SYRIA — This month marks the 10th anniversary of the first demonstrations that sparked the Syrian Civil War. In that time, the Christian population decreased from two million in 2010 to under 700,000 today. Ten years of civil war in Syria have made life much harder for persecuted Christians – but Open Doors has been…
LOVES PARK, IL — Christians in Russia going door-to-door in the bitter cold reached thousands more children and families with the Gospel over the past few months than ever before — largely because of COVID-19. Illinois-based Slavic Gospel Association’s (SGA, www.sga.org) Christ Over COVID campaign and Immanuel’s Child Christmas outreach helped Russian Christians and their…
ETHIOPIA — Like so many believers in Ethiopia, when Khalid became a Christian he was excluded by his Muslim relatives. Forced to leave he was left with no food, shelter or source of income. But persecution charity Open Doors stepped in to help him establish his own business. Khalid: “Persecution is tough. You are separated…
NORTH KOREA — The persecution of Christian women and girls around the world is hidden, complex and violent. They are vulnerable for both their gender and their faith. As part of International Women’s Day on 8 March, Open Doors has been sharing stories of those who’ve been persecuted simply because they are Christian women. The…
ETHIOPIA — When Abebu’s husband was killed in Ethiopia for his faith in 2013 Christian charity Open Doors stepped in to support her family. But seven years later when Covid-19 restrictions again left her unable to feed her children, the charity provided vital help to her as well as thousands of other families across Africa…
ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – Millions of children and young people live in at-risk conditions in Russia. The problem is exacerbated by the thousands of orphaned children who age out of state-run orphanages each year to make way for the thousands of children waiting to replace them. The problem is worse than you may think. “There…
WINTER PARK, FL – Pathway Learning was born in the heart of Dr. Steve Childers when after leading a training session for church leaders in Africa. His lesson included the matter of serving widows and orphans in the communities represented at the conference. None of the churches represented were doing anything. Steve immediately realized that…
SOUTH ASIA — Covid-19 is fuelling a growing, hidden, “shadow pandemic” of gender-based violence, abduction and trafficking, directed towards Christian women and girls around the world. This is one of the findings of a new report commissioned by Christian persecution charity Open Doors, released on International Women’s Day (Mon Mar 8). Global Gender Persecution Specialist…
CHARLESTON, SC – I am going to assume that you know as much about Burundi as I did before I began to investigate the benevolent work of GLO (aka Great Lakes Outreach). So, before I can introduce you to GLO, I need to familiarize you with the African nation of Burundi. Burundi Burundi occupies less…
NORTH KOREA — This story is based on a real-life account of a North Korea Christian sent to prison and then to a re-education camp. Other details have been added from other prison accounts. Open Doors has heard stories like this from numerous North Korean believers – and, disturbingly, the details are all eerily similar….
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO — Following the latest attacks by Islamists that claimed the lives of at least 100 people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors is calling on the international community to act urgently to protect the largely forgotten people of DRC. The mass killings of civilians in eastern…
RUSSIA — An annual event launched by Slavic Gospel Association in 2002 — is on target to distribute Christmas gifts, children’s Bibles, and personalized ornaments to 50,000 Children in Russia. Despite lockdown restrictions SGA church partners are reaching out into hospital, orphanages and the homes of vulnerable children as part of their Immanuel’s Child outreach….
CHINA — Since 2002, North Korea has been the place where Christians face the most extreme persecution. In response Open Doors secret fieldworkers are supporting Christians who’ve managed to flee to China, through underground networks. Across the river from North Korea, in China, they run secret safe houses for North Korean Christians who have managed…
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC — Open Doors partners recently delivered Covid relief aid to over 4,500 Christians in Central African Republic. Beneficiaries included widows, believers from Muslim backgrounds, church leaders, other vulnerable Christians and orphans. Among those helped were the families of Jeovani, Steven and Dieu Fera, who Open Doors have been supporting ever since their…
COLORADO SPRINGS – “What Matters” is an interesting phrase. Devoid of punctuation, it could be a statement, a question, or an exclamation. Regardless, it is important that we all know what matters . . . what really matters. What Matters Ministries and Missions is the faith-based organization founded by Ivan and Kim Tait in 1997….
NIGERIA — Christian charity Open Doors is calling for people to urgently pray for the release and safety of 300 kidnapped schoolboys still missing following a raid by gunman on their school last weekend in Western Katsina State, Nigeria. Boko Haram reportedly carried out the kidnappings. Many Christians have also been targeted in this region…
IMPERIAL VALLEY, CA — Each week, in a region close to the Californian/ Mexican border, Lupita Bawarski helps lead a CityServe ministry in the Imperial Valley of California. When talking with her, she will humbly tell you stories of lives being transformed by the love and hope of Jesus through her work and others. She…
LOVES PARK, IL — One of the biggest evangelical missions to Russia is calling on America’s Christians to help “save Christmas” for children in dire need in the COVID-ravaged former Soviet Union. Illinois-based Slavic Gospel Association (SGA, www.sga.org) has launched a Christmas gift blitz across 11 time zones, stretching from eastern Europe to Siberia. Thousands…
LOVES PARK, IL — An Illinois-based, international organization is leading a major humanitarian effort to feed hungry families and orphans struggling due to the economic devastation caused by COVID-19 in Russia and the former Soviet Union. Slavic Gospel Association (SGA, www.sga.org) has served its grassroots network of 6,350 local evangelical church partners in the vast…
COLOMBIA — Timóteo’s family found Jesus, and converted from the beliefs of their tribe in Colombia. That made them targets for persecution – and made Timóteo a target for guerrilla gangs. You’re 11 years old, and you’re walking home from school. A man carrying a gun calls you over to him. What do you do?…
WILLS POINT, TX – KP Yohannan, founder of Gospel for Asia (GFA World), has been the model for numerous charities like Gospel for Asia Canada, and Metropolitan of Believers Eastern Church, to help the poor and deprived worldwide — shares on the influence and impact of Dr. John Haggai, the one thing we should do…
COLOMBIA — Believers and worshipers from Colombia face persecution if members of their indigenous community find out that they are Christians. It’s Sunday morning in the village of San Pedro de la Victoria, Colombia. Gabriel – an indigenous Christian whose name has been changed to protect his identity – wakes up to prepare a service…
LOVES PARK, IL — Courageous churches on the edge of an active war zone are in a race against time to save the lives of children as bitter winter weather looms. Members of evangelical churches near the disputed mountainous enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh — straddling Armenia and Azerbaijan — are acting as frontline responders as heavy…
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK / KIGALI, RWANDA– Typically, the first word that comes to mind when we hear the nation of Rwanda mentioned is “genocide.” An estimated one million Rwandans were massacred within a three-month period during 1994, adversely affecting the nation for years to come. ROC Partners (originally the Rwanda Outreach and Community Foundation) was…
BANGLADESH — Ten-year-old Bijli from Bangladesh already knows the cost of following Jesus. Because of her faith, she is bullied at school and her family are ostracised in their Muslim-majority village. Bijli’s father, Badol, became a church leader after receiving biblical training through Open Doors partners. He was worried that his Muslim neighbours wouldn’t accept…
COLOMBIA — Christmas is likely to look different for all of us this year. Some of us will be celebrating the birth of Jesus without our friends and family closest to us. You may have even lost somebody you love this year, and this will be your first Christmas without them. Daniela from Colombia is…
BAKERSFIELD, CA – CityServe is a faith-based organization that enlists and mobilizes local churches to expand a church’s capacity to minister to a specific initiative, empower more people to be a light in their community, and offer Biblical solutions to the broken people in the community. Farmers to Families Food Box Program The organization engages…
NIGERIA — Following the death of her husband in an attack by militant Fulani herdsmen in April – during which most of the family’s belongings were burnt – Abigail* not only faced the grief of losing a loved one but the anguish of not knowing if there was enough food the next day to feed…
LOVES PARK, IL — A U.S.-based evangelical mission that partners with local churches to serve orphans, widows, and others in need across Russia and the former Soviet Union aims to share the true meaning and hope of Christmas with 50,000 needy ‘forgotten’ children this year. From Russia’s capital Moscow to the Siberian wastelands — and…
WILLS POINT, TX — One of the world’s biggest poverty-alleviating organizations spotlights the huge “uphill battle” facing many of the world’s 258 million widows in a recently-released report. Treatment of widows is often startlingly unfair and cruel, catapulting them into a crisis of survival, says the new global report by Texas-based Gospel for Asia (GFA…
BURKINA FASO — Following an escalation in violence against Christians in Burkina Faso in West Africa since June 2019, countless believers have been forced to flee leaving them in desperate need of food supplies. Churches have been attacked by radical Jihadists, with at least 50 Christians murdered and thousands more displaced. Open Doors has responded…
QARAQOSH, IRAQ — When the so-called Islamic State (IS) took over their town, Qaraqosh in northern Iraq, Mathi and his family had no choice but to flee. He, his wife Nazik and their six children fled to safety – they knew that their Christian faith made them extremely vulnerable. Five years later, thanks to support…
NORTH KOREA — North Korea is on the verge of a catastrophic meltdown according to reports reaching Open Doors from North Korean Christians. “North Korea faces a major crisis with multiple causes,” says Timothy Cho, North Korean escapee. “Covid-19 lockdown, catastrophic flooding, and international sanctions.” Although the North Korean Government has claimed that they have…
QAMISHLI, SYRIA — Pastor George Moushi leads a church in Qamishli, northern Syria. His church responded when the region was invaded by Turkish forces last autumn, providing vital aid for many vulnerable Syrians. Support from Open Doors has kept them going as they faced a very visible threat – bombs, soldiers, Islamic extremists and now…
KIGALI, RWANDA – Africa New Life began extending its hands of evangelism and compassion to the suffering nation of Rwanda in 2001. The country was just beginning to recover from what has been described as “the swiftest genocide in history.” Over 800,000 Rwandans had been slaughtered over a period of 90 days. More than 600,000…
DILLSBURG, PA – The Forgotten Voices ministry is committed to doing its part to transform the lives of some of the 4.1 million orphaned and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi. Although it is a small organization compare to like-minded global outreaches, its impact is, nevertheless, soul-stirring. Forgotten Voices follows a local church-based, family-focused,…
SANTA CLARITA, CA – ZOE may be my favorite word in koine Greek, the original language of the New Testament. It means “life.” Among other places, it appears in John 14:6 where Jesus says, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” and John 3:16 where He says, For God so loved the world…
ANNANDALE, VA — Fulaa is an African word that means “waterfall.” The Fulaa Lifeline is a missions ministry to the children of South Sudan. It is, by far, not a highly-funded ministry. It does not have the marketing capabilities or the global visibility of similar faith-based organizations like Compassion International, World Vision, or Gospel for…
IRAQ — Dalia is a woman of remarkable spiritual strength and fortitude. Her life was threatened by so-called Islamic State and her home in the Ninevah plains was ransacked, but with support from Open Doors she has overcome these difficulties to become a leading figure in her local church. In 2014 the so-called Islamic State…
NIGERIA — Living in Plateau State in the middle band of Nigeria, Rose is in one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian. Nigeria is number 12 on Open Doors World Watch List, but it’s at the top of the list for Christians murdered because of their faith. And on…
WILLIS, TX – Mike Reiszner and his wife, Mandy, were living “the American ministry ideal.” Mike had held a secure position as a youth pastor in a vibrant, growing church in Houston for 10 years. Their future and the future of their youth ministry was bright and promising. Two things happened in 2009 that would…
KANSAS CITY, MO – The Global Orphan Project (GO) began when a successful Kansas City businessman and his wife visited an orphanage while on a short-term mission trip. “The situation was horrific, but the people were wonderful . . . The heart of the people who were caring for these kids, who were not their…
CLINTON, MS – The missionary vision of Presbyterian pastor John Chinchen was as clear to him as ABC. He was called to establish Bible colleges in Africa that would equip and empower new generations of students who would have an impact in their native countries and communities.LiberiaPutting faith into action, the Lord began to move,…
WILMINGTON, NC – N2Gives is the philanthropic arm of the award-winning N2 Publishing Company. N2 is a creator of premium-quality publications specifically designed and published for members of exclusive residential communities. In 2018 alone, N2 Publishing was the recipient of commendations from Fortune, Inc. Magazine, and Entrepreneur, to name a few. “Ranked #33 among a…
BERRY, GA – The WinShape Foundation developed from the heart of the man who thought that cows don’t say “Moo.” He was convinced that they said, “Eat more Chikun!” His name was Truett Cathy. He was also the founder of Chick-fil-A. Mr. Cathy was fully-committed to letting his light shine for Christ so that others…
VANCOUVER, WA – You may be astounded to learn that 8,000,000 children around the world are institutionalized. You might be doubly disturbed to learn that many of them are warehoused in rooms filled with cribs in facilities euphemistically called orphanages. Many of these precious children receive no comfort, care, therapy, education, and, most importantly, love….
LOVES PARK, IL — The Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) helped Evangelical Christians in Russia and the former Soviet Union to provide more than 1.5 million free meals to families facing hunger due to COVID-19 — even surprising frontline healthcare workers with food packages and a message of God’s love. “We’d like to share with you…
CHARLOTTE, NC — CMM thanks partners who helped send thousands of dollars weekly the last two months for feeding starving brethren in many nations in Africa and Asia. CMM works closely with known, trusted, indigenous missionaries in 70 nations. We have known many of these dear friends for years in India, Nigeria and Pakistan are…
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Bethany Christian Services has been watching a trend that is leading them to revolutionize their approach to international adoptions. What they have witnessed and what they have foreseen is very similar to what the author of Revolution in World Missions, K.P. Yohannan, did nearly 40 years ago. KP Yohannan recognized the…
WILLS POINT, TX – Compassion is more than just a word. In fact, dictionaries identify compassion as a noun, i.e., a thing. But the complete meaning of compassion goes far beyond being a noun. By its very nature and derivation, compassion describes physical action. Compassion is the juxtaposition of two Latin words that means “to…
