Aaron and Khalil Hassan are two brothers who fled to Lebanon after the self-proclaimed Islamic State (ISIS) chased them from their apricot farm. While in Lebanon, they heard the gospel and placed their faith in Christ. When they returned to Syria, they found their farms pillaged; ISIS had chopped down the apricot trees and used them for firewood.
Read MoreAt 4:17 A.M. local time on Monday, February 6, 2023, a massive earthquake shook eastern Turkiye and Western Syria. The quake, registering 7.8 on the Richter scale, caused thousands of buildings, including many multi-story residential buildings, to collapse. Tens of thousands of people died as a result, and Christians in Turkiye’s larger cities report being unable to contact their relatives in the earthquake zone.
Read MoreChristians have suffered greatly from ongoing civil war in the Central African Republic (CAR), where thousands have been forced from their homes. “These people are often the poorest of the poor,” said a front-line worker. “Entire villages have been destroyed, and people have had to flee with nothing. Some were digging up roots to have something to eat in order to survive.”
Read MoreHimal Paudel, 15, grew up in a Hindu family. His aunt shared the gospel with him, and he placed his trust in Christ in September 2022. Himal’s family have applied significant pressure to stop him from attending church, and his father, who works abroad, has repeatedly called and threatened him that he would be disowned and kicked out of the house.
Read MoreWhen Pastor Ranjan of Naula, Sri Lanka, approached local authorities for a permit to build a worship place, they refused. He then built an extension on his house to serve as a place of Christian worship. Under the influence of local Buddhist monks, police and government officials have declared the space an illegal worship place.
Read MoreWhen Pastor Ranjan of Naula, Sri Lanka, approached local authorities for a permit to build a worship place, they refused. He then built an extension on his house to serve as a place of Christian worship. Under the influence of local Buddhist monks, police and government officials have declared the space an illegal worship place.
Read MoreTara Rai, 36, placed her trust in Jesus Christ in 2020, and she took her eldest daughter, Khushi, now 16, with her to church. Tara Rai’s husband then beat her because of her faith in Jesus and demanded that she give it up. She left for Dubai to work as a housekeeper, hoping to earn money to support her children on her own.
Read MoreOn January 11, 2023, local officials notified the pastor of a 400-member congregation to vacate their building immediately. The worship center had stood for more than 15 years on land legally purchased in a Muslim-majority region. But five years ago, Muslims who were unhappy that a large Christian church stood in their community filed a legal case against the church.
Read MoreAnu Dani earned money by predicting people’s future as a seer. When her young daughter grew very ill and no other efforts healed her, she took the girl to a Christian church. The pastor prayed, her daughter was healed and Anu immediately put her faith in Christ, turning away from her occult practices.
Read MoreLebanese church leaders request prayers as they minister to refugees. More than 1 million Syrian refugees have entered the country since 2012, increasing Lebanon’s population by nearly one-fourth. Despite hardship, many evangelical churches in Lebanon not only welcomed but also cared for Christian and Muslim refugees with limited resources and few rights in the country.
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