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Praise the Lord that He has enabled Barnabas Aid to increase the number of projects we are supporting around the world. In just the first ten weeks of 2025 we have funded 78 projects in 23 countries across seven regions of the world. Pray for the success of these projects, asking that each one will be a blessing to the Lord’s people and bring glory to His Name.
Barnabas Aid’s commitment to send a million pigs and a million chickens to marginalized Christian communities had its official beginning in February, when International CEO Colin Bloom personally delivered the first piglet to a community in Nigeria’s southern Kaduna State. These animals will help our brothers and sisters obtain both food and an income, and in learning farming practices the communities will become self-sufficient, gaining highly employable, life-long skills. Thank the Lord that this important work is progressing, and pray that He will bless our efforts to provide not only food but also hope.
Ever more armed conflicts, extreme weather events and financial instability has led to a steep increase in the number of humanitarian crises around the world. At the same time, those same factors have led to a decrease in the funding available to meet the humanitarian needs of those affected by various disasters. Pray that the Lord, whose resources are never stretched and whose ability to respond is never diminished, will act swiftly on behalf of all who suffer, and especially His own people who trust in Him as their Savior.
Lord God, we lift up before You the Middle East, a region rich in history yet burdened by conflict and suffering. Lord, bring peace where there is war, hope where there is despair, and unity where there is division. Strengthen Your Church to be a light in the darkness, guiding many to the love of Christ. Comfort the persecuted, provide for the needy, and heal the broken-hearted. Let justice and mercy flow like a river, transforming hearts and nations. Give wisdom to leaders, courage to peacemakers, and perseverance to those who labor for Your kingdom. May Your will be done in this region, for Your glory. (Amos 5:24)
At the time of writing the ceasefire that had brought a pause in hostilities in Gaza has broken down. Pray for a resolution that will allow the release of hostages and the provision of humanitarian aid to civilians. Ask that the Lord will be a place of refuge for Christians (Psalm 62:8), who are a despised minority in many Middle Eastern contexts.
In response to the escalation of conflict in Lebanon in 2024, Barnabas Aid provided urgent support to thousands of Christians displaced from their homes or otherwise affected by the violence. Through partnerships with local leaders and churches, we delivered essential supplies, including food, medication, hygiene items, winter necessities, and fuel to keep shelters warm. Food boxes and winter clothes were distributed. Among those helped were Syrian Christian refugees. Thank God for the compassion shown through Barnabas Aid’s supporters during this crisis. Pray for healing for Lebanon’s people, that they will find strength and renewal amidst the hardship. Ask for God’s guidance in bringing peace to this land and for continued support to meet the physical and spiritual needs of all affected.
Christians in Syria were left with deep concerns for their safety after a flare up of sectarian violence in the country’s north-west left more than 1,000 people dead. Most of the victims were Alawites, a Muslim sect regarded as heretical by the Sunni majority. At least 12 Christians were among the dead. The violence was carried out by supporters of the new Syrian government. The president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, came to power promising to respect human rights and religious freedom, and has condemned the killings; however, these massacres have led to fears that religious minorities will be targeted by Islamist extremists. Pray for peace in Syria and ask that the Lord will be especially close to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Barnabas is supporting 3,000 African Christian refugees living in the Holy Land. The believers from Eritrea, Sudan and Ethiopia have fled their homes to escape violence and persecution. This aid has included distribution of monthly food packages to 89 vulnerable families; support to more than 700 individuals, including trauma counseling; organizing after-school programs and holiday events benefiting more than 100 children; assistance in families’ resettlement applications and legal cases. Pray that this support will meet the specific needs of each of the refugees and enable them to rebuild their lives.
Thank the Lord for the release of Abdulbaqi Said Abdo, a Yemeni Christian convert, and Nour Gerges, an Egyptian believer, who were arrested in Egypt in 2021 on “blasphemy” charges. However, the charges against them remain. Pray that God will strengthen them and grant them justice. Ask the Lord to bring freedom to others who remain in prison, and to ensure stronger protections for Egypt’s Christian minority.
Legal experts are preparing draft religious freedom legislation that will be presented in Iraq’s Council of Representatives. The aim of the legislation is to protect the rights and ensure the “long-term survival” of Iraq’s religious minorities. Before the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 there were around 1.5 million Christians in Iraq. An increase in sectarian tensions meant that only 700,000 were left by the time Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) seized a third of the country – Christians were among those subjected to violence and displaced from their homes. In recent years it has been estimated that only 150,000-250,000 Christians are left, and this number continues to fall. Pray for the success of efforts to protect Christians and other minority groups.
Lord Jesus, we pray for Christians living in warzones, powerless to affect events that are not of their making. We ask You to protect them from harm as many face the difficult decision to flee their homes and country. We pray the same protection for those for whom flight is not an option. Please enable Your people to know Your guidance to pursue peace, whatever the provocation, and so demonstrate their identity as Your children. We pray that weapons of warfare will be turned into tools for sustaining life, for we ask in Your precious Name. (Matthew 5:9; Isaiah 2:4)
Around 7,000 people have died in the conflict that has flared up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The M23 Movement, an armed rebel group backed by neighboring Rwanda, has seized two regional capitals in the north-east of the country. Many thousands have been displaced, including 80,000 who have fled the country. Praise God that Barnabas has provided emergency aid to Christians affected by the crisis. Pray that He will continue to bless this work, as well as the efforts of all those providing humanitarian aid and working towards peace.
The Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) has taken advantage of the chaos in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo to increase the scale and frequency of its attacks against Christians. At least 289 believers were slaughtered by ISCAP between Christmas 2024 and mid-March 2025. Barnabas Aid contacts report that ISCAP fighters may offer to spare victims who convert to Islam, and will kill those who refuse. Pray that the Lord will help and sustain His people (Psalm 54:4) as they endure this hardship.
Praise God that over several successful workshops Barnabas partners in northern Uganda have taught 5,000 Christian girls and young women, including victims of rape and abuse, how to make reusable sanitary pads. In this impoverished region sanitary products are expensive and hard to access. On average the girls made three reusable pads each day, and many received training to pass on their knowledge to their communities. One grateful principal whose school hosted a workshop described the experience as “an awakening of hope and a birth of new dreams.” Pray that hopes will be realized as the girls grow in confidence and realize their potential in Christ.
At the time of writing the conflict in the Republic of Sudan is intensifying. The country has been gripped in civil war for more than two years, and fighters from the Sudan Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces are battling for control of the capital city, Khartoum. Observers have reported human rights violations, including widespread sexual violence against women and girls. In the wider Khartoum region at least 3.5 million people have been displaced and around 100,000 are experiencing acute famine conditions. Ask that the Lord, who “breaks the bow and shatters the spear” (Psalm 46:9), will bring peace in this troubled nation.
“There are no hospitals here or in the surrounding towns,” says our project partner in the Republic of Sudan. Many hospitals and health clinics have closed since the beginning of the civil war nearly two years ago, contributing to what is now one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. Nearly nine million are internally displaced across the country. They are among those in urgent need of medical care, food and shelter. Our project partner is providing emergency healthcare, food parcels and some means of warmth for displaced Christians in two of the worst-affected regions, Blue Nile State and the Abyei Area. Working through the local church, they aim to meet the needs of believers who have no other earthly source of support. Please pray that our merciful God will bless this effort to help some of the least of the brothers and sisters of Christ (Matthew 25:40).
Increasing tensions in the northern regions of South Sudan have, at the time of writing, led the country to the brink of civil war. In early March nearly 50 people were killed in clashes between a militia group, the White Army, and the South Sudanese armed forces in Upper Nile State. Christian-majority South Sudan gained its independence from the Republic of Sudan in 2011, but has been mired in sporadic conflict ever since. Pray that a way will be found to avert further violence.
Gracious God, we thank You for the faithfulness of those who suffer injustice for the furtherance of Your kingdom. Help us to remember Christians imprisoned throughout the world for their love for You as if we were together with them in prison. We pray that You will provide for their physical needs as they suffer confinement and ask that they will experience the comfort and encouragement of Your Spirit that will spread Your light in the darkest places. Please strengthen them in their innermost being to know that they are following their Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose Name we pray. (Hebrews 13:3; Ephesians 3:16)
Two Christians pardoned and released from prison by Iranian authorities on charges relating to their roles in running “house churches” have been rearrested. Naser Navard Goltapeh and Pastor Joseph Shahbazian, both in their early 60s, were returned to Evin Prison, notorious for its mistreatment of prisoners. At the time of writing Naser was on hunger strike in protest at his rearrest, and Pastor Joseph remained detained without charge, denied access to a lawyer. Ask the Lord to protect and strengthen Naser and Joseph as they endure this latest test by the Iranian authorities. Pray that they will be freed swiftly from their unjust imprisonment.
Three Iranian Christian converts from Islam have received prison sentences on charges of “propaganda activities” concerning their involvement in “house churches.” Thirty-seven-year-old Narges Nasri, who at the time of her sentencing was four months pregnant, was sentenced to 16 years. Abbas Soori, 48, received a sentence of 15 years; Mehran Saloumi, 37, received a sentence of 11 years 8 months. All three were given heavy fines. Pray for Narges, Abbas and Mehran as they face these long sentences. Ask that they will all know God’s comfort and strength as they endure trials. Pray that lawyers representing them will receive God’s sovereign guidance in seeking to overturn these harsh verdicts.
Up to 80% of medical facilities supported by the World Health Organization in Afghanistan could be forced to close, owing to a funding shortfall. This closure could cause a collapse of the Afghan health system, contributing to what is already one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The number of Christians in Afghanistan is not known, as many must live as secret believers. They share in the overall suffering of the Afghan people as well as the possibility of being killed by the Taliban government if their faith is discovered. Pray that the Lord will provide for all the people of Afghanistan (Psalm 65:8-9), and especially those who cry out to Him.
We were like slaves. Now we have freedom,” said Pakistani Christian brick kiln worker Faqiria. The gifts of Barnabas Aid supporters have paid off the debts that for 15 years kept Faqiria bonded, like a slave, to his employer, the brick kiln owner. Faqiria had no choice but to borrow the money to pay for ongoing medical treatment when his son contracted polio, which left the boy paralyzed. Pray that Barnabas can free even more impoverished brick kiln workers, like Faqiria, from bonded labor following the launch of our new Living Streams sponsorship initiative. With God’s grace, these gifts will help bring freedom, hope and a future to other faithful Christian families.
Nutritious monthly food parcels funded by Barnabas Aid’s Living Streams sponsorship program are a beacon of hope for impoverished and marginalized Christian families in Pakistan. “With this help, I can now focus on raising my children without the constant fear of hunger,” said widow Iram. Like many others of our brothers and sisters, Iram has used the money she saves from buying food to send her children to school, giving them the opportunity of a better future. Pray for an end to the discrimination in education and employment that holds back Christians in Pakistan. Thank God for the generous giving of our Living Streams sponsors (Deuteronomy 15:11).
Praise God that the swift action of police, government officials and church leaders in Chhattisgarh, India, averted violence against Christians. Extremists had called for a mass rally and the killing of Christians. Church leaders quickly sought the help of the authorities, and the police provided protection for the Christian-majority villages that were at risk. Pray that the Lord will prevent extremists from harming His people.
Lord God and Heavenly Father, we praise and thank You for the growth of the Church in Nepal. Please strengthen the faith of our Nepali brothers and sisters, who are often vulnerable to being arrested and punished, just for speaking of their love for You. As they face the current legal situation in Nepal, fill them with the wisdom from above that Your Word promises to all believers who ask. May the trials they face produce perseverance and maturity, especially for the many who have only recently made the decision to follow You. (James 1:3-5)
When Pastor “Mebrahtu” was finally released from prison, there was just one thing he wanted to do – go back to proclaiming the Gospel. “He headed straight to the mission field to preach,” explained a member of the Barnabas Projects team, “even before going home to be with his family.” Mebrahtu is one of thousands of Eritrean pastors to suffer abuse and mistreatment in Eritrea’s prisons. Praise the Lord for their courage and faith. Pray for the success of Barnabas Aid’s efforts to give practical aid to pastors in Eritrea’s underground churches.
Persecution of Christians in Eritrea is so fierce that many believers have been forced to escape into neighboring countries. Most were already struggling to afford basic necessities – Eritrea is one of the world’s poorest countries – but now they are in urgent need. Pray that Barnabas Aid’s distribution of food and Bibles to these refugees will be to them a sign of His goodness, help and comfort (Psalm 86:17).
The West African Sahel region now accounts for more than half of all deaths from terrorism, according to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index. The region is home to many armed groups, including several Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) and Al Qaeda affiliates, along with other Islamist terrorists. Burkina Faso is judged to be the country worst affected by terrorism, with Mali and Niger and in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Terrorism affects all people, but Christians have more to fear from Islamists in this Muslim-majority region. Ask that the Lord will rise up and decree justice against the enemies of His people (Psalm 7:6).
In late 2024 and early 2025, concerns were raised about a new terrorist group based in the north-western Nigerian states of Kebbi and Sokoto. Recent reports indicate that the group, known as Lakurawa, is linked to the Islamic State Sahel Province, which operates across Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. If so, then Nigeria is now home to two Islamic State (IS, ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) provinces. The other being Islamic State West Africa Province, based in the Lake Chad region of Borno State, in the north-east of the country. Analysts have warned that IS terrorist groups are active across a vast region of Africa, from southern Algeria to northern Cameroon. Pray that the Lord, who is a strong tower of refuge for His people (Proverbs 18:10), will protect our brothers and sisters from this growing threat.
At least 15 residents of three Christian villages in Ebonyi State, south-eastern Nigeria, were killed by suspected Fulani Islamists in early February. It was reported initially that ten people died in the early-morning attacks; however, the bodies of five more villagers were recovered later in the bush. At the time of writing, at least two members of the community were missing. Pray that the Lord will wipe away the tears of this community and provide for the needs of bereaved families. Ask Him to protect His people from such attacks throughout Nigeria.
“As we sat together, with grief still evident in her eyes, she began to sing. It was a song of worship, of thanksgiving. And it came from a place so raw, so filled with faith, that I felt it to my core.” These were the words of Christian rapper and storyteller Joshua Luke Smith, when he met Nambam, a Nigerian believer whose husband was killed by Islamists. “In that moment, I understood that like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Nambam was not alone in the fire... God was with her, sustaining her, and refining her faith.” Praise God for His faithfulness to Nambam, and to all His people. Pray that we too will be strengthened by the witness of our persecuted brothers and sisters to the goodness and grace of our Father in Heaven To hear the rest of this encounter and many more, visit barnabasaid.org/faith-in-the-fire
