Since 2019, the Cabo Delgado region of Northern Mozambique has been the site of extremist Muslim attacks in which thousands have been killed and at least 100,000 displaced. The attackers are part of a group connected to the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) that seeks to establish a region ruled by sharia law. Some of the deadliest attacks came in 2021 near a massive oil processing installation under construction, garnering worldwide media coverage. Since then, the region remains extremely dangerous for Christians.
Read MoreAzerbaijan is a small nation of 10 million people tucked among the Caspian Sea, Iran, Armenia, Georgia and Russia. Its population is 85% Shia Muslim and 2% Christian. Christian ministry efforts have historically focused on the country’s capital city, Baku, where 25% of the population lives. But local Christians have increased their efforts to reach beyond the capital. “Christians are using media to connect with Azerbaijanis outside of Baku,” said a front-line worker.
Read MorePastor Bhim Tamang, 63, was visiting a new believer in Christ and sharing the Word of God with him on Sept. 4 when a group of Hindu radicals burst into the home. They hit Bhim, broke his hearing aid, burned his Bible and warned him to stop preaching. Police officers arrived to protect Bhim and his colleagues, but the radicals pushed through and smeared black paint on Bhim’s face. The police believed that, due to the aggressiveness of the radicals, Bhim and his colleagues would not be safe at the local station, so they took the Christians to district headquarters.
Read MoreAfghan Christians struggling to survive as refugees in neighboring countries ask for prayer. According to international relief agencies, Afghans constitute the third-largest displaced population in the world after Syrian and Ukrainian refugees. Those groups report at least 1.2 million Afghans fled when the Taliban seized control in August 2021, joining many who had previously evacuated. In total, around 8 million Afghan refugees are believed to live in neighboring countries, including some Christians, says a front-line worker: “Pray for God’s peace, protection and provision for them and that they will not be deported back to Afghanistan.”
Read MoreFront-line workers are making new connections with Christians in the underground church and distributing Bibles into North Korea through many methods, new and old. Owning a Bible or even portions of Scripture is extremely risky in North Korea. After a recent meeting with front-line workers and North Korean Christians, VOM President Cole Richards shared, “Few North Koreans have ever had access to Scripture – or even to the core gospel message – because of the Communist-inspired regime’s unceasing efforts to restrict access.
Read MoreA church in the Batticaloa area of Sri Lanka conducted their first Christmas Care Pack distribution early in the summer. One of the distribution points was in a hunters’ village deep in the jungle. The children in this village were overjoyed to receive their packs. No church was in this village prior to the distribution, but this event gave front-line workers the opportunity to negotiate with the village leader to allocate land to build a church.
Read MoreThe nations of the Arab Peninsula attract people from around the world. Some come to participate in a religious pilgrimage while others arrive seeking job opportunities. Very few who decide to settle are ever given the opportunity to become citizens. “I know of one family where a grandfather came for a visit and stayed. Some of the family members have since become Christians,” said a front-line worker. “And if they, or other second- or third-generation people living in the country, experience persecution … the church becomes their only refuge.”
Read MoreWhen Inn’s uncle shared the gospel with his family in February 2022, Inn was the only one who accepted Christ. The village leaders threatened Inn and his parents, saying he would be kicked out of school and jailed and the whole family would be evicted. Inn sought refuge with front-line workers so that he could finish high school and grow in his faith. Inn stayed in touch with his family, sharing about Christ whenever he could. Those gospel seeds took root. In January 2023, Inn’s mother, Phin, and his two sisters accepted Christ. Village officials made daily threats, and Inn’s father persecuted them as well.
Read MoreFront-line workers shared how God is moving in Israel, including Gaza and the West Bank, amid the conflict raging throughout the region. One Christian leader said, “Please pray for believers inside of Gaza. As the conflict intensifies, and the possibilities of death increase, there is a growing intentionality to share the gospel with friends and families. We have heard testimonies of those living in shelters because their homes have been damaged and are sharing boldly – and there seems to be an openness.”
Read MoreSince 2020, Pastor Santosh has been harassed and pressured by members of the Hindu nationalist group RSS. His church has been vandalized, he has been threatened and struck, and the group has repeatedly pressured the police to file charges against him for conversion of Hindus. In October 2022, he was jailed for a month without bail. “When a person goes to jail, he breaks,” Santosh said. “I felt broken, too. After coming out of the jail, I was petrified. I did not go any place for months.
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