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Please pray for the continued recovery of 24 Eritrean Christians who were released from prison in April. Most of those released had been held for at least two years; one had been imprisoned for more than 18 years. More than 100 believers were released in December 2025. Eritrea legally permits only three Christian denominations – Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran – as well as Sunni Islam. Hundreds of Christians have been imprisoned in brutal and squalid conditions. Survivors describe atrocious conditions, beatings, torture cells and forced labor. It is not known why these prisoners have been released. Intercede for those still being held, asking that they too will soon be freed.
Our Father, we cry out to You on behalf of our brothers and sisters suffering violent persecution around the world. Please draw near to those enduring immense suffering for the sake of Christ’s Name, giving them the spiritual strength and encouragement they so urgently need. Deliver them from their enemies, and be to them a mighty fortress. Rise up against evildoers who seek the blood of Your people, and show Yourself to be the Lord God Almighty, for we ask in our Savior’s Name. (Psalm 59:1-5)
Christian communities in north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are facing extreme pressure to either convert to Islam or accept dhimmi status as a subjugated people under Islamic rule. Up to 60 Christians in the village of Bafwakoa, Ituri Province, were killed in early April after rejecting such a demand, described by Islamic State Central Africa Province as a “generous offer made to them by Islamic State, based on the just rulings of Islam.” Pray for an end to the Islamist insurgency in north-eastern DRC.
Almost ninety Christians were slaughtered in several days of violence carried out by Islamic State Central Africa Province (ISCAP) in north-eastern DRC in mid-May. In the deadliest attack, an estimated 60 “Christian combatants” were killed in Beni Territory on the border of North Kivu and Ituri provinces. Islamic State propaganda uses the word “combatants” to describe Christians or Jews who have refused to convert or pay the jizya tax as a sign of their dhimmi status. In a statement published on social media, ISCAP declared, “Let the worshippers of the cross know that they have no security except by submitting willingly or paying the jizya in humiliation.” Earnestly seek the Lord on behalf of the suffering and persecuted Christians of north-eastern DRC. Pray that the enemies of our brothers and sisters will be turned back as His people cry out for help (Psalm 56:9).
At least 14 Christians were killed in several attacks by Islamic State fighters in Cabo Delgado, northern Mozambique, in early May. Nine of the murders took place in Ancuabe District, where the Islamists also burned three church buildings and at least 114 homes. Islamic State Mozambique has claimed the killing of more than 70 Christians in the last 12 months. Ask the Lord to comfort those bereaved in this latest spate of violence. Pray that those traumatized in this series of attacks will receive divine strength and encouragement. Cry out for an end to the ongoing violence in northern Mozambique.
Suffering and persecuted believers are comforted and encouraged to know that one day they will see the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, just as He appeared for a moment in purest white to Peter, James and John. As we recall His pre-eminence over the great prophets Moses and Elijah, and the Father’s affirmation of His beloved Son, pray that the Church worldwide will hear the voice of Jesus with fresh clarity. Pray that those persecuted for their faith and languishing in prison will experience the beauty and shining brilliance of their Savior to light up their path in spiritual encouragement and practical guidance. Ask that the uniqueness of Jesus will be impressed on God’s people once again as the only true light in the darkness (Matthew 17; Mark 9; Luke 9; John 8:12).
Ten three-day training sessions on responding to Islam have been delivered by Barnabas partners to almost 500 believers in an East African country. All attendees received books explaining Islamic teaching from a Christian perspective, as well as writing materials. Participants showed great commitment, in some cases walking three hours to attend. Project partners say the initiative has strengthened the Church and given participants a greater understanding of Islam, which is prominent in the region. Praise God for the successful delivery of this vital training and pray that the increased understanding gained will have lasting effects in empowering the Church in this region of East Africa.
Christians in Mauritania are almost exclusively converts from Islam who are despised as apostates. Leaving Islam is a criminal offense punishable by death (though Mauritania is not known to have carried out a death sentence since 1987). Believers are also likely to face violence at the hands of their neighbors, or even families and former friends. Praise the Lord that despite these circumstances, His Church continues to grow. Pray that Christians will be strengthened in their faith and protected from harm.
Our loving Lord, we lift up to You Christian women and girls living in contexts of marginalization and persecution, where they are often doubly despised – for being women and for being Christians. Please provide for all their needs and protect them from those who plan to harm them. We pray especially for vulnerable Christian widows and their children, without a human defender, and we praise You that You are a father to the fatherless and a defender of widows. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. (Psalm 68:5)
“Every time we gather at the church, the borewell stands as a living testimony of God’s faithfulness and love.” These were the words of Pastor Manoj, who ministers in a village in Madhya Pradesh, India. This village was among five locations in central India where Barnabas Aid supporters funded the drilling of boreholes to provide a safe and reliable water supply for marginalized Christian communities. Praise the Lord for providing for His people.
Thank the Lord for the distribution of 8,000 printed Bibles and 1,000 audio Bibles, funded by Barnabas, to Christians in remote villages and forest regions of the Indian states of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. “It was like light entering into my life,” said Suman, a blind woman who received an audio Bible. Pray that the Word of God will continue to be a lamp to the feet and a light to the path (Psalm 119:105) of His people in India.
Pray for the continued faith and resilience of two Christian evangelists in central India, after they were attacked by extremists and then charged with carrying out allegedly unlawful conversions. Several Indian states have “anti-conversion laws” that regulate religious conversions and criminalize those believed to be obtained through force, fraud or allurement. Extremists often wrongly believe that such laws criminalize all conversions from Hinduism, or even that they outlaw any form of Christian evangelism or worship. At the time of writing, the pair are in hiding. Ask the Lord to sustain, uphold and deliver our brothers from harm (Psalm 119:116-7).
Barnabas Aid supporters have funded the construction of a wall that protects a church property at a location in Sri Lanka. The pastor and his family, who have their home at the same site, have faced harassment since 2012, most recently from a family that lives nearby. The wall now prevents the disruptive family from entering and interfering with services. It has also given greater security for the pastor, his wife and their two daughters, especially when the pastor is away from home on long-distance ministry commitments. As well as this physical barrier, ask the Lord to be a spiritual wall of protection for His persecuted people.
Give thanks that a pastor in Nepal has been acquitted of charges of illegal religious conversion of schoolchildren in a case lasting 15 months. The case against Pastor Janmajaya Bhattarai was dismissed in late March because of a lack of evidence against him. Pastor Bhattarai was arrested days after he and his team distributed 30 bags and clothing items to underprivileged students. The pastor had given out gifts as a Christmas tradition for several years at the request of local schools. Several Hindu members of the school management committee complained that he was evangelizing students in an attempt to convert them. Praise God that these charges against Pastor Bhattarai were dismissed. Pray that he and other Christian leaders in Nepal will know God’s wisdom and protection in serving Him faithfully in testing situations (Matthew 10:16).
Three Christians were among six people injured in northern Bangladesh as a 200-strong mob of Muslim extremists attacked religious sites including a Christian cemetery and a Hindu temple. It appears that the attack was an attempt at stealing land that belongs to Christian and Hindu tribal families. Thank the Lord that the authorities intervened to prevent further violence as well as confirming the rightful ownership of the land. Pray for the continued recovery of all six victims, two of whom required hospital treatment.
Lord God, we pray for those of our brothers and sisters who today are prevented from worshiping You freely and openly. Please draw near through the Holy Spirit to those who are meeting with other believers in secrecy. Please be especially close to those who are prevented from being able to meet at all. We ask that these followers of Christ will be comforted and encouraged with the reminder that You will ever leave them or forsake them, for we ask it in our Savior’s Name. (1 Kings 8:57)
Please pray for Christians in Algeria, where 58 churches have been closed in the past ten years, including all 47 affiliated with the Eglise Protestante d’Algérie, the officially recognized group of Protestant churches in the country. Algerian believers are now forced to worship unlawfully, as the law forbids any non-Muslim worship to take place without official approval. “Any expression of Christian faith may be regarded as an attempt to ‘undermine the faith of a Muslim’… and may result in prosecution,” says a report from the European Center for Law and Justice. Ask that our brothers and sisters will not be discouraged, remembering that our Lord does not live in temples made by human hands (Acts 17:24).
Thank the Lord that another 191 churches and church-affiliated buildings have been granted licenses by the Egyptian government. Since the abolition of Ottoman-era restrictions on places of worship ten years ago, 3,804 licenses for churches have been approved; at the time of writing 1,611 applications are still pending. The government allowed Christians to worship in unlicensed buildings pending the completion of the registration process. In some areas, however, congregations risk having their churches sealed or demolished by local authorities under the pretext of lacking permits, even when they have applied. Give thanks for this latest batch of approvals and pray that the committee will complete its work swiftly. Pray that the licensing process will lead to the reduction of hostility towards Christians from extremists among the Muslim-majority population.
“I teach my grandchildren Arabic and math.And now, thank God, I can read the Bible for myself,” an Egyptian grandmother joyfully declared. She had left behind a lifetime of illiteracy thanks to a Barnabas-funded literacy program that has benefitted 4,500 learners. Children and Christian adults struggling with literacy are now learning to read through Scripture-focused study. Give thanks for many lives impacted by this program, for increased attendance and engagement at church Bible studies, and children applying lessons from Bible stories to their life. Pray that this vital work will continue to grow and transform lives.
Thank God for the faithful Gospel witness in the heart of Cairo. Rising costs, displacement and limited opportunities continue to shape the lives of vulnerable families. Among them are Sudanese refugees who, having fled conflict, often face new hardship even after reaching safety. Yet the Church is becoming a place of refuge and practical compassion. Through coordinated support, families receive rent assistance, medical care, and essential food items, while displaced Sudanese children can continue their education in safe environments. As Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, hospitality to strangers carries unseen blessing. Pray for protection, provision and perseverance for displaced families, and for strength for those serving with Christlike compassion in Cairo.
International experts have reported widespread incidents of torture, abuse and sexual violence in the Republic of Sudan. The country continues to experience a humanitarian catastrophe resulting from more than three years of civil war. The death toll is immense – possibly as high as 400,000 – with nearly 25 million affected by famine and severe food shortages. Sudanese Christians have also reported being targeted for their faith by both sides in the conflict. Pray earnestly that the Lord will bring an end to the immense suffering of the Sudanese people, caused purely by human greed, selfishness and hatred.
Pray for Barnabas Aid project partners in South Sudan who have established a digital training hub to help provide employment opportunities for marginalized young Christians. Equipped with a solar charging system, laptops, a storage unit and study guides, the hub facilitates instruction in Christian education and digital literacy skills for 30 young Christian beneficiaries. Facilitators provide training in basic computer operation, internet navigation, online safety and Microsoft Office applications. They are also delivering teaching in Biblical literacy and core Christian doctrines. Pray that these young Christians will develop depth in their understanding of truth as they grow more confident in applying digital technology.
Heavenly Father, we ask You to comfort Christians who suffer from marginalization and desperate poverty. We pray for those who are deprived of employment opportunities, for children denied education, and for all our brothers and sisters living in destitution. Please enable more and more of Your people to have the opportunity to develop skills, find work, create small businesses and generate an income. Encourage them, we pray, that the Lord knows that they need food and clothes, and has promised to provide for those who seek the kingdom of Christ, in whose Name we pray. (Luke 12:30-31)
Christians are treated with hostility and suspicion in many parts of Indonesia, and are often among the most impoverished of people. Please pray for the success of a Barnabas Aid project to meet the urgent needs of 500 families and another 100 individuals with food packages containing essentials such as fish, rice, noodles, eggs and milk. Pray also for a sustainable chicken-farming project that will, God willing, benefit at least 25 families. Ask that through these works, the Lord Jesus Christ will be glorified.
“This couldn’t have come at a better time to help these desperate families,” said a Barnabas Aid project partner in Laos after 1,750 chickens and 50 piglets, funded through our Barnabas Breakfast campaign, were distributed among 570 Christian families. The families also received chicken and piglet feed, along with training in animal health and welfare. “I never met the person who gave me these chickens,” said a Christian mother with young children, “but God knows them and I thank God for them.” Join our sister in giving thanks to God for His provision and pray that the Barnabas Breakfast initiative will continue to bear fruit for Christians in Laos.
Two Christians were arrested after extremists disrupted a Sunday prayer meeting in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, central India in late April. Both men were accused of unlawfully attempting to gain converts through force, fraud or allurement. Madhya Pradesh is one of 13 Indian states with an “anti-conversion law” that prohibits seeking converts through force or coercion. Extremists often wrongly believe that such laws criminalize any form of Christian worship. Pray that the Lord will protect our two brothers as they face these spurious accusations. Ask that justice will be done and that they will not face any further repercussions. Pray that the Holy Spirit will minister to the Christian community as they experience threats from extremists.
Indian church leaders have written to the chief minister of the north-eastern state of Manipur asking for more to be done to resolve a “grave and escalating humanitarian crisis.” Many Christians who have had to leave their homes during three years of violence and tension are still in camps for displaced people, unable to return to their homes because of the threat from armed religious extremists and facing severe shortages. Ask the Lord to bring peace and provision to Manipur, especially for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray that the displaced will be able to return to their homes and begin to rebuild their lives.
At the time of writing, Cuba is facing critical shortages of fuel and extensive blackouts that have affected millions of people. One result is that there is no power for water pumps, leading to a severe shortage of safe drinking water. Thank the Lord that Barnabas Aid supporters have funded the provision of solar panels for Cuban churches that will, God willing, help Christian communities through the present crisis. Petition the Lord, who gives water and all provision for both people and animals (Psalm 104:10-18), for a long-term resolution to the ongoing shortages of fuel, water, medicine and food.
Elections for both the presidency and legislature of Haiti are, at the time of writing, scheduled to take place tomorrow, having been postponed since 2019 owing to instability caused by armed criminal gangs. In mid-May hundreds of people in the Cité Soleil neighborhood of Port-au-Prince, the capital city, were forced from their homes by a fresh wave of violence, adding to an estimated 1.4 million displaced people. Ask that the new government, allied to international efforts, will be able to bring an end to this crisis. Pray particularly for the Christians of Haiti, that the Lord will provide for their needs and they will continue to be witnesses of the Gospel hope that is found only in Christ.
Lord Jesus, we intercede for brothers and sisters encountering apparent hopelessness through war, persecution, natural disasters or extreme poverty. We thank You that through Your glorious resurrection we are born again to a living hope in You that does not disappoint us. We ask for mobilization of resources to support our Christian family facing such suffering and that You will use Your people to help them renew their hope in You, for we pray in Your mighty Name. (1 Peter 1:3; Romans 5:5)
“It is my faith in God that keeps me going,” says Susanna Liew about her long quest for answers on the whereabouts of her husband, Pastor Raymond Koh, last seen when he was abducted from his car in Kuala Lumpur nine years ago. The Malaysian High Court held the government and the police responsible for the hijacking, a ruling that the authorities are contesting. Pray for continued courage and perseverance for Susanna (Isaiah 40:31). Give thanks that Susanna’s trust in God is a shining light encouraging others in their faith. Ask that it will also soften the hearts of those in authority so that they may finally reveal the truth and give Pastor Koh’s family the answers they crave.