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Gracious Lord, we lift up Your Church in Afghanistan as it shares in the nation’s grinding poverty. We pray that some way can be found to alleviate the hunger and desperation of millions in need of urgent help. Please enable the tiny minority of Christians, who we know face the death sentence for apostasy if their faith is discovered, to remain firm in that faith. Grant them Your protection and the wisdom to live godly lives in service of their Saviour, in whose Name we pray. (Romans 12:11)
A recent report from an India-based defence and security studies think tank has highlighted the threat posed to Central Asia by the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP). The report argues that instability in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in August 2021 has given ISKP greater opportunity to expand jihad into the Central Asian countries (along with Pakistan) as well as radicalising and recruiting Central Asian men into its ranks. While this terror threat affects all people, the small Christian communities of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are at particular risk. Pray that the plans of ISKP to establish an Islamic province (wilyat) across South and Central Asia will come to nothing.
Residents of a Christian community in Punjab, Pakistan, were left fearing for their safety after they were blamed without evidence for producing posters with content offensive to Muslims. A Muslim resident of Sarghoda District discovered the offensive posters on the morning of Sunday 16 July and made a “blasphemy” complaint to police. Later that day extremists gathered to protest against the posters, blaming Christians for producing it, and threatening to burn down their homes. At the time of writing tensions remain. Give thanks that police prevented the mob from carrying out their threats. Pray for the safety of Christians in Sarghoda, and across Pakistan, who are vulnerable to mob violence following such baseless accusations.
A 16-year-old Christian girl, Muskan Bibi, went missing in Pakistan in May 2023 and is now married to an older Muslim man, Ahmad Ali. Ahmad had previously harassed Muskan and threatened to abduct her. Her family believe that she has been forced to marry Ahmad and convert to Islam. The police did not act to protect Muskan or her family, even when Ali threatened Muskan’s mother with a knife. The family are now appealing to the government to intervene. Pray that the Lord will protect Muskan from harm, that she will be returned safely to her family, and that He will sustain her inner Christian faith despite what she has been outwardly forced to say or do.
Three Christians from the same church in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province were left injured in separate attacks by violent extremists. In the first, a trainee pastor and church volunteer was left with scratches on his neck by two men who also threatened to attack the church building. Only days later two Christians who were returning home from a Bible study were badly beaten by three or four men with iron bars. Pray for the recovery of the injured, and ask the Lord to spread His protection over this church and the wider Christian community of Sri Lanka (Psalm 5:11).
A Sri Lankan Hindu nationalist group distributed leaflets in Northern Province that accused Christians and Muslims of fraudulently seeking converts. This was one of ten anti-Christian incidents reported by the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka in the first quarter of 2023. In another incident, around 50 villagers surrounded the home of a pastor to try to dissuade him from conducting worship services. In another, death threats were issued against a Christian worker. Ask the Lord to strengthen those who face these kinds of threats and intimidation, reminding them that the world hates them because it first hated Christ (John 15:18).
Experts have warned that a rise in religious nationalism in the South Asian country of Nepal could threaten peaceful coexistence between different religious groups, with one Nepali journalist calling it “a clear and present danger”. If such warnings are accurate, then Nepal’s small but growing Christian community could be at risk. In April this year one Nepali news website published an opinion piece in which Christians were accused of “aggressive proselytising” and using aid programmes as a subterfuge to gain converts. The writer argued that that Christian evangelism hurts “the religious sentiments of the majority”, and called for more rigorous application of Nepal’s 2018 anti-conversion law. Ask the Lord to give wisdom to Nepali believers, especially church leaders, to be “as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16, ESV).
Sovereign Lord, we appeal to You as the God of justice on behalf of Christians who are unjustly accused and even given prison sentences for their loyalty to You. We pray that their faith in their faithful, upright God will not waver, even if justice is delayed, and that they will be comforted in knowing they are being tested for honouring You. We ask You to give their lawyers skill to navigate the complexities of stringent laws and present their cases with boldness and coherence. We pray for successful outcomes, knowing that they have a righteous Advocate on whom they can depend, the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose Name we pray. (Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 John 2:1-2)
Intercede for our brothers and sisters in the south-western Nigerian state of Ogun, where a pastor has been shot and killed in an attack on an early morning church service. Pastor Kayode Oluwakemi, 56, died immediately after being shot in the chest. The attackers also abducted seven worshippers, but these were rescued shortly afterwards by security forces. Dr Stephen Adeyemi, General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, called on the government “to look into this issue of insecurity”. Give thanks for the rescue of the seven Christians, and ask that the Lord will comfort those in mourning. Pray that the government will heed the words of Dr Adeyemi. Ask that the Lord will continue to lead His people even through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).
Give thanks that two church ministers in Imo State, Nigeria, have been released by their kidnappers. Jude Maduka was taken as he was preparing to lead Sunday morning worship, and a few days later Mathias Opara was kidnapped while driving home from a funeral service. Both men were released safe and unharmed a few days after their respective abductions. Praise the Lord for answered prayer, and ask that He will bring an end to the persistent abductions of church leaders and other Christians in Nigeria.
“It was by the help of God that we were miraculously saved from the kidnappers.” These were the words of John, a Nigerian believer among 11 Christians in Kogi State who narrowly escaped being abducted by gunmen. The church members were journeying home from a wedding when their bus came under fire, but thankfully the attackers were driven back by security forces. Some of the passengers were treated for gunshot injuries. Give thanks for the quick action of the security forces and the failure of the abduction attempt. Join with our brother John in thanking the Lord for His help at this time of need.
Niger has become the latest country in the West African Sahel to experience a coup, as President Mohamed Bazoum was detained by members of the Nigerien military on 26 July. In a televised address Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane announced the takeover, adding that Niger’s borders had been closed and the constitution dissolved. The constitution of Muslim-majority Niger prohibited religious discrimination and enshrined freedom of religion. At the time of writing it is unclear what impact these events will have on Niger’s small Christian community, which represents around 0.4% of the population. Pray for a peaceful outcome for all Nigeriens and especially for our vulnerable brothers and sisters.
More than 4,000 people died in terrorist attacks in West Africa in the first half of 2023, according to a statement by Omar Touray, the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Touray added that within the 15 countries that comprise ECOWAS are nearly 6.2 million internally displaced persons. The worst affected was Burkina Faso, where 2,725 people were killed by terrorists, with 844 such deaths in Mali. Christians represent around 30% of the population of Burkina Faso and only around 2% of the Malian population. Lift up to the Lord our brothers and sisters in these West African nations, asking that the growth in extremist violence will be stemmed and that all people will be able to live in peace.
The number of church leaders registered with Barnabas Aid’s The Shepherd’s Academy (TSA) has grown, with more than 800 students receiving pastoral and theological training. Around three-quarters of these are undertaking short courses and a quarter studying for an undergraduate degree. The students represent more than 30 different countries, and each degree student is linked to one of the 20 TSA study centres located in 12 countries. TSA is the undergraduate section of Barnabas Aid’s Oxford Centre for Religion and Public Life. Church leaders in the Global South often lack opportunities to undertake training that will help them in their ministry for Christ and His Church. Join us in giving thanks that the Lord is providing these opportunities through TSA.
Lord God, we pray for the success of Christian schools throughout the world, and especially in lands of great suffering and anti-Christian persecution. We ask You to fill those entrusted with leadership with Divine wisdom in governance and management so that values that reflect the Gospel are maintained. Please raise up and bless the work of godly teachers to train up children in the way they should go, to produce lasting fruit all their lives. Protect and renew pupils’ minds and hearts to receive all the benefits of a Christian education through instruction, practical experience and healthy social interaction and grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose Name we pray. (Proverbs 22:6)
Medical experts in Bangladesh have raised concerns that the country looks likely to suffer a record number of deaths caused by dengue fever this rainy reason. At the time of writing more than 200 people have died from the viral disease, which is spread by mosquitos in many tropical areas. Hospitals, especially in the capital city of Dhaka, are becoming overwhelmed with patients suffering fever, severe joint pain and vomiting. Christians represent less than 1% of the population of Muslim-majority Bangladesh, and are often among the most impoverished. Pray for all those affected by this outbreak, and especially any Christians suffering from this debilitating illness.
“I feel very sad, very sorry, and at the same time furious.” These were the words of a church minister in Kayah State, Myanmar, reflecting on the loss of a church building that was burned to the ground by the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military). “We lost our church, and it’s as if we are losing our lives,” he continued. Violent persecution of Myanmar’s ethnic-minority Christians shows no sign of coming to an end. Pray that the Lord will preserve the faith of His people despite their desperately difficult circumstances, and ask that He will continue to provide for the physical needs of believers who have been forced from their homes by military attack.
“No matter where we run, we can’t escape. They shell the internally displaced people camps day and night,” said “Zarni”, a Christian mother who fled with her family two years ago after their village came under fire from the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) and has been running ever since. Whenever she hears the booms of artillery she relives the deaths of her two daughters in a bombardment. Pray that the Lord will draw close to Zarni and the many others traumatised by the conflict. Pray that He will give our brothers and sisters the strength to endure and fill them with His peace (Psalm 29:11).
“Please pray for the war to stop,” said our partner in Myanmar who leads teams of Christians delivering Barnabas-funded aid to some to the thousands of displaced people, many of them believers, who have fled into the jungle to escape attack. Give thanks that in the first half of 2023 we funded food parcels for 820 Christian families (around 4,100 individuals) and sleeping mats, tarpaulins and blankets for 235 families (1,175 individuals). Join with our project partners in praying for an end to the conflict.
“After 68 years of praying, God has answered my prayers today. I received a free Bible. This is the happiest and most joyous day in my life.” This was the testimony of 83-year-old “Meng”, a Christian in Myanmar who received a Barnabas-funded Bible in his own language. However, many of Myanmar’s Christians are still without the Word of God. Through our project partners on the ground, Barnabas is funding the transportation and distribution costs to have another 200,000 Bibles reach Christians in Myanmar. Pray for the success of this work, asking the Lord that our brothers and sisters in Myanmar will find His Word a lamp to their feet and a light to their path (Psalm 119:105).
A Jakarta-based research and advocacy group has called for reform of Indonesia’s “blasphemy” laws. The Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace said that the controversial laws disproportionately target religious minorities in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, and can lead to “trial by mob”. Additionally, because the laws are so vaguely worded, police rely on fatwas (formal rulings) from Islamic scholars in order to interpret and understand them. Pray that the central government of Indonesia, which has often shown a supportive attitude towards Christians and other religious minorities, will consider these matters carefully.
Lord God and Heavenly Father, we lift up to You our brothers and sisters in South-East Asian lands such as Laos and Vietnam, who we know are viewed with suspicion and hostility by both authorities and the communities around them. We intercede for those displaced from their homes because of their faith, asking that You will provide for their needs and remind them that they follow in the path of their Saviour who had no place to lay His head. We pray for those denied vital food supplies because of their love for You, and ask that You, already knowing their need, will provide. Please sustain them in their most holy faith, because we ask it in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (Matthew 8:20; Matthew 6:8; Jude v.20)
“The apprenticeship programme is opening doors to a better future for our Christian apprentices,” said one of our project partners in Pakistan. Many of the Barnabas-funded apprentices have successfully completed their training in various professions. Another set of apprentices are, God willing, beginning their apprenticeships soon. Give thanks that Barnabas has enabled these young believers to break the cycle of poverty that afflicts many of our Pakistani brothers and sisters. Pray for those who have completed their apprenticeships, asking that the Lord will be with them as they begin careers in their chosen fields. Pray for the success of those still working towards completion and those who will shortly begin their training.
Cry out to the Lord on behalf of the tiny Christian community of Yemen, who are sharing in what may be the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. A 2022 ceasefire agreement between the two warring parties in a civil war that began in 2014 led to hopes that conflict could be brought to an end. However, the ceasefire has only been observed intermittently, and the food shortages and malnutrition that have devastated Yemen have continued. In July 2023 it was estimated that 500,000 Yemeni children under the age of five are suffering acute malnutrition. Pray for all those suffering in Yemen, and particularly Christians who also endure persecution as converts from Islam.
Many Christians in Algeria are meeting for worship discreetly in homes owing to the closure of so many church buildings in recent years. The most recent reports are that 41 church buildings have been closed by the authorities – in many cases physically sealed shut – leaving only 13 still open. Lift up to the Lord our brothers and sisters who have suffered the loss of their church buildings or may shortly do so. Ask that our Saviour through the Holy Spirit will continue to meet with His people wherever they are gathered in His Name (Matthew 18:20).
Only the Lord knows how many believers there are in the North African country of Morocco. The tiny Christian community of this Muslim-majority country are all converts from Islam, and as such face discrimination and possible reprisals from their neighbours, their family or their former friends. Moroccan believers must meet together in secret – they are not permitted to attend Morocco’s churches, which are reserved for foreign believers. Intercede for our Christian family in Morocco, especially those isolated from other believers, asking our Father to sustain them through all their trials.
The official newspaper of Islamic State (IS – also known as ISIS, ISIL, Daesh) reported in July 2023 the killing of a Christian fisherman by IS fighters in Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique. Jihadists from IS Mozambique captured two fishermen near the village of Litamanda on 9 July. One of the men, a Christian, was beheaded. The other was allowed to go free because he was a Muslim. IS Mozambique has been clear that it is willing to kill moderate Muslims, but this incident demonstrates that Christians are at particular risk from violent Islamism. Pray for the grieving family and friends of our brothers, and ask the Lord to bring an end to the Islamist insurgency in northern Mozambique.
“Food scarcity and even famine is an ongoing and desperate situation,” our Haitian church partners told us. The government has collapsed and the Caribbean nation is, in effect, being run by violent gangs, making people afraid to leave their homes. Earthquakes and hurricanes add to their despair. Barnabas provided around 30,000 Christian families with rice, distributed safely through churches. “The practical relief is invaluable to our Haitian brothers and sisters,” said our partners. Give thanks for the successful distribution. Pray that the Lord will fill His people with His peace and drive away any fears (John 14:27). Ask that stability returns to the nation.
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 mobilisation 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)
Deaths from violent conflicts around the world have reached their highest level in almost two decades, according to a recent report. Researchers from the Institute for Economics and Peace based in Sydney, Australia, calculated that in 2022 nearly a quarter of a million people died in wars and armed conflicts. This represents the highest number since 1994, the year of the Rwandan Genocide. The war in Ukraine has contributed towards this figure, with conflict also worsening in Myanmar and Middle Belt Nigeria, areas of intense anti-Christian violence. While full world peace must await the return of our Lord Jesus Christ (Isaiah 2:4), pray that there will be increasing reconciliation and peace in all parts of our troubled world.
Up to 783 million people worldwide are suffering from hunger and food shortages, according to a July 2023 UN report, with the Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean the worst-affected regions of the world. In total around 2.4 billion people – almost a third of the world’s population – are experiencing either moderate or severe food insecurity. Ask the Lord to bless the work of food.gives and other Barnabas food projects as we seek to alleviate hunger and malnutrition suffered by our brothers and sisters in Christ. Pray for the success of all those working to provide for the hungry and starving in all parts of the world.
