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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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?…
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…
WILLS POINT, TX – Dr. K.P. Yohannan, founder of a major faith-based humanitarian agency, Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada), has warned that a new COVID-19 surge could cause catastrophic starvation in poor nations. Widespread hunger across Asia caused by the pandemic is proving to be “worse than the…
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…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA World and affiliates like Gospel for Asia Canada) founded by Dr. K.P. Yohannan – Discussing how humanitarian agency Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is releasing hundreds of thousands of families from jaws of hunger amid COVID-19. Hunger relief efforts led by two Texas-based organizations are helping thousands…
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…
WILLS POINT, TX — Supported by a small band of local volunteers and ministry partners, Gospel for Asia (GFA World) is gearing up to give away hundreds of free food packages Saturday, Oct. 24, to help local families impacted by COVID-19. The COVID-19 food relief giveaway is the fourth grocery distribution in recent months at…
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…
WILLS POINT, TX — With the number of COVID-19 cases in India surging past five million and climbing rapidly, ongoing hunger-relief efforts continue to stave off starvation across pandemic-ravaged Asia. In some areas, hunger is forcing people to take the most extreme measures. One man was captured on video apparently eating a dead dog off…
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…
SUDAN — Samaritan’s Purse continues to serve communities struggling during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Their latest coronavirus response is in the northeast African nation of Sudan. Samaritan’s Purse has a substantial history there and in South Sudan, they arre strengthening local churches and providing physical relief to impoverished villages that have suffered from years of…
BEIRUT, LEBANON — Samaritan’s Purse DC-8 aircraft left Greensboro, North Carolina, on Friday (August 7) for Beirut, Lebanon, with a 14-member Disaster Assistance Response Team and 26 tons of desperately needed relief supplies. The cargo includes thousands of hygiene kits, solar lights, and hundreds of rolls of heavy-duty tarp material to make emergency repairs to…
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…
KOLKATA – Residents of West Bengal and the nation of Bangladesh have been battling the onslaught of the Coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic has paralyzed millions, confined to their homes without access to food, water, and medical supplies. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage South Asia as the number of cases increases rapidly. Just a few…
International Christian Relief Organization Responds at Epicenter in U.S. and ItalyNEW YORK — Samaritan’s Purse is opening an Emergency Field Hospital in Central Park adjacent to The Mount Sinai Hospital, the main facility of the Mount Sinai Health System to provide additional specialized care for victims of the COVID-19 pandemic. With nearly half of all…
International Christian Relief Organization Responds at the Epicenter of the Coronavirus in the U.S. BOONE, NC — Samaritan’s Purse deployed its Emergency Field Hospital to New York City, New York, where the local medical infrastructure is severely overwhelmed. In cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), New York state officials, and local hospital authorities,…
WHEATON, IL – The Humanitarian Disaster Institute (HDI) at Wheaton College and the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) are partnering to present the COVID-19 Church Online Summit, a two-day digital summit on March 26-27, which will feature videos from church leaders to help churches respond creatively and well to the coronavirus outbreak. Registration is free;…
ADAMAWA, Nigeria – More than 100 members of the Islamic State of West Africa, also known as Boko Haram, recently swarmed northern Adamawa, a state in northeast Nigeria, and set at least five churches ablaze while they opened fire and indiscriminately killed residents, according to Sunday reports. The violence targeting Christian churches in northern Nigeria…
WUHAN – At the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in China, Christians can be found out on the streets, passing out emergency relief items and sharing the Gospel. Christian humanitarian aid groups have partnered with local Chinese pastors to distribute food and protective masks. Mark Hogsed, vice president of international programs at World Help, told…
FOREST, VA – A Christian humanitarian organization has announced a new campaign to provide aid to Chinese families in cities that have been deemed high risk for the deadly coronavirus as the death toll rises above 1,000. World Help, an organization serving the physical and spiritual needs of people in impoverished communities around the world,…
SAN JUAN, PR – Pray for the people of Puerto Rico. The U.S. island territory is still recovering from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in July 2019. It is now suffering from a series of damaging earthquakes over the past month. Only one death has been reported as of mid-afternoon on January 8, but…
SHORELINE, WA – The beginning of what is now the CRISTA Family of Ministries was clearly orchestrated by the hand of the Lord. When, in 1948, Mike Martin prayed to establish a youth home in an abandoned tuberculosis sanitorium, circumstances were not at all favorable. Nonetheless, the county eventually leased the property to Martin for…
Vernon Brewer, CEO and founder of World Help, a Christian humanitarian organization, discusses the good news stories that took place in 2019. There’s a trite yet true saying about the world’s fascination with negative news stories and headlines: “Good news doesn’t sell.” This saying proved painfully true in 2019 — from conflicts abroad to natural…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) issues an extensive Special Report on extreme poverty worldwide, how alleviation and eliminating it is possible, but it is not inevitable. If the modern world is truly a “global village,” that means everyone on earth is our neighbor—and Jesus was very clear about how we are to…
SYRIA – Samaritan’s Purse is providing emergency relief to Syrian families displaced by Turkey’s recent incursion along the border. The violence has created a humanitarian crisis, displacing more than 100,000 people. Some have crossed the border into northern Iraq while others remain displaced within northeastern Syria. Samaritan’s Purse is meeting the desperate physical needs of…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) issues an extensive Special Report on the deadly diseases brought by the mosquito and the storied impact of faith-based organizations on world health, fighting for the Kingdom to “come on earth as it is in heaven.” It takes only one mosquito, buzzing around with ill intent, dive-bombing…
WILLS POINT, TX – Various international organizations observed World Water Day on March 22, 2019. World Water Day should be a time for celebrating the life-sustaining gift of clean water. Unfortunately, the Earth at large is facing a world water crisis – water scarcity caused by increased demand and diminished supplies. India Spend published a…
NEW DELHI – Over 100 million people in three eastern and northeastern coastal states of India are being evacuated as the threat of an ‘extremely severe’ cyclone is expected to make landfall on May 3rd.Cyclone Fani has been strengthening over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to contain windspeeds in excess of 132 mph…
Christian Aid is appealing for donations as it assists communities affected by Cyclone Idai, which has killed hundreds and devastated communities across Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The charity is providing emergency assistance to communities affected by the cyclone but it also wants to build resilience to help them be better prepared for when the next…
A Virginia-based Christian aid group is facilitating relief to Zimbabwe following a devastating cyclone earlier this week. Cyclone Idai, which besieged southern Africa last Sunday, tore across Mozambique with over 100 miles per hour winds and struck Zimbabwe with brutal force, causing floods and landslides. The nation has declared a state of emergency. In an…
International relief organizations are responding to an increasingly devastating humanitarian crisis after a tropical storm and powerful cyclone tore across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Current estimates confirmed by President Filipe Nyusi indicate that some 1,000 people may have been killed in Mozambique alone. “Officially, we have a record of more than 84 dead but everything…
WILLS POINT, TX – Gospel for Asia (GFA) Special Report on the global clean water crisis: Discussing the crucial quest for access to clean drinking water. The widespread lack of clean water is a crisis we can’t ignore. The statistics are mind-numbing. 502,000 people die each year from diarrhea—caused by unsafe drinking water.[1] 2.1 billion…
PAMPLONA, Columbia – Operation Blessing has provided relief to millions of people in 90 different countries and all 50 of the United States over the past 41 years. Founded in 1978 by Pat Robertson, the faith-based NGO provides aid in areas where people’s lives are threatened by poverty, disasters, and persecution. Like similar faith-based organizations…
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…
WILLS POINT, TEXAS – Gospel for Asia (GFA) has been a leader in ministering to “the least of these”—the millions of people living in abject poverty in Asia—for nearly 40 years. Dr. K.P. Yohannan‘s, Gospel for Asia (GFA) founder, ground-breaking book Revolution in World Missions accurately foretold the need for a dramatic change of methodology…
Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me! For my soul trusts in You; And in the shadow of Your wings I will make my refuge, Until [these] calamities have passed by. KERALA – When we hear the words typhoon, cyclone, or hurricane our first reaction is a heightened awareness of potential danger….
CHENNAI – Vijay Jayaraj holds a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of East Anglia in Great Britain. He is a native of India and a resident of Chennai. In a recent op-ed to published by the Christian Post, he lauded the immediate and substantial aid by Christians following the Kerala…
KERALA – There is one emotion common to anyone caught in a major flood. Fear. It is a fear that comes, like the water, in waves. The first wave of fear begins with the initial awareness that a flood is possible. This fear is allayed by the hope that “Maybe it won’t affect me.” The…
KERALA, INDIA – No one can comprehend the terror of a major flood until they have been personally affected by one. This is especially true of those who lose their homes, their possessions, and their loved ones to raging waters that cannot be contained. This writer has been at the sites of four floods over…
