirit worship in their village, Tuan began working among them at age 14. Living in that spiritual darkness, Tuan became addicted to drugs and alcohol until he came to faith in Christ. Soon after, he began to tell people about the Jesus who gave him not just physical life but also spiritual freedom. Pastor Tuan has been a prolific evangelist ever since, leading hundreds to Christ and praying to reach a growing number each year. Read More.

  • Sep. 19, 2024 | Tajikistan

    Christian Woman Beaten, Barely Escapes Forced Marriage

    [201] prayers in [14] nations have been posted for Tajikistan Christians.
    Tajikistan is a restricted nation in Central Asia. The majority of Tajiks are Muslim.

    When Dinara came to faith in Christ, her Muslim family members beat her severely. Dinara fled from the abuse, but her family tricked her into returning by telling her that her grandfather was ill and urgently needed her attention. When she returned, she arrived to a room full of people waiting for her, including a Muslim man who was going to take her as his second wife. Dinara escaped and eventually fled to another nation, where she is working to start a new life. Read More.

  • Sep. 19, 2024 | Bhutan

    Family Separated Due to Government Restrictions

    [145] prayers in [6] nations have been posted for Christians in Bhutan.
    Pray for Christians in Bhutan who lose their citizenship and official status.

    A family involved in gospel outreach in the isolated and restricted nation of Bhutan has been separated as the government has refused them proper documentation because of their faith. In addition, the government has not allowed any of the family members to leave lockdown since the coronavirus pandemic began in 2019. They request prayer that the Lord would intercede in their difficult situation. Read More.

  • Sep. 19, 2024 | Nigeria

    Kidnapped Pastor's Life in Danger

    [157] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Pastor Paul.

    Nigerian church leaders request urgent prayer for Pastor Paul Musa. In March 2023, Pastor Paul and his wife, Ruth, were abducted from their home in northern Nigeria's Borno State by militants belonging to Boko Haram, a radical Islamist group. The kidnappers posted video of Pastor Musa in late June 2024 and threatened to kill him if their demands were not met. Church leaders worry that the Islamists may have already killed Ruth. Read More.

  • Sep. 12, 2024 | Arabian Peninsula

    Christian Attacked on Street

    [208] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Bassam.
    Bassam was attacked while walking down the street.

    Bassam has been attacked by people angered that he left Islam, but their outrage doesn't deter him from sharing his faith. "He is not afraid to tell people that his life has been changed by Christ, and that has put a target on his back," said a front-line worker. Bassam was walking through a dim alley when he felt compelled to move toward a main street with more light. Just as he reached the main road, two men wearing black masks attacked him with a wooden rod, swinging it at his head. Bassam blocked the strike, but the rod broke his arm. "He believes the attack was a part of the cost of being a Christ follower," said the front-line worker. Read More.

  • Sep. 12, 2024 | Laos

    Meetings Encourage Khmu Christians

    [142] prayers in [7] nations have been posted for Khmu Christians.
    Meetings like this encourage and equip persecuted Christians.

    In early 2024, 50 persecuted Khmu Christians from several villages participated in a gathering at a church where they could share their struggles and stories with other persecuted Christians; support and pray for one another; and receive encouragement from God's Word. Front-line workers chose the location used because Christians at the host church have faced intense persecution in recent years, including the destruction of crops and forced payments for spirit sacrifices in the village. Read More.

  • Sep. 12, 2024 | Uzbekistan

    Husband Abuses Wife, Daughters for Following Christ

    [190] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Omina.
    Women in an Uzbek marketplace.

    Omina was raised a Muslim, but when she started visiting a local church, she began to experience God's love and care in a way she had never known before. She and her two daughters eventually became followers of Christ. But when her Muslim husband learned of their newfound faith, he threatened them and tried to force them to return to Islam. After they refused, he mocked them, beat them and withheld food from them. Read More.

  • Sep. 05, 2024 | Nigeria

    Hope and Healing After Husband's Murder

    [182] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Gift.
    Nigerian Christian widows say the Lord has helped them heal after they received Christian counseling and biblical training with other widows.

    Gift is only 19 years old but has already endured more anguish than most people in a lifetime. The young bride from Jos, Nigeria, saw her husband shot to death by militant Fulani Muslims. The attackers then shot her in the hand. Pregnant at the time, she collapsed and was taken to a hospital, where her baby was delivered by cesarean section. After this distressing experience, caring Christians provided for her emotional and spiritual needs through six months of encouragement and biblical counseling. Read More.

  • Sep. 05, 2024 | Egypt

    Christian Woman Missing

    [142] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Egyptian Christian.
    Though Egypt is 13% Christian, Muslim women who convert to Christianity there can face severe persecution.

    An Egyptian Christian convert from Islam has faced intense family pressure since becoming a follower of Christ. The woman's father is an imam, an Islamic scholar, which made it difficult for her to be in public without scrutiny. In Egypt, Christian converts from Islam can experience harsh opposition from their families. Their Muslim families often feel an intense sense of shame or dishonor because they see their relatives' new Christian faith as an affront to Islam. Read More.

  • Sep. 05, 2024 | Nepal

    Pastor Protected from Anger of Hindu Monk

    [141] prayers in [7] nations have been posted for Pastor Mukhiya.
    Pastor Mahesh Mukhiya boldly evangelizes, despite the risks.

    During the Christmas season of 2023, Pastor Mahesh Mukhiya encountered a Hindu monk on the street. He was unsure whether he should share the gospel with him, so he prayed in his heart and then finally approached the monk. After hearing about Jesus and Christianity, the monk immediately started shouting, calling others to punish Mahesh. Many people gathered, but most of the villagers recognized Mahesh and told the monk that he was a respected member of the village. Read More.

  • Aug. 29, 2024 | Jordan

    New Believer Threatened by Family

    [194] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Jordanian Christian.
    Jordan is a majority-Muslim nation where Christian converts are sometimes violently opposed.

    A Jordanian Christian has received death threats since coming to faith in Christ. While undergoing training to become an imam [an Islamic religious leader], the man placed his trust in Christ. His conversion angered members of his family, who have threatened his life if he doesn't successfully complete his training and move to a Gulf state to take up an Islamic post. "Your head will be on the street," one of his family members told him. Front-line workers have requested prayer for the new believer as they determine how to best serve him. Read More.

  • Aug. 29, 2024 | Vietnam

    Young Man Beaten for Sharing Gospel

    [151] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for young Christian man.
    Evangelism in Vietnam often elicits opposition or violence.

    On February 21, 2024, a 20-year-old Christian man was badly beaten for sharing the gospel. He was taken to the hospital with a severe head wound. All the medical personnel who saw him said he would not survive, but his surgery was successful, and he has returned home to recover. Read More.

  • Aug. 29, 2024 | Nepal

    Faith Comes by Hearing

    [141] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Gambir.
    A joyful Gambir Behadur Rai with his audio Bible.

    Gambir Bahadur Rai thought Jesus was just one of many gods until a pastor gave him an audio Bible. As Gambir listened to the Gospel of John, his heart was transformed, and he became a follower of Christ. He carries the audio Bible with him everywhere, often playing it aloud where others can hear it as well. Gambir is enthusiastic about sharing the message of Jesus Christ with others in his village. Read More.

  • Aug. 22, 2024 | Bangladesh

    Unrest Sparks New Violence Against Christians

    [182] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Bangladesh Christians.
    Christians in Bangladesh are facing increased attacks in the midst of political unrest that is sweeping the nation.

    Political violence has escalated in Bangladesh, resulting in the resignation and flight of Prime Minister Sheik Hasina and at least 95 deaths on a single day (Aug. 4) in the capital city, Dhaka. Front-line workers report increased targeted attacks against Christians as a result. In one case, a church was attacked by an armed crowd that damaged vehicles and tried to set fire to the building early one morning. Read More.

  • Aug. 22, 2024 | Burkina Faso

    Fulani Muslim Turns to Christ

    [138] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Sadou.
    Sadou has been pressured to return to Islam, but he remains firm in his faith in Christ.

    The Fulani are a nomadic Muslim tribe who live in a vast region where the Sahara Desert meets the African savanna, called the Sahel. The total number of Fulani is unknown but believed to be between 20 and 40 million people. Militant Fulani Muslims have been involved in vicious attacks on Christians in many nations, including Nigeria and Burkina Faso. But some Fulani are turning to Christ, like Sadou in Burkina Faso. Sadou was raised from childhood to make and sell Islamic charms. One day he read a Christian brochure in his native Fulani language and asked a Christian for a Bible. Read More.

  • Aug. 22, 2024 | Central Asia

    Mob Threatens Christians, Boycotts Their Businesses

    [139] prayers in [7] nations have been posted for Central Asian believers.
    Christians in some parts of Central Asia meet in unregistered churches to study the Bible.

    In late 2023, unidentified citizens in a nation with a large Muslim population recorded a Christian worship gathering and then posted it online. Several women at the church service were converts to the faith and were worshiping without their Muslim husbands' knowledge. When news that the women were attending church spread in the community, a mob gathered and threatened the church's pastor and its members. Though no one was hurt, several families who attended the church are now harshly ostracized. Read More.

  • Aug. 15, 2024 | Turkmenistan

    House Church Leader Threatened

    [187] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Turkmenistan Christians.
    A Turkmen Christian receives baptism.

    Turkmenistan, a nation with a 94% Muslim population, is a profoundly restricted country in which Christian worship is limited to churches that are part of government-sanctioned denominations. Additionally, the Turkmen government exerts a high level of control on the entire population, especially upon Christians. Despite the governmental and societal restrictions, the gospel is proclaimed regularly in Turkmenistan through media and personal testimonies. Read More.

  • Aug. 15, 2024 | Vietnam

    Christian Father Faces Life in Prison on False Charges

    [158] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Christian Family.
    Pray for Christian prisoners in Vietnam.

    The father of a Christian family in Vietnam was given a life sentence for drug possession. The drugs were found in his home during a random police search that happened less than 24 hours after a specific threat was made to the father that something bad would happen if he and his family did not renounce their faith. Front-line workers request prayer for this man and his family as they face this separation and seek justice. Read More.

  • Aug. 15, 2024 | Sudan

    Christian Families Separated, Struggling

    [143] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Sudanese Christians.
    Christians in camps for displaced people often wait hours for water and worry about lack of food.

    Roughly 12 million Sudanese have fled as a result of the civil war between two Islamist generals that has engulfed the country since April 2023. The displaced people include around 750,000 from predominately Christian tribes who have made a harrowing journey to reach the Nuba Mountains, an autonomous region in the south of the country. But the travel and ongoing fighting have separated families. "When the war broke out, we have many people, even my own daughter, that have been caught on [the other] side of Khartoum," said Pastor Morris, a longtime church leader located in the Nuba Mountains. "We do not have any communication with her, and we don't know what she is doing. Read More.

  • Aug. 08, 2024 | Turkey

    Young Christians Rejected by Family

    [185] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Turkish believers.
    A busy Turkish marketplace.

    Christians make up less than 1% of the population of Turkiye, which is 96% Sunni Muslim. When a Turkish Muslim chooses to follow Christ, they are often rejected by their families, a reality experienced by Mustafa and Basak. Mustafa grew up in a radical Islamic family but became a Christian as a teenager. His decision shocked his family, who have been pressuring him to renounce his new faith. Mustafa currently has no place to live, so a local church is housing him in their church building while he looks for work and more permanent housing. Basak was also raised in a devout Islamic home, but after she was invited to a Christian activity at her university and given a Bible, she trusted in Christ. Read More.

  • Aug. 08, 2024 | Libya

    Future Uncertain for Christians Awaiting Trial

    [156] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Libyan Christian.

    Six Libyan Christians and two foreigners have been held in jail since an outbreak of religious persecution that occurred in 2022. The men have never been charged with a crime, but they are believed to be held for "being obedient to God's Word and sharing it with others in the country," a front-line worker said. Read More.

  • Aug. 08, 2024 | Nepal

    Guesthouse Owners Share Christ's Love

    [144] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Mamata and Krishna.
    Being welcomed with Christ's love changed Krishna's heart.

    20-year-old Mamata was the only Christian in her remote rural village. Her husband, Krishna, and other family members were strong Hindus, and they pressured her incessantly to leave the Christian faith. When she became pregnant, her pastor arranged for Mamata and Krishna to stay in a Christian guesthouse near the main district hospital when it came time for her to deliver the baby. During their two-week stay, the proprietors cared for Mamata and showed the love of God to her husband. Read More.

  • Aug. 01, 2024 | Laos

    Unknown Assailants Kill Beloved Pastor

    [212] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Pastor Philavanh's family.
    Pastor Thongkham Philavanh was killed on July 23.

    On the evening of July 23, 2024, Pastor Thongkham Philavanh, 40, died after an attack at his home in northwestern Laos. Two masked men approached him in his yard and spoke to him before shooting him several times. Thongkham's wife rushed him to the hospital, but he died on arrival. Thongkham was a tribal Khmu leader and provincial head of the Lao Evangelical Church. He actively shared the gospel and trained other pastors throughout the province while leading a growing church. According to friends, Thongkham was closely monitored by authorities and had been warned to stop his Christian activities. Read More.

  • Aug. 01, 2024 | Kazakhstan

    Government Closes Church, Fines Pastor

    [140] prayers in [6] nations have been posted for Pastor Zanzhar.
    52 percent of Kazakhstan's citizens are Sunni Muslim, 15 percent are Christian, and most of the rest are non-religious.

    Pastor Zanzhar has led a Kazakh church for more than 20 years, but the government "de-registered' it nine years ago. When a church is de-registered, front-line workers report that it is impossible for that church to re-register, which forces congregations to either disband or operate in secret. Pastor Zanzhar's church kept meeting even after being de-registered, but police raided one of their services last year and fined him. He appealed but lost the appeal and had to pay a large fee. Read More.

  • Aug. 01, 2024 | Arabian Peninsula

    One Christian Fired, Two Arrested

    [140] prayers in [6] nations have been posted for Christians in the Arab Peninsula.
    Millions of foreign workers are employed in Arab Gulf states, including some Christians willing to share their faith even if it puts their jobs or even their lives in peril.

    Most countries in the Arabian Peninsula are majority-Muslim with severe restrictions for those who follow Christ, a reality experienced by three Christian men. Born into a Muslim family, Haroun moved to the Arabian Peninsula for employment and came to know Christ. After his conversion, Haroun would regularly read the Bible on his phone during work breaks. One day his Muslim boss saw what he was reading and fired him. He was later fired from another job for attending a church service instead of going to mosque. Haroun is struggling to find another job. Read More.

  • Jul. 25, 2024 | Nepal

    Convict-Turned-Evangelist Evicted, Beaten

    [198] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Paiswan.
    Hindus in Nepal often oppose the witness of Christians.

    Bhaluwan Kumar Paiswan was serving a 20-year prison sentence for gang-related crimes when he ended up in a cell with a Christian evangelist. Annoyed at first, he eventually placed his faith in Christ and experienced new joy and peace. When he was released early, he met another evangelist who discipled him, and they began to work together. The church in that village grew to 25 people in a few years with many more showing interest. Read More.

  • Jul. 25, 2024 | Laos

    Two Families Lose Crops, Livestock

    [135] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Christians in Laos.
    Xing shared his testimony at a seminar for persecuted Christians.

    Two families in one Bru tribal village in Laos became Christians in February 2023. One of the families was driven out after enduring the threats and pressure of the community, which included the destruction of crops and livestock. The other family, Xing, Nang and their three children, were then alone, facing the same daily persecution as the family who had been driven out. Read More.

  • Jul. 18, 2024 | Benin

    Christians Persecuted by Voodoo Priests

    [186] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Christians in Benin.
    Christians in Benin are regularly persecuted by voodooists.

    In Benin, local politicians are often strongly influenced by voodoo priests. In one part of the country, voodoo practitioners have convinced police to arrest four pastors because of songs they heard Christians singing during worship services. The complaints about the Christians' songs have interrupted the services and activities of roughly a dozen churches in that area. Read More.

  • Jul. 18, 2024 | India

    Christian Wins Fellow Inmates for Christ

    [144] prayers in [7] nations have been posted for Poonam.
    In Poonam's state, even carrying a Bible can lead to conversion charges.

    While meeting for prayer on June 28, 2023, Poonam Bind, her parents and another sister in Christ were arrested on charges of converting Hindus. They spent the next two months in jail. Poonam and the other Christian women with her used the time to minister to the other 150 female inmates in the jail and led many of the women to place their faith in Christ. "I realized God had a wonderful plan for those people to be saved, and so I was there," Poonam said. "I saw how people were treated and troubled and how badly they needed Jesus in their lives." She continues to disciple many of the women who came to Christ in the jail. Read More.

  • Jul. 18, 2024 | Tunisia

    Churches Face New Restrictions

    [136] prayers in [7] nations have been posted for Christians in Tunisia.
    Christian activities like baptisms are coming under increasing scrutiny in Tunisia.

    Christians in Tunisia are finding it harder to gather and worship the Lord together. Front-line workers say the Tunisian government has banned Christians from meeting in hotels or other public gathering places without official pre-approval. "Only foreigners and officially registered NGOs [non-governmental organizations] are allowed to meet in those facilities," said a front-line worker. The worker added that one church leader has been harassed and "can no longer lead weekly services on Wednesdays and Saturdays." Read More.

  • Jul. 11, 2024 | Laos

    Christian Widow Abandoned by Family

    [184] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Mrs. Thai's family and village.
    In Laos, many villages will not permit Christians to bury their dead in local cemeteries.

    Mrs. Thai, a Christian widow in a Khmu tribal village in Laos, was persecuted by her own family and kicked out of her house because of her faith. She lived alone, and none of her family cared for her. She passed away on December 27, 2023. Her family did not want to take responsibility for her funeral. Members of the local body of Christ came to bury her, but the village headman would not permit them to bring it into the village cemetery, concerned that it would displease the ancestor spirits. Read More.

  • Jul. 11, 2024 | Kenya

    Bibles "Food of Life" in Northern Kenya

    [144] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Bible distribution.
    Audio Bibles are a strategic resource reach people with the gospel in parts of Kenya.

    Christians in remote parts of northern Kenya cannot easily access or afford Bibles that are often available for purchase only in far-away cities like Nairobi. Some churches in this part of Kenya have only one Bible to share among their congregations. A local pastor said that one young man refused to do his schoolwork so he could focus on studying the Bible when it was his family's turn with their church's Bible. Without knowledge of God's Word, many Christians in that region have been vulnerable to the influence of Islam. VOM worked with a local group of pastors and lay ministers to distribute more than 14,000 Bibles, including illustrated and audio Bibles, in this remote region of Kenya. Read More.

  • Jul. 11, 2024 | Colombia

    "Red Zone" Pastor Requests Prayer for Sick Daughter

    [160] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for pastor and his family.
    Teoboldo and Denise's daughter is battling a heart condition. Pray for healing.

    Teoboldo and Denise minister in one of Colombia's "red zones," areas dominated by guerrilla violence and illicit activity associated with illegal drug trade. They have been threatened and confined to their house; at other times, they have been forced to cancel worship services because of threats. They've had friends killed for refusing to comply with the warnings from guerrillas, yet they remain faithful amid the risk. "This is the area where God has placed us. That is where we are going to stay until God tells us otherwise," Teoboldo said. The couple has three children, but their middle child died two years ago from complications during heart surgery. Read More.

  • Jul. 04, 2024 | Nepal

    Family Evicted, Beaten for Faithful Witness

    [225] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Blawan Kumar.
    Pray for Blawan Kumar and his family.

    Jailed as a murderer, Blawan Kumar Paswan had no hope. Then, a Christian in his prison shared the gospel with him. Blawan placed his trust in Jesus Christ and was baptized. A jailer observed the changes in Blawan's life and recommended early release after he had served 10 years. Blawan returned to his village and dedicated his life to sharing the gospel, but persecution followed. His uncle evicted his family and took their possessions. On December 1, 2023, a group of drunken men beat Blawan and his wife, Bina. They accused the couple of spoiling their culture by preaching about Jesus. Read More.

  • Jul. 04, 2024 | Nigeria

    Jihadists Refuse to Release Abducted Woman

    [174] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Mrs. Baraka.
    Islamic militants have been destroying homes and killing or kidnapping Christians in Kaduna State, Nigeria for years.

    Church leaders request prayer for a woman abducted in early March of 2024 in Kaduna State, Nigeria, from an area with a majority-Christian population. "Fulani jihadis opened sporadic gunfire on the entire area," said a front-line worker. "And while Mrs. Musa Baraka was running to safety, in the confusion, the militants picked her up and shot her 32-year-old son." The son survived and underwent surgery for his wounds in early May. Read More.

  • Jul. 04, 2024 | Iran

    Woman Led to Christ Through Film's Example

    [154] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for a new believer.
    God is using Christian publications and transform lives in Iran.

    A popular film in Iran has sparked conversations about Christianity among Muslims in the country, and one woman's life was changed. The movie is not a Christian film, but it portrays a Christian character who acts in a kind-hearted, forgiving way. A woman watched some of the film and decided to pray to Jesus, saying, "Jesus, if you are real, show yourself to me!" The next day, a Christian woman visited her shop and felt compelled to give her a magazine: "Please accept this magazine as a gift from God." Read More.

  • Jun. 27, 2024 | Israel

    Christians Help the Hungry in Gaza

    [189] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Christian ministry in Gaza.
    A Christian ministry in Gaza feeds people trying to survive the war.

    A pastor in Gaza and his team are regularly providing hot meals to hundreds of people sheltering and trying to survive the current conflict. "We have been able to distribute meals to the people in Rafah and the middle of the Gaza Strip," the pastor said. "The situation is very dire, and people are desperate for food." Read More.

  • Jun. 27, 2024 | Tanzania

    "Pastor's Libraries" Equip Tanzanian Pastors

    [133] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Tanzanian pastors.
    Study Bibles and other resource materials help Tanzanian pastors lead their congregations.

    Many Tanzanian pastors lack access to biblical training and in-depth study resources needed to help their congregations stand firm in their faith. Front-line workers in central Tanzania recently handed out 706 boxes of "Pastor's Libraries" containing study Bibles and other Christian educational aids designed to help pastors train themselves. "Even before we can attend a Bible college, it feels now like we have a Bible college at home through these materials," said one church leader upon receiving the boxed study kit. The kits were distributed to pastors from several denominational groups. Read More.

  • Jun. 27, 2024 | Colombia

    Young People Vulnerable to Guerrilla Recruitment

    [136] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Rodrigo and Astrid.
    Rodrigo and Astrid are concerned about their grandchildren, who have been targeted by Colombia's violent Marxist guerrillas.

    Rodrigo and Astrid have planted eight churches in the region of Sucre, one of Colombia's "red zones," or dangerous areas controlled by guerrilla activity. The guerrillas have extorted them, prohibited them from having services, issued curfews and threatened them. Their oldest grandson has a child with a guerrilla officer, and they fear for his life and the life of their 4-year-old great-granddaughter. Their 14-year-old grandson, who lives with them, has also shared his desire to join a guerrilla group, enticed through the promise of material gifts and financial incentives. Read More.

  • Jun. 20, 2024 | Nepal

    Pastor Faces Year in Prison

    [197] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Pastor Keshab.
    In Nepal, baptisms are seen as violations of anti-conversion laws.

    After someone posted a video online of Pastor Keshab Raj Acharya praying against the spread of coronavirus in 2020, police arrested him for spreading misinformation about the virus, claiming that he told people they would be immune to it if they converted to Christianity. Investigations revealed other videos recording baptisms of new Christian converts, which further riled authorities. Eventually, the charges included "outraging religious sentiment," proselytizing and other violations of anti-conversion laws. Read More.

  • Jun. 20, 2024 | Laos

    Sons Abandon Christian Father

    [82] prayers in [4] nations have been posted for Dong.
    Dong's sons stole his land and livelihood.

    When Dong became a believer in Jesus Christ, his adult sons became angry that he followed what they saw as a foreign religion. They moved out of his house and took all his farmland and supplies for themselves, leaving him no way to grow food or earn income. Dong appealed to the village chief, who said he would only intervene with the sons if Dong agreed to give up his Christian faith. Read More.

  • Jun. 20, 2024 | Sierra Leone

    Transformed by the Word of God

    [151] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Pastor Osman.
    Pastor Osman now uses audio Bibles to spread the gospel.

    Pastor Osman was once a practitioner of witchcraft. "I have killed many people," he said. One day, a pastor visited his village and shared the gospel with Osman, and the message of Christ's forgiveness changed Osman's heart. "It was very difficult for me to leave my practice of witchcraft," he said. "This message sounded good to me to be free from the evil that I was in. The pastor said that whatever you have done, God will forgive you." After receiving an audio Bible, Osman continued to be changed by God's Word. "I would listen to it secretly," he said. Read More.

  • Jun. 13, 2024 | Cuba

    Pastor Under House Arrest on False Pretenses

    [207] prayers in [13] nations have been posted for Pastor Ramos.
    Pastor Dizzis Ramos with his wife, Nidia. Pastor Dizzis has been targeted by Cuban officials because of his Christian witness.

    Pastor Dizzis Ramos' public ministry has made him a target of government officials in his atheistic Communist country. He serves his local community through construction projects for elderly people in need. Earlier this month, he and another pastor were charged for allegedly falsifying receipts after they legally purchased cement for a construction project. Pastor Ramos was placed under house arrest and the other pastor taken into custody. They are also unable to reach the lawyer who has been handling their case. Read More.

  • Jun. 13, 2024 | West Africa

    Former Imam Threatened for Following Christ

    [159] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Ahmed.
    In West Africa, converts from Islam often face severe persecution.

    Ahmed was training to become an imam when he heard someone calling his name, seemingly from above. When he looked up, he saw a man on a cross staring down at him. "When I saw that, I was not able to go to the mosque," he said. "I returned home and didn't attend mosque that day because I was really afraid." Jesus appeared to Ahmed several more times over a period of years, even after he did become an imam. Ahmed described those appearances to the Muslims who attended his mosque, and they thought he was seeing demons. Read More.

  • Jun. 13, 2024 | Bhutan

    Gospel Workers Persevere Despite Pressures

    [152] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Christians in Bhutan.
    Bhutan is an isolated, majority Buddhist country.

    Because of geographical isolation and the hostility of the government toward Christianity, Christians in Bhutan face pressure from many directions. However, front-line workers in Bhutan continue to live out their faith in Christ and reach out with the gospel. One gospel worker asked for prayer that their youth and women's programs and training programs for Sunday school teachers will be adequately resourced. Read More.

  • Jun. 06, 2024 | Laos

    Christian Wife, Young Son Cast Off

    [210] prayers in [11] nations have been posted for Kaew.
    Kaew and her son

    Kaew placed her trust in Christ through the prayers of her parents, who became Christians after her marriage. Her husband and his parents, as well as their village, opposed her decision to follow Christ and tried repeatedly to make her recant. On December 30, 2023, Kaew's husband and other villagers berated and beat her until she passed out. When she regained consciousness, she was given one more chance to recant, but she insisted on following Christ. In anger, her husband threw her out of the house. Read More.

  • Jun. 06, 2024 | India

    Pastor Perseveres After 44 Days in Jail

    [159] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Akhilesh.
    Police took family Bibles as "evidence" when they arrested Akhilesh.

    Akhilesh led his family to faith in Christ after being physically healed through prayer. As others joined in their family worship and placed their faith in Christ, a church grew. Eventually, 2,000 people were meeting for worship during the week. A radical Hindu leader warned Akhilesh that he would face serious consequences if he did not close down the church, but they continued to meet. Then, in September 2022, police arrested Pastor Akhilesh for his gospel work and confiscated the family's Bibles. Read More.

  • Jun. 06, 2024 | Cote d'Ivoire

    Audio Bibles Help Disciple New Converts

    [136] prayers in [7] nations have been posted for Bible distribution.
    Audio Bibles are a powerful tool for evangelism and discipleship in the Ivory Coast.

    Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) has a population of nearly 30 million people. Muslims are its largest religious group, representing around 40% of the population. Around 37% of the population identifies as Christian. The remaining 33% of the country are mostly followers of local ethnic religions, found mainly in the north of the country. While the Christian population is significant, Bibles are hard to access or afford for many people, and roughly 30% of the population is illiterate. Front-line workers recently delivered 500 solar-powered audio Bibles to northern parts of the country. Read More.

  • May. 30, 2024 | Nepal

    Church Landlord Evicts Christians

    [180] prayers in [12] nations have been posted for Pastor Mukhiya.
    Building owners in Nepal are often unwilling to rent space to Christians.

    For 15 years, Pastor Mahesh Mukhiya has led a congregation of 70 Christians for worship and fellowship in a rented house in their village. In September 2023, Hindu extremists threatened the owner of the rented house, demanding he cancel the rental agreement. After a second threat, the landlord agreed to evict the congregation. Pastor Mahesh searched for a new building in which the Christians could meet, but the extremists had issued warnings throughout the village. Read More.

  • May. 30, 2024 | Jordan

    Christian Convert Harassed, Fired

    [150] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Muhammad.
    Employers, family and friends regularly persecute Jordanian Christian converts who leave Islam to follow Christ.

    Muhammad placed his trust in Christ two years ago. When his employer recently learned of Muhammad's decision to follow Christ, he began to harass him. After Muhammad asked his employer to stop the harassment, Muhammad's boss forced him to work 14-hour shifts and ultimately fired him. Muhammad is now looking for a new job. Read More.

  • May. 30, 2024 | Mozambique

    Islamists Attack Churches, Abduct Children

    [152] prayers in [8] nations have been posted for Christians in Mozambique.
    Islamic fighters are burning churches in northern Mozambique.

    In February 2024, Islamic insurgents with the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) in Mozambique destroyed 18 churches and killed many people in a sustained attack against Christians in the northern part of the country. The Islamists recorded videos of themselves destroying Christian symbols, including crosses. More than 700,000 people, most of them Christians, have been displaced by radical Islamic militants in the Cabo Delgado province of northern Mozambique. One Christian leader said that the church is currently experiencing "a moment of tribulation." Read More.

  • May. 23, 2024 | Ethiopia

    Church Destroyed by Fire

    [147] prayers in [9] nations have been posted for Ethiopian churches.
    Many Ethiopian churches have been destroyed in recent years.

    While Ethiopia is a majority-Christian nation, Islam is a growing force. Muslims now compose nearly 40 percent of the population, and Islamic extremists actively persecute Christians, sometimes violently, especially in areas close to the Somali and Sudanese borders. Sometimes the extremists destroy churches, and they recently set fire to one in Homosha, located in the far western part of the country near the border with Sudan. "Now the Christians in that area don't have a place to meet for worship," said a front-line worker. Read More.

  • May. 23, 2024 | Iran

    Kolbars Imprisoned, Killed for Converting

    [156] prayers in [10] nations have been posted for Kolbars.

    Kolbars are Kurds who live mostly along the Iranian border with Iraq. For generations, they have carried items over high mountain passes between the two nations. Their name means "those who carry loads on their back." It is extremely dangerous work - every year, kolbars are killed by freezing temperatures, from falling off precipitous heights or after being shot by Iranian border guards. Desperation and a lack of job opportunities drive many Iranian Kurds into the life-threatening career: "They are a neglected people group," said a front-line worker. Read More.