Foreign-born church ministers appear to be viewed with suspicion and hostility by the government of Muslim-majority Turkey. In early 2022 it was reported that 78 foreign pastors and their families had been deported since the beginning of 2019, often on spurious national security grounds. Yet at present many congregations in Turkey are reliant on these ministers. Pray that efforts to train and prepare Turkish pastors and ministers will be successful, and that the Lord will raise up faithful, qualified church leaders to shepherd His flock.
Heavenly Father, we rejoice that Your grace is sufficient for our salvation and that our background is no barrier to experiencing Your gift of eternal life. We give thanks for the faith and courage of those who leave other religions to follow Christ, often at great personal cost. We pray that those from different religious backgrounds who trust in You will know the joy of the Lord as they encounter trials for their new-found faith. We ask that their faithful witness will have an impact on others, and that You will firmly establish them as more than conquerors through our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose Name we pray. (Ephesians 2:8; Romans 8:37)
Churches in highly authoritarian Turkmenistan find it almost impossible to gain official registration. As there are only about 20 registered churches, and religious meetings outside registered places of worship are banned, many Christians face the difficult choice between going without gathering for worship or worshipping unlawfully and risking arrest. If imprisoned, Christians often face torture and starvation. Ask that the Lord will help His people to navigate these difficult circumstances. Pray that President Serdar Berdymukhamedov, elected a year ago, will enact greater religious freedom and tolerance.
Give thanks that in Uzbekistan three more churches have gained registration, allowing them to conduct worship legally. The main obstacle to registration is that church ministers are required to have university-level qualifications, and congregations must have their own buildings. Sometimes churches can worship legally by sharing a registered building. In 2021 the number of church members required for registration was reduced from 100 to 50, but an additional stipulation was introduced stating that all 50 founding members must be resident in the same city or district. Pray that more churches will be able to meet these conditions and gain registration. Intercede particularly for congregations with many Muslim-background believers, that the pressure they face – especially from the Muslim-majority community – will be eased.
Vietnam’s Christians, frequently the targets of discrimination, need your continued prayers. Christianity is most prominent among the Montagnard and Hmong ethnic groups, both of which endure persecution. Thousands have been refused household registration documents or identity cards, rendering them unable to access healthcare or schooling. Converts are sometimes kept under surveillance, intimidated, beaten and held in arbitrary detention. Unregistered house churches may be closed and the property of Christians confiscated. Pray that the authorities will allow all Christians to worship freely, in keeping with Vietnam’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom, and that Vietnamese believers will stand firm in their faith whatever difficulties they face.
Yemen continues to suffer what is widely regarded as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The result of ongoing violent conflict, this crisis has led to a collapse in vital services and infrastructure, including healthcare and water supplies. It is estimated that 24.1 million people – around 80% of Yemen’s population – are in need of humanitarian assistance. Yemen’s tiny Christian community also suffers anti-Christian persecution. Converts from Islam are particularly vulnerable to reprisals from family and former friends, or an anti-apostasy law that stipulates the death penalty for those who leave Islam. Pray for the Lord’s provision for His children, asking that He will prepare for them a table despite the opposition they face (Psalm 23:5).
Give solemn thanks to our Father God, remembering that His Son the Lord Jesus Christ chose suffering and death in order to “save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Praise Him that Christ did not die merely as a victim of injustice, but as an atoning sacrifice through whom redemption is accomplished. Rejoice that, in the words of the hymn writer, “His blood can make the foulest clean.” Give thanks that this work is finished (John 19:30), and that the Holy Spirit applies it to all of God’s people. Praise Him also that throughout the centuries the Spirit has strengthened many believers to face persecution and death with faithful confidence in the Lord who “poured out his life unto death” (Isaiah 53:12).
Around 60% of the population of Christian-majority Zimbabwe are in “acute food insecurity”, with 3.5 million children among those suffering chronic hunger. Diseases and conditions caused by malnutrition have become common, especially in particularly impoverished areas such as Matabeleland. Give thanks that, at the time of writing, Barnabas Aid’s food.gives programme had delivered 229.5 tonnes (that’s 8,757,500 meals) of nourishing ePap porridge to Christians in Zimbabwe. Pray that all efforts to alleviate suffering will be successful, and ask the Lord to provide for His people, as all His creatures look to Him to provide food at the proper time (Psalm 104:27).
“He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.” Lord God and Heavenly Father, we give thanks for these words of the angel to the women who journeyed to the tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ that first Easter Sunday morning. Thank You that through His death and resurrection, the Lord gained the victory over sin, death and hell, and that all His people share in that victory. Thank You that we are reconciled to You and saved through the death and resurrection of Christ. We pray that all Your people around the world this Lord’s Day, no matter how harsh their suffering or the persecution they face, will be able to rejoice in His resurrection power, for we ask in the Name of our Risen Saviour. (Matthew 28:6; 1 Corinthians 15:57; Romans 5:10)
A pastor in Laos, Sy Seng Manee (aged 48), was seen being bundled into a van by three men. Later his dead body was found by the road, showing marks indicating a serious beating. It is believed Sy was targeted because he continued his ministry, despite serving a prison sentence in 2018 for his Christian work and for refusing to deny Christ. Give thanks for Pastor Sy’s faithful trust in the risen Lord (Acts 2:32).
Praise God that Barnabas Aid was able to provide swift support to Christian families in north-west Vietnam whose homes were damaged in a landslide caused by heavy rains. These believers from the Hmong ethnic group are among those at increased risk of persecution and harassment from their neighbours and the local authorities. Our partners hired diggers to clear the fallen earth and supplied building materials to repair the houses, as well as providing the families with rice, cooking pots and blankets. Give thanks that the Lord, the Rock of our salvation, cares continuously for His people (Psalm 95:1, 7).
Pray for the historic Christian community of Myanmar’s Sagaing Region, where three Christians – including a seven-year-old child – in the village of Mon Hla were killed in a joint land and air attack by the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw). A church and a Christian school were among 200 buildings destroyed in fires started by soldiers. Just a few weeks later another 300 houses were burned down by soldiers in the neighbouring Christian village of Chan Thar. Ask the Lord to comfort and sustain His people in Sagaing and across Myanmar as brutal anti-Christian violence continues, and pray that peace will come.
Lift up in prayer the family and friends of a five-year-old girl who was killed in a Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) artillery attack on a kindergarten in a Christian-majority area of Kayah State. The girl and her family were sheltering at the kindergarten, having been forced to flee their home when it came under heavy shelling. Other members of the family were injured, including a ten-month-old baby boy whose condition was described as critical. Pray for the full recovery and healing of the baby. Ask that the Lord will comfort the bereaved with a peace that passes understanding (Philippians 4:7), and that they and others in the area will find a safe refuge.
Barnabas Aid has entered a partnership with the Christian Medical Association of India (CMAI) to build a training centre in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, that will equip hundreds of Christians to work as allied health professionals. There is an acute shortage of such medical professionals across India, and the training centre will help address this need for India’s Christians, often among the most impoverished and disadvantaged. “This is a truly exciting development,” said Barnabas Aid’s International Director Patrick Sookhdeo. “In partnership with CMAI, we now have the opportunity to help equip poor rural Christians with much-needed skills.” Pray for the success of the training centre in equipping believers for service and giving our brothers and sisters the gift of health.
Pupils at the Divya Shanti Christian school – which is partly funded by Barnabas – in Bengaluru (Bangalore) celebrated the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in August 2022 with a pageant that traced India’s 4,500-year history. The pageant highlighted the pioneering contribution of Indian Christians in the development of education, medicine and healthcare for women as well as in the field of technology. Students aged 3 to 16 took part and were praised by members of the local community for their performances. Give thanks for the Christian contribution to the nation of India. Pray that the school will continue to provide comfort and hope to poor and needy Christian children for many generations to come.
Heavenly Father, we intercede for Your people who live in countries where disease is rampant, whether through poverty, natural disasters or poor healthcare provision, often exacerbated by discrimination. We ask You to cause medicine and personal protective equipment to reach hospitals and clinics where they are most needed, and that You will multiply Christians’ limited resources to enable them to access this care safely. We thank You that You are the Lord who heals and that You are willing to set people free of sickness. We pray that Your healing touch will be extended in the world’s poorest regions, for we ask in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (Exodus 15:26; Matthew 8:3)
“We are very grateful for this help. God bless you.” These were the words of Sirisena, a poor Sri Lankan Christian, who lost his income from selling vegetables because of the country’s economic crisis. Sirisena was among around 286 Sri Lankan Christians who received chickens and vegetable seeds funded by Barnabas as a means of supporting themselves. Another 2,000 suffering Christian families were given Barnabas-funded food aid. Give thanks for the Lord’s provision despite Sri Lanka’s desperate circumstances, and pray that He will continue to nourish His people both physically and spiritually.
Pray for the small Christian community of Bangladesh, that they will experience God’s protection and provision. Whilst the Christian minority of less than 1% enjoys greater freedom than in many Muslim-majority countries, believers experience discrimination from the Muslim majority, with converts from Islam the main targets. Tribal Christians, such as the Santal people group, are often the victims of land-grabbing or targeted violence. Pray that Christians will continue to present a powerful testimony of God’s love.
The re-establishment of strict Islamist rule is continuing in Afghanistan more than a year after the Taliban takeover of power. In November 2022 the Taliban government ordered judges to fully impose sharia (Islamic law), and in December carried out what is believed to be the first public execution. Pray especially for Afghan Christians, who if discovered will be executed as apostates from Islam. Ask that the Lord will continue to care for His people, sustaining them in their most holy faith and their hope of the life to come (Jude vv.20-1).
“Believers understand they are remembered.” These were the words of a pastor in Uzbekistan as Barnabas-funded aid was distributed to needy Christian families. Many had family members who suffer illness and disability, and most were converts from Islam, which makes them vulnerable to discrimination. The families were provided with food parcels that included sausages, pasta, rice, flour and sugar. “I thank you and our Lord for your kind heart,” said one grateful recipient. Give thanks that the Lord “provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever” (Psalm 111:5).
“Christians have become more active and daring to serve the Lord,” reported a Barnabas project partner in Kazakhstan after a series of teaching seminars, funded by Barnabas, for Kazakh Christian converts from Islam. Around 100 Christian converts were helped to grow in their faith at the discipleship seminars held in Muslim-majority Kazakhstan, while meetings were also held for Kazakh converts in Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia. Participants were helped and encouraged to stand firm in the face of persecution, and share the Gospel in hostile circumstances. Pray that the Lord, by His Holy Spirit, will help our brothers and sisters to remember and implement what they have learned. Ask that, if it is His will, He will make them ready to face hostility and persecution.
Give thanks that many believers are returning to the historically Christian region of Tur Abdin in south-east Turkey. Many Christians in this region were killed during the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek genocides of the early twentieth century, in which 3.75 million believers were killed by Ottoman Turks. Those who survived often left the area in search of safety. Barnabas Aid has funded the creation of an orchard of 500 pistachio trees at a Christian ministry centre, which, God willing, will provide an ongoing income for the centre. Pray that the Lord will indeed provide for His people as they return to their ancestral homes.
Our Father in Heaven, we ask Your protection for those entrusted with transporting scarce resources to our brothers and sisters in need. Please protect lorry drivers and others as they travel long distances to bring essential food, medical supplies and other aid to Your suffering people. Guide them and empower them with Your energy as they transport their precious cargo across conflict zones and rough terrain. Grant them to complete deliveries safely to be Your means of blessing to Christians suffering throughout the world for their faith in Jesus Christ, in whose Name we pray.
Lift up in prayer Iranian Christian convert Naser Navard Goltapeh and others in his family after the recent death of his mother. Naser served five years of a ten-year prison sentence for “acting against national security” because he belonged to an unlawful “house church”. He was pardoned and released from prison in October 2022. Sadly his mother, Sahab, who campaigned throughout his imprisonment for his release, died just over a month after he returned home. “While I was in prison,” said Naser, “my constant prayer was that God would keep her healthy so that I could see her once again. God heard this prayer.” Give thanks for Naser’s answered prayer, and pray that the Lord will bring comfort to those who mourn (Matthew 5:4).
Intercede for a church in the Egyptian village of Ebis, Beheira Governorate, which was attacked by extremists as Christians were attempting to make repairs to the church building. A crowd of Muslim extremists, chanting Islamic slogans, threw stones at believers as work was taking place on the church roof. Police responded, allowing work to continue, but the mob gathered further down the road to block lorries carrying building supplies from reaching the village, forcing construction to come to a halt. The church has also felt forced to close its health clinic, which serves both Christians and Muslims, for fear of attack. Pray that hostilities will cease, and that the church will be able to continue to minister in peace.
“Without this box we might have died of hunger.” These were the startling words of impoverished Christian widows in Egypt after they were reached with Barnabas-funded food boxes. A total of 4,557 impoverished families received three months’ supply of food boxes containing nutritional staples like rice, pasta, flour and beans. Food prices in Egypt are at their highest for 60 years, while widows struggle particularly to provide for their families as most are unable to work or have jobs paying minimal wages. Give thanks for the Lord’s provision through these difficult circumstances, and pray that He will continue to give food to the fatherless and the widows (Deuteronomy 10:18).
Clement and Christiana Ukertor and their younger daughter Dooyum (aged 17) were killed in a raid on their family farm in Benue State, Nigeria by suspected Fulani extremists. The older daughter of this Christian family, who is named Blessing, survived but suffered multiple machete wounds. Pray that Blessing (aged 20), who at the time of writing was in a serious condition in hospital, will make a full recovery. Ask that her heavenly Father, the God of all comfort, will draw very close to her to console her in the terrible loss of her family (2 Corinthians 1:3).
Praise God for the release of a church minister who was abducted while conducting a worship service in Enugu State, Nigeria. Victor Ishiwu was kidnapped by gunmen who attacked an early morning service and began shooting into the air. He was released a few days later in good health. Give thanks that the Lord heard and answered our prayers on behalf of our brother. Ask that some way will be found of curbing the activities of Islamists and bandits who continually threaten the Nigerian Church.
“I felt like through this course God is committing lives and destinies to my hand, and I will be held accountable if I lightly esteem it or do not take it seriously.” These were the words of Pastor Oliver Chaplain, from South Sudan, one of 418 students currently registered with Barnabas Aid’s The Shepherd’s Academy (TSA). TSA provides training opportunities for grassroots church leaders across the Global South, including full undergraduate degrees and short courses. Students gain not only vital Biblical understanding, theological knowledge and pastoral skills, but also a deeper sense of the gravity of their awesome and solemn calling. This, added Pastor Oliver, “developed a sense of godly fear and reverence in me that drew me even closer to the Lord”. Pray for all the students, that the Lord through His Holy Spirit will continue to mould and to shape church leaders with the necessary knowledge, skill, character and spiritual insight.
Lord Jesus, we remember Your humility and eagerness to learn from teachers and grow in knowledge and wisdom. We pray for those whom You have called to further study of Your Word at Bible colleges around the world. We ask for financial provision for those who have made great sacrifices out of their poverty to commit themselves to their studies. Please give them perseverance to accompany their zeal, understanding as they grapple with difficult but rewarding truths and insight into how to apply their knowledge. Above all, cause their hearts to be warmed with love for You as they study and for those to whom You call them to minister. (Luke 2: 40, 46; Romans 12:11)
