Praying for the Persecuted Church in Lent - Children

“...whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” (Matthew 18:5)

Children have an honoured place within the Christian family, and they are to be the objects of our care. But where Christians are persecuted, it is often the children who suffer the most. Young and vulnerable, they are easy targets, unable to protect themselves or flee. They may be bullied, isolated, hungry, thirsty, kidnapped, raped, beaten and sometimes even killed because of their love for Christ. In contexts of persecution, they are forced to deal with much more pain and suffering than many of us will ever experience in our lifetime, and from a young age to count the cost of following the Lord Jesus.

These Christian children attend a Christian primary school in Pakistan supported by Barnabas Aid

In Burma (Myanmar) the Burmese army frequently raids the jungle villages which are the homes of ethnic minorities with many Christians. The soldiers kill any inhabitants who do not manage to escape in time. Hundreds of Christian children have been left orphaned by this violence. Barnabas helps to support Christian orphanages that care for these and other children. In Bulgaria Christian children now have access to a lively Christian children’s magazine, aimed at encouraging them in their faith in a country where Islam has been gaining greatly in strength.

Christian children also suffer in education, and may face hostility and discrimination at school. Barnabas Aid is enabling over 5,000 Christian children to attend Christian schools in eight different countries where Christians face pressure from other faiths. In Pakistan, where Christians are poor because they are discriminated against, many Christian families have to send their children out to work to earn money. Barnabas Aid has been supporting some families with monthly food parcels so their children can go to school instead of out to work.

Good, lively attractive Christian literature can be a great encouragement to Christian children who know themselves to be despised by the majority society. It helps build their confidence and self esteem as well as strengthening their faith. Barnabas Aid supports projects which provide Christian children’s magazines in the Arab world and Central Asia.