AFGHANISTAN —Afghanistan’s Christians have to keep their faith secret. If the Taliban find out, the Christian could be killed – as Khada (name changed) found out. Khada*: In the shadow of the Taliban’s rule, life in Afghanistan is very difficult. Yet, anchored by our strong faith, we press on through the storm. We have to…
AFGHANISTAN —A special needs school in Kabul in Afghanistan is using play, sports and arts to help heal traumatized kids who have lost their childhoods. The project is supported by Christian charity CRY. A school project supported by Christian charity Cry is restoring the lost childhoods of special needs kids in Kabul in Afghanistan. Cry’s…
AFGHANISTAN — After the takeover of the country by the Taliban, Afghan Christians share their reality and needs. On August 15, 2021, the Taliban reached the capital of Afghanistan, Kabul, in the final step towards complete military takeover of the country. Later that month, the US military forces withdrew from the country, and the nation…
AFGHANISTAN — Sitara* was already studying in a different country when the Taliban forcibly took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. Here she shares what life is like for the women who remain in Afghanistan. *Name changed for security reasons. Sitara* – Afghanistan Christian: Taliban took Afghanistan and everything changed, like the days changed to…
AFGHANISTAN — Baset, a SAT-7 viewer in Afghanistan sent this profoundly moving message describing both the famine and soaring prices affecting everyone in his country and the dangers for anyone suspected of leaving the country’s major religion. Baset: Our lives have changed in Afghanistan. My name is Baset and I am a teacher. But my…
AFGHANISTAN — It’s now more than six months since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan. While tens of thousands have fled Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021, those who remain continue to watch, wait and suffer. The United Nations recently released a report which stated that 400 civilians have…
WITNEY, ENGLAND — Afghanistan is now the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian, according to figures released today in the 2022 World Watch List (WWL). Afghanistan replaces North Korea at the top of the list after 20 years – this despite persecution also rising there this year. The WWL, which records…
EASTON, MD — Children as young as 4 are risking their lives in Afghanistan because they want to “meet Jesus” and talk to other Christians, even as they hide from the Taliban. Desperate for hope, thousands of young children and teens – often the only Christians in their families – are turning to a Middle…
WITNEY, ENGLAND —Open Doors has revealed that Afghanistan has replaced North Korea as the most dangerous country to be a Christian in their 2022 World Watch List. Christian men are facing almost certain death if their faith is discovered. Women and girls may escape death but may be married to young Taliban fighters who want…
SANTA ANA, CA — For the first time ever, Afghanistan is the most dangerous place on the planet to be a Christian, according to Open Doors’ 2022 World Watch List, which was released today. The World Watch List is a definitive, comprehensive research-based report that ranks the top 50 countries where it is most dangerous…
CANADA — Long time humaritarian worker in Afghanistan John Weaver talks about the opposition and challenges Christians face in Afghanistan, now that the Taliban has taken over, but how the current situation may actually see more Afghans turn to Jesus. And CEO of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Floyd Brobbel, explains how they’re supporting…
EASTON, MD — Despite the threat of persecution, Afghans are turning to Christianity in growing numbers — and creating a wave of “Christian Taliban,” a ministry to Afghanistan reports. “The word ‘Taliban’ actually means ‘student,’” said Dr. Rex Rogers, president of Christian media ministry SAT-7 USA (www.sat7usa.org), “and right now increasing numbers of Afghans are…
WASHINGTON — More than 340 million people around the world suffer persecution for practicing their Christian faith – making it the largest persecuted religious group. In solidarity with them, and to help raise awareness, the 2nd annual March for the Martyrs will take place in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 25, 2021. It’s the first time…
DALLAS — As the world watched Afghanistan fall to the Taliban, multi-media personality and humanitarian Glenn Beck enlisted the help of loyal “The Glenn Beck Program” listeners to raise funds in an attempt to rescue thousands — mainly women and children — trapped in the country. While hosting the Premiere Networks-syndicated radio program on Wednesday,…
AFGHANISTAN – As the underground church of Afghanistan faces the continued threat of attacks by the Taliban who are going door to door in search of believers, the Director of the Christian run Middle East Women’s Leadership Network is calling for the international community to stand with the many vulnerable women working in the media…
WILLS POINT, TX — One of the world’s largest mission organizations – Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is calling on Christians around the world not to carry on “like normal” while people in Afghanistan face terror, rape, and execution. “I pray that no church in the world worships and prays like it’s just another normal…
AFGHANISTAN – Christian charity Release International has issued an urgent call to pray for the underground church in Afghanistan as the persecution of Christians in the region is set to rise following the return of the Taliban regime. A Christian contact of one Release International partner describes the situation as ‘dire.’ Says ‘Micah’: ‘Our brothers…
BARTLESVILLE, OK – South African doctor, Hannelie Groenewald gathered with other medical personnel, preparing for a predicted Taliban attack in Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. Little did she suspect that the Taliban were targeting her own family because of their Christian faith. Voice of the Martyrs remembered their sacrifice this year on the Day of the…
KABUL – On March 6th, Reuters reported that flash floods, heavy rains, and snowfall over the previous two weeks in Afghanistan had taken the lives of at least 59 people and left 5,000 homeless. An article in The Guardian expressed shock and surprise by reporters on the ground: Shock at the unprecedented consequences of the…
Imagine a country where you had to keep your faith silent for fear of being arrested. There are many people living in countries throughout the world that face this threat. Afghanistan is one of them. There are no churches, but mosques can be found on every street corner in the rugged and mountainous terrain of…
JALALABAD – An ISIS extremist group has claimed responsibility for an attack on the offices of Save the Children in Jalalabad on Wednesday, January 24. The humanitarian aid organization that services nearly 1.4 million children in Afghanistan has temporarily suspended most of its operations in all of its 16 Afghan provincial offices in the interest…
Image by NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan In early February, there were avalanches in Afghanistan and Pakistan, which killed over 100 people. CNN explains, “At least 156 people have died along the Afghan-Pakistani border after three days of heavy snowfall caused a series of deadly avalanches Sunday.” The deadliest avalanche was in a village on the…
A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck northern Afghanistan in early April near its border with Tajikistan in the sparsely populated Hindu Kush mountains. Aftershocks reached as far as Delhi, India. The quake caused one fatality in Pakistan. In October 2015, the same region had a 7.5-magnitude earthquake that claimed 300 lives. Since the recent incident, officials have…
CAMEROON — In the Far North region of Cameroon, Christians are high value targets for Islamist extremists from Boko Haram, leading to significant trauma among the local population. Believers like Ramata* live under the threat of attacks that can snatch away loved ones and uproot families from their homes. Thanks to support from Open Doors,…
AFGHANISTAN — Abraham is a chair of a displacement camp in Nigeria. He and his family have been there for three years, ever since their village was devastated by a Fulani militant attack that killed eight people, including his brother. Neglected by the authorities, food at the camp is scarce and conditions are awful, but…
BOONE, IOWA — A one-of-a-kind talk show aims to bring hope to desperate Afghan women as the third anniversary of the Taliban regime’s return to power looms on August 15. “Many women and girls in Afghanistan ask, ‘Is life worth living?’” said Rex Rogers, president of SAT-7 USA (www.sat7usa.org), a Christian media group that broadcasts…
RNS — In a world brimming with pressing issues, it is all too easy for certain crises to slip under the radar. We must ask ourselves why some global crises hold the public’s attention, while others quickly fade away. Or worse, some never make it into the worldwide conscience at all. More than 300 million…
WILLS POINT, TX — A global mission organization is lifting the veil on the incredible suffering of millions of “invisible” widows around the world — many even cast off by their own families. In many places, widows face extreme hardships, abuse, exploitation and sexual violence. Even their own families show them “little or no mercy,”…
ORLANDO, FL —Approximately 110 million people worldwide are forcibly displaced, with 36.4 million being refugees.* On World Refugee Day, June 20, individuals and organizations around the world will demonstrate solidarity with those who have been forced to flee from their home countries due to war, violent conflict, human rights violations, oppression and persecution. “We have…
NAMPA, IDAHO — Global Catalytic Ministries (GCM). As tensions escalate between Israel and Iran and protests intensify globally condemning Israel and supporting Hamas, GCM’s CEO Mike Patino called for a closed meeting with its underground coaches worldwide. The purpose was to understand their unique perspectives on the unfolding situation and determine a collective response by…
BARTLESVILLE, OK — “Persecution is real, and it is biblical, and Jesus told us we will face persecution in this world,” said Pastor Hassan Abduraheem during The Voice of the Martyrs’ “I Am N” Virtual Event earlier this month. During the online event, Hassan and two other survivors of Muslim extremism shared their inspiring stories…
IRAN — A new technology, cutting-edge virtual camera system, installed at SAT-7 PARS’ Limassol studio in Cyprus is taking multiple Persian programs to new heights. It enables presenters and actors to move about in, and even interact with, a digitally-designed virtual environment that is bringing stories to life. And it will enable the broadcast ministry…
SEATTLE — From the Maui wildfires to devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, along with cyclones in Mozambique and Myanmar, Christian humanitarian organization World Vision has been at the forefront of extensive humanitarian response efforts worldwide, supporting communities in crisis. In 2023, World Vision responded to 78 disasters and humanitarian crises in 59 countries around…
EASTON, MD — Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, has canceled its traditional Christmas celebrations, a move that spotlights the challenges Christians in the Middle East face this festive season. Amid the suffering caused by the Israel-Hamas war, Bethlehem’s leaders reportedly feel it’s inappropriate to hold festivities, and the town’s Christian elders agree. It’s a difficult…
WILLS POINT, TX — Mission agency GFA World (www.gfa.org) has launched an appeal to help thousands of “ostracized widows” around the globe at risk of starvation and abuse after being abandoned by their family and neighbors. “Millions of widows live in societies where they are blamed for their husband’s death, regardless of the illness, accident…
UNITED KINGDOM — It is a sad fact that, globally, the number of children and adolescents who do not have access to school education is 260 million, nearly four times the entire population of the UK. In response Christian children’s charity CRY is launching their Back To School Education is Power campaign to highlight how…
NAPLES, FL — Biglife, a non-profit that empowers indigenous Christians to reach and disciple their local communities, has identified over 600 families — 8,500+ individuals, 80% of whom are women and children — under death threat by the Taliban because of their faith. Biglife aims to raise $4.5 million to secure the evacuation of these…
A good friend and well-known Christian theologian visited our work in Asia. He came to one of the leprosy colonies, filled with people who are in horrible pain and suffering. They are so alone, rejected by everyone, without any hope of relief. Then, he was invited to share something to those who had gathered, share…
NIGERIA — More Christians are killed for their faith in Nigeria than in the rest of the world combined. Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) faces a vast humanitarian catastrophe, as a wave of religiously motivated violence nurtured in Nigeria has swept across the region, targeting Christian populations at an alarming rate in countries like Burkina Faso, Cameroon,…
NORTH KOREA — More than 360 million Christians worldwide suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith – that’s a staggering 1 in 7 believers. Open Doors has launched this year’s World Watch list highlighting the 50 countries where faith costs the most, with North Korea returning to number one as the world’s…
CENTRAL ASIA — Forty-year-old Abdulla*, his wife Nilufar* and their three children fled Afghanistan when the Taliban came to power in August 2021. Now living as a refugee in Central Asia, he shares his story about what life is like for Afghan people – and Christians – remaining in the country. *Name changed for security…
EASTON, MD — A U.S. organization focused on the Middle East and North Africa is casting the spotlight on what it calls the region’s top 5 “evolving crises” at the start of 2023. With the world’s gaze fixed on Ukraine-Russia and muscle-flexing in China, “seismic events unfolding in the Middle East are simply off the…
ALASKA — As the world marked the 21st anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks earlier this month, Samaritan’s Purse continues to strengthen the marriages of wounded military veterans and spouses who’ve sacrificed so much to defend the freedoms we enjoy. The September 11 attacks are what led many to armed service, which included combat deployments…
SANTA ANA, CA — A new mobile prayer app developed by Christian persecution watchdog, Open Doors USA, gives users the ability to connect with persecuted Christians suffering for their faith. Available for free in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, the Open Doors Prayer App was created to help strengthen and support Christian…
EASTON, MD — A U.S. media ministry warns religious freedom is under increasing pressure — fast reaching a tipping point it describes as “situation critical.” Globally, an estimated 80% of people of all faiths face restrictions on freely expressing their religious beliefs, says SAT-7 USA (www.sat7usa.org), a Christian media broadcaster in the Middle East and…
EASTON, MD — A Christian media network in the Middle East is highlighting the value of women’s lives after a 17-year-old Iranian girl was beheaded by her husband in a so-called “honor killing,” one of hundreds every year. According to SAT-7 (www.sat7usa.org), Mona Heydari, a child bride at age 13, was beheaded by her husband,…
UNITED STATES — Warrior Getaway is designed to serve American servicemen and women who have visible and invisible injuries as a result of war. Veterans, along with their families, are provided a safe space for respite, community, and healing. Hear the stories of couples and families whose lives were impacted at one of these getaways….
EASTON, MD — Isolated Christians in the Middle East, including many struggling to survive, are using their smartphones to connect with other believers on the region’s first-ever faith-based video-on-demand service. Since launching a year ago, SAT-7 PLUS — a Netflix-type service of faith-based programs 24/7 in Arabic, Farsi and Turkish across the Middle East and…
WILLS POINT, TX – GFA World (Gospel for Asia) founded by K.P. Yohannan, has been the model for numerous charities like GFA World Canada, reveals in a new report: National missionaries — those working in their own countries — are the “new pioneers” of the 21st century, and they’re proving to be an “unstoppable compassion…
NASHVILLE, TN — Since SAT-7 launched the first ever Arabic on demand Christian video platform, they’ve seen countless young lives transformed in some of the most restricted parts of the Middle East including Afghanistan and Iran. Their Arabic Channels Digital Director Shady Francis brings this update. A Christian broadcast ministry, SAT 7, is having an…
