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 MoreA 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 MoreKitessa 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 MoreA 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 MoreNorthern 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 MoreLike 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 MoreAuthorities 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 MoreAsmaan 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 MoreBrother 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 MoreA 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.
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