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 MorePastor 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 MoreMost 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 MoreBhaluwan 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 MoreTwo 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 MoreIn 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 MoreChristians 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 MoreWhile 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 MoreMrs. 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 MoreTeoboldo 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.
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