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Heavenly Father, as we begin this advent season, we thank You that You sent Your Son to become flesh and live among us at exactly the right time. We pray that You will inspire us with the wonder of His birth, His life, His sacrificial death for our sins and His glorious resurrection in this precious season. Please enable those who experience daily persecution for their faith in You to draw strength as they reflect on You. We ask You to help us all to understand more fully the enormity of Your most magnificent gift, the Lord Jesus Christ, in Whose Name we pray. (Galatians 4:4)
Christian twin brothers Kalu and Tabish were arrested and charged with “blasphemy” in Punjab, Pakistan, following an accusation that they had desecrated pages of the Quran. The 18-year-old brothers were participating in a festival during which the crowd threw torn pieces of paper into the air. A local Muslim farmer claimed that the pieces thrown by the brothers contained verses from the Quran. Kalu and Tabish, both illiterate, did not know what was on the paper they threw, thinking it was only wastepaper. Ask the Lord to watch over Kalu and Tabish, and pray that the charges against them will be dropped. Ask that God protects the Christian community from the mob violence which often accompanies accusations of “blasphemy.”
In yet another “blasphemy” accusation in Pakistan, two sisters, both Christians, have been arrested and charged. The arrest of Sonia and Saima, also in Punjab, followed claims by a local Muslim man that he had seen some pages of a Quran in a bag of trash thrown out by Sonia, and that when he had investigated Saima had made some “inappropriate remarks.” Pray that Sonia and Saima will be released from prison, and ask that God watches over all of His people in Pakistani prisons.
“I want to be a doctor – so I can serve poor communities,” says 11-year-old Merry, a Christian girl in Pakistan. However, Merry’s family could not afford to send her to school. Many Christians in Pakistan face discrimination, marginalization and poverty. Their children can find themselves trapped in a cycle of illiteracy and subsequent poverty. Give thanks to God that Barnabas is helping by funding Christian schools for children like Merry. Pray that she and other children like her will achieve their dreams and escape the poverty in which so many Pakistani Christians are trapped.
Bangladesh has been thrown into political turmoil since Prime Minister Sheik Hasina fled the country in early August. Christians and other religious minorities, particularly Hindus, have faced violence from radicals taking advantage of the chaotic situation. Islamist political parties could use the political vacuum as an opportunity to gain power. Church leaders have written to interim Prime Minister Muhammad Yunus asking his government to ensure that ethnic and religious minorities face no deprivation, injustice or oppression. Ask the Lord to bring an end to the chaos for the sake of all the poor and vulnerable, especially our brothers and sisters.
Since late August as many as six million Bangladeshis have been affected by flash floods caused by monsoons, the country’s worst environmental disaster in recent history. Give thanks that Barnabas Aid is funding emergency aid – including rice, lentils and water purification tablets – to thousands of marginalized and impoverished Bangladeshi Christians. Pray that the country will recover from this disaster.
Violence has once again broken out in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur, leading to the deaths of at least 11 people. Tensions have long existed between the Meitei people and the Christian-majority Kuki people of the region, and these led to open conflict in May 2023. At least 114 church buildings were destroyed in the initial stages of this conflict, and two Christian women were sexually assaulted in an attack resolutely condemned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pray that the violence will come to an end and for a peaceful solution to remaining tensions.
Gracious Lord Jesus, we praise You that each day people from every background are trusting in You as Savior. Thank You for the revelation You impart to those who have taken the courageous step to leave the majority religion of their country to follow You. Please protect them from hostility and attempts to snatch them out of Your hand, and cause the voice of the Good Shepherd to be ever more distinct as they proceed on their journey of discipleship. We ask that they receive support from Your people and establish deep roots to lead fruitful lives that glorify You, for we ask in Your precious Name. (John 10:28)
More than 40% of children under the age of five in Afghanistan are so malnourished that their growth is stunted. This is just one shocking statistic that lays bare the scale of the humanitarian disaster taking place in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, which is enduring crisis levels of food insecurity. Pray that the humanitarian needs in Afghanistan will be met. Remember especially our brothers and sisters in Afghanistan, who will likely be killed for apostasy from Islam if their Christian faith is discovered.
A new so-called morality law published by Afghanistan’s Taliban government has increased restrictions on the population, and especially on women. The law reinforces the rule that women must cover their entire body and face and be accompanied by a male when they leave their own homes – it adds that a woman must also “conceal her voice.” The Taliban leadership argues that these restrictions and others are in keeping with sharia (Islamic law). Pray for those enduring such hardship in addition to desperate hunger and poverty. Ask the Lord to be especially near to Christian women and girls forced to comply with the Taliban’s hardline application of Islamic law.
Praise God that the Church is growing in Uzbekistan, in a region where Christian converts from Islam endure continuing discrimination from radicals from within the Muslim majority. Believers often face increasing hostility from family members, their neighbors and employers when they begin to follow Christ. A five-day seminar funded by Barnabas recently brought together 50 church leaders, helping them to strengthen their connections, enhance their Biblical knowledge and plan how best to respond to the needs of the growing Christian community. Give thanks for our brothers and sisters in this region whose strength lies in their joy of the LORD (Nehemiah 8:10).
Kyrgyzstan’s National Security Committee (NSC) and State Commission for Religious Affairs (SCRA) officials have prepared a new version of a restrictive Religion Law to submit to the Kyrgyz parliament. Amongst several other proposed new restrictions, the amended version not only requires all religious communities to apply for state registration (as is currently required) but also demands re-registration every five years. “I am afraid that if these changes are adopted, and if the authorities continue their past strategies, many churches will be closed down,” said a church leader. Pray that these concerns will not be realized, and that churches will not be overly burdened by administrative and legal responsibilities.
A report from the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) has accused the government of Azerbaijan of obstructing the work of humanitarian organizations during its nine-month blockade of Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. Nagorno-Karabakh was home to around 120,000 Armenian Christians, who fled to Armenia in September last year when the blockade ended and Azerbaijani troops advanced into the region. The OCCRP reports that during the blockade, Azerbaijan prevented both the delivery of humanitarian aid and the evacuation of those who required medical treatment. Please continue to pray for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh, now refugees, who live with the trauma of what they have endured.
The Turkish authorities have arrested an Islamist terrorist accused of orchestrating a January, 2024, attack on a church in Istanbul in which a Christian convert was shot dead. Viskhan Soltamatiov is believed to have provided the weapons used in the attack and has links with Islamic State Khorasan Province, the branch of Islamic State based in Afghanistan. Give thanks for the diligence of the security services in Turkey, and pray that this arrest will prevent further incidents of violence.
Sovereign Lord, we thank You for sending Your Son to grant us true freedom and life in His Name. We ask You to strengthen our brothers and sisters suffering imprisonment in many countries for the sake of the Gospel. Please fill them with great joy and peace in believing and the assurance that their labors and trials are not in vain. Empower them to speak graciously to their persecutors and captors, and to fellow prisoners. Please grant them release in Your time. May their testimony carry the Holy Spirit’s conviction that leads others to salvation in Jesus Christ, in whose precious Name we pray. (Romans 15:13; 1 Corinthians 15:58)
“The building collapsed on top of us. Rubble was pressed into my head and hand. The girl behind me – she was dead.” Fourteen-year-old Benjamin is one of the survivors of a school collapse in Plateau State, Nigeria. Twenty-two children died in the disaster, and at least 132 were injured. Lift up in prayer the many bereaved families, as well as the children who experienced such a traumatic event. Give thanks that Barnabas is providing funds for the children to resume their education at other local Christian schools.
Floods caused by persistent rainfall and a dam collapse in Borno State, Nigeria, in September caused the deaths of more than 30 people and displaced more than a million. Many of the displaced are those who had already been forced to flee their homes by Islamist violence. Christians report that their communities have received no help from the authorities. Give thanks that Barnabas has been able to step in to provide emergency supplies of food and cooking oil.
“Many schools have been set alight and destroyed in attacks,” said a Barnabas project partner in Nigeria. “Meanwhile, hospitals are ill-equipped or located far away from displaced communities, severely disrupting health care provision and access.” Anti-Christian violence in northern and Middle Belt Nigeria shows no signs of easing – there are mass graves in almost every community. Cry out to the Lord to bring an end to the violence and to be a shield to His people (Psalm 7:9-10).
Three people were killed and at least 30 abducted when Islamists launched an attack on two churches in Kaduna State, Nigeria, in mid-September. The pastor of one of the churches was among those who were taken. Pray that the Lord will comfort those who have been left to mourn, and that Pastor Gajera and others will be released from captivity. Ask also that the community’s calls for greater protection against Islamist gangs will be heeded by the authorities.
Islamist militants affiliated to Al Qaeda killed 26 men at a church service in Banwa province, western Burkina Faso. The militants raided the Sunday morning service and ordered the women and children to leave before shooting the men. They also set fire to houses and livestock. Lift up in prayer the Christians of Burkina Faso, who remain at great risk from Islamists that operate across their country and the wider region. Ask the Lord to strengthen them with power through His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 3:16).
Elections that were due to be held in South Sudan tomorrow have been postponed by two years. South Sudanese officials have cited the need for constitutional reform, as well as security and logistical challenges that make holding the elections difficult. The country gained independence from the Republic of Sudan in 2011 but was mired in civil war until 2018. Elections have never been held. Around 60% of the South Sudanese population are Christians. Pray that God, who “governs the nations” (Job 36:31), will grant peace and security whether or not the elections ever take place.
Lord Jesus, we pray for Christians around the world who have been forced from their homes by war, extreme weather events or persecution. We ask You to draw close to them and provide for their needs. Please bless efforts to reach those who are refugees or internally displaced persons as this Christmas season approaches. Enable our homeless brothers and sisters to remember that You began your life on earth as a refugee in humble surroundings and in adult life had nowhere to lay Your head. Teach them to trust in Your providence, for we ask in Your mighty Name. (Luke 2:12; Matthew 8:20)
Earlier this year it was reported that 92 countries are involved in 56 international armed conflicts, the highest number since the Second World War. As we reflect upon the dreadful cost of war, remember and give thanks that there is coming a day of peace in which the Lord “will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war any more” (Isaiah 2:4).
“This has indeed been a very gory Christmas for us,” said Caleb Mutfwang, the governor of Nigeria’s Plateau State, nearly a year ago. Governor Mutfwang was speaking after a series of Islamist attacks on Christian communities that began on December 23, 2023, and ended on the morning of Christmas Day. More than 600 were slaughtered in the relentless onslaught – many of them women, children and the disabled who were the least able to flee fires set by their attackers. Christmas is often a time when extremists and radicals launch attacks against believers. Pray for those who gather for worship this evening and tomorrow in lands of persecution, that the Lord will grant them confidence in Him and to know the peace that is for “those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:14).
Glory to the newborn King! Praise God that we celebrate today how He became a human being and was born in the humblest of circumstances for our salvation. Pray that the joy of this Christmas season will be felt powerfully in the Church worldwide, and especially among Christians suffering for their faith in the Lord Jesus. Ask that every worship service will be filled with awe and wonder at the glory of the Incarnation. Pray that the Savior’s love will be experienced by those worshipping in the shadow of war, persecution, and natural disasters, and that His Church will grow in strength throughout this special day and beyond. (John 1:14)
The Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) continues to attack Christian areas. Local human rights advocates have reported that the Tatmadaw has destroyed or damaged 75 Christian churches in Chin State alone since the coup in February, 2021. Christians have been forced to flee their homes and find shelter in IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps, but even these camps have come under attack and many believers have had to seek refuge in the jungle. Pray for protection for Christians in Myanmar and for an end to their physically and emotionally draining ordeal. Ask the Lord to intervene for a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict.
“I am overwhelmed with joy for this gift,” said an elderly Christian woman in Myanmar. She was among 350 families of believers given Barnabas-funded rice, chickpeas and cooking oil after their villages in a Christian-majority region were burned down by the military. Many of the families are now living in makeshift shacks in a forest. Others are living with relatives or friends or sheltering in church buildings. Ask the Father of Compassion to have mercy on vulnerable civilians in Myanmar, especially our beleaguered brothers and sisters (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Ask for an end to the conflict.
Sri Lanka’s presidential election on September 21 was won by Anura Kumara Dissanayake. The new president hopes to revive Sri Lanka’s struggling economy. The country suffered an economic crash in 2022, while poverty rates have more than doubled since 2020. Christians, who constitute around 8% of the Sri Lankan population, are often among the poorest and most disadvantaged. Church leaders have also expressed dissatisfaction with the slow investigation into suicide bomb attacks during Easter, 2019, in which at least 254 people died, mainly Christians. Pray that the Lord will equip President Dissanayake and his government to rule wisely, and that he will develop policies that will benefit all Sri Lankans.
Our Father in Heaven, we thank You for each of the 5.2 million servings of food that food.gives has been able to provide in 2024. Thank You for the supporters who have given so generously of their time, their food, their money and their prayers. Please watch over all the hungry Christians: fill their bellies and keep their spirits high. Remind them that You are always with them, and though their bodies may be hungry their spirits can be filled with Your life-giving Holy Spirit. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Many people of other religions believe that the Western New Year is a Christian festival. Therefore, it is often a time of increased violence against Christian minorities, often by people who sincerely believe that their religion requires them to conduct such attacks. Pray that vulnerable believers in such situations will hold unswervingly to their hope, remembering that He who promised is faithful, and will continue to spur one another on to love and good deeds, in the knowledge that the Day of the Lord is approaching (Hebrews 10:23-25).
Praise God for providing the resources through our supporters to fund vitally important projects throughout 2024. Give thanks for the provision of food and medical aid to our brothers and sisters suffering in many countries. Remember with gratitude Christian children receiving a Christian education through the generosity of Barnabas supporters. Give thanks for believers taking part in skills training or being equipped to set up small businesses. Praise the Lord for help given to victims of anti-Christian violence. Pray for His continued provision for our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ.
