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Since its inception in June 2021, food.gives – a project of Barnabas Aid – has sent 173 containers of food and medical supplies to sick and hungry believers around the world. Since the start of 2024, we have provided 3,500,000 servings of food. Often these servings are life-saving. Give thanks to God that we have been able to help so many hungry Christians through the continued generosity of our supporters. Ask that He will enable us to continue to provide these vital resources to our brothers and sisters.
Zimbabwe has declared its drought a national disaster and appealed for assistance to prevent 2.7 million people from going hungry this year. Years of drought in the region have been compounded by the naturally recurring El Niño weather phenomenon, which has led to poor rains across 80% of the country. Our latest food.gives delivery to Zimbabwe – a consignment of 23.5 tonnes of lentils distributed among 11,600 Christians – was described by our project partners as “nothing short of life-saving”. Continue to uphold in prayer our Zimbabwean brothers and sisters and ask that their needs will be met. Above all, pray for rain.
Poor farm labourer Krishan’s family is among 600 in Pakistan that Barnabas is assisting with a monthly food parcel. “I am very grateful to God Almighty. He never forsakes my family and sent support in unexpected ways,” says Krishan, adding that he will now be able to buy new shoes for his children. Praise God for the difference this aid is making to Christian families in Pakistan. Pray that many more lives will be transformed by this support, especially that children will be able to extend their studies for longer and maximise their gifts in their chosen fields, to God’s glory.
Sovereign Lord, we give thanks for the steadfast faith of Christian believers in China, despite increasing restrictions by the authorities on the activities of churches. Please give our brothers and sisters the strength and grace to endure. Please fill church leaders with wisdom and guidance as they navigate this difficult environment. Please pour Your love into the hearts of believers by the Holy Spirit, so that they know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. We ask this in our Saviour’s precious Name. (Romans 5:3)
“This is a fact!” declared a church minister in Zhejiang Province, China, on Easter Sunday 2024. The fact to which he was referring was the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, which, said the minister, was an undeniable historic event. This was just one of many Easter sermons given in China’s official Protestant church, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), that proclaimed the reality of Christ’s death and resurrection. Give thanks that church leaders in the TSPM still have the freedom to make known the truth of the Gospel. Pray that the Lord will bless and protect Chinese Christians, new and old, while they endeavour to live faithfully for Him.
North Korea’s songbun system classifies citizens according to their perceived loyalty to the state. The Korean word “songbun” means “ingredients” (substance, makeup), but the North Korean political structure applies the word to identify a citizen’s socio-political background. Those with religious belief, and especially Christians, are identified as belonging to the “hostile” class and are considered enemies of the state who need to be imprisoned and, in many cases, executed. Please continue to pray for Christians facing imprisonment, torture and death for their faithfulness in obeying God rather than men (Acts 4:19). Pray that through their courageous witness the Church will continue to grow in North Korea.
Amid Vietnam’s rainy season (June to November), please pray for a “Bible team” of six Christians who minister among persecuted Hmong Christians in isolated mountain areas. With Barnabas support, they visit about 60 communities of poor farming families. They teach the Bible, pray with families, visit the sick, disciple local church leaders, encourage believers in the faith and provide practical assistance. Recent initiatives include providing employment to widows through weaving grass roofs and baskets and running computing classes to help Christian youth access better job opportunities. Pray that hazardous weather conditions, including frequent mudslides, will not prevent them reaching these communities to carry out this vital ministry.
Gunmen shot dead 47-year-old Pastor Nammye Hkun Jaw Li at a computer shop he managed on 18 March in Mogaung township, Kachin State, Myanmar. He leaves a wife and three children. In Mohnyin township, also in Kachin State, church minister Paul Khwi Shane Aung was wounded and hospitalised on 12 April after masked assailants interrupted a church service he was conducting and shot him three times. Pray for comfort for those bereaved and mourning the loss of their shepherd Nammye Hkun Jaw Li and for Paul Khwi Shane Aung’s full recovery. Ask for protection for church leaders in Myanmar and that such attacks will be prevented.
Christians in Chin State, Myanmar, face a tightening of restrictions on meetings by the country’s military (Tatmadaw). On 22 April the Tatmadaw ordered a two-month ban on all assemblies of more than five persons for religious gatherings in the state capital Hakha in response to an attack by militia on a convoy carrying government ministers. Similar restrictions have operated on seven townships in the state since February 2023 when the military authorities issued an order for Christians to submit a list of all those attending church services. Pray that Christians in Hakha and throughout Chin State will grow in resilience and find ways to share fellowship despite these stringent restrictions.
“I am the happiest woman in the world,” said “Mima”, a Karen Christian living in a remote and isolated Myanmar village. At the age of 64, Mima’s prayers were answered when she was given her own copy of the Bible in her own language. “Reading the words of God is my favourite thing in life,” she added. Barnabas helped to fund the transportation of 94,000 Bibles to Christians in impoverished rural areas of Myanmar. Praise God for the steadfast faith of Myanmar Christians who have endured decades of persecution, sure in the knowledge that God’s Word will last forever (Isaiah 40:8).
Father God, we pray for our brothers and sisters who are converts from other religious backgrounds, and have accepted Your Son as their Saviour, often at great risk to themselves and their families. Lord, we pray that You will help new converts endure any persecution that comes their way. Please comfort them with the promise of our Lord Jesus Christ, that any who have given up home or family for the Kingdom of God will receive greater blessings both now and in the age to come, because we ask it in His Name. (Luke 18:29-30)
Hmong Christians are highly discriminated against in Thailand because their faith is viewed as a “foreign religion” and ethnically they are not seen as “proper” Thai nationals. Believers are extremely poor and are being targeted for conversion by the Buddhist majority as well as by followers of Thailand’s indigenous religions. Pray that Christians will stand firm in their faith. Ask for guidance and wisdom for two pastors, supported by Barnabas, who visit Christians in remote communities to pray with believers and teach the Gospel. Pray that the church-run youth projects that we support enable young Christians to grow in their strength, knowledge and love of the Lord (Colossians 1:9-10).
Many Myanmar Christians fleeing violent persecution by the country’s military have escaped across the border into Thailand. They arrive with little more than the clothes on their back and live in rundown huts in extreme poverty. Barnabas is providing food, clothing and medication to help refugees. We are also supporting a Hmong church in Thailand that is giving sustenance to their brothers and sisters in need. Every Sunday after worship the congregation provides a freshly cooked meal for the Myanmar refugees. Give thanks for the kindness of this church, whose actions reflect the words of Jesus that “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Pray for peace in Myanmar.
Health is a luxury that is beyond the reach of most Christians in Pakistan. A small and poor minority, despised by the majority of society, many can neither afford nor access medical care. The six medical centres and mobile health clinics funded by Barnabas are a lifeline for more than 40,000 Christians a year. They are a beacon of hope, said a patient, adding they are a reminder that “even in the toughest times there are those who care”. Pray that, despite the hardships of daily life, our brothers and sisters will rejoice in the love the heavenly Father has for His children (1 John 3:1).
Give thanks for the hard work and dedication of the Christian medical teams who staff the six medical centres and mobile health vans funded by Barnabas in Pakistan. As well as providing treatment and health awareness advice, the teams also give spiritual comfort, sharing prayers and Bible verses with their patients. “This support goes beyond just medical assistance,” explains a believer. “It is a reminder that, as Christians, we are not alone.” Praise God for the teams’ Christ-like witness, a sacrifice which is pleasing to God (Hebrews 13:16).
A year has passed since a mob of Muslim extremists rampaged through the Christian area of Jaranwala, Pakistan, on 16 August 2023 following false allegations that two Christian brothers had torn pages of the Quran. At least 24 churches and several dozen smaller chapels were set on fire, and the homes of more than 100 believers were burned, looted or vandalised. Barnabas has supplied aid to 172 families (around 1,032 individuals) worst affected by the devastation. Give thanks for the Christians in Jaranwala who have remained faithful to the Lord in the face of persecution and pray that they will grow strong as they continue to rebuild their lives.
“The loss of my father shattered me emotionally,” said Sawera, a fifth-year student at a Barnabas-funded school in Pakistan. She credits her class teacher for helping her amid her father’s ill-health and subsequent death, with continuous encouragement and support. Barnabas supports more than 11,000 Christian children in 121 schools where they receive a Christian education in a caring, loving environment. This month these schools are resuming after the long summer break. Pray that the gift of formal education will enable all children to fulfil their potential and be used mightily by God as they progress into adult life. Pray for protection of Christian pupils and staff, as discrimination is never far away.
Lord Jesus, we bring before You all Christian children. Protect them, we pray, in this fallen world where so many of Your followers are persecuted. We cry out for the children who also endure this suffering: hold them close to You, Lord, and comfort them. Please guide all Christian children as they grow, and stay close to them in their moments of opposition. You who called little children to Yourself, fill them with love, joy and faith, and help them to go through life with hope in You. (Luke 18:16)
Twenty-five Christians were killed, many injured and more than 3,000 displaced during attacks by Fulani Islamist extremists on four communities in Nigeria’s Plateau State in April. Twelve were killed on 12 April when more than 50 armed terrorists “set fire to homes and a place of worship, mercilessly gunning down fleeing civilians”. Another 12 were killed just a week later in a similar attack elsewhere in the state, while a university student was murdered in a separate incident on the same day. Lift up to the Lord our persecuted brothers and sisters in Nigeria, so that they stay strong in their faith and feel God’s love and protection in these times of fear and uncertainty.
Sixty Christian widows in Kaduna State, Nigeria have each received either a corn-grinding machine or a sewing machine, funded by Barnabas Aid. Their husbands had been killed and their homes destroyed in anti-Christian violence. Now they can earn a living and pay for basic needs and their children’s schooling. “There are people who come and can’t even afford to pay for grinding their corn and I do assist them without collecting money,” one widow shared. “Through your blessing we are also able to bless others.” Praise the Lord that His blessing is being passed on and pray that He will use widows’ skills to bring healing and hope to their communities.
Praise the Lord that Barnabas Aid’s theological and pastoral training programme The Shepherd’s Academy (TSA) – the undergraduate section of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life (OCRPL) – continues to expand, with more than 900 students from 55 countries enrolled in 28 study centres. Progress is being made in translating resources into Chinese, Russian, Tamil, Arabic and Portuguese, with other languages planned. Pray for Divine wisdom in hard-working translators to combine textual accuracy with sensitivity to their target audience. Ask that they will be mightily used along with TSA tutors to communicate sound doctrine to build up the Body of Christ, especially in regions with limited access to Bible teaching.
Despite all the challenges, the grace of God is sufficient,” says “Mark”, a student at The Shepherd’s Academy (TSA) – the undergraduate section of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life (OCRPL). Mark has pastoral responsibility for three churches in a Muslim-majority area of northern Kenya. Like other church leaders he faces the challenge of Muslim efforts to gain converts from among the Christian community, as well as desperate food shortages, persistent drought and devasting floods. Pray that TSA’s programme will equip Mark and others with the knowledge and insight to extend and deepen their ministries and build up the Body of Christ in East Africa.
People in Christian-majority Kenya have been enduring more devastating floods, which, at the time of writing, have killed at least 291 people and left more than a quarter of a million displaced. Kenya and the wider Horn of Africa region has suffered persistent drought for several years leading to widespread hunger and malnutrition. Now, excessive rainfall has destroyed homes and infrastructure, as well as nearly 50,000 acres of crops. The World Health Organisation has warned of a cholera outbreak in the east of the country. Pray for all Kenyans, asking that food, drinking water and medical supplies will be directed where they are most needed.
Please pray for three Eritrean pastors who have been imprisoned without trial for 20 years. Both Kiflu Gebremeskel and Haile Nayzgi were arrested at their homes in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea, in the early morning of 23 May 2004. Meron Gebreselasie was arrested on 3 June that year. None of the pastors have been charged or given any trial, and they have not been told when or if they will be released. Call on the Lord for the release of the three pastors and other Christians held without charge in Eritrea.
Sovereign Lord, we pray for Christians imprisoned in Eritrea for their faith in You. We pray that where they suffer from excess of heat and cold, hunger and thirst, beatings and torture, You will supply abundant comfort by Your Spirit abiding in them. We pray for Your sustaining power for pastors and theological students, who often receive even worse treatment than other believers. Please strengthen and encourage the flocks that have been deprived of their shepherds and guide them in Your paths of righteousness. We ask that they know the loving hand of the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose Name we pray. (Psalm 23:3)
A small house church in a village in southern Laos attacked by residents and village leaders has now reopened under the district authorities’ protection. On Sunday 4 February a mob tore down the house where Christians in the village were gathered for worship. The attackers also burned Bibles and other documents. Ministry of Public Security officials have since overruled the village officials and stepped in to protect the Christians’ right to worship, enabling the house to be rebuilt. Praise God for the district authorities’ support in providing this protection. Pray that this backing will continue, and that Christians will be able to meet regularly without harassment.
Despite efforts from the government of Indonesia to promote religious tolerance, tensions remain. Extremists within the Muslim-majority country often harass and discriminate against Christians, while Islamic State-affiliated groups across the South-East Asian region have grown in strength. Life is especially difficult for believers in the Indonesian province of Aceh, the only part of the nation governed by sharia (Islamic law). Pray that the Lord will sustain His people and that freedom to worship will be maintained and extended across the country.
More than 13,000 impoverished Christians in a South-East Asian country have been sustained with rice from a Barnabas-funded rice milling machine. The mill provides 236 tonnes of rice per year to 200 rural churches. Part of Barnabas Aid’s food.gives project, the machine is – in the words of our project partner – “providing a crucial lifeline” to hungry Christians. Free rice is distributed to Christians who cannot afford to pay anything. Discounted rice is sold to pastors and other full-time Christian workers. Pray that the Lord will continue to prosper the rice-milling project and use it to provide many more South-East Asian believers with rice to sustain them.
“I love you and I will always pray for you.” This was the message of senior church minister Mar Mari Emmanuel to a 16-year-old youth who is accused of stabbing him during a worship service in Sydney, Australia, on 15 April. The youth, who is unknown to the minister, has been charged by police with committing a terrorist act. Give thanks that Mar Mari Emmanuel and another minister injured in the incident have recovered from their injuries. Pray that the words of Mar Mari Emmanuel will move others to be kind and tender-hearted, forgiving others, as Christ forgave us (Ephesians 4:32).
For the second time in seven months, severe floods struck Rio Grande do Sul state in the far south of Brazil in late April. More than 300 cities were affected, leaving at least 80,000 people homeless. Church leader Daniel said, “Our region is destroyed. But we know that despite all circumstances, the Lord remains on the throne, sovereign and suffering with us through all of this! Please pray for us.” Barnabas is working with local partners to provide essential aid to Christian families affected. Pray that they will receive vital physical and spiritual help. Ask that leaders such as Daniel will know the blessing of being used to rebuild their communities as they keep their eyes fixed on the Lord.
Lift up our brothers and sisters in Christian-majority Haiti where, at the time of writing, nearly five million people – almost half the population – are facing acute food insecurity and are struggling to find enough to eat. Surging gang violence, poor harvests and soaring inflation have combined to push the Caribbean nation to its worst level of food insecurity on record. Many have died in the violence and more than 360,000 people have been displaced across the country. As of March 2024, two thirds of Haitian families have suffered job and income loss, while already high food and fuel prices have soared. Please pray that the Lord protects the suffering Christians in Haiti and comforts them in this time of fear and need.
