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  1. <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
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  3. <channel>
  4. <title>Mission Network News Headlines</title>
  5. <link>http://www.mnnonline.org/news/?input_4=Worldwide&#038;input_6=05/09/2025&#038;input_5=Specific+Date</link>
  6. <language>en</language>
  7. <description>News Worth Listening To</description>
  8. <item>
  9. <title>Afghan Christians await fate as deportation deadline looms</title>
  10. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/afghan-christians-await-fate-as-deportation-deadline-looms/</link>
  11. <description>
  12. <![CDATA[
  13. USA (MNN) -- Afghan refugees living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status have 11 days left to “self-deport” or face fines and forced deportation. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/tps-ends-for-afghan-evacuees-christians-at-risk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  14.  
  15. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/05/07/nx-s1-5366662/afghanistan-tps-immigration-asylum-seekers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roughly 200,000</a></strong></span> Afghan immigrants and refugees came to the U.S. when Kabul fell to the Taliban <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/taliban-fills-leadership-void-in-afghanistan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in August 2021</a></strong></span>. Among them were <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://cbn.com/news/us/afghan-christians-could-be-forced-leave-us-pause-refugee-program-leaves-thousands-limbo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approximately 300 Afghan Christians</a></strong></span> who faced a death sentence if they stayed in Afghanistan and their faith was discovered.
  16.  
  17. A <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://churchleaders.com/news/510688-christian-leaders-trump-noem-afghan-christians-refugee.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent letter</a></strong></span> from U.S. faith leaders to President Donald Trump and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem seeking an exemption for Afghan believers reads:
  18. <p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em>“As legitimate reforms to our immigration system are underway, we must make sure not to throw out the baby with the bath water. Humanitarian parole status should be preserved for some of those most in danger, like Muslim-background Christians from Afghanistan, who face death if they are sent home. Keeping a pathway for persecuted Christians to receive refugee or asylum status is an important part of the United States' effort to promote religious freedom.”</em></p>
  19. While anyone affiliated with the U.S. faces danger if forced back to Afghanistan, Todd Nettleton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Voice of the Martyrs USA</a></strong></span> says believers fall into a special category.
  20.  
  21. “Any Afghan Christian sent back to Afghanistan, particularly if they had been public in any way about their faith in Christ, that would put them in the crosshairs of the Taliban,” Nettleton says.
  22. <h2>Dangers in Afghanistan</h2>
  23. Extremist groups like the Taliban consider following Jesus an especially heinous crime.
  24.  
  25. “If people are publicly identified as being apostates - people who left Islam, they are now following Jesus Christ - their lives are at risk,” Nettleton says.
  26. <blockquote>
  27. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Lives are in jeopardy if Christian people are forced to return to places where Christians are persecuted and even killed.”</strong></p>
  28. </blockquote>
  29. The danger to Afghan Christians extends beyond simply having their faith discovered. Women and girls <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/05/1162826" target="_blank" rel="noopener">are being erased</a></strong></span> from public society. Increasing numbers of returnees are exacerbating Afghanistan’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/nearly-110000-afghans-returned-pakistan-month-iom-seeks-urgent-funding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">limited resources and weakened infrastructure</a></strong></span>.
  30.  
  31. <em><strong>Yet some believers want to go home despite the risk.</strong></em> “There are Afghan Christians who say, ‘I want to be in Afghanistan. I want to serve the Lord there,’” Nettleton says. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/afghan-refugees-02.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-192714" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/afghan-refugees-02-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>
  32.  
  33. “But the Taliban was able to get many records from the previous government. They were able to get many records from other national embassies evacuated quite quickly during the withdrawal from Afghanistan,” he continues.
  34.  
  35. “Knowing all the information, potentially, that the Taliban had, what would happen when a Christian person landed in Kabul? What would immigration do?”
  36. <h2>Find your place in the story</h2>
  37. Now that you know, what can you do to help?
  38.  
  39. “The first thing we want to do is pray, but then we also want to let our leaders know that we’re concerned about the safety of Christians who would be returned to places where they are almost certain to face persecution,” Nettleton says.
  40.  
  41. Use the buttons at the bottom of the page to share this article with your representative.
  42.  
  43. “Pray for our Afghan Christian brothers and sisters who are potentially facing persecution, not only from the Taliban but even from family members,” Nettleton says.
  44.  
  45. “[Pray] that the Gospel will advance. We know Afghan brothers and sisters are also praying for that and even taking great risks to help that prayer be answered.”
  46.  
  47. &nbsp;
  48.  
  49. &nbsp;
  50.  
  51. &nbsp;]]>
  52. </description>
  53. <pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2025 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate>
  54. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/afghan-christians-await-fate-as-deportation-deadline-looms/</guid>
  55. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/VOM_pray-for-afghanistan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  56. </item>
  57. <item>
  58. <title>Pray for Iranian believers behind bars</title>
  59. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pray-for-iranian-believers-behind-bars/</link>
  60. <description>
  61. <![CDATA[
  62. <span style="font-weight: 400">Iran (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Three Iranian Christians are </span><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.org/2025/03/20/three-iranian-christians-receive-severe-prison-sentences/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">among dozens facing lengthy prison sentences</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> for their faith. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Narges Nasri, Mehran Shamloui, and Abbas Soori</span><span style="font-weight: 400"> were arrested late last year and are each facing more than a decade in prison. Their cases represent a </span><strong><a href="https://www.vomcanada.com/ir-2025-01-23.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">growing trend in Iran</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">, where in 2024, 96 believers were sentenced to a combined total of 263 years of imprisonment, or about two-and-a-half years each. That’s a sixfold increase from the previous year. </span>
  63.  
  64. <span style="font-weight: 400">Nasri, who is pregnant, received the highest sentence of these three: 10 years for propaganda against Islam, 5 years for membership in an opposition group, and 1 year for propaganda against the state. Greg Musselman with </span><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Voice of the Martyrs Canada</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> says her crime was simple. </span>
  65.  
  66. <span style="font-weight: 400">“This all comes from a social media post she had made. And so it’s very concerning: we’re seeing now an increase of these sentences already.”</span>
  67.  
  68. <span style="font-weight: 400">Iran has one of the fastest growing churches in the world. </span>
  69.  
  70. <span style="font-weight: 400">“That is also known to the Iranian government, so they’re trying to put further pressure on the Christians to stop doing evangelistic activity or convert back to Islam,” Musselman says. </span>
  71.  
  72. <span style="font-weight: 400">Many believers are not willing to exchange freedom in Christ for the former chains of Islam. The government frames these believers as propaganda generators, and the resulting pressure manifests itself in extreme charges. Iran’s regime sees believers’ stance as an obstacle to its sponsorship of terrorism and proxy wars. </span>
  73.  
  74. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They see the Christians especially as not going along with them, and they see them as an opposition group,” Musselman says. </span>
  75.  
  76. <span style="font-weight: 400">Hebrews 14:3 calls us to remember those in prison as if we were behind bars alongside them. </span>
  77.  
  78. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The most important thing is that we pray and ask the Holy Spirit how we can get involved,” Musselman says. “We can’t do everything, but we can do some things.” </span>
  79.  
  80. <span style="font-weight: 400">Organizations like Voice of the Martyrs Canada and their contacts in Iran are financially resourcing the prisoners’ families. If you’d like to contribute to this effort, </span><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.com/donate/?msclkid=b5741b0e75a618d704b37cf00647433f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">.</span>
  81.  
  82. <div id="attachment_204660" style="width: 735px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-204660" class=" wp-image-204660 aligncenter" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Copy-of-Iran-Freedom-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="725" height="406" /><p id="caption-attachment-204660" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Iran Alive Ministries)</p></div>
  83. <p style="text-align: center">Featured image courtesy of Wikimedia commons.</p>]]>
  84. </description>
  85. <pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  86. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pray-for-iranian-believers-behind-bars/</guid>
  87. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Qasr_Prison_in_Tehran-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  88. </item>
  89. <item>
  90. <title>Iran&#8217;s exploding church needs discipleship, and you can be part of it</title>
  91. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/irans-exploding-church-needs-discipleship-and-you-can-be-part-of-it/</link>
  92. <description>
  93. <![CDATA[
  94. Iran (MNN) —<strong> You’ve heard that Iran has one of the fastest growing churches in the world, right?</strong> Let’s take a closer look at <strong>the weaknesses and opportunities</strong> that come with that exploding reality.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  95.  
  96. Dr. Hormoz Shariat serves with Iran Alive Ministries and is himself an Iranian Muslim-turned-Christian.
  97.  
  98. “Just think of it. There is no church in Iran. No mature Christians — [or] very few mature Christians in Iran,” he says. “Pastors? None. So just think of Iran as a family full of children, spiritual children.
  99. <blockquote>
  100. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“They're coming to Christ by thousands every month, but they're children. They need parents, they need teaching, and they're hungry. A healthy child is hungry.”</b></p>
  101. </blockquote>
  102. <strong>Discipleship is a key focus of Iran Alive Ministries.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  103.  
  104. “[We] not only evangelize — which we see amazing results [from]. We just passed 105,000 registered salvations," Dr Shariat says. "But we [also] try to teach them, connect them to the Word of God, help them to walk with God and obey God."<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  105.  
  106. Iran Alive has 5,000 students registered in their online school. But the current team can only mentor a fraction of them!
  107.  
  108. “These are good problems to have. Many are coming to Christ,” Dr. Shariat says. “Evangelism is easy in Iran, <b>but we need to work together to disciple that nation</b>.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  109.  
  110. He points to a ticking time bomb.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  111.  
  112. “I wish I could show you the curve of evangelism. We have been on satellite channels since 2001, after 9/11. We have kept the numbers, and when you see the curve, you see the exponential growth of number of salvations the last few years,” Dr. Shariat says.
  113.  
  114. <b>“Urgency. That’s my point. Iran is open. But don’t think that’s going to last forever. The Iranian government may come down and things may change. </b>[The] spiritual atmosphere of Iran could change within a few weeks or in a few months.”
  115.  
  116. <div id="attachment_214575" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214575" class="size-medium wp-image-214575" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/zahra-amiri-dlsB8cNNpI4-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-214575" class="wp-caption-text">Tehran, Iran (Representative stock photo courtesy of Zahra Amiri via Unsplash)</p></div>
  117.  
  118. He reminds us of Jesus’s words in <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%209:3-5&amp;version=ESV"><b>John 9:4</b></a>,“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.”
  119.  
  120. <strong>“I want to say it's urgent that we join together to transform Iran, because Iran can be the first Islamic nation that turns to Christ — and I'm serious about it. It <i>is</i> possible if we work together.”</strong>
  121.  
  122. Find your place in the stories God is working out with <a href="https://iranalive.org"><b>Iran Alive Ministries</b></a>.
  123.  
  124. &nbsp;
  125.  
  126. &nbsp;
  127.  
  128. &nbsp;
  129.  
  130. <em>Header photo of Sistani students in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, Iran (Representative stock photo courtesy of Mohammad Moslehi via Unsplash).</em>]]>
  131. </description>
  132. <pubDate>Fri, 09 May 2025 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate>
  133. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/irans-exploding-church-needs-discipleship-and-you-can-be-part-of-it/</guid>
  134. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/mohammad-moslehi-I6coeKXj2_o-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  135. </item>
  136. <item>
  137. <title>Local repeal of blasphemy laws unlikely in Nigeria&#8217;s Kano State</title>
  138. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/local-repeal-of-blasphemy-laws-unlikely-in-nigerias-kano-state/</link>
  139. <description>
  140. <![CDATA[
  141. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nigeria (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">-- </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">An ECOWAS </span><strong><a href="https://leadership.ng/kano-govt-defends-blasphemy-laws-rejects-ecowas-court-ruling/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">court of twelve nations has ruled</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that Nigeria’s Kano State must repeal its locally enforced blasphemy laws. Kano officials have responded with pushback, citing the interest of their Muslim citizens. Greg Kelley with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/">Unknown Nations</a></strong> says outsider perspective is unlikely to affect local jurisdiction in Nigeria’s Muslim north. </span>
  142.  
  143. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“When you have a Muslim dominated area like Northern Nigeria, the imams and the Spiritual leaders run the day,” he says. “They are the biggest influencers in the entire community.”</span>
  144.  
  145. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Politicians are afraid to stand against their edict, in part because doing so means loss of political support as a baseline outcome. More Christians live in Nigeria than in any other country in Africa, but they are concentrated in the South. </span>
  146. <blockquote><em><strong>“It’s very much a tale of two stories: a Muslim North that’s dominant and a Christian South that is equally dominant,” Kelley says. </strong></em></blockquote>
  147. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Kano State is among several other Northern Muslim states abiding by Sharia law, which calls for drastic responses to those who fall afoul of blasphemy laws.</span>
  148.  
  149. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s hard to understand the intensity,” Kelley says. “We’re talking about an area – that Kano is included in – where more Christians are killed for their faith in Jesus than the rest of the world combined.” </span>
  150.  
  151. <span style="font-weight: 400;">He says the few Christians in Northern Nigeria are crying out to the International community for aid. </span>
  152. <p style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>“Unfortunately, until these radicals in the North are reigned in, these acts of terror are just going to continue,” he says. </strong></em></p>
  153. <span style="font-weight: 400;">But the ultimate answer to Nigeria’s northern troubles is not political or diplomatic. Kelley sees the church in Nigeria’s South as a key to all of this. He is calling for directional prayers regarding this matter: that the church in the South would be bold and courageous to engage in this situation more actively. </span>
  154.  
  155. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Because largely in the South, the two dominant Christian groups have wiped their hands of issues in the North,” he says. </span>
  156.  
  157. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray that the church in Nigeria’s South would take on a missional mindset toward its northern neighbors, rather than an oppositional perspective that writes off those in Islam’s grip. </span>
  158. <blockquote>
  159. <p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The gospel is the only thing that is going to change Northern Nigeria,” Kelley says. And faithful believers carrying the good news is the way it’s going to get there. </span></p>
  160. </blockquote>
  161. &nbsp;
  162.  
  163. &nbsp;
  164.  
  165. <div id="attachment_214549" style="width: 697px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214549" class=" wp-image-214549" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-kazys-photography-2151238955-31755731-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="687" height="458" /><p id="caption-attachment-214549" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Images used in this article courtesy of Kazys Photography via Pexels.</em></p></div>]]>
  166. </description>
  167. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  168. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/local-repeal-of-blasphemy-laws-unlikely-in-nigerias-kano-state/</guid>
  169. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-kazys-photography-2151238955-31743758-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  170. </item>
  171. <item>
  172. <title>Hope for Algerian Christians</title>
  173. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-algerian-christians/</link>
  174. <description>
  175. <![CDATA[
  176. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Algeria (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">-- </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Algeria’s ongoing </span><strong><a href="https://youth.opendoorsuk.org/new/algeria-all-but-one-protestant-churches-are-closed/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deterioration of religious freedom</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has resulted in closed churches and prosecution charges against pastors. Frank Stephenson with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TWR</a></strong> says the current trajectory contrasts a rich regional history of Christian tradition.</span>
  177.  
  178. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“There were actually quite a few key Christian leaders that came from that area in the early centuries after Christ,” he says - </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Saint Augustine among them.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">
  179. </span>
  180.  
  181. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“So that’s quite interesting for me to keep in mind, too. This is not just a foreign land where they’ve never heard of Christ. Actually there used to be quite a presence there.”</span>
  182.  
  183. <span style="font-weight: 400;">These days, there are Christians in Algeria, but many are discouraged by the lack of resources.</span>
  184.  
  185. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They might have to travel far to meet with other Christians, or they might feel lonely or isolated. Especially in families, if one family member becomes a Christian, it becomes really difficult.”</span>
  186.  
  187. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Opportunities to share the Gospel apart from risk of persecution are not abundant. How is TWR supporting believers in this situation? </span>
  188.  
  189. <span style="font-weight: 400;">From a media perspective, there’s the possibility of reaching out to geographic areas that are difficult to enter on the ground. Internet outreach is crucial. </span>
  190.  
  191. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“But what happens if the internet gets shut down or there are certain restrictions?” Stephenson asks. “That’s where I think media and radio play a big role.”</span>
  192.  
  193. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephenson says TWR can broadcast to Algeria from Europe with a strong signal. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Regarding persecution in Algeria, he is encouraged by the willingness of Algerian Christians to stand firm and continue witnessing. </span>
  194.  
  195. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Somehow the Lord provides opportunities for people, even when they’re questioned by authorities, to have an opportunity to share the hope that they have in Christ.”</span>
  196.  
  197. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephenson says prayer is paramount. </span>
  198.  
  199. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Let’s ask the Lord to soften our hearts, open our hearts to maybe a specific country, people group, or part of the world. And then let’s commit to praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ.”</span>
  200.  
  201. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps you have an international neighbor. Maybe you know of a ministry that offers people hope in Christ. It could be that the Lord has already laid a specific people group or country on your heart. If that is the case, please continue to fervently bring your requests before the Lord on their behalf. </span>
  202.  
  203. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Even now, as you read this, would you pray for Algeria?</span>
  204.  
  205. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for strength and protection for Algerian believers. Pray that Christians would remain a beacon of hope, and pray that the Gospel of Jesus would continue to shine forth in darkness. </span>
  206.  
  207. <div id="attachment_214516" style="width: 624px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214516" class=" wp-image-214516" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/noureddine-belfethi-qAA_Vqcomvc-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /><p id="caption-attachment-214516" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Touareg man riding camel in Algeria. Courtesy of Noureddine Belfethi via Unsplash.</em></p></div>
  208. <p style="text-align: left;"><em>Featured image courtesy of Nasro Azaizia via Unsplash</em></p>]]>
  209. </description>
  210. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 05:00:32 -0400</pubDate>
  211. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-algerian-christians/</guid>
  212. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/nasro-azaizia-Y325RAOVw_g-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  213. </item>
  214. <item>
  215. <title>Who do people say that I am? A Muslim’s journey to discovering the Lordship of Christ</title>
  216. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/who-do-people-say-i-am-a-muslims-journey-to-discovering-the-lordship-of-christ/</link>
  217. <description>
  218. <![CDATA[
  219. Pakistan (MNN) — Unveiling the true identity of Christ, one Bible story at a time.
  220.  
  221. During Jesus’s time on earth, His disciples experienced a striking revelation — they had met the Promised Savior. Their faith and passion led to generations of disciples who carried the same truth. However, for Muslims, Jesus's true identity remains a source of confusion. While the Quran acknowledges Him as a prophet, it also states that<em> He will <strong><a href="https://www.quranexplorer.com/hadithebook/english/hadith/bukhari/004.055.657.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">judge</a></strong> the world</em> in the end, creating a contradiction that still leaves a question: Who is He really?
  222.  
  223. <em><strong>Missionaries in the Middle East are at the forefront of spiritual struggles, committed to uncovering Christ’s true nature for Muslims.</strong></em>
  224.  
  225. <div id="attachment_214498" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214498" class="size-medium wp-image-214498" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/umar-farooq-zrCPaJga7Ik-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214498" class="wp-caption-text">People look around in a colorful market in Pakistan (Photo courtesy of Umar Farooq via Unsplash)</p></div>
  226.  
  227. Steven* spent many years serving Muslims in Pakistan and has learned how difficult it is to uncover the identity of their Savior. Jesus’s direct instructions are key to unraveling the mystery of Christ. Steven says, “<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010&amp;version=ESV"><strong>Luke 10</strong></a> is really clear about what Jesus wanted His disciples to go and do, and how they would begin to meet people in new places that didn't have the gospel yet.”
  228.  
  229. On one occasion, their teammate entered a village where he met a sick 8-month-old baby. He asked if he could pray for the baby, and the family agreed. The next day, when he returned, the baby was healed.
  230. <blockquote>
  231. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“And the family said, ‘You healed our baby. How did you do that? Can we pay you money? Can we worship you?’ And he said, ‘Absolutely not! This is what Jesus can do. Jesus is the protector of your baby. Jesus is the healer of all!’ And they said, ‘Tell us more about Jesus.’”</strong></p>
  232. </blockquote>
  233. He proceeded to share stories from the New Testament, helping them understand that Jesus is not just a good teacher or a prophet they've heard about. He is the one true God. Through stories of Jesus’s power to calm storms, heal the sick, raise the dead, and feed 5,000 people, they began to see Jesus in a new light.
  234.  
  235. “Our goal is to take them from a misunderstanding of who Jesus is to a correct and full understanding of who He is. And in that process, we are making disciples. Because we are not giving them the answers directly — we are searching the Scriptures with them,” Steven says.
  236.  
  237. By going through these stories, the Muslim understanding of Jesus is transformed. They start to hope for the future Jesus promises. They testify that the Quran taught them about hate, war, and selfishness, but Jesus taught love, kindness, peace, and caring for others. When the Holy Spirit teaches them from the Word of God, they discover who Jesus is. That is far more powerful than anything they could be told!
  238. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“In the end, they choose to become disciples of Jesus — students who learn from Him. They decide to follow Him with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength. When that happens, they are true disciples of Jesus, and they begin to make more disciples. This is exactly what He told us to do,” says Steven.</strong></p>
  239. Pray for wisdom and patience for missionaries in the Middle East. Pray that they may be guided by the true passion for the Gospel. May their hearts be filled with strength as they share the truth of Christ. Pray that seekers in the region are led to the true understanding of who Jesus is and are transformed by His love and grace.
  240.  
  241. &nbsp;
  242.  
  243. &nbsp;
  244.  
  245. <em>*Full names withheld for security.</em>
  246.  
  247. <em>Header photo courtesy of Arafat uddin Showrab via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  248. </description>
  249. <pubDate>Thu, 08 May 2025 05:00:49 -0400</pubDate>
  250. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/who-do-people-say-i-am-a-muslims-journey-to-discovering-the-lordship-of-christ/</guid>
  251. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/arafat-uddin-showrab-lpBWnBJ06I4-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  252. </item>
  253. <item>
  254. <title>Gospel-centered aid in the midst of latest Myanmar &#8220;ceasefire&#8221;</title>
  255. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-centered-aid-in-the-midst-of-latest-myanmar-ceasefire/</link>
  256. <description>
  257. <![CDATA[
  258. Myanmar (MNN) —<b> </b>More than a month after Myanmar’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162636" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7.7-magnitude earthquake</a></strong></span>, the civil war's rules keep changing. Or do they?
  259.  
  260. <div id="attachment_214564" style="width: 288px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214564" class="size-medium wp-image-214564" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EQ-001-3-SeinPa-Nelly-3d0983fc-c048-4538-9515-d5de067b291e-278x300.jpeg" alt="" width="278" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214564" class="wp-caption-text">2025 Myanmar earthquake relief (Photo courtesy of AMG International)</p></div>
  261.  
  262. On Tuesday, the military junta <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/myanmar/2025/05/06/myanmar-junta-ceasefire-extension/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declared a ceasefire</a></strong></span> till the end of May, ostensibly to help with earthquake recovery efforts. However, during the previous April ceasefire, war monitors reported <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://english.alarabiya.net/News/world/2025/05/06/myanmar-junta-calls-new-ceasefire-after-earthquake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dozens</a></strong></span> if not <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/05/turk-warns-unremitting-violence-against-civilians-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hundreds</a></strong></span> of breaches by the junta, including relentless <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/myanmar/2025/04/25/junta-airstrikes-break-ceasefire-arakan-army/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bombings</a></strong></span> of areas such as Rakhine state’s Kyauktaw township.
  263.  
  264. <strong>Few people in Myanmar, if any, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj9e89knm9lo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">expect this next ceasefire</a></span> to be different.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  265.  
  266. Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization says <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/05/1162881" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly 6.3 million people need urgent help</a></strong></span>. Brian Dennett with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMG International</a></strong></span> describes quake survivors still living in makeshift shelters.
  267.  
  268. "Rainy season starts normally in May, and that's coming, and that's just going to be very complicated for them," he says. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  269.  
  270. Into the massive needs has stepped the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/network-of-believers-in-myanmar-already-in-place-to-bring-earthquake-aid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">network</a></strong></span> of churches AMG works with. Dennett says they have come alongside hundreds of families with generators, food relief, and other aid.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> They have been in the process of repairing 26 homes. </span>
  271. <blockquote>
  272. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“As always, at the center of everything we do is the gospel. So we are not just providing humanitarian aid; we are also providing hope and sharing Jesus as we go about this. And we have the most committed team of gospel-centered workers right there in the field," says Dennett.</b></p>
  273. </blockquote>
  274. <h2><b>Find your place in the story</b></h2>
  275. <strong>As Myanmar navigates internal pressures and desperate needs, would you prayerfully consider giving financial support?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  276.  
  277. “Christians all over the U.S. have been very generous and given towards this, but our fear, with news coverage coming to an end, [is] it’s really becoming more difficult to raise funds — and yet there's still a huge need,” Dennett says.
  278.  
  279. “We do not have the cooperation of the government there, so that's challenging. If anyone would like to help, you can simply go to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://amghelp.org">amghelp.org</a></strong></span> and you'll find Myanmar earthquake relief right at the top of the list.”
  280.  
  281. <b>A gift of $400 covers the cost of a generator, $100 will provide a temporary shelter, and $50 will provide a family food package.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  282.  
  283. “Thank you all so much for your prayers and for your support. Our brothers and sisters in Myanmar really need us,” Dennett says.
  284.  
  285. <div id="attachment_214565" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214565" class="size-medium wp-image-214565" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/EQ-009-KoHtoo-T200-7cd464a7-4b2f-4399-89c1-b159ebe6b806-300x225.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-214565" class="wp-caption-text">2025 Myanmar earthquake relief (Photo courtesy of AMG International)</p></div>
  286.  
  287. &nbsp;
  288.  
  289. &nbsp;
  290.  
  291. <em>Header photo of earthquake relief courtesy of AMG International.</em>]]>
  292. </description>
  293. <pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2025 05:00:24 -0400</pubDate>
  294. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-centered-aid-in-the-midst-of-latest-myanmar-ceasefire/</guid>
  295. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/002-Sagain-65T-cd4af895-40c4-4cce-86a1-612ccedf7362-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" />
  296. </item>
  297. <item>
  298. <title>Believers face four threats in DRC unrest</title>
  299. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-face-four-threats-in-drc-unrest/</link>
  300. <description>
  301. <![CDATA[
  302. Congo-Kinshasa (MNN) -- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/clashes-rage-in-dr-congo-s-south-kivu-as-peace-talks-with-m23-stall/3557572#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clashes continue</a></strong></span> between the army and M23 rebels in the Democratic Republic of the Congo despite both sides <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.africanews.com/2025/05/05/drc-m23-rebels-seize-strategic-town-despite-peace-talks/?utm_source=news.google.com&amp;utm_campaign=feeds_news&amp;utm_medium=referral" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling for a ceasefire</a></strong></span>.
  303.  
  304. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/m23-rebels-seize-strategic-fishing-town-in-eastern-dr-congo-despite-peace-deal/3557091" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Sunday</a></strong></span>, M23 forces captured a fishing town on the west coast of Lake Edward in the eastern DRC. Rebels have stepped up their offensive since December, capturing key towns and uprooting 7.8 million people.
  305.  
  306. This summer, a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://nilepost.co.ug/top-stories/256634/white-house-to-host-kagame-tshisekedi-peace-signing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">landmark agreement</a></strong></span> brokered with US support aims to end years of conflict between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda. Kinshasa and others accuse Rwanda of supporting M23, a claim Kigali denies.
  307.  
  308. Two <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Missionary Press</a></strong></span> partners live near Goma, one of the biggest cities captured by M23. In letters to Helen Williams, WMP’s Director of Orders and Distribution, they describe difficult circumstances.
  309.  
  310. “People are starving. There are massacres, kidnappings, and people are afraid,” Williams recounts from the correspondence.
  311. <blockquote>
  312. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“People (soldiers) are disguised as civilians, but they’re really the danger.”</strong></p>
  313. </blockquote>
  314. In a copy of the email obtained by MNN, one partner says:
  315. <p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em>Apart from the day-and-night massacres, another form of massacre is taking place because banks remain closed and activities have been paralyzed for 3 months; economic recovery will take time, as almost all major businesses have been looted. Another danger is that it’s difficult to know who is sowing terror in the city because there are 4 layers that seem to be uncontrollable: the new administration’s military, the hunted government’s military disguised as civilians, the patriots/populations who have taken up arms, and over 5,000 prisoners who have left the burnt-down prison.</em></p>
  316. Some believers have lost family members in the fighting, while others are struggling to share the hope of Christ.
  317.  
  318. “Their ministry is going from home to home and visiting people – that has become much more dangerous because people don’t trust anybody, and they’re just kind of paralyzed,” Williams says.
  319.  
  320. <div id="attachment_195414" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WMP_DR-Congo.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-195414" class="size-medium wp-image-195414" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/WMP_DR-Congo-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-195414" class="wp-caption-text">In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, believers are dedicated to spreading the Gospel all across this nation.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of World Missionary Press)</p></div>
  321.  
  322. Another partner wrote the following as part of his update:
  323. <p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em>The current situation in Goma remains very delicate. Although we do not hear regular gunfire or bombings in the city itself, insecurity is ever-present. People continue to die almost daily due to targeted assassinations, often leaving communities in fear and mourning. These acts of violence have become sadly routine. But God remains on our side to protect us.</em></p>
  324. <strong>Yet Gospel work continues with the help of WMP.</strong> Two shipments arrived in the DRC mid-March, and distribution efforts are underway despite the turmoil.
  325.  
  326. “This partner received a 40-foot container, which has 2.1 million booklets in it. They were primarily in French, but then also in Lingala and Swahili,” Williams says.
  327.  
  328. “The other distributor received pretty much the same, [so] between the two, we’ve got over 3 million pieces of literature that just arrived.”
  329.  
  330. Pray for local believers as they continue their work amid the crisis. “We need to pray for spiritual and physical strength for those who are still going out [to serve the community] because this is hard,” Williams says.
  331.  
  332. The first WMP partner shares:
  333. <p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em>When we received the new booklets, we tried to share the Gospel in one school, but we were emotionally affected when some kids shared with us that their parents died and others missed their beloved [ones] because of this war. I was touched to see others [who] don’t know who will pay school fees for them. There are some families, when you meet them to share the Gospel, you weep first by seeing what is happening in the family or the area.</em></p>
  334. <p style="padding-left: 40px;"><em>We are doing our best to seize the occasion to double our effort in sharing the Gospel in this context, but we realize that many things are needed to accomplish the Great Commission in that condition. We need your prayers and compassion!</em></p>
  335. &nbsp;
  336.  
  337. &nbsp;
  338.  
  339. <em>Header image is a representative photo depicting FARDC soldiers deployed in Kibumba, last position before entering into M-23 controlled zone, the 1st of September 2012. © MONUSCO/Sylvain Liechti (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:FARDC-Kibumba-05_(7936373868).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  340. </description>
  341. <pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2025 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate>
  342. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-face-four-threats-in-drc-unrest/</guid>
  343. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FARDC-Kibumba-05_7936373868-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  344. </item>
  345. <item>
  346. <title>Mueller Memorial Academy: Dedication and plans for the future</title>
  347. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mueller-memorial-academy-dedication-and-plans-for-the-future/</link>
  348. <description>
  349. <![CDATA[
  350. Kenya (MNN) -- Heartbreak was heavy when <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/kenya-hope/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Kenya Hope</span></strong></a> lost their executive directors in a tragic car accident in October 2023. The ministry continues to carry Dave and Joy Mueller's legacy through its new Christian school in southern Kenya - Mueller Memorial Academy.
  351.  
  352. <div id="attachment_205332" style="width: 251px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205332" class="size-medium wp-image-205332" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/david-and-joy-mueller-grandville-mi-obituary-241x300.jpg" alt="" width="241" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-205332" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Mueller family)</p></div>
  353. <p class="" data-start="467" data-end="623">Steve Holman of Kenya Hope explains, "A year ago at this time, there was a decision made to go forward and open the school.... Going back two years, I wouldn't have thought this was possible. But God really laid this on the heart of Dave and Joy Mueller, and that is why it's an honor to name it after them."</p>
  354. <p class="" data-start="625" data-end="855"><strong>Mueller Memorial Academy opened in January, following Kenya’s national school calendar. It launched with three classes (PP1, PP2, and Grade 1) and a classic Christian curriculum in partnership with the Rafiki Foundation.</strong></p>
  355. <p class="" data-start="857" data-end="982">"The community has been very supportive," says Holman. "We have these three classes [with] about 75 students. This means every succeeding school year, a grade will be added. And as, of course, grades are added, they have to add facilities for teachers because teachers are generally sent from afar."</p>
  356.  
  357. <blockquote>
  358. <p class="" style="text-align: center;" data-start="984" data-end="1153"><strong>Mueller Memorial Academy's official dedication will take place on May 7. The Muellers' oldest son Ian, his wife Stephanie, and their young son are traveling to Kenya for the ceremony.</strong></p>
  359. </blockquote>
  360. <p class="" data-start="1341" data-end="1566">Mueller Memorial Academy isn’t just about academics. Kenya Hope’s long-term plan is to grow the campus into a full <a href="https://kenyahope.org/hope-centers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Hope Center</span></strong></a> — offering widow empowerment programs and sustainable agriculture projects. Already, the property has a strong start with cows, goats, and vegetable gardens.</p>
  361.  
  362.  
  363. <div id="attachment_214202" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214202" class="size-medium wp-image-214202" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-17-231557-300x123.png" alt="" width="300" height="123" /><p id="caption-attachment-214202" class="wp-caption-text">Mueller Memorial Academy's campus. (Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)</p></div>
  364. <p class="" data-start="1678" data-end="1815">"The ideal is that each Hope Center grows enough of its own food to feed its kids," Holman says. "Wouldn't that be awesome? We can make a big dent in it at the Mueller Memorial Academy, but not fully. So it takes wise leadership."</p>
  365. <p class="" data-start="1817" data-end="1984">Finding an on-site administrator is the next step. Currently, Kenya Hope's national director, Reuben Kamau, manages the school remotely from Nairobi.</p>
  366. <p class="" data-start="1986" data-end="2116">Holman says, "Eventually, as the school gets larger, there's going to have to be a full-time leader there, rather than Reuben trying to administer the program from afar. You do have cell phone communication, but there's nothing like being there!"</p>
  367.  
  368. <h3 data-start="2118" data-end="2138"><strong data-start="2118" data-end="2138">How You Can Help</strong></h3>
  369. <div id="attachment_214200" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214200" class="size-medium wp-image-214200" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/486042376_1046428837522335_1599767997885352444_n-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214200" class="wp-caption-text">Student sponsors with Kenya Hope. (Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)</p></div>
  370. <p class="" data-start="2140" data-end="2319"><strong>Child sponsorships are another significant need. For $40 a month, you can provide a student with a uniform, shoes, a sweater, daily meals, school supplies, and emergency medical care.</strong></p>
  371. <p class="" data-start="2321" data-end="2442">"In all the Hope Centers [with] all the students that go to class and are fed by us every day, not even 10% of them are sponsored," Holman says. "There's always a need."</p>
  372. <p class="" data-start="2444" data-end="2562"><strong>Sponsoring a student is simple! Just head to <a class="" href="http://kenyahope.org" target="_new" rel="noopener" data-start="2489" data-end="2526"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">KenyaHope.org</span></a> to donate, and designate your funds for "Child Sponsorship." You also have the option to <a href="https://kenyahope.org/brizy-217/#Students%20needing%20sponsorship" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">sponsor a specific student with Kenya Hope here.</span></a></strong></p>
  373. <p data-start="2444" data-end="2562">As Mueller Memorial Academy finds its rhythm, Holman asks believers to pray that the school would grow wisely and remain stable through the early years. Ask God to provide for the students and their families, many of whom live in deep poverty. Pray also for a full-time administrator who can operate the school on-site.</p>
  374. <p data-start="2444" data-end="2562">Holman says, "Just having seen that brand new picture of the student body, it's amazing. They are excited to be at school."</p>
  375. <p data-start="2444" data-end="2562"><em>Header photo: The first classes of Mueller Memorial Academy. (Photo courtesy of Kenya Hope)</em></p>]]>
  376. </description>
  377. <pubDate>Wed, 07 May 2025 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate>
  378. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mueller-memorial-academy-dedication-and-plans-for-the-future/</guid>
  379. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Uncle-Thomas-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  380. </item>
  381. <item>
  382. <title>Petite Rivière attacks are another mark of Haiti&#8217;s spiritual battle</title>
  383. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/petite-riviere-attacks-another-mark-of-the-spiritual-battle-in-haiti/</link>
  384. <description>
  385. <![CDATA[
  386. Haiti (MNN) — Last week the central Haiti community of Petite Rivière was attacked not once but twice. The attack is attributed to the Gran Grif gang, who killed at least four people between <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://haitiantimes.com/2025/04/29/new-gang-attack-in-petite-riviere-de-lartibonite/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Monday</b></a></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://haitiantimes.com/2025/05/02/petite-riviere-artibonite-gang-violence-april2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Wednesday</b></a></span> assaults, torched homes and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gang-violence-petite-riviere-c0eaf5bd06995b534893fbfdcf021d80" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>displaced the community</b></a></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  387.  
  388. The attack impacted partners of Every Man a Warrior, a discipleship ministry of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Trans World Radio (TWR)</b></a></span>. Gospel worker Obed* says someone is behind these attacks.
  389.  
  390. <div id="attachment_214530" style="width: 259px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214530" class="size-medium wp-image-214530" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PHOTO-2025-05-01-17-20-45-249x300.jpg" alt="Haiti, Every Man a Warrior" width="249" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214530" class="wp-caption-text">People fleeing across the river from Petite Rivière gang attacks (Photo courtesy of Obed at Every Man a Warrior, TWR)</p></div>
  391.  
  392. “We don't know for sure how they buy those guns. It’s impossible how they could buy those guns, so they have someone that back[s] up them to do that,” he says.
  393.  
  394. He believes Haiti’s deteriorating situation is not a physical but a spiritual battle — the devil against God.
  395.  
  396. <span class="Apple-converted-space">"It's more than [a physical war]. Most of the gang are voodoo priest[s]. So they practice voodoo, and they act like all the thing[s] that they say [are] about voodoo," he says.</span>
  397. <blockquote>
  398. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“Many churches are closed now. So I believe that it's not just something that concern[s] Haiti. I believe that that should concern the whole world, the whole Christian world to join in prayer, to join in support [of] our brothers and sisters in Haiti.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p>
  399. </blockquote>
  400. Please pray for wisdom as Every Man a Warrior offers humanitarian aid alongside their discipleship work. Obed says they plan to help some residents displaced from Petite Rivière to relocate. <b>They have 12 acres near the Dominican Republic border, which they look to use for the good of displaced people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  401.  
  402. "I started months ago on the DR border [something where] we have some ways to welcome our brothers and find another life. Because when your house [is] burned and you lose everything, it's hard. It's so hard,” Obed says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  403.  
  404. “We [are] praying so that God can help us navigate this situation, because our mission was to make disciple[s]. Those people are peaceful people, and they have now to leave their home.”
  405.  
  406. Obed says most Haitians believe they are alone in the world. <strong>That’s what makes your prayers and partnership such a needed blessing at this time. </strong>
  407.  
  408. Learn more about <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.apple.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Every Man a Warrior</b></a></span> at TWR’s website.
  409.  
  410. &nbsp;
  411.  
  412. <em>*name withheld for security</em>
  413.  
  414. &nbsp;
  415.  
  416. &nbsp;
  417.  
  418. <em>Header photo: A group of men gather and sit together in prayer during an Every Man A Warrior meeting. (Photo, caption courtesy of TWR) </em>]]>
  419. </description>
  420. <pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2025 05:00:21 -0400</pubDate>
  421. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/petite-riviere-attacks-another-mark-of-the-spiritual-battle-in-haiti/</guid>
  422. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Haiti-EMAW-Banner-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  423. </item>
  424. <item>
  425. <title>Russians and Ukrainians fight for unity in Israel&#8217;s Christian community</title>
  426. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russians-and-ukrainians-fight-for-unity-in-israels-christian-community/</link>
  427. <description>
  428. <![CDATA[
  429. <span style="font-weight: 400">Israel (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">What comes to mind when you think of Christian churches in Israel? Many Americans picture Messianic Jewish congregations made up of Hebrew speakers. Eric Mock with the <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slavic Gospel Association</a></strong> says few people think of Israel’s Russian speaking population. </span>
  430.  
  431. <span style="font-weight: 400">“That ranges, depending on location, anywhere from 15 to 25 percent of the population,” he says. </span>
  432.  
  433. <span style="font-weight: 400">Mock says one of the joys for SGA is serving the Russian-speaking Jewish churches that the Lord is raising up there. On a recent trip to Israel, he met with Christian leaders and pastors. </span>
  434.  
  435. <span style="font-weight: 400">“I was blessed to meet with people that I dearly love, and they are pastoring and leading small churches: sometimes meeting in the basement of buildings in industrial parks,” he says. </span>
  436.  
  437. <span style="font-weight: 400">Word about their growing faith community is spread person-to-person.  </span>
  438.  
  439. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They were discouraged because they are pastoring small churches,” Mock says, and he responded by telling them, “That’s not a bad thing. It’s a beautiful thing.”</span>
  440.  
  441. <span style="font-weight: 400">He exhorted pastors to focus less on church growth and more on disciple making, pointing them to Matthew 16:18, in which Christ instructs Peter that God is the one who builds His church. </span>
  442.  
  443. <span style="font-weight: 400">“In these small churches, there were too many times that they were trying to force a Western, big church model into their little churches and not celebrate what God was doing in their midst,” Mock says. </span>
  444.  
  445. <span style="font-weight: 400">Several of the congregants in these congregations are refugees from Ukraine. Understandably, the church members have differing opinions regarding the ongoing conflict. Added to this is occasional rocket fire from Gaza and threats of aggression by Iran, not to mention language and cultural barriers among Israeli neighbors. While Mock acknowledges the unique challenges faced by Russian and Ukrainian believers, he says in Israel they are developing a third culture, one with Slavik and Jewish influence. Ultimately, the solution is simple. </span>
  446.  
  447. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They have found unity in Christ,” Mock says. </span>
  448.  
  449. <span style="font-weight: 400">It’s a mix that reflects the early church and a principle that mirrors the Messiah. </span>
  450.  
  451. <span style="font-weight: 400">“His death and resurrection have redeemed a people for his own possession and so in that context, where you have cultural factors, international factors, and factors of war and all kinds of things, they have found peace in being a small gathering of believers who gather together to worship Christ and be a family.”</span>
  452.  
  453. <span style="font-weight: 400">Praise the Lord for his faithfulness in uniting Russian and Ukrainian believers in Israel. Pray that their congregations would continue to grow in faith, unity, and love. </span>
  454.  
  455. <div id="attachment_214526" style="width: 564px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214526" class=" wp-image-214526" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/israelmeir-slv_Anx7ZMw-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="554" height="369" /><p id="caption-attachment-214526" class="wp-caption-text">Footer photo courtesy of Unsplash; header photo courtesy of Pixabay</p></div>
  456.  
  457. &nbsp;
  458.  
  459. &nbsp;]]>
  460. </description>
  461. <pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2025 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate>
  462. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/russians-and-ukrainians-fight-for-unity-in-israels-christian-community/</guid>
  463. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/banner-7038614_1280-180x180.png" type="" length="" />
  464. </item>
  465. <item>
  466. <title>From a simple hello to eternal hope: the role of online evangelists in Iran</title>
  467. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/from-a-simple-hello-to-eternal-hope-the-role-of-online-evangelists-in-iran/</link>
  468. <description>
  469. <![CDATA[
  470. Iran (MNN) — Next time you log into social media — say <em>dorood</em>!
  471.  
  472. "Dorood" means <em>hello</em> in Persian. As many Iranians turn to social media to seek truth beyond government censorship, a simple greeting from a friendly evangelist with a powerful message can change their life forever.
  473.  
  474. Farzad’s* journey with Christ began in his teenage years, influenced by his siblings’ faith, movie “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5IEVR_TqNs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Gospel of Luke</a>” (1979) and Yahoo Messenger chats in Iran. He says: “There was [an] online church in Farsi. They said, <em>Kelisaye Interneti</em>. And I found many friends there.” He also explored a Muslim Yahoo chatroom but grew discouraged by constant Sunni-Shia debates. The Christian chat felt different. “<strong>I could feel Holy Spirit among them</strong>,” he says.
  475.  
  476. <div id="attachment_214481" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214481" class="size-medium wp-image-214481" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/krismas-JGLLU1YNxU4-unsplash-300x201.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="201" /><p id="caption-attachment-214481" class="wp-caption-text">Woman behind laptop (photo courtesy of Krismas via Unsplash)</p></div>
  477. <h4>The seeker became the Messenger!</h4>
  478. Today, Farzad is a dedicated internet missionary. He once used Instagram and Facebook but now finds Telegram most effective. In the past two years, he has led twenty people to Christ! His method is simple: he creates a Christian profile, joins Persian chats, and builds friendships. “<strong>The best thing in Telegram is going to a group with a few members, for example, 200-300 members, and being with them, being among them and just talking with them — not directly about God, but without hiding your faith</strong>,” Farzad explains.
  479.  
  480. People notice his avatar and start asking questions: What do you do in Christianity? Do you fast? Do you have <em>namaz</em> (prayer)? They’re curious about the differences between Christianity and Islam, but most importantly, they want to hear his personal story.
  481. <blockquote>
  482. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Then I share my testimony in a voice message. And it takes one hour, usually, because it's not just my testimony, it's my life story — from when I was five to now. I explain how I became a believer, how my parents, how my siblings… and it takes time. Then they always need time to process, to think about it, and the prayer helps a lot,” says Farzad.</strong></p>
  483. </blockquote>
  484. It takes time, Farzad says, but after a few months, some return with a clear desire to know Christ. “If it's time, I give them the salvation prayer, and I say, ‘Do you want me to pray with you? You can do that by yourself.’ From each group, usually at least two or three people come with their questions and get discipled.”
  485.  
  486. And after a simple greeting and a season of searching, an Iranian soul finds its rest in Jesus’ embrace.
  487. <h4><strong>Find your place in the story!</strong></h4>
  488. Many ministries are reaching out to Iranians, but the need for online evangelists is greater than ever. So next time you go online and meet an Iranian, don’t hesitate to say <em>dorood</em>! Your conversation might be the very start of their exciting journey to knowing Christ.
  489.  
  490. &nbsp;
  491.  
  492. &nbsp;
  493.  
  494. &nbsp;
  495.  
  496. <em>*Full name withheld for security.</em>
  497.  
  498. <em>Header photo courtesy of Haftohasht Innovation Studio via Pexels.</em>]]>
  499. </description>
  500. <pubDate>Tue, 06 May 2025 05:00:21 -0400</pubDate>
  501. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/from-a-simple-hello-to-eternal-hope-the-role-of-online-evangelists-in-iran/</guid>
  502. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-haftohasht-innovation-studio-435408192-15301313-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  503. </item>
  504. <item>
  505. <title>In the wake of attacks, SGA strengthens Ukraine’s churches for today and tomorrow</title>
  506. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-the-wake-of-attacks-sga-strengthens-ukraines-churches-for-today-and-tomorrow/</link>
  507. <description>
  508. <![CDATA[
  509. Ukraine (MNN) — There is Good News that no shelling can mute and no rocket can destroy.
  510.  
  511. As Ukraine reels from recent deadly attacks in <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20250502-russia-launches-massive-drone-attack-on-ukraine-29-wounded-in-zaporizhzhia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zaporizhzhia</a>, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-attack-on-kherson-kills-1-injures-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kherson</a>, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-attack-on-odesa-kills-2-injures-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Odesa</a>, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/russian-drone-attack-on-kyiv-injures-2-children-damages-shopping-mall/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyiv</a>, <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-war-latest-74/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kharkiv</a> and other places, political tensions continue to escalate. Despite ongoing peace talks — from Oval Office meetings to negotiations in <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/vatican-meeting-with-trump-was-best-conversation-yet-zelensky-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vatican</a> — true peace remains elusive. While world leaders debate the best path forward, Russia uses the delays to intensify its attacks along the <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162616" target="_blank" rel="noopener">frontlines</a>. Meanwhile, ordinary Ukrainians continue working, studying, and caring for their families, all while bearing the heavy burden of war-weariness.
  512.  
  513. Eric Mock of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slavic Gospel Association</a> (SGA) shares: “The ceasefire has to happen! The securities need to be there. And it warps the imagination that even in these days, we are seeing senseless destruction.”
  514.  
  515. In the midst of such devastation, the need for lasting hope becomes even more urgent.
  516. <blockquote>
  517. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It's because the people that are suffering, the people that are dealing with loss, are looking for answers, and the only hope we have, both in good times and in bad — the only hope that we have is the gospel of Jesus Christ,” says Mock.</strong></p>
  518. </blockquote>
  519. <div id="attachment_214509" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214509" class="size-medium wp-image-214509" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/youssef-naddam-iJ2IG8ckCpA-unsplash-225x300.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214509" class="wp-caption-text">People help each other (Photo courtesy of Youssef Naddam via Unsplash)</p></div>
  520.  
  521. Ukrainian churches are rising to meet this challenge. With support from SGA, they’re distributing food, medicine, generators, and other vital supplies. Mock draws a vivid comparison: “So in the middle of the darkest times, even a flicker of a candle casts off great light, and the gospel is being held forth by these churches.”
  522.  
  523. These efforts are being strengthened by international church partnerships. Through this coordinated aid, as many as <strong>1.8 million people</strong> — many of whom had never heard the Gospel before — have now encountered it. Some are gathering in small groups that have begun to form into churches.
  524.  
  525. <strong>“These are faithful small churches with small congregations that originally were aid centers who have now found a common bond, a common love for Christ and for one another, and they're forming as churches,”</strong> Mock explains.
  526.  
  527. This growing movement has created a new and urgent need: leadership. SGA has committed to raising up a new generation of pastors and ministry leaders. The current goal is to train 1,000 leaders over the next eleven years — a vital task as many pastors are now serving in the military or have lost their lives defending the country.
  528.  
  529. “<strong>As much as we talk about humanitarian aid, we desperately need to see new leaders who are leading these churches, and that becomes a critical thing, that God would raise them up</strong>,” says Mock.
  530.  
  531. Please pray that the Ukrainian church continues to be strategic in both its humanitarian efforts and gospel outreach. Stand with the people of Ukraine. Visit <a href="https://www.sga.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SGA website</a> and get involved in the ministry God lays on your heart. And above all, pray for a swift and just end to this war.
  532.  
  533. &nbsp;
  534.  
  535. &nbsp;
  536.  
  537. &nbsp;
  538.  
  539. &nbsp;
  540.  
  541. <em>Header image courtesy of Margarita Marushevska via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  542. </description>
  543. <pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate>
  544. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-the-wake-of-attacks-sga-strengthens-ukraines-churches-for-today-and-tomorrow/</guid>
  545. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/margarita-marushevska-KZfFfOSYaB4-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  546. </item>
  547. <item>
  548. <title>When faith meets legal limbo for Iranian asylum seekers</title>
  549. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-faith-meets-legal-limbo-for-iranian-asylum-seekers/</link>
  550. <description>
  551. <![CDATA[
  552. Iran (MNN) — They escape persecution, but often find themselves trapped again.
  553.  
  554. For many Iranian Christian converts fleeing persecution, the journey doesn’t end when they cross a border. Instead, they find themselves trapped in a new struggle — navigating the broken and often hostile asylum systems in some of the host countries. While their testimonies are powerful and their ministries often continue in exile, their personal lives are marked by deep uncertainty, vulnerability, and survival.
  555.  
  556. Lana Silk of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a> explains the harsh reality many face:
  557. <blockquote>
  558. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They don't have the same rights as the people around them, so there's a very easy opportunity for unscrupulous people to take advantage of them, whether they are landlords or employers or even people in education or the medical — the healthcare system.”</strong></p>
  559. </blockquote>
  560. <div id="attachment_214512" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214512" class="size-medium wp-image-214512" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/pexels-mohammadasbad-15807107-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-214512" class="wp-caption-text">Dates in a bowl, common Persian treat (photo courtesy of Mohammad Ramezani via Pexels)</p></div>
  561.  
  562. Many asylum systems around the world are overburdened, underfunded, and structurally flawed. As a result, Iranian refugees often find themselves stuck in bureaucratic limbo for years. “These people get stuck in the system for years, even more than 10 years,” Silk says.
  563.  
  564. Without a reliable legal framework to protect their rights, many are unable to plan for the future. Dreams of marriage, family, and fulfilling careers are put on hold indefinitely. “<strong>I better not get married. I better not have children, because we don't know what the future holds — if we'll get forced back to Iran, if we'll ever get to leave — they just don't know,</strong>” Silk adds.
  565.  
  566. Even after years of waiting and partial integration, many live with the looming fear of sudden deportation.
  567.  
  568. That’s where ministries like <a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a> come in. The organization offers critical support through trauma counseling, discipleship, advocacy, and community-building among displaced believers. Their mission is not just survival — but restoration, dignity, and hope.
  569. <blockquote>
  570. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Like Moses had his arms lifted up in battle — we help each other, strengthen each other in the fight, in our prayer. But at the same time, there's also a healthy mix of sharing victories. And those victories may not be to do with the asylum situation or the practical circumstances of life, but there are always spiritual victories and ministry-related victories,” Silk explains.</strong></p>
  571. </blockquote>
  572. <h4>So how can you help Iranian believers in these situations?</h4>
  573. First and foremost — don’t forget them. Be available. Sometimes just being present for a conversation or prayer can mean the world to someone whose days are filled with painful uncertainty and hope deferred. Pray for real reform in the global asylum system and for better ways to support genuine believers seeking safety and freedom.
  574.  
  575. “<strong>If God is leading you to pray for Iranian people, Iranian refugees, then I would say: get alongside a ministry. So in our case, we have a newsletter that goes once a month, so you just get to know what's happening and become part of it</strong>,” says Silk.
  576.  
  577. &nbsp;
  578.  
  579. &nbsp;
  580.  
  581. &nbsp;
  582.  
  583. &nbsp;
  584.  
  585. <em>Header photo courtesy of Ibrahim Guetar via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  586. </description>
  587. <pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate>
  588. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-faith-meets-legal-limbo-for-iranian-asylum-seekers/</guid>
  589. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ibrahim-guetar-uq4enBgjWto-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  590. </item>
  591. <item>
  592. <title>A call for partners in the cockpit</title>
  593. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-call-for-partners-in-the-cockpit/</link>
  594. <description>
  595. <![CDATA[
  596. <span style="font-weight: 400">Indonesia (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Nathan Fagerlie remembers falling asleep as a kid to the sound of his dad reading missionary biographies, many of which detailed early missionary efforts in Papua New Guinea and neighboring Indonesia. What began as an interest in historical accounts has turned into a present-day passion. </span>
  597.  
  598. <span style="font-weight: 400">“With 250 different language groups, there are still places that haven’t heard, that haven’t had missionaries or Bible translators or an opportunity to hear; and I wanted to go be a part of bringing the Gospel to them,” Fagerlie says. </span>
  599.  
  600. <span style="font-weight: 400">Now a pilot with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-aviation-fellowship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Aviation Fellowship</a></strong>, he doesn’t sugarcoat the flying conditions in many of MAF’s regions. </span>
  601.  
  602. <span style="font-weight: 400">“There are often weather challenges. The airstrips are pretty crazy: short, steep, rough. So the pilots take on a lot of risk as we operate in that area,” he says. </span>
  603.  
  604. <div id="attachment_213938" style="width: 544px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213938" class=" wp-image-213938" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Evangelists-arrive-Puluk-2-by-N-Fagerlie-8-Jun-2021-300x224.jpeg" alt="" width="534" height="399" /><p id="caption-attachment-213938" class="wp-caption-text">Evangelists arrive in Puluk, Papua. Courtesy of Nathan Fagerlie.</p></div>
  605.  
  606. <span style="font-weight: 400">Fagerlie first felt the pull to aviation in high school, when a missionary pilot suggested he consider it. Before long, he found himself graduating from Moody Bible Institute with a degree in mission aviation and a commercial pilot’s license. As he researched missions organizations, Fagerlie landed on MAF. The wide array of ministry involvement appealed to him. MAF pilots support everything from church planting to Bible translation and famine relief.  </span>
  607.  
  608. <span style="font-weight: 400">“I just liked their overall view of, ‘You know what? We’re here to serve. We’re here to help both to provide physical transformation in this life and spiritual transformation for the next,” he says. </span>
  609.  
  610. <span style="font-weight: 400">Missionary pilots can be difficult to come by, as the journey to a licensed pilot’s seat takes significant time and dedication. Pilots with a commercial license and some experience are invited to pray about joining the mission. </span>
  611.  
  612. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Once you’ve decided that this is what you want to do, you come join up with MAF and go through a few evaluations. We want to make sure that you have both the skills and the right heart for what we do overseas,” Fagerlie says. </span>
  613.  
  614. <span style="font-weight: 400">If the pilot and MAF are a fit for each other, evaluations are followed up with support raising and additional flight and non-technical training before pilots head to the field. The first six months to a year focus on language acquisition.  </span>
  615.  
  616. <span style="font-weight: 400">“And then we get you in an airplane and start you flying,” Fagerlie says. </span>
  617.  
  618. <div id="attachment_213935" style="width: 288px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213935" class="size-medium wp-image-213935" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Chickens-in-Laundry-baskets-by-N-Fagerlie-278x300.jpeg" alt="" width="278" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213935" class="wp-caption-text">Chicken and ducks flown via laundry baskets and MAF into a village whose residents wanted to start raising them. Courtesy of Nathan Fagerlie</p></div>
  619.  
  620. <span style="font-weight: 400">Interested pilots can browse MAF’s current needs </span><strong><a href="https://maf.org/serve/serve-overseas/aviation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></strong><a href="https://maf.org/serve/serve-overseas/aviation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> </a>
  621.  
  622. <span style="font-weight: 400">For those of us on the ground: Please pray for the safety of pilots and their passengers. Pray also for relationships between MAF and national governments, local governments, and ministry partners. If you’d like to financially support missionary aviators, consider giving </span><strong><a href="https://give.maf.org/s/?_gl=1*eoqzlv*_gcl_au*NTU3MjcxMzE3LjE3NDM3MzE2NDc.*_ga*OTE4NTU1NDYwLjE3NDM3MzE2NDc.*_ga_N40M2G9B6J*MTc0MzczNjc0Ny4yLjEuMTc0MzczNjc3Ny4zMC4wLjA." target="_blank" rel="noopener">through MAF's website.</a></strong>
  623.  
  624. <span style="font-weight: 400">Whether you head to the skies or send your support from solid ground, you can watch Nathan Fagerlie in action </span><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4THVcpP-H8I&amp;ab_channel=MissionAviationFellowship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. </span>]]>
  625. </description>
  626. <pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 05:00:29 -0400</pubDate>
  627. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-call-for-partners-in-the-cockpit/</guid>
  628. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/edit-7394-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  629. </item>
  630. <item>
  631. <title>Hope for Syrian home rebuilders as sanctions persist</title>
  632. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-syrian-home-rebuilders-as-sanctions-persist/</link>
  633. <description>
  634. <![CDATA[
  635. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Syria (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">—  Amidst reports of <strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/minutes-leave-syrias-alawites-evicted-private-homes-gunpoint-2025-04-30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ethnic minority targeting</a></strong>, Kurdish calls for <strong><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/turkey-s-erdogan-dismisses-kurdish-calls-for-syria-decentralisation-as-a-dream/ar-AA1DV3Q0?ocid=BingNewsSerp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">government decentralization</a></strong>, and <strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162441" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hope for the country’s rebuilding</a></strong>, Syria remains a paradox. Syrians working to renovate their homes in the midst of continued uncertainty are dealing with US sanctions that both uphold their efforts and undermine them. </span>
  636.  
  637. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Implemented in 2019, the </span><strong><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/31" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> restricts finances, goods, and services from the US to Syria. The sanctions are intended to pressure Syrian leaders into protecting minorities such as the Alawites, which have already been targeted by the new Syrian government. Because these leaders have deep ties to terrorists, the sanctions have remained in place since former president Assad’s ousting in December 2024. Samuel with Redemptive Stories says this is in the best interest of the Syrian people. </span>
  638.  
  639. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think a lot of governments are wise to try to leave things in place, particularly these sanctions as it relates to financial movement and purchasing of infrastructure things that are needed until they are sure that this government does not make sweeping changes to things like the constitution.”</span>
  640.  
  641. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, Syrians trying to rebuild their homes are also </span><strong><a href="https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2025/0305/syria-rebuild-sanctions-homes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">feeling the effects of restrictions</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, as they face scarcity of resources and equipment. According to a report from the Christian Science Monitor, “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is estimated that 2,500 people have returned to Darayya, but the vast majority of Syrian returnees survey the damage they find, decide that they cannot rebuild yet, and return to their temporary refuges in Idlib or neighboring Jordan and Lebanon.”</span>
  642.  
  643. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Samuel says Western governments are aware of the issues but hope nearby countries will provide a boost for Syria’s economy. </span>
  644.  
  645. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think one of the reasons why these countries are also leaving the sanctions is they want to engage other countries in the region to fill the gap that historically would have been done by Western powers,” he says. </span>
  646.  
  647. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The uncertainty of Western governments regarding Syria’s future is matched by the country’s Christian community. </span>
  648.  
  649. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They know that in the midst of this situation, God is working, and He’s doing amazing things. At the same time, they do have deep concerns about what the future holds,” Samuel says. </span>
  650.  
  651. <span style="font-weight: 400;">There was jubilation among believers when Assad’s oppressive regime was overturned in December 2024. But since then, minorities have been targeted, most aggressively in a </span><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/09/nx-s1-5322458/syria-revenge-killings-alawites-latakia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March attack that left 1300 Syrians dead.</a></strong>
  652.  
  653. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“After the massacre that just recently happened, there is fear again, and there is trepidation as they look to the future,” Samuel says.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">
  654. </span>
  655.  
  656. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Mercifully, our God of order steps into chaos. Samuel asks for continued supplication to Him on behalf of Syrians and their country. Please pray for peace in the midst of fear, strength in the midst of hopelessness, and boldness in the midst of chaos. </span>
  657.  
  658. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We need to keep praying that God will continue to work out His good purpose for Syria, for Syrians, for those that have come to faith: May they grow and prosper in this new space. </span>
  659.  
  660. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray also that Syrians who have come to know Christ outside their home country will be able to reestablish themselves in Syria as infrastructure there is rebuilt.</span>
  661.  
  662. <div id="attachment_214363" style="width: 496px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214363" class=" wp-image-214363" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/mahmoud-sulaiman-1JICzxoMp4o-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="486" height="324" /><p id="caption-attachment-214363" class="wp-caption-text">Destruction in Syria. <em>Images in this article courtesy of Unsplash.</em></p></div>]]>
  663. </description>
  664. <pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2025 05:00:32 -0400</pubDate>
  665. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-syrian-home-rebuilders-as-sanctions-persist/</guid>
  666. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/enes-tinkir-rl8RIwgb82k-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  667. </item>
  668. <item>
  669. <title>Kids fall behind as Manipur unrest continues</title>
  670. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kids-fall-behind-as-manipur-unrest-continues/</link>
  671. <description>
  672. <![CDATA[
  673. India (MNN) -- Hundreds of people in northeastern India were killed <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/frightening-violence-against-tribal-christians-in-northeast-india-44-churches-burned/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">when ethnic tensions flared</a></strong></span> in Manipur state on May 3, 2023.
  674.  
  675. “Two years later, there is still tension. There’s still unrest in this community, and unfortunately, kids are being affected as a result,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission India</a></strong></span>’s Raina Miller says.
  676.  
  677. Persistent unrest led to the resignation of Manipur’s Chief Minister Biren Singh in February, followed by the imposition of President’s Rule. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.business-standard.com/bs-decoded/manipur-crisis-biren-singh-resigns-political-turmoil-125021000565_1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  678.  
  679. Violent clashes between Manipur’s Meitei and Kuki communities have <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/manipur-ground-report-more-divided-than-ever-ethnic-violence-churachandpur-bishnupur-buffer-zone-free-movement-kuki-meiteis-2697982-2025-03-24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">displaced thousands</a></strong></span> of people in the past two years, destroying homes, churches, and schools.
  680.  
  681. <div id="attachment_214464" style="width: 212px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Gaman-2.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214464" class="wp-image-214464 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Gaman-2-202x300.jpg" alt="" width="202" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-214464" class="wp-caption-text">Gaman fell behind in school due to two years of unrest in Manipur. <br />(Photo courtesy of Mission India)</p></div>
  682.  
  683. “A young boy named Gaman was in first grade when the violence first broke out in Manipur. He wasn’t able to go to school for months, and as a first grader, that’s a big deal; he quickly forgot everything that he learned,” Miller says.
  684.  
  685. “Once things settled down in his area enough to go back to school, he was really behind and discouraged.”
  686.  
  687. Thankfully, Mission India’s partners began a year-long Children’s Bible Club in Gaman’s hometown. “Our Bible clubs feature time each day spent on tutoring, so Taber, as the Bible club leader, was able to help [Gaman] with his schoolwork,” Miller says.
  688.  
  689. “[Tutoring took place] while doing tons of fun activities like sports and games, not to mention all the Bible-based activities like memorizing Scripture and singing songs about Jesus.”
  690.  
  691. <em><strong>After months of hard work and help from the Bible club leader, Gaman caught up to his classmates.</strong></em> Best of all, he learned more about Christ and grew in his faith.
  692.  
  693. Children’s Bible Clubs are a critical asset to parents living in poverty. “They work such long hours that they can’t be home to help with homework, and they can’t pay for a tutor,” Miller says.
  694. <blockquote>
  695. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Through Mission India’s new Pathfinder program, you can provide a clear path to Jesus for every child in India.</strong></p>
  696. </blockquote>
  697. Typically, $36 supports 18 kids in a year-long Children’s Bible Club, but “Right now, your first 12 months of gifts will be matched, so $36 per month will reach 36 children in India for the first year of your giving,” Miller says.
  698.  
  699. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.missionindia.org/children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Become a Pathfinder here.</a></strong></span>
  700.  
  701. &nbsp;
  702.  
  703. &nbsp;
  704.  
  705. &nbsp;
  706.  
  707. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Mission India.</em>]]>
  708. </description>
  709. <pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2025 05:00:39 -0400</pubDate>
  710. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kids-fall-behind-as-manipur-unrest-continues/</guid>
  711. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/348631918_832173887745057_3978837398276730352_n-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  712. </item>
  713. <item>
  714. <title>Nowruz outreach is only a snapshot of God&#8217;s bigger picture for Iran</title>
  715. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nowruz-outreach-is-only-a-snapshot-of-gods-bigger-picture-for-iran/</link>
  716. <description>
  717. <![CDATA[
  718. Turkiye (MNN) — The Persian New Year (<i>Nowruz</i>) began on the spring equinox in March. <i>Nowruz</i> may be a New Year celebration, but Lana Silk with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a></strong></span> compares it to Christmas in the West, with its rich <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/20/nowruz-2025-traditions-haft-sin-and-celebrations-of-the-persian-new-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">traditions</a></strong></span>, decorations and themes.
  719.  
  720. <strong>But something else happened during the days of Nowruz. A small team of evangelists with Transform Iran gathered in Turkiye with a special goal: Meet Iranian tourists on holiday with news of the gospel.</strong>
  721.  
  722. “There's a lot on our minds at these kinds of times, isn’t there, in terms of life and truth and God and reality and the future? So that's a sort of mental space that Iranians are in at New Year,” Silk says.
  723.  
  724. Silk tells about <strong>one miraculous encounter</strong> where a Muslim family walked up to the team.
  725.  
  726. <div id="attachment_214388" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214388" class="size-medium wp-image-214388" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-rdne-7158672-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-214388" class="wp-caption-text">Traditional Table Setting On Persian New Year (Representative Stock Photo courtesy of RDNE Stock project via Pexels)</p></div>
  727. <blockquote>
  728. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Sorry to disturb you,” the family said, “but we keep hearing this voice telling us to come and talk to you, and that you've got something that you need to tell us. What do you need to tell us?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  729. </blockquote>
  730. “I thought, Isn't that great that, you know, God leads Christians, for sure, but God is leading Muslims to Himself? He literally spoke, you know, [it] had to be audible,” Silk says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  731.  
  732. <strong>More than 300 people heard the gospel during the five-day outreach. Several confessed faith in Christ immediately. All gave their contact information to learn more! (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://transformiran.com/impact/divine-encounters-iranians-in-turkey-find-christ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read even more stories from the outreach here!</a></span>)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  733.  
  734. There’s more ahead. The team at Transform Iran is committed to connecting the people they met during Nowruz with other believers as relationships develop. Silk says, <strong>“[Our follow-up] team is widely spread [in] Turkey and across Europe. They're trained counselors and pastors who look to lead people to Christ, and then from there, disciple them into growth and fruitfulness.”</strong>
  735. <h2>A glimpse of the bigger picture</h2>
  736. <strong>What happened at Nowruz 2025 in Turkiye is simply a snapshot of what Silk says is happening in Iran as a whole.</strong>
  737.  
  738. “God is literally, right before our eyes, changing the course of a nation. You cannot overstate what God is doing in Iran today. Most of it is unseen to the un-inquisitive mind or eye,” she says with a laugh, “but those of us who are inquisitive or digging below the surface, it's right there to be experienced.”
  739.  
  740. Silk points back to the days of the Persian Empire when King Cyrus released and resourced Israel to rebuild their temple and city.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“He was this great Persian king, and that is who we're meant to be. I'm seeing how God is just steering this giant ship back to Himself again. It's amazing. I'm full of praise and gratitude for it!”
  741. <blockquote>
  742. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>You are invited to join the adventure of what God is doing in Iran!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  743. </blockquote>
  744. “We're looking for people who will pray with us, partner with us, care about the people [of] Iran, love [the] people of Iran, talk about them,” Silk says. “You know, share on social media, be an advocate, be a voice.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  745.  
  746. The best way to get started is to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://transformiran.com/newsletter-sign-up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign up for Transform Iran’s monthly newsletter</a></strong></span>. It’s packed with key ministry updates and prayer requests, so that you can truly be part of the ride.
  747.  
  748. <div id="attachment_210184" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-210184" class="size-medium wp-image-210184" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/TI_iran-kids-300x185.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="185" /><p id="caption-attachment-210184" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div>
  749.  
  750. &nbsp;
  751.  
  752. &nbsp;
  753.  
  754. &nbsp;
  755.  
  756. &nbsp;
  757.  
  758. &nbsp;
  759.  
  760. &nbsp;
  761.  
  762. <em>Header photo of Istanbul, Turkiye is a representative stock photo courtesy of Tools Dianellos via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  763. </description>
  764. <pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2025 05:00:42 -0400</pubDate>
  765. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nowruz-outreach-is-only-a-snapshot-of-gods-bigger-picture-for-iran/</guid>
  766. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/tolis-dianellos-gD58mhSxkmo-unsplash-e1745878985893-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  767. </item>
  768. <item>
  769. <title>Religious regulations increase in China</title>
  770. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/religious-regulations-increase-in-china/</link>
  771. <description>
  772. <![CDATA[
  773. China (MNN) -- A new set of religious regulations <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/chinas-new-religion-laws-for-foreigners" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>takes effect today in China</b></a></span>. These 38 “Detailed Rules” from China’s National Religious Affairs Administration (NRAA) address how foreigners can and cannot participate in religious activities in China.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  774.  
  775. Erik Burklin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/china-partner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China Partner</a></strong></span> says <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/china-adds-new-restrictions-on-foreigners-religious-activities/81768/2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>some of the 38 articles</b></a></span> aren’t as alarming as they appear at first glance, and others are not new.
  776.  
  777. “The statement [by some news sources in response to the new regulations] that foreigners are no longer allowed to preach as of May 1 is not completely the whole story. It depends on what you're there for,” he says.
  778.  
  779. “If you're there officially invited by the official church, registered church, then you may preach if you get permission. If you're working more with the house church movement or the unregistered churches, then it gets more tricky.”
  780. <blockquote>
  781. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Burklin adds, “I think this new foreign regulation that Xi Jinping is pushing on everyone is really a way to control more what's happening with the unregistered churches, unfortunately. I think that's always been his concern.”</strong></p>
  782. </blockquote>
  783. Indeed, clerics within the Chinese Catholic Church consider the regulations to be <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/chinas-new-religion-laws-for-foreigners" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a “pretext” for arrests</b></a></span> if foreigners do not follow.
  784.  
  785. <div id="attachment_179045" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-179045" class="size-medium wp-image-179045" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/72949288_3218628431511012_5310463286087516160_o-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-179045" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of China Partner via Facebook)</p></div>
  786.  
  787. “What it says, ‘the invitees shall meet the following conditions: comply with Chinese laws, regulations and rules, <b>respect Chinese principles of religious independence and self-governance</b>,<b> </b>have no hostile speech or actions towards China…’ that's not surprising,” Burklin says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  788.  
  789. "Obviously you can interpret it one way or the other. Most of us who are evangelical believers, we say, ‘well, that's very restrictive.’”
  790.  
  791. But for many Chinese believers, that system is the context they follow Christ in. They have been following Christ for decades with resilience. On that note, Burklin explains that the term <i>self-governance</i>, “<strong>that's actually not a negative term… and that's why the Chinese church has become so strong — [it] is because they're depending on the Word of God in their own culture, in their context</strong>.”
  792.  
  793. <div id="attachment_166922" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166922" class="size-medium wp-image-166922" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/32464404_2065779703462563_5337216289481949184_n-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /><p id="caption-attachment-166922" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of China Partner)</p></div>
  794. <h2>Find your place in the story</h2>
  795. <b>More regulations and control by the Chinese Communist Party over the religious sphere are not in themselves good. But Burklin cautions against fear.</b>
  796.  
  797. “[It] doesn’t matter what political leader you want to throw in there, God is above them. In fact, not only is He above them, but He holds their heart in His hand, and He even controls their decision-making process. So we as Christians have to have that perspective, I feel, <b>to trust God completely</b>,” he says.
  798.  
  799. “Of course, we [can] react and say, ‘<b>Oh no, what's that going to mean for mission activity in China? Or what's that going to mean for the church in China?’</b> On and on it goes, and then we start speculating. But I think Jesus wants us to stay faithful. <b>Number one, stay faithful in praying for China.</b>”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  800.  
  801. &nbsp;
  802.  
  803. &nbsp;
  804.  
  805. <em>Header photo courtesy of China Partner. </em>]]>
  806. </description>
  807. <pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2025 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate>
  808. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/religious-regulations-increase-in-china/</guid>
  809. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/103907681_4024020187638495_7786546453169213486_o-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  810. </item>
  811. <item>
  812. <title>TPS ends for Afghan evacuees; Christians at risk</title>
  813. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/tps-ends-for-afghan-evacuees-christians-at-risk/</link>
  814. <description>
  815. <![CDATA[
  816. USA (MNN) -- Afghans living in the United States could face deportation when temporary protections expire <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2025/04/25/were-breaking-our-promises-afghans-who-helped-us-risk-of-deportation-trump-ends-protections.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as early as May 20</a></strong></span>.
  817.  
  818. Hundreds of Afghan citizens and military allies were evacuated and given <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/11/g-s1-59939/trump-afghanistan-tps-kristi-noem-dhs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Temporary Protected Status</a></strong></span> or TPS following the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-a-taliban-takeover-in-afghanistan-means-for-christians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sloppy withdrawal of U.S. troops</a></strong></span> from Afghanistan in 2021. These legal protections will expire for <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/25/trump-administration-exemptions-christians-afghan-refugees-deportation-00309672" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approximately 14,600 Afghans</a></strong></span> in May, while others will lose them from July through October.
  819.  
  820. Some Afghan military allies in Des Moines, Iowa, began receiving deportation notices <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://who13.com/news/des-moines-afghan-military-refugees-fear-for-lives-after-apparent-deportation-notices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in April.</a></strong></span>
  821.  
  822. “They’re (politicians) thinking at the 30,000-foot level of ‘we want to accomplish this goal,’ or ‘we want to lessen the number of people who are here on certain types of visas,’ but they’re not thinking about people who are here because they would be in danger if they go home,” Todd Nettleton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Voice of the Martyrs USA</a></strong></span> says.
  823.  
  824. While anyone known to partner with the U.S. would be at risk under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, believers fall into a special category. They’re considered apostates.
  825.  
  826. “The Quran teaches that apostates should be allowed to return to Islam, and if they refuse, they should be killed, so it is not overstatement at all to say that lives are at risk if Christians are forced to return to Afghanistan,” Nettleton explains.
  827. <blockquote>
  828. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Being forced to return could mean arrest. It could mean imprisonment. It could even mean death.”</strong></p>
  829. </blockquote>
  830. Faith leaders are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/exclusive-afghan-christians-face-deportation-faith-leaders-urge-trump-administration-reconsider" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lobbying the Trump administration</a></strong></span> for deportation exemptions for <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://cbn.com/news/us/afghan-christians-could-be-forced-leave-us-pause-refugee-program-leaves-thousands-limbo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">roughly 300 Afghan Christians</a></strong></span> sheltering in the U.S.
  831.  
  832. <div id="attachment_194606" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Majority_of_evacuees_depart_Ramstein_head_to_US.jpeg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-194606" class="size-medium wp-image-194606" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Majority_of_evacuees_depart_Ramstein_head_to_US-300x205.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="205" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-194606" class="wp-caption-text">Afghans evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, shortly after the Taliban takeover.</p></div>
  833.  
  834. “I’m thankful for Christian leaders who have the ear of the White House and are raising this issue, saying if we send those people back to Afghanistan, they are likely to be imprisoned or killed,” Nettleton says.
  835.  
  836. “That needs to be something that the White House understands and can be factored into some of these decisions.”
  837. <h2>Find your place in the story</h2>
  838. If you’re reading this in the U.S., consider sharing this report with your representative. The buttons at the bottom of this page make it easy.
  839.  
  840. “Letting our government leaders know this is something we’re concerned about, something we do not support, hopefully, gets their attention and allows those making these decisions to consider at the ground level what these policies mean,” Nettleton says.
  841.  
  842. “You make policy at a 30,000-foot level, and when you get down on the ground amongst real people affected by that policy, you realize that oftentimes, there are some unintended consequences along the way.”
  843.  
  844. <em><strong>Most importantly, pray.</strong> </em>Nettleton requests that you “pray for US government leaders to have wisdom and discernment” as they make decisions and shape foreign policy.
  845.  
  846. “Pray also for Afghan Christians wondering what the future holds,” he says.
  847.  
  848. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/afghanistan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn why Afghanistan is a dangerous place for those who follow Jesus.</a> </strong></span>
  849.  
  850. &nbsp;
  851.  
  852. &nbsp;
  853.  
  854. <em>Header image depicts people boarding an evacuation flight in Kabul during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in August 2021. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Afghanistan_Evacuation_210824-F-BU402-0817.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  855. </description>
  856. <pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2025 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate>
  857. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/tps-ends-for-afghan-evacuees-christians-at-risk/</guid>
  858. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Afghanistan_Evacuation_210824-F-BU402-0817-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  859. </item>
  860. <item>
  861. <title>Despite legal barriers, the Gospel keeps moving in Central Asia</title>
  862. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/despite-legal-barriers-the-gospel-keeps-moving-in-central-asia/</link>
  863. <description>
  864. <![CDATA[
  865. Central Asia (MNN) -- Who decides when teaching and encouraging become “too extreme?"
  866.  
  867. In recent years, Central Asia has seen a wave of new laws and regulations related to <strong><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/publications/abuse-extremism-laws-central-asia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extremism</a></strong>. While the idea of protecting national security sounds reasonable, the concept is often vague and flexible. Almost anything can be considered a threat — if someone in authority decides it is.
  868.  
  869. David Durance from <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/teachbeyond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeachBeyond</a></strong> explains:
  870. <blockquote>
  871. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“And although some of this is under the guise of trying to be secular, it really does, in practice, go against our Christian brothers and sisters in their ability to practice simple things like gathering, things that we're interested in, which would be Christian education, freedom of speech,” he says.</strong></p>
  872. </blockquote>
  873. <div id="attachment_214450" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214450" class="size-medium wp-image-214450" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/liuguangxi-1EmEzL9cc78-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-214450" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of 光曦 刘 via Unsplash.</p></div>
  874.  
  875. He compares the atmosphere to a landscape that changes overnight: “You walk out your door and you know what your front yard looks like, and then you walk out the door the next morning and the front yard looks different.”
  876.  
  877. That change in “landscape” can take many forms, such as the sudden revocation of a building license or the introduction of new, restrictive regulations on educational activities. One day, someone might securely own and operate a school; the next, that ownership is nullified in a moment by the decision of a single official. The pressure is real, and uncertainty weighs heavily. Yet in the face of these shifting circumstances, believers are stirred to think creatively and adapt with wisdom and resilience.
  878.  
  879. “<strong>How we can pivot to thinking about a learning center rather than a school, and pivot towards thinking about how we can live within these constraints of the law and still have the Gospel presented in a really meaningful way through the relationships that God continues to build here</strong>,” Durance says.
  880.  
  881. He says that even in the crisis of losing a building, the relationships formed over years — or even decades — become the foundation for moving forward. He adds that <strong><a href="https://teachbeyond.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeachBeyond</a></strong> finds opportunities to serve: “And as is often the case, the local municipal work that we get to do, especially in schools, ends up providing a bit of an umbrella for us to continue the work in a way that we would not otherwise be able to do.”
  882.  
  883. Pray that local believers are inspired to find new pathways forward so the work continues despite restrictions!
  884. <blockquote>
  885. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Amazingly enough, we often see growth in that — as we see persecution happen, as we see the landscape shift, God often uses that to really further the Gospel,” Durance says.</strong></p>
  886. </blockquote>
  887. &nbsp;
  888.  
  889. &nbsp;
  890.  
  891. <em>Tashkent’s Amir Timur Square: header image courtesy of Dasha Novikova via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  892. </description>
  893. <pubDate>Thu, 01 May 2025 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate>
  894. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/despite-legal-barriers-the-gospel-keeps-moving-in-central-asia/</guid>
  895. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/dasha-novikova-MjrBXuJgPNs-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  896. </item>
  897. <item>
  898. <title>Spain&#8217;s power blackout comes during intense season at one media ministry</title>
  899. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/spains-power-blackout-comes-during-intense-season-at-one-media-ministry/</link>
  900. <description>
  901. <![CDATA[
  902. Spain (MNN) — Power has returned to Spain and Portugal after <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/spain-portugal-power-outage-electricity-b0c5fbca49b8422248c4f933e20303b3" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Monday’s blackouts</b></a></span>. Public transportation, commerce and communication came to a sudden halt shortly after noon across the two nations, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://euroweeklynews.com/2025/04/28/blackout-chaos-the-full-list-of-countries-hit-by-europes-massive-power-cut/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>along with</b></a></span> power cuts in parts of France, Italy, Germany and other regions of Europe.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  903.  
  904. As of Tuesday, the grid operator in Spain had <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c209yrl3258o" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>ruled out</b></a></span> the possibility of the power failure being a cyber attack. Spain’s prime minister <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/29/spain-and-portugal-plugged-back-in-following-unexplained-power-outage" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>cautioned</b></a></span> against making speculations during the investigations, which could lead to misinformation.
  905.  
  906. Denise Godwin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>International Media Ministries</b></a></span> (IMM) says, “We sat through a three-hour discussion in somebody's office with alarms going off today, trying to talk about sets for our upcoming project to be filmed in May, June and July. So it’s definitely been an extraordinary day.”
  907.  
  908. <div id="attachment_203161" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203161" class="size-medium wp-image-203161" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/DAY4LegacyReclaimed-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-203161" class="wp-caption-text">Esther: Queen of Hope (Photo courtesy of International Media Ministries)</p></div>
  909.  
  910. The disruption came at a significant time for IMM, as “we’re very intently trying to get things ready for filming and needing all of our resources to do so,” Godwin says. “So it's not your ideal situation for moving forward as quickly as you possibly can on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://imm.edu/esther" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a giant project for the Middle East</a></strong></span>!”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  911.  
  912. <b>She says the team has been in prayer and fasting this month because they are in an intense season of ministry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  913.  
  914. “So it's interesting that the end of April would go out with such flair as we're praying and fasting and asking God to help us,” she says. “You learn to trust in God in these intense times!”
  915.  
  916. IMM and other ministries in Spain touch the Middle East, North Africa, Asia with their gospel ministry. <b>Godwin says it’s important that they can communicate digitally with others.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  917.  
  918. “But you know, God knows these things are going to happen, and we have to learn even more, even though we're missionaries, to trust in Him.<b> Pray that we would be strong and that we would be wise to put our energies and our efforts into the right things.”</b>
  919.  
  920. Learn more about International Media Ministries and their upcoming film series, <strong><a href="https://imm.edu/esther" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Esther: Queen of Hope</a></strong>.
  921.  
  922. &nbsp;
  923.  
  924. &nbsp;
  925.  
  926. <em>Header photo of wind turbines in Spain courtesy of Vidar Nordli-Mathisen via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  927. </description>
  928. <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:00:59 -0400</pubDate>
  929. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/spains-power-blackout-comes-during-intense-season-at-one-media-ministry/</guid>
  930. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/vidar-nordli-mathisen-_qaHb5vTaic-unsplash-e1745951877676-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  931. </item>
  932. <item>
  933. <title>Two years later, Jaranwala’s believers are still healing from the attacks</title>
  934. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/two-years-later-jaranwalas-believers-are-still-healing-from-the-attacks/</link>
  935. <description>
  936. <![CDATA[
  937. Pakistan (MNN) — When an attack fades from headlines or is overtaken by newer stories, what happens to the survivors?
  938.  
  939. It has been two years since the Jaranwala <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-67781469" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attacks</a> on Christians in Pakistan. An angry mob, incited by an unverified accusation that two believers had desecrated the Qur’an, unleashed a wave of destruction. Twenty-six churches and dozens of Christian homes were burned. As many as 6,000 attackers divided the lives of local Christians into two parts: before — filled with dreams and hope, and after — defined by trauma, loss, and shattered plans.
  940.  
  941. Greg Musselman from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Voice of the Martyrs Canada</a> explains:
  942. <blockquote>
  943. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“There are still deep-seated tensions in this community, and the Christian community has been traumatized.”</strong></p>
  944. </blockquote>
  945. <div id="attachment_214429" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214429" class="size-medium wp-image-214429" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-ekrulila-3292556-1-300x182.jpg" alt="Pexela" width="300" height="182" /><p id="caption-attachment-214429" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Gül Işık via Pexels</p></div>
  946.  
  947. Javid and Samina, who was pregnant at the time, managed to escape. Their daughters fled barefoot and without head coverings, rescued by a rickshaw driver who risked everything to help them escape the violent mob.
  948.  
  949. Forty-year-old Sobia still struggles to speak about those events that left her, her husband, and their two children homeless. Less than a year later, her husband tragically passed away. Another story, Rizwan, his wife and five children, saw their home reduced to ashes.
  950.  
  951. Shafiq and his family, who had tried to calm the situation, now live in a half-burned house. Musselman says: “<strong>He has forgiven those who caused the Christian community so much pain, but admits it hasn't been easy. He says the Bible teaches that it is God who judges and not humans.</strong>”
  952.  
  953. Some believers remain homeless. Others live in homes that are only partially rebuilt, or they mourn the loss of everything — even their pets. The falsely accused brothers and their father remain in hiding. For many believers, forgiveness and the rebuilding of hope are ongoing struggles. Pastors are encouraging them with stories from the Bible, like Daniel in the lions’ den and other examples of faith under persecution.
  954. <blockquote>
  955. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The mob destroyed many Christian homes, but not their relationship with Jesus!” says Musselman.</strong></p>
  956. </blockquote>
  957. <a href="https://www.vomcanada.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Voice of the Martyrs Canada</a>, along with local partners in Pakistan, including Trust Pakistan, is helping Christian families rebuild their homes and lives.
  958.  
  959. Please pray for the healing of the Jaranwala believers, and for a new chapter to begin in their community.
  960.  
  961. &nbsp;
  962.  
  963. &nbsp;
  964.  
  965. &nbsp;
  966.  
  967. &nbsp;
  968.  
  969. &nbsp;
  970.  
  971. <em>Header photo courtesy of Anees Ur Rehman via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  972. </description>
  973. <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate>
  974. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/two-years-later-jaranwalas-believers-are-still-healing-from-the-attacks/</guid>
  975. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/anees-ur-rehman-WuWA-BhX-v8-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  976. </item>
  977. <item>
  978. <title>Bringing Bibles to the border</title>
  979. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bringing-bibles-to-the-border/</link>
  980. <description>
  981. <![CDATA[
  982. <span style="font-weight: 400">Mexico (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">The state of Chihuahua, Mexico, which borders the US, is known for </span><strong><a href="https://www.celebstoner.com/news/drug-news/2025/01/02/where-not-to-go-in-mexico-the-10-most-dangerous-states/https://www.celebstoner.com/news/drug-news/2025/01/02/where-not-to-go-in-mexico-the-10-most-dangerous-states/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high levels of organized crime</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">, especially human and drug trafficking. Jason Woolford with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-resources-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Cry</a></strong> says his ministry has full time missionaries on the ground there. </span>
  983.  
  984. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We’ve distributed tens of thousands of Bibles already, and we’ve just ordered an additional 50,000 copies of the New Testament,” he says. </span>
  985.  
  986. <span style="font-weight: 400">The Spanish scripture will be freely distributed to families in Chihuahua, and also: </span>
  987.  
  988. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Going right in and ministering to those that are possessed or oppressed by the devil himself in doing some of this wicked stuff,” Woolford says. </span>
  989.  
  990. <span style="font-weight: 400">Each copy of the New Testament also includes discipleship material and practical resources for readers.</span>
  991.  
  992. <img class="wp-image-214408 size-medium alignright" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IMG_20231104_153701109-1-e1745933326155-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" />
  993.  
  994. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We found that when you do distribution of the full Bible, people usually start at Genesis, Exodus, and then they stop at Leviticus,” Woolford explains. “So our hope in sending this very strategically is that people will make it through the Gospels.”</span>
  995.  
  996. <span style="font-weight: 400">He says it’s important to bring the message of faith to discourage mere religiosity. </span>
  997.  
  998. <span style="font-weight: 400">“This is God himself, the Word of God that doesn’t return void, and we’ve seen it change the hearts and minds and eternities of people who’ve read it.”</span>
  999.  
  1000. <span style="font-weight: 400">For example, when two men were met by Mission Cry staff during an attempted illegal border crossing, missionaries gave them Bibles and pointed them to the Lord.</span>
  1001.  
  1002. <span style="font-weight: 400">“One of them returned back to his children that he left, and the other went back to Honduras saved and a Christian going to be an evangelizer in that area,” Woolford says. “It is so powerful what is happening on so many levels with God’s Word that doesn’t return void.”</span>
  1003.  
  1004. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray for the ministry of Mission Cry. Pray that necessary funds would be provided, and pray that workers would be physically and spiritually protected. If you’d like to financially contribute to this effort, you can do so at the Mission Cry <strong><a href="https://missioncry.com/donation-form/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donation page</a></strong>.</span>
  1005.  
  1006. <div id="attachment_214410" style="width: 676px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214410" class=" wp-image-214410" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Mexico-3b-1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="666" height="666" /><p id="caption-attachment-214410" class="wp-caption-text">Images used in this article by courtesy of Mission Cry</p></div>]]>
  1007. </description>
  1008. <pubDate>Wed, 30 Apr 2025 05:00:12 -0400</pubDate>
  1009. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bringing-bibles-to-the-border/</guid>
  1010. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Abe-Mexico-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1011. </item>
  1012. <item>
  1013. <title>DRC and M23 hold truce, look to further peace talks</title>
  1014. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/drc-and-m23-hold-truce-look-to-further-peace-talks/</link>
  1015. <description>
  1016. <![CDATA[
  1017. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Democratic Republic of Congo (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">-- </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">A truce between the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels continues to hold as the groups plan further peace talks in the coming weeks. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Greg Kelley from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/"><strong>Unknown Nations</strong></a> says news of a ceasefire brings hope but must be understood against a backdrop of decades-long conflict between regional players. </span>
  1018.  
  1019. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think having the African Union and the international community as a whole involved in this is really going to be important for diplomacy purposes,” he says. </span>
  1020.  
  1021. <em><strong>Much of the fighting concerns access to DRC’s rich mineral resources, including cobalt, gold, diamond, and copper. </strong></em>
  1022.  
  1023. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They’ve got it all, and tremendous amounts of it, so that’s really the heart of the issue,” Kelley says. </span>
  1024.  
  1025. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Rwanda-backed M23 rebels are primarily Tutsi fighters, the people group targeted by Rwandan Hutus in the 1994 genocide. The group now seeks to eradicate Hutu influence from the DRC, a vindication for the many Tutsi people who have lived in the DRC for decades. </span>
  1026.  
  1027. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“And the Rwandese are saying, ‘We’re trying to protect these minority groups,’ but at the end of the day, it’s just a land grab,” Kelley says.</span>
  1028.  
  1029. <em><strong>M23 isn't the only group stirring up conflict.</strong></em>
  1030.  
  1031. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“There are over 120 rebel groups that have actively been at work in Eastern Congo,” Kelley says. </span>
  1032.  
  1033. <span style="font-weight: 400;">He says this level of instability affects the Gospel movement. </span>
  1034.  
  1035. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It disrupts churches. It causes people by the tens of thousands to be displaced.”</span>
  1036.  
  1037. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for Christian brothers and sisters in the DRC, especially as churches are often targeted due to their vulnerability. Consider supporting a humanitarian organization offering aid to those who have lost everything in their displacement. Kelley encourages listeners to support Christian workers. </span>
  1038.  
  1039. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“As aid is administered, it’s way more effective for it to come through the hands of followers of Jesus than it is some secular aid organization,” Kelley says. “The love of Christ can really cure a lot of things.”</span>
  1040.  
  1041. &nbsp;
  1042.  
  1043. &nbsp;
  1044.  
  1045. <em>Featured image courtesy of Pexels</em>]]>
  1046. </description>
  1047. <pubDate>Tue, 29 Apr 2025 05:00:39 -0400</pubDate>
  1048. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/drc-and-m23-hold-truce-look-to-further-peace-talks/</guid>
  1049. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-alain-nkingi-290332318-13428229-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1050. </item>
  1051. <item>
  1052. <title>Lebanon at the hinge point of change as political standoff continues</title>
  1053. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanon-at-the-hinge-point-of-change-as-political-standoff-continues/</link>
  1054. <description>
  1055. <![CDATA[
  1056. Lebanon (MNN) -- Amazing changes have taken place in Lebanon in recent months, yet the battle for a free country isn’t over yet, says Nuna* with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/triumphant-mercy-lebanon/"><b>Triumphant Mercy Lebanon</b></a>.
  1057.  
  1058. According to the November Israel-Hezbollah <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/11/28/g-s1-36146/israel-hezbollah-lebanon-ceasefire-middle-east-crisis"><b>ceasefire</b></a>, Israeli troops were supposed to fully withdraw from southern Lebanon by late January. Hezbollah was supposed to give up its military position in the same region (south of the Litani river), replaced by the Lebanese army. Neither has happened yet, though there has been <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/hezbollah-claims-it-handed-over-most-sites-in-southern-lebanon-to-nations-army/"><b>progress</b></a>.
  1059.  
  1060. <div id="attachment_213339" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213339" class="size-medium wp-image-213339" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1079px-Visit_of_Dubravka_Suica_to_Lebanon_P065553-361257-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213339" class="wp-caption-text">H.E. General Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon, right, and Dubravka Šuica, center, during a meeting in Baabda, Lebanon February 2025. (Photo and caption by © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  1061.  
  1062. Instead, this month, Hezbollah has been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-hezbollah-weapons-israel-3c43dda33a8fc795b491bc8976c17113"><b>defiant</b></a> as Lebanon’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/newly-elected-lebanese-president-promises-new-course-for-embattled-country/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new president, Joseph Aoun</a></strong></span>, navigates <a href="https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/there-no-better-time-disarm-hezbollah"><b>international pressure</b></a> for the militant group’s disarmament.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1063.  
  1064. <strong>Nuna describes Lebanon as at the hinge point of change. </strong>Without that disarmament, Nuna explains, nothing will change the nation’s financial straitjacket or future.
  1065. <blockquote>
  1066. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"We can try to do many changes. However, we will not have the money for reconstruction. We will not have the approval of either [the] U.S. or Saudi Arabia, or all the countries that are involved in the rebuilding of Lebanon," she says.</strong></p>
  1067. </blockquote>
  1068. Lebanon will either step forward to become again what it once was: <strong>the Paris of the Middle East.</strong> Or it will live longer in <strong>today’s status quo, which Nuna says is chaos,</strong> “where Israel is still bombing places where Hezbollah has weapons, and we still have [places] like the south of Lebanon being hit every day, the Beqaa Valley being hit every day.”
  1069. <h2><b>Ministry impact and prayer points</b></h2>
  1070. The political climate has impacted ministry, sometimes for the worse and sometimes with new doors.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1071.  
  1072. Nuna says the weakening of Hezbollah has stripped Muslim Shiite communities of the power, prestige and leadership they once had. Now <a href="http://www.apple.com"><b>Triumphant Mercy</b></a> has recognized the way opening for gospel ministry to these communities.
  1073.  
  1074. <div id="attachment_193648" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-193648" class="size-medium wp-image-193648" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/TM_aid-dist-300x226.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="226" /><p id="caption-attachment-193648" class="wp-caption-text">Triumphant Mercy Lebanon provides food aid at its community center in Beirut.<br />(Photo courtesy of TM Lebanon)</p></div>
  1075. <blockquote>
  1076. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It was completely difficult for us to just touch them. Now it's an opportunity," says Nuna. "And I think this is how we need to look at life. God gives us opportunities, and we need to seize them.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  1077. </blockquote>
  1078. They are opening a new center where Shiite communities are located! <strong>Nuna asks for prayer that broken hearts among these communities and others in Lebanon would find healing in Christ. </strong>
  1079.  
  1080. "I would pray also for the common sense of people to see that when you lose a war, you don't have to keep on trying to make it as if you're still on the winner's side," she says. "Because actually, when you lose, you have to lay down your weapons and say, 'Okay, what can I do now?'"
  1081.  
  1082. She adds, “Pray that this will come to pass, and that Lebanon will be freed from all the Iranian pressure that is keeping people in bondage. Of course [pray] for the ministry too, that now that people are open, that <strong>they will receive the gospel and that they will find healing and restoration in their hearts.</strong>”
  1083.  
  1084. &nbsp;
  1085.  
  1086. *<i>Pseudonym</i>
  1087.  
  1088. &nbsp;
  1089.  
  1090. &nbsp;
  1091.  
  1092. <em>Header photo courtesy of Triumphant Mercy Lebanon.</em>]]>
  1093. </description>
  1094. <pubDate>Tue, 29 Apr 2025 05:00:39 -0400</pubDate>
  1095. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanon-at-the-hinge-point-of-change-as-political-standoff-continues/</guid>
  1096. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/lebanon-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1097. </item>
  1098. <item>
  1099. <title>WMP: UNBound brings hope to the hopeless</title>
  1100. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wmp-unbound-brings-hope-to-the-hopeless/</link>
  1101. <description>
  1102. <![CDATA[
  1103. USA (MNN) -- With <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.prisonpolicy.org/profiles/US.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly two million people</a></strong></span> behind bars at any given time, the United States has the highest incarceration rate of any country in the world.
  1104.  
  1105. That's why prisoners are the focus of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Missionary Press</a></strong></span> in 2025.
  1106.  
  1107. “It’s an open mission field, and the response is amazing because there is such a sense of hopelessness in many of these places,” WMP’s Helen Williams says.
  1108.  
  1109. WMP has been sending its annual datebook to chaplains and inmates for decades. “We’ve been providing a date book for prisoners for years, almost as long as I’ve been here, and I’ve been here 28 years,” Williams says.
  1110.  
  1111. “We send [material] to federal prisons, state facilities, local jails – wherever the chaplain will use it.”
  1112.  
  1113. <em><strong>The impact is profound</strong></em>. WMP datebooks provide hope to people forgotten by society, whether guilty or innocent, serving a life sentence or a misdemeanor.
  1114.  
  1115. “It’s not a good place to be, but [the date books provide] something to grab on to every morning,” Williams says.
  1116. <blockquote>
  1117. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We get so many letters that say, ‘I couldn’t get through my day without it.’ They say, ‘I keep it on my bunk. It’s the first thing I read in the morning.’”</strong></p>
  1118. </blockquote>
  1119. <h2>WMP: UNBound</h2>
  1120. After decades of outreach, WMP is rolling out new materials and trying to reach more chaplains. The ministry is also adding a second web press and a fourth bindery to its production facility to fuel the expansion of its WMP: UNBound prison ministry program.
  1121.  
  1122. <div id="attachment_214380" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/WMP_Our-first-shipment-of-2025-Scripture-booklets-for-prison-ministry.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214380" class="size-medium wp-image-214380" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/WMP_Our-first-shipment-of-2025-Scripture-booklets-for-prison-ministry-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-214380" class="wp-caption-text">First shipment of 2025 WMP Scripture booklets for prison ministry.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of World Missionary Press)</p></div>
  1123.  
  1124. In the coming weeks, “we’ve got a new booklet coming out that speaks of hope; this is specifically designed for those [who] are incarcerated,” Williams says.
  1125.  
  1126. “It’s based on hope, not just surviving the situation, but finding a way to be stable and have something to lean on.”
  1127.  
  1128. Pray for the WMP prison ministry team as they work to expand the program and add necessary staff.
  1129.  
  1130. “Last year, we printed about 750,000 [date books], and the goal [is] to triple what we do in volume within the next year,” Williams says.
  1131.  
  1132. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consider partnering financially with WMP to bring hope to the hopeless.</a></strong></span>
  1133.  
  1134. “If they want to donate to the UNBound program, that would be wonderful,” Williams says.
  1135.  
  1136. “Pray that the Lord brings the people [who] can help get this thing going and keep it growing and growing.”
  1137.  
  1138. &nbsp;
  1139.  
  1140. &nbsp;
  1141.  
  1142. <em>Header and story images courtesy of World Missionary Press.</em>]]>
  1143. </description>
  1144. <pubDate>Tue, 29 Apr 2025 05:00:57 -0400</pubDate>
  1145. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wmp-unbound-brings-hope-to-the-hopeless/</guid>
  1146. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/p2-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1147. </item>
  1148. <item>
  1149. <title>Green card uncertainties in U.S. disrupting gospel ministry</title>
  1150. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/green-card-uncertainties-in-u-s-disrupting-gospel-ministry/</link>
  1151. <description>
  1152. <![CDATA[
  1153. United States (MNN) — In the U.S., green cards signify lawful permanent residency. But under the new U.S. administration, green card holders are concerned that if they travel internationally or even domestically, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/green-cards-immigration-border-cbp-dhs-warning-leave-country-risk-2047844" target="_blank" rel="noopener">they might be detained or denied entry on their way home</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1154.  
  1155. <strong>These uncertainties are disrupting ministry as well as family life.</strong> One gospel worker with FMI says, “I’m not able to make any solid or concrete plan with our overseas partners."
  1156.  
  1157. He adds that <strong>it’s not only <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/03/29/nx-s1-5343493/green-card-holders-rights-visa-detained-cbp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">international travel in question</a></span>.</strong> “I’m not even sure that I would be able to go and defend my PhD paper to [an]other state next month, because it's unsure that I would be able to participate in my PhD graduation or not.”
  1158.  
  1159. <div id="attachment_214325" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214325" class="size-medium wp-image-214325" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2023_green_card_front-300x189.jpg" alt="green card, stock, example, ID, identification" width="300" height="189" /><p id="caption-attachment-214325" class="wp-caption-text">Green card example (Photo courtesy of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) - Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  1160.  
  1161. An upcoming FMI conference in Pakistan will likely be impossible for him to attend as originally planned.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Meanwhile, his family carries copies of their documentation wherever they go. They are also preparing to give a power of attorney to a colleague in case the unexpected happens.
  1162.  
  1163. <strong>It's caused serious conversations around their family dinner table. What country should they go to if they were to be deported? What should their kids do if they were to be stopped by an officer? </strong>
  1164.  
  1165. “As a Christian, I have only two commands: you should love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your mind, with all your strength, and you should love the neighbor as yourself," he says. "But the question is, as an immigrant in America, who is my neighbor? Because that's going to be defined ideologically, territorially, nationally, and all these series of divisive elements.
  1166. <blockquote>
  1167. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“I think one of the problems we have right now [is] that we have to have an enemy to create a national policy. But as Christians, we do not have — or we cannot have — any enemy.”</strong></p>
  1168. </blockquote>
  1169. For others who are caught in these same uncertainties today, he points to the hope found in<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%201%3A9&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joshua 1:9</a></strong></span>: “The last part of this verse is ‘<strong>for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go</strong>.’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1170.  
  1171. <strong>Find your place in the story through prayer.</strong> Ask God to give FMI and this gospel worker discernment and protection to navigate complex circumstances.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Pray with him that his kids will be strong Christian witnesses as they respond to comments and questions from classmates. </span>
  1172.  
  1173. For his ministry, he says, “Pray especially for clarity and favor as I plan ministry-related trips for FMI and to expand the Kingdom."
  1174.  
  1175. &nbsp;
  1176.  
  1177. &nbsp;
  1178.  
  1179. <em>Header photo is a stock photo courtesy of stokpic via Pixabay.</em>]]>
  1180. </description>
  1181. <pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2025 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate>
  1182. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/green-card-uncertainties-in-u-s-disrupting-gospel-ministry/</guid>
  1183. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/hands-600497_1920-e1745534672832-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1184. </item>
  1185. <item>
  1186. <title>A vision for more Gospel spread in Israel</title>
  1187. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-vision-for-more-gospel-spread-in-israel/</link>
  1188. <description>
  1189. <![CDATA[
  1190. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Israel (MNN) -- Nestled in a region drenched with conflict, Israel has long stood as a bastion of religious inclusivity. Yet believers there, </span><strong><a href="https://cbn.com/news/news/israel-suspends-messianic-channel-accused-evangelizing-jews" target="_blank" rel="noopener">including those working in Christian broadcasting</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, often face pushback for sharing their faith. Denise Godwin with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Media Ministries</a></strong> says maximizing digital evangelism can facilitate conversation.  </span>
  1191.  
  1192. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“There are a lot of people trying to communicate about the Messiah who live there, but they’re having to be careful, and we always find that media is a good handshake with people on the ground,” she says. </span>
  1193.  
  1194. <span style="font-weight: 400;">IMM’s media products are distributed in about 80 languages, several of which are spoken in the Middle East. When Satellite channels broadcast the hope of Christ:</span>
  1195.  
  1196. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“What we see is a huge move of God all over the Middle East – that the numbers they can study are just exploding with Muslims coming to Christ.” </span>
  1197.  
  1198. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Now working on a film depicting the story of Esther from a Persian perspective, Godwin is burdened for the people of Israel. </span>
  1199.  
  1200. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I can’t help but think: doesn’t God have a heart for the people of Israel and letting them know his stories to maybe consider them from a new perspective?” she asks. </span>
  1201.  
  1202. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Godwin says telling the dramatized stories of Jesus can help people reconsider a familiar story or explore a new one. What if two groups of people with a shared history in the story of Esther could see God’s unified purpose for them in the present? </span>
  1203.  
  1204. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I just think these days we live in are so extraordinary. Surely God could open a way for programs that reveal a bit more of Jesus into Israel to happen,” she says. </span>
  1205.  
  1206. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for God to open doors through which to pour out his spirit in Israel. Pray for believers there and in the surrounding region, as well as influencers online who are communicating God’s truth. Pray also for IMM as they continue to film the story of Esther. </span>
  1207.  
  1208. <div id="attachment_214340" style="width: 589px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214340" class=" wp-image-214340" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/dylan-shaw-Lo9A9-U8nZE-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="579" height="386" /><p id="caption-attachment-214340" class="wp-caption-text"><em>People praying at Jerusalem's Western Wall. This image and header image courtesy of Unsplash.</em></p></div>]]>
  1209. </description>
  1210. <pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2025 05:00:33 -0400</pubDate>
  1211. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-vision-for-more-gospel-spread-in-israel/</guid>
  1212. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ricardo-loaiza-NkJpK-TlsGk-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1213. </item>
  1214. <item>
  1215. <title>Codependency and addiction: a destructive duo</title>
  1216. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/codependency-and-addiction-a-destructive-duo/</link>
  1217. <description>
  1218. <![CDATA[
  1219. USA (MNN) -- Have you ever heard the term “codependency?”
  1220.  
  1221. “It is an unhealthy emotional reliance on others for our self-worth or our identity,” Brandon Bower with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/the-lighthouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lighthouse</a></strong></span> says, adding, “codependency can be in any relationship where we're finding self-worth in someone else.”
  1222.  
  1223. Staff at The Lighthouse often encounter codependency as they help people overcome life-altering addictions through biblical counseling. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://lhfw.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about The Lighthouse’s approach to overcoming addiction.</a></strong></span>
  1224.  
  1225. “People with addictions often have codependent people in their lives. For example, there was a gentleman we were helping whose dad was a police officer. Every time he got in trouble, Dad helped it get pushed under the rug,” Bower says.
  1226. <blockquote>
  1227. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“After like, four or five DUIs, the judge finally looked at him and said, 'You're going to jail for a very long time,' which was shocking, because dad was shielding him from the consequences to protect dad's identity and self-worth.”</strong></p>
  1228. </blockquote>
  1229. If someone we love has an addiction, it can be easy to focus entirely on their behavior. Sometimes, we also need to change ourselves.
  1230.  
  1231. <div id="attachment_214313" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-joey-theswampboi-442839-1486613.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214313" class="size-medium wp-image-214313" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-joey-theswampboi-442839-1486613-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-214313" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Joey Theswampboi/Pexels)</p></div>
  1232.  
  1233. “If we're helping someone else live in their addiction, we are part of the problem,” Bower notes.
  1234.  
  1235. “We've got to love them enough to have good boundaries and say ‘no’ so they can come across the consequences of their actions, rather than protecting them and ourselves in the process.”
  1236.  
  1237. <em><strong>Thankfully, help is only a few clicks away.</strong></em> “Just go to Google and type in ‘biblical counselor’ or ‘pastoral counselor in my area,’” Bower says.
  1238.  
  1239. “This is a common thing that biblical counselors will deal with, helping people find their self-worth and validation in Christ.”
  1240.  
  1241. Pray that people who are struggling with codependency can release their need for control and submit their wills to Christ. Pray they find fulfilment in Jesus alone.
  1242.  
  1243. “Scripture tells us to seek our satisfaction in Christ, so we are dabbling in that codependency world when I'm looking to my wife to meet my deepest needs instead of my savior, when I'm looking at my children to live the life that I never lived, to get satisfaction,” Bower says.
  1244.  
  1245. &nbsp;
  1246.  
  1247. &nbsp;
  1248.  
  1249. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/man-woman-bank-daughter-father-1130496/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Kati/Pixabay.</em></a>]]>
  1250. </description>
  1251. <pubDate>Mon, 28 Apr 2025 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate>
  1252. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/codependency-and-addiction-a-destructive-duo/</guid>
  1253. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/man-1130496_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1254. </item>
  1255. <item>
  1256. <title>India mourns Kashmir casualties</title>
  1257. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/india-mourns-kashmir-casualties/</link>
  1258. <description>
  1259. <![CDATA[
  1260. India (MNN) -- Tensions escalate between India and Pakistan following <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/militants-indian-kashmir-segregate-men-women-children-before-opening-fire-2025-04-23/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tuesday’s terror attack</a></strong></span> in the contested Kashmir region. India <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c8x8yqwzznqt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">closed its main border crossing</a></strong></span> with Pakistan, expelled its military diplomats, and suspended a landmark water-sharing treaty.
  1261.  
  1262. At least 26 people were killed when gunmen opened fire in the Baisaran Valley, a popular tourist destination. The attack is considered India’s deadliest <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/kashmir-attack-a-tragedy-and-a-security-setback-for-india/a-72321198" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since 2008.</a></strong></span>
  1263.  
  1264. “Most of them were Indian tourists, as well as a couple of foreign tourists from the UAE and Nepal,” John Pudiate with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles For The World</a></strong></span> says.
  1265.  
  1266. Kashmir, a territory claimed by both India and Pakistan, has been a flashpoint for decades, but attacks on tourists have been rare.
  1267.  
  1268. “This beautiful region, right on the edge of the Himalayas, has been an area of contention between Pakistan and India, Muslim and Hindu, for the last 75-plus years,” Pudaite says.
  1269.  
  1270. “There had been, just prior to this, reports of Indian military attacks or crackdowns on the Muslim militant activities in the region. Immediately, when I heard the news, I thought, ‘Oh boy, this is probably in reaction to those arrests,’” he continues.
  1271.  
  1272. “This attack was probably one of the most devastating in recent years; the entire country is grieving over this.”
  1273.  
  1274. <em><strong>Christians are in the crosshairs whenever conflict arises between India’s Hindu and Muslim populations.</strong></em> “They’re very wary of the ‘kick the dog’ reaction,” Pudaite says.
  1275. <blockquote>
  1276. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Christians are the ‘dog’ on the sidelines that had nothing to do with it, but there may be attacks on churches, pastors, or missionaries.”</strong></p>
  1277. </blockquote>
  1278. This hostility doesn’t stop believers from sharing the hope of Christ. Pudaite asks Christians in the region to be salt and light and reach out during this national grief.
  1279.  
  1280. “I have heard reports of Christians in the region trying to help out in whatever way they can,” he says. “Across the country, Christians have been called upon by some national bodies to pray into the situation.”
  1281.  
  1282. Pray for wisdom and restraint in the Indian government’s response so the situation does not escalate further.
  1283.  
  1284. &nbsp;
  1285.  
  1286. &nbsp;
  1287.  
  1288. <em>Header image depicts India’s Baisaran Valley, often called a mini-Switzerland for its mountainous view and lush landscape. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Baisaran_Valley.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  1289. </description>
  1290. <pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2025 05:00:33 -0400</pubDate>
  1291. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/india-mourns-kashmir-casualties/</guid>
  1292. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Baisaran_Valley-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1293. </item>
  1294. <item>
  1295. <title>As Istanbul catches its breath after earthquake, ministries respond with hope</title>
  1296. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/as-istanbul-catches-its-breath-after-earthquake-ministries-respond-with-hope/</link>
  1297. <description>
  1298. <![CDATA[
  1299. Türkiye (MNN) -- As fears of a bigger earthquake spread across Türkiye, many are left asking a deeper question: what is my true foundation in life?
  1300.  
  1301. On April 23, families gathered in Istanbul’s parks to celebrate National Sovereignty and Children's Day, a beloved public holiday. But at 12:49 p.m., a 6.2 magnitude <strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cm2yly2j4k9t" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earthquake</a></strong> struck in the Sea of Marmara, sending physical and emotional shockwaves through the city. Memories of the devastating 2023 earthquakes in <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/most-quake-rescue-efforts-have-stopped/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hatay</a></strong> and Antakya fueled panic. Some jumped from windows, fearing buildings would collapse. Others rushed to open areas like parks and squares to wait in fear.
  1302.  
  1303. Patrick Anthony from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FMI </strong></a>says:
  1304. <blockquote>
  1305. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“There are a lot of frightened people right now, and it sounds like the fear is more of what could be coming, more aftershocks, more even possibly a larger earthquake.”</strong></p>
  1306. </blockquote>
  1307. <div id="attachment_214319" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214319" class="size-medium wp-image-214319" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/nick-night-h4JR4unNgZY-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214319" class="wp-caption-text">Istanbul street (photo courtesy of Nick Night via Unsplash)</p></div>
  1308.  
  1309. Reports say <strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cm2yly2j4k9t" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least 151</a> </strong>were injured, many from acting in panic. After the chaos, authorities advised citizens to spend the night outside. Some slept in their cars, while others gathered with neighbors in gardens and courtyards. A few returned home, but the fear lingers.
  1310.  
  1311. Although this quake caused little structural damage, the anxiety remains. Many wonder if the next one will be worse. But amid the uncertainty, ministries remain active, offering comfort, support, and spiritual stability.
  1312.  
  1313. <strong>“There are so many people who need to hear the gospel for the first time! And things like this are a reminder that, yes, gospel workers, we must keep praying, keep working. Jesus is coming. And people need to know that,” encourages Anthony.</strong>
  1314.  
  1315. <strong><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI </a></strong>continues to stand alongside local churches. “We come alongside the indigenous church planters and the indigenous church in places where it's very difficult for the church to replicate because of persecution, or because of poverty,” says Anthony.
  1316.  
  1317. Pray for those in need of shelter and comfort in the aftermath. Many partners and families live in multi-story apartment buildings. After experiencing an earthquake, many are too afraid to return home, uncertain if the structures are safe.
  1318.  
  1319. And most importantly, pray that Turkish citizens find a truly firm, unshakable foundation in Christ.
  1320.  
  1321. &nbsp;
  1322.  
  1323. &nbsp;
  1324.  
  1325. &nbsp;
  1326.  
  1327. &nbsp;
  1328.  
  1329. <em>Header photo: Istanbul houses (photo courtesy of Gokhan Polat via Usplash)</em>]]>
  1330. </description>
  1331. <pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2025 05:00:21 -0400</pubDate>
  1332. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/as-istanbul-catches-its-breath-after-earthquake-ministries-respond-with-hope/</guid>
  1333. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/gokhan-polat-4yVp45SXjd8-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1334. </item>
  1335. <item>
  1336. <title>Catholic Church faces next steps after the passing of Pope Francis</title>
  1337. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/catholic-church-faces-next-steps-after-the-passing-of-pope-francis/</link>
  1338. <description>
  1339. <![CDATA[
  1340. International (MNN) -- Much of the world will pause this weekend to mourn the passing of Pope Francis, who died the day after Easter Sunday. Born in Argentina as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he was elected Pope in 2013 at the age of 76.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1341.  
  1342. Leaders from across the world will be in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/22/cardinals-meet-decide-funeral-plans-for-pope-francis" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>attendance</b></a></span> at the funeral on April 26.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1343.  
  1344. To talk about this event, we connected with Chris Ruge at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/prayercast-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prayercast</a></strong></span>, a ministry that <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://prayercast.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>raises prayer</b></a></span> in the global Church for the lost.
  1345.  
  1346. <div id="attachment_172204" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-172204" class="size-medium wp-image-172204" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/rawpixel-769319-unsplash-300x287.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="287" /><p id="caption-attachment-172204" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of rawpixel via Unsplash.)</p></div>
  1347.  
  1348. “We always look at the events going on around the world and ask the question, ‘how does this impact people who are lost around the world in one way or another?’” says Ruge.
  1349.  
  1350. <b>Whether or not you are among the more than </b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/262883/worldwide-catholic-population-hits-14-billion" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>1.4 billion</b></a></span><b> people in the Catholic Church today, Ruge invites you to pray about this change.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  1351.  
  1352. “No one wants to see the gospel advance around the world more than God does,” he says. “So we pray for whoever is installed as the next Pope, that that person will be a key figure in leading a significant portion of God's Church and shepherding that flock <b>in a way that expands God's worship and His praise around the world.</b>”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1353.  
  1354. Ruge points to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Timothy%202%3A1-4&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 Timothy 2</a></strong></span>, which calls for Christians to pray for kings and all those in authority. He says it’s undeniable that the Pope will hold significant influence to speak to modern-day issues.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1355.  
  1356. “So we come alongside and ask for God's wisdom, for His mercy, and that He would continue to purify His Church in all of its forms around the world,” he says, “that His Church would be a pure bride and a reflection of His light, truth, love, justice, righteousness and holiness.”
  1357.  
  1358. Join in praying for the College of Cardinals who will be choosing the next Pope in the coming weeks.
  1359.  
  1360. &nbsp;
  1361.  
  1362. &nbsp;
  1363.  
  1364. &nbsp;
  1365.  
  1366. <em>Header photo of Vatican Obelisk, St. Peter's Basilica (Photo courtesy of Castielli via Wikimedia Commons - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0)</em>]]>
  1367. </description>
  1368. <pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2025 05:00:40 -0400</pubDate>
  1369. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/catholic-church-faces-next-steps-after-the-passing-of-pope-francis/</guid>
  1370. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1440px-DSCF2184-Vatican_Obelisk-St_Pieter_Square-Vaticano-Italy-Castielli_CC0-e1745448063877-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1371. </item>
  1372. <item>
  1373. <title>Afghanistan&#8217;s public executions reveal fear-based grip of Taliban</title>
  1374. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/afghanistans-public-executions-reveal-fear-based-grip-of-taliban/</link>
  1375. <description>
  1376. <![CDATA[
  1377. <span style="font-weight: 400">Afghanistan (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Four men were </span><strong><a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1903553/four-men-publicly-executed-in-one-day-in-afghanistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">publicly executed in Afghanistan</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> earlier this month, as ordered by the Supreme Court of that country. Nehemiah with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong> says interpretation of Islamic law paints the death of these men, accused of murder and robbery, as a carrying out of justice. Seen from another light: </span>
  1378.  
  1379. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They have sparked global concern and been condemned over the harsh and non-transparent judicial practices,” he says. </span>
  1380.  
  1381. <span style="font-weight: 400">Public execution, which had nearly vanished during the previous government, has seen a resurgence under Taliban rule. </span>
  1382.  
  1383. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Of course human rights organizations are warning that such activities undermine the rule of law and instill fear rather than true justice,” Nehemiah says. </span>
  1384.  
  1385. <span style="font-weight: 400">He points out that the incident serves as a grim reminder of the reality many Afghans face, living under a regime that uses fear and public punishment to assert control. It also rages urgent questions for the international community about how to engage with Taliban rulers while standing up for human dignity and justice. Yet, Nehemiah says there are untold stories in Afghanistan: </span>
  1386.  
  1387. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Stories of courage, of silent faith, and of unwavering commitment [to] Christ.” </span>
  1388.  
  1389. <span style="font-weight: 400">FMI partners walk a dangerous path, living under constant threat of extremist attacks, social rejection, government surveillance, or false accusations of blasphemy.</span>
  1390.  
  1391. <span style="font-weight: 400">“And yet they press on steadfast and full of faith,” says Nehemiah. </span>
  1392.  
  1393. <span style="font-weight: 400">Partners remain focused on Scripture distribution in the form of Keys for Kids storytellers despite immense pressure not to sow Christian seeds. Please pray for this effort and for the people of Afghanistan. </span>
  1394.  
  1395. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We lift our eyes from the darkness of recent events,” Nehemiah says. “We invite you to lift up your voices in prayer and ask God to shield FMI partners and local believers – Christians in Afghanistan – from violence, imprisonment, and unjust accusations.” </span>
  1396.  
  1397. <span style="font-weight: 400">Pray that the Keys for Kids devotionals would nurture faith in the hearts of children and families living in fear. Pray for financial needs to be met for this effort. Pray also for the Taliban, as one local partner requested, “that they would discover the light of hope in their lives.” </span>
  1398.  
  1399. <img class=" wp-image-192463" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/SAT7_story-image-2-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="511" height="511" />
  1400. <p style="text-align: center"><em>Header image courtesy of Unsplash; footer image courtesy of SAT-7</em></p>]]>
  1401. </description>
  1402. <pubDate>Thu, 24 Apr 2025 05:00:32 -0400</pubDate>
  1403. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/afghanistans-public-executions-reveal-fear-based-grip-of-taliban/</guid>
  1404. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/farid-ershad-DqukRY4Gdts-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1405. </item>
  1406. <item>
  1407. <title>Practical ways you can help imprisoned believers in Iran</title>
  1408. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/practical-ways-you-can-help-imprisoned-believers-in-iran/</link>
  1409. <description>
  1410. <![CDATA[
  1411. Iran (MNN) — Even when prison doors close on Iranian believers, we’re not locked out of helping.
  1412.  
  1413. When prison doors slam shut, believers in Iran are left face-to-face with their persecutors. In the past year alone, 96 Christians received sentences totaling 263 years. Just last <a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/iran-converts-prison/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">month</a>, believers Abbas Soori, Narges Nasri, and Mehran Shamloui were sentenced to over 40 years combined. The most heartbreaking part? Narges Nasri was pregnant with her first child when she was suddenly arrested.
  1414. <h4><strong>Why such harsh sentences?</strong></h4>
  1415. Mike Ansari of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a> explains: “<strong>Christian converts are usually charged with vague offenses such as acting against national security or propaganda against the regime, which are used to criminalize peaceful religious activities like attending house churches or sharing their faith</strong>.”
  1416.  
  1417. He adds that Iran’s judicial system, particularly the revolutionary courts, plays a central role in the persecution of Christians.
  1418.  
  1419. But persecution doesn’t have to silence <em>us</em>!
  1420. <blockquote>
  1421. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Even from the safety of our homes, there are impactful ways that we can advocate for imprisoned Christians in Iran,” Ansari says.</strong></p>
  1422. </blockquote>
  1423. <div id="attachment_214273" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214273" class="size-medium wp-image-214273" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-photo-14136473-200x300.webp" alt="Pexels" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214273" class="wp-caption-text">Example of an advocacy campaign (courtesy of Sima Ghaffarzadeh via Pexels)</p></div>
  1424.  
  1425. One powerful tool is social media activism. Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram can be used to highlight individual cases. With the right hashtags, these stories can reach international organizations and spark global concern.
  1426.  
  1427. Another way is through letter-writing and petition campaigns calling for the release of specific prisoners. “<strong>This would include writing letters to Iranian embassies or international human rights organizations to apply pressure</strong>,” says Ansari.
  1428.  
  1429. Additionally, believers can support advocacy organizations such as Article 18, Global Christian Relief, Open Doors, and International Christian Response. “They work tirelessly to document abuses,” Ansari explains, “and support victims. So donating to or volunteering with these groups can definitely enhance their efforts and then engage with policy makers.” Partnering with advocacy groups is especially important because public exposure, if done carelessly, can worsen a prisoner’s situation. These organizations know how to handle sensitive cases wisely and effectively.
  1430. <h4><strong>Public outcry has made a difference before! </strong></h4>
  1431. Cases like Marziyeh Amirizadeh and Maryam Rostampour gained international attention that led to their release. The death sentence of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was also overturned after widespread advocacy.
  1432.  
  1433. And while Iranian believers may be behind bars, they should never be without the faithful prayers of the global Church. Mike Ansari from <a href="https://www.heart4iran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a> encourages intercession: “Consider focusing on praying for the physical and spiritual strength of the imprisoned Christians and their families. Ask for fair legal proceedings and the overturning of unjust sentences!”
  1434. <blockquote>
  1435. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“For although the challenges faced by Christians in Iran are severe, our collective efforts, through advocacy, awareness, and prayer, can make a tangible difference by staying informed and actively supporting those on the front lines,” he adds.</strong></p>
  1436. </blockquote>
  1437. &nbsp;
  1438.  
  1439. &nbsp;
  1440.  
  1441. &nbsp;
  1442.  
  1443. &nbsp;
  1444.  
  1445. <em>Header photo: Prisoner (photo courtesy of Ron Lach via Pexels)</em>
  1446.  
  1447. &nbsp;]]>
  1448. </description>
  1449. <pubDate>Thu, 24 Apr 2025 05:00:28 -0400</pubDate>
  1450. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/practical-ways-you-can-help-imprisoned-believers-in-iran/</guid>
  1451. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-ron-lach-10461522-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1452. </item>
  1453. <item>
  1454. <title>Bibles for the World joins new outreach opportunities</title>
  1455. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bibles-for-the-world-joins-new-outreach-opportunities/</link>
  1456. <description>
  1457. <![CDATA[
  1458. International (MNN) – As the good news of the Gospel continues to spread in previously unreached areas, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Bibles for the World</strong></span></a> is ready to provide Scripture.
  1459.  
  1460. John Pudaite with Bibles for the World shares that this distribution is nothing new. The organization has been partnering with international, national, local and indigenous groups to pass our Bibles for over 50 years. However, this year they have some exciting new opportunities in Indonesia, Cambodia, and Zimbabwe.
  1461. <blockquote>Pudaite says, “[At] each of these outreach events, we look at providing at least 50,000 to 100,000 Gospels of John, so that everybody who attends these outreaches or events will get their own copy of the Gospel of John in their native language. In addition to that, we try to provide a New Testament for everyone who makes a decision to follow Christ at these events. So, we're really looking excitedly at the number of opportunities that God has provided for us in the in the coming year.”</blockquote>
  1462. <h2>Empowering Young Believers in Cambodia</h2>
  1463. One outreach that is particularly exciting to Pudaite is the one they are joining in Cambodia. The outreach will be in an area near the famous Angkor Wat temples, rather than the capital area where they have ministered previously.
  1464.  
  1465. Pudaite says there are some older believers from a few generations ago, but many were persecuted and killed along with millions of their countrymen during the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pol-Pot" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Pol Pot regime</strong></span></a>. During that time literacy rates also tanked and the country has struggled to rebuild.
  1466.  
  1467. <div id="attachment_214289" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214289" class="size-medium wp-image-214289" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/BFTW-1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214289" class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Bibles for the World)</p></div>
  1468.  
  1469. “There are still some standing churches from that time," Pudaite says. "But it's really a country, a body of Christ there that's really young – which is wonderful in one sense, because they're on fire to share this message of Jesus Christ with their fellow Cambodians. But they're also not as well-educated as equipped. [They] don't have access to the resources, whether it's like [a] Bible study or different things like guides and things to lead them along the way.”
  1470.  
  1471. The large scale outreach event has the potential to be very effective and helpful in spreading the Word of God in this new area of Cambodia. It also may provide an opportunity for Bibles for the World to find new partners to help spread the Gospel.
  1472. <h2>Printing Support for Laotian Tribal Languages</h2>
  1473. An outreach in Laos recently gave Bibles for the World an opportunity to partner with a small group of believers who had worked together to translate the Gospel of Luke and the Jesus Film into the heart languages of seven smaller Laotian tribes.
  1474.  
  1475. Pudaite says these believers told him. “’We could only print 100 copies each.’ They had done seven different languages. And I just said, ‘Look at we're going to come alongside you.’ We're going to try to, in the next year, print a copy of the Gospel of Luke for every household in those seven people groups. Some of them, they only number 30,000, 60,000, 80,000 in those people groups, but they have a unique language, unique culture, and they need to hear God's Word. They need to have God's Word in their heart language. Here the Laotian people themselves are doing it for them, but they just need a little help in getting enough copies out and distributing it to those to those unreached people groups.”
  1476. <h2>Support Bibles for the World</h2>
  1477. As they work alongside their current partners and empower new ones, Pudaite asks for prayer. Many of the Christians they work with face severe opposition. They know that their boldness and faith is sustained significantly through the prayers of the Church.
  1478.  
  1479. If you would like to join Bibles for the World financially please visit <a href="https://www.biblesfortheworld.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Biblesfortheworld.org</strong></span></a> to see how you can join their mission.
  1480.  
  1481. &nbsp;
  1482.  
  1483. <em>Header Photo courtesy of doungtepro on Pixabay</em>]]>
  1484. </description>
  1485. <pubDate>Thu, 24 Apr 2025 05:00:10 -0400</pubDate>
  1486. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bibles-for-the-world-joins-new-outreach-opportunities/</guid>
  1487. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/praying-5406270_1280-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1488. </item>
  1489. <item>
  1490. <title>New radio program to bring hope and help to Myanmar earthquake survivors</title>
  1491. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-radio-program-to-bring-hope-and-help-to-myanmar-earthquake-survivors/</link>
  1492. <description>
  1493. <![CDATA[
  1494. Myanmar (MNN) — As earthquake recovery crawls forward in Myanmar, the military junta has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-junta-extends-temporary-ceasefire-april-30-support-earthquake-relief-2025-04-22/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>extended</b></a></span> its temporary ceasefire against rebel groups to April 30.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1495.  
  1496. More than <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162401" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>140 aftershocks</b></a></span> have terrified the region since the first quake nearly four weeks ago.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Daniel Saputra* serves with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Trans World Radio</b></a></span> in Southeast Asia. He shares that people in the city of Yangon are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://twr.org/story/hope-prevails-in-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>still living on the streets</b></a></span>, unable or too afraid to take shelter in damaged buildings. Now the rainy season is coming.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1497.  
  1498. “Monsoon [season] is always bad for the people in Myanmar because even without the earthquake, when the monsoon comes, then there will [be a] flood in many different places,” Saputra says.
  1499.  
  1500. TWR partners are on the ground in Myanmar sharing limited immediate aid. <b>But their next thrust is to translate a trauma response radio program into Burmese.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  1501.  
  1502. “During that kind of [disaster] situation, people start to ask about lives: ‘Where is God in all this? [They] start to ask about, ‘If there is a God, then why [does] he let things like these terrible things happen?’ What will happen to their future life after their husband passed away, or their whole family was wiped out by the tsunami? The things like that,” Saputra explains.
  1503.  
  1504. <div id="attachment_168842" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-168842" class="size-medium wp-image-168842" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/734574_10150272114379986_1479408073_n-300x254.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="254" /><p id="caption-attachment-168842" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Trans World Radio via Facebook)</p></div>
  1505.  
  1506. The program <i>Hope Prevails </i>was originally developed after the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. It will share true hope for earthquake survivors in the name of Jesus.
  1507.  
  1508. Saputra says the program’s translators have leeway to adapt the content to fit Burmese contexts. They are working with a group of counselors in Southeast Asia. Previous translations of the program have been fruitful, he says.
  1509.  
  1510. "Our experience is that once we produce that program, that will [be] like a door opener, so that we can actually reach out deeper to the people's heart. Then we build trust with the local communities that we are actually an organization that not just want[s] to broadcast something, but we really, really want to touch their heart. We really, really want to help them to recover from this trauma that they have in their life."
  1511.  
  1512. <strong>Each episode closes with contact information inviting direct conversations.</strong> "Some of our listeners write back to us and even call back to us and ask questions, and that actually bring us to a deeper conversations with them,” Saputra explains.
  1513. <h2>Find your place in the story</h2>
  1514. Please pray for <strong>wisdom for translators</strong> working this month and in early May, as they consider potential religious and political barriers to their message.
  1515.  
  1516. Pray for <strong>safety for TWR’s partners as they travel</strong> in Myanmar's politically instability.
  1517.  
  1518. Pray also for God to <strong>open the hearts of listeners</strong> to receive the hope of Christ. Pray for <strong>open doors</strong> for TWR to share more programs with listeners in Myanmar about where eternal hope can be found.
  1519.  
  1520. <strong>Learn more in the TWR web article at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://twr.org/story/hope-prevails-in-myanmar" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twr.org/story/hope-prevails-in-myanmar</a></span>.</strong>
  1521.  
  1522. &nbsp;
  1523.  
  1524. <i>*Pseudonym</i>
  1525.  
  1526. &nbsp;
  1527.  
  1528. &nbsp;
  1529.  
  1530. <em>Header image is a representative stock image by David Mark from Pixabay.</em>]]>
  1531. </description>
  1532. <pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2025 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate>
  1533. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-radio-program-to-bring-hope-and-help-to-myanmar-earthquake-survivors/</guid>
  1534. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/myanmar-2494826_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1535. </item>
  1536. <item>
  1537. <title>Nominated ambassador could work closely with USCIRF to advance religious freedom globally</title>
  1538. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nominated-ambassador-could-work-closely-with-uscirf-to-advance-religious-freedom-globally/</link>
  1539. <description>
  1540. <![CDATA[
  1541. International (MNN) — The current U.S. administration reiterated its commitment to religious freedom by <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://baptistnews.com/article/former-sbc-pastor-nominated-as-ambassador-at-large-for-international-religious-freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nominating an ambassador at large</a></strong></span> to the State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom earlier this month.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1542.  
  1543. If confirmed by the senate, former pastor Mark Walker will be working closely with the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on issues recommended for closer scrutiny.
  1544.  
  1545. <strong>USCIRF released its <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/2025-recommendations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annual report</a></span> in late March, among other things recommending four new countries (Afghanistan, India, Nigeria and Vietnam) be designated as Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs).</strong>
  1546.  
  1547. “It will be interesting to see how this new administration receives these recommendations, and which ones they say, 'Yep, that's exactly right,' and which ones they decide not to go along with,” says Todd Nettleton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><b><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Voice of the Martyrs, USA</a>.</b></span>
  1548.  
  1549. <div id="attachment_179840" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-179840" class="size-medium wp-image-179840" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/USCIRFLOGO_1-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-179840" class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)</p></div>
  1550.  
  1551. “Part of [the State Department’s] job is to talk about religious freedom. But they also, obviously, they want to keep trade relationships good. They want to keep military relationships good. So they kind of factor in a lot more angles into the equation.
  1552.  
  1553. “Ultimately, it is the State Department list that really matters as far as teeth, because if a country is identified as a Country of Particular Concern by the State Department, then the administration has a whole tool box of potential actions that would sort of try to <strong>nudge or encourage or force that Country of Particular Concern to improve their status on religious freedom</strong>.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1554.  
  1555. <strong>But will <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/26/nx-s1-5310673/usaid-trump-administration-global-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent cuts</a> </span>in USAID projects decrease the “carrot and stick” leverage the U.S. has with nations around the world?</strong>
  1556.  
  1557. "I think it's going to be something that we have to kind of wait and see and then look backwards and say, ‘Oh, wow, that, that may have been an unintended consequence to decisions that were made in Washington, D.C.,’” says Nettleton.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1558.  
  1559. <strong>In the meantime, Nettleton notes something else USCIRF’s 2025 report hints at. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  1560.  
  1561. “When you see four countries recommended to be added to the CPC list, [and] you don't see any countries recommended to be taken off of the CPC list, it does tend to support that view that religious freedom is getting worse instead of getting better around the world,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1562.  
  1563. Learn how to pray for persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ with Voice of the Martyrs at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">persecution.com</a></strong></span>. There you’ll find a global prayer map where many of the U.S.’s designated Countries of Particular Concern are also listed. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.persecution.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Click to learn more!</b></a></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1564.  
  1565. <strong>"Educating yourself to be able to pray more effectively is a great way to stand with our brothers and sisters who suffer for the name of Jesus," Nettleton says. </strong>
  1566.  
  1567. &nbsp;
  1568.  
  1569. &nbsp;
  1570.  
  1571. <em>Header photo courtesy of Tony Webster via Wikimedia Commons - Department of State Sign - Harry S. Truman Building - Washington D.C., CC BY 2.0. </em>]]>
  1572. </description>
  1573. <pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2025 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate>
  1574. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nominated-ambassador-could-work-closely-with-uscirf-to-advance-religious-freedom-globally/</guid>
  1575. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/1071px-Department_of_State_Sign_-_Harry_S._Truman_Building_-_Washington_D.C-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1576. </item>
  1577. <item>
  1578. <title>The long-term effects of child discipleship</title>
  1579. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-long-term-effects-of-child-discipleship/</link>
  1580. <description>
  1581. <![CDATA[
  1582. East Africa (MNN) -- Have you ever wondered if child sponsorship provides long-term benefits? Sure, you might help feed a kid and put them through school, but what happens when they age out of the program?
  1583.  
  1584. In East Africa, “Three of the kids that we loved 20 years ago are now pastors, and they all run private Christian schools,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Set Free</a></strong></span>’s Dean Vander Mey says.
  1585. <blockquote>
  1586. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Who knows what their lives would have been, but because they were loved and brought back to life and nurtured, they are now outstanding men in their community.”</strong></p>
  1587. </blockquote>
  1588. Set Free operates Light Academy, the only Christian high school in a location devastated by AIDS. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://setfreemin.org/lightacademy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  1589.  
  1590. “This school is in the middle of a demonically held region where witch doctors eat children,” Vander Mey says. When Set Free began its work in 2005, “there was death and destruction; there was no life, and now there are children who are flourishing.
  1591.  
  1592. “Our grades are some of the top grades in the whole country. The average in the whole country is 56 percent, and our schools have 98.3 percent.”
  1593.  
  1594. <div id="attachment_214255" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SFM_original-42.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214255" class="size-medium wp-image-214255" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SFM_original-42-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-214255" class="wp-caption-text">The 42 orphans who attended a Set Free spiritual warfare seminar in 2005, hoping to receive corn porridge. Set Free began its discipleship and Christian education program with this group.<br />(Photo courtesy of Set Free Global)</p></div>
  1595.  
  1596. The program began with dozens of hungry orphans, a teacher, and some shoes. It has expanded to include 14 primary schools and Light Academy, a residential Christian high school.
  1597.  
  1598. <em><strong>Sponsorship makes it all possible, and the discipleship provided by Set Free’s Christian teachers is life-changing.</strong> </em>“Witch doctors have abused 90 percent of our children,” Vander Mey says.
  1599.  
  1600. “They’re not only set free, but they want to go find other people trapped in their hurt, pain, and anger the way they were.”
  1601.  
  1602. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://setfreemin.org/sponsor-a-child/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sponsor a child through Set Free here.</a></strong></span>
  1603.  
  1604. “For that listener [who] doesn’t think God’s listening, just know He is. And, if these children who have been horrifically abused by witch doctors can heal and recover and be set free, so can you,” Vander Mey says.
  1605.  
  1606. “God is close to the brokenhearted. He revives those crushed in spirit. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2050&amp;version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Psalm [50]</a></strong></span> says, ‘Call upon Me in your day of trouble, and I will answer you, and you will honor Me.’”
  1607.  
  1608. &nbsp;
  1609.  
  1610. &nbsp;
  1611.  
  1612. &nbsp;
  1613.  
  1614. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Set Free Global.</em>]]>
  1615. </description>
  1616. <pubDate>Wed, 23 Apr 2025 05:00:32 -0400</pubDate>
  1617. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-long-term-effects-of-child-discipleship/</guid>
  1618. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/SFM_student-child-sponsorship-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1619. </item>
  1620. <item>
  1621. <title>Famine spreading as refugee camps attacked in Sudan</title>
  1622. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/famine-spreading-as-refugee-camps-attacked-in-sudan/</link>
  1623. <description>
  1624. <![CDATA[
  1625. Sudan (MNN) — Two years of civil war in Sudan have left the nation unraveling. Outright famine has been confirmed <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162096" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>in at least 10 areas</b></a></span>. Approximately half of Sudan’s population — <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/04/1162096" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>25 million people</b></a></span> — are in extreme levels of hunger according to the UN World Food Program. The scale is almost more than a person can understand.
  1626.  
  1627. “Because of the killing that [are] going on, people were not allowed [to] … plant anything. That’s why there is no harvest,” explains Bishop Dr. Yassir Eric, a partner of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horizons International</a></strong></span>.
  1628.  
  1629. <div id="attachment_202433" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202433" class="size-medium wp-image-202433" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/abdulaziz-mohammed-zHVKkN7vF34-unsplash-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-202433" class="wp-caption-text">Child in Sudan (Photo courtesy of Abdulaziz Mohammed/Unsplash)</p></div>
  1630.  
  1631. “The situation is very, very severe, because two rainy seasons pass by, and people are not able to do anything.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/13/sudans-rsf-claims-control-of-famine-hit-zamzam-camp-in-darfur" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b> And now in Darfur,</b></a></span> the killing is also going on, and those who manage to plant anything, the rebels [come] and then put everything on fire.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1632.  
  1633. The Darfur killings Bishop Eric refers to happened last week, when the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group assaulted one famine-struck refugee camp called Zamzam (among other locations in Sudan's western Darfur region). The attacks displaced an estimated <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/15/attacks-in-sudans-darfur-kill-at-least-300-as-grim-anniversary-passes-un" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>400,000 people, according to the United Nations</b></a></span>.
  1634.  
  1635. Although this latest episode was done by the RSF, its chief opponent, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), has committed horrific acts against civilians as well.
  1636.  
  1637. “Jesus is our God, and He's the God of the suffering,” Bishop Eric says. “This is actually the difference between Allah in Islam and God in the Bible. In our suffering, we know He feels with us.”
  1638.  
  1639. <b>Please pray for God’s mercy on Sudan’s crises and find your place in the story.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  1640.  
  1641. “We need to see people that are helping there, and to back them up, give them the resources that they need, so that to engage, not only in helping people that famine will go away, but that they will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ,” Bishop Eric says.
  1642.  
  1643. <b>“I know and I believe that all things [work] for good — even this terrible situation, a beauty could come out of that, if we pray and if we give, and if we go.”</b>
  1644.  
  1645. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/horizons-international/sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Click here</b></a></span> to financially support Bishop Dr. Yassir Eric’s ministry in Sudan.
  1646.  
  1647. &nbsp;
  1648.  
  1649. &nbsp;
  1650.  
  1651. <em>Header photo is a stock image courtesy of Lara Jameson via Pexels.</em>]]>
  1652. </description>
  1653. <pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2025 05:00:59 -0400</pubDate>
  1654. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/famine-spreading-as-refugee-camps-attacked-in-sudan/</guid>
  1655. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/pexels-lara-jameson-8828328-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1656. </item>
  1657. <item>
  1658. <title>Lebanon’s refugee flux presents Gospel opportunities</title>
  1659. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanons-refugee-flux-presents-gospel-opportunities/</link>
  1660. <description>
  1661. <![CDATA[
  1662. Lebanon (MNN) -- Nearly <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.plenglish.com/news/2025/04/19/almost-half-a-million-syrian-refugees-returned-from-abroad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">half a million Syrian refugees</a></strong></span> have returned home from places like Lebanon, Egypt, and Türkiye after the overthrow of dictator Bashar al-Assad in December.
  1663.  
  1664. However, Assad’s fall <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://tcf.org/content/report/cross-border-shuffle-refugee-movement-between-lebanon-and-syria-after-assad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">did not cause</a></strong></span> the massive return movement many in Lebanon hoped for.
  1665.  
  1666. “We continue to host more than 2.1 million Syrian refugees,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong></span>’s Camille Melki says, in addition to “more than half a million Palestinian refugees [and] 100,000 or so Iraqi and Kurdish refugees.
  1667. <blockquote>
  1668. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Today, the United Nations considers Lebanon the largest per capita host of refugees worldwide; around 40- to 45 percent of our population is a refugee from a nearby nation.”</strong></p>
  1669. </blockquote>
  1670. Lebanon’s large refugee population exacerbates the country’s infrastructure and economic issues. “We lost 97% of our purchasing power due to the political bickering, government corruption, and also due to this large influx of refugees living in our country,” Melki says.
  1671.  
  1672. “No nation can expect almost to double its population overnight and have its infrastructure – roads, electrical grids, sewage, water – be able to receive this large of an increase [without failing.]
  1673.  
  1674. <em><strong>Yet hope remains.</strong> </em>The challenging refugee situation also presents a Gospel opportunity.
  1675.  
  1676. <div id="attachment_214239" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HFL_quote-pic.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214239" class="size-medium wp-image-214239" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HFL_quote-pic-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-214239" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
  1677.  
  1678. “Heart for Lebanon has been serving refugees and locals, every vulnerable and suffering population and ethnic group in our nation since 2009. Our goal is to show the love of Jesus Christ in meaningful and tangible ways,” Melki says.
  1679.  
  1680. “We have reached out and served hundreds of thousands of refugees. Every given month, Heart for Lebanon cares for more than 4,500 families. If you do the math and expect the average family of six, this is more than 26,000 individuals.”
  1681.  
  1682. <strong>Most refugees come to Lebanon from a country where Christianity is little more than a label.</strong> Pray that refugees can meet the Jesus of the Bible.
  1683.  
  1684. “Every time there is a conflict, it is rooted in religion, so the greatest challenge is for us to help the refugee population we serve move away from religion into faith.”
  1685.  
  1686. “We need to have the invitation to talk about what drives us, what motivates us, what gives us this inner peace that a refugee family finds in a Heart for Lebanon team, what gives us the hope that we can only find in Christ. So, we don’t want to enter into religious quarrels, but we want to have God-sized opportunities in sharing our hope in Christ.”
  1687.  
  1688. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Support Heart for Lebanon’s efforts here.</a> </strong></span>
  1689.  
  1690. &nbsp;
  1691.  
  1692. &nbsp;
  1693.  
  1694. &nbsp;
  1695.  
  1696. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.</em>]]>
  1697. </description>
  1698. <pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2025 05:00:44 -0400</pubDate>
  1699. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanons-refugee-flux-presents-gospel-opportunities/</guid>
  1700. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HFL_refugees-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1701. </item>
  1702. <item>
  1703. <title>Bible-trained pastors, villagers in Malawi confront false teaching head-on</title>
  1704. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-trained-pastors-villagers-in-malawi-confont-false-teaching-head-on/</link>
  1705. <description>
  1706. <![CDATA[
  1707. Malawi (MNN) -- Deep in the rural areas of Malawi, pastors often have little to no training. Some don’t even own a Bible.
  1708.  
  1709. For the past two years, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">FMI</span></strong></a> has hosted pastor trainings in Malawi — and they’re bearing abundant spiritual fruit.
  1710.  
  1711. FMI’s Patrick Anthony says, <strong>"Out of 86 pastors last year, they were able to teach and share with over 2,400 people. They reported that in this past year, 450 churches had been planted; and they also reported that over 30,000 people placed their faith in Christ!"</strong>
  1712.  
  1713. The training is also helping pastors and their churches recognize and resist false teaching.
  1714.  
  1715. "One of the coolest stories that I heard was that there was a self-proclaimed prophet who had walked into one of the villages where three of the pastors from the first conference were from," says Anthony.
  1716. <blockquote>
  1717. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"As this prophet came into this area, he was apparently preaching a prosperity gospel. When he came in, the villagers told him, ‘You're not preaching the right gospel. You're preaching the prosperity gospel. You need to leave.’"</strong></p>
  1718. </blockquote>
  1719. <div id="attachment_214158" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214158" class="size-medium wp-image-214158" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/481567643_673871835208510_5500836947755541615_n-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-214158" class="wp-caption-text">Pastor Chikumbu, a pastor in Malawi who received a Bible and training with FMI. (Photo courtesy of FMI)</p></div>
  1720.  
  1721. In addition to training, FMI provides each pastor with a Bible. But the need is even greater.
  1722.  
  1723. "One of the pastors, he said, ‘Listen, we're really appreciative that we all have a Bible now. But our people need Bibles too,’" Anthony shares.
  1724.  
  1725. <strong>You can help. By donating to FMI’s tangible resources fund, you can put the Word of God in the hands of spiritually hungry villagers in Malawi.</strong>
  1726.  
  1727. <a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here to give!</span></strong></a>
  1728.  
  1729. Then, pray for pastors in Malawi to grow in wisdom and biblical knowledge as they make disciples for Jesus. Pray for continued growth, boldness, and discernment in the Malawian Church to reject false teachers.
  1730.  
  1731. &nbsp;
  1732.  
  1733. &nbsp;
  1734.  
  1735. &nbsp;
  1736.  
  1737. <em>Header photo: Historic brick church in rural Malawi. (Photo by Chisomo Gondwe/Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/historic-brick-church-architecture-in-rural-setting-29306403/)</em>]]>
  1738. </description>
  1739. <pubDate>Tue, 22 Apr 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  1740. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-trained-pastors-villagers-in-malawi-confont-false-teaching-head-on/</guid>
  1741. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-chisomo-gondwe-2089318702-29306403-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1742. </item>
  1743. <item>
  1744. <title>Increase in persecution as global Church grows</title>
  1745. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/increase-in-persecution-as-global-church-grows/</link>
  1746. <description>
  1747. <![CDATA[
  1748. .International (MNN) -- As Easter celebrations come to a close, many Christians around the world answer the call to <strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2016%3A24-26&amp;version=ESV">take up their crosses</a></strong> to follow Christ.
  1749.  
  1750. Todd Nettleton with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/#:~:text=The%20Voice%20of%20the%20Martyrs%20(VOM)%20is%20a%20nonprofit%2C,persecuted%20Christians%20around%20the%20world." target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>The Voice of the Martyrs, USA</strong></span></a> (VOM USA) says that the last five years have marked a rise in persecution of Christians.
  1751. <blockquote>“It's certainly true in China. It's true in the Middle East, it's true in North Africa. And some of that is a good news story, because part of the reason for that is there's more Christians in these places. There's more Christians in the Middle East. So yes, there are more Christians who are facing persecution. The church is growing in China. So yes, there are more Christians who are potentially arrested or beaten or put in prison. There's a good news side to that story; the church is growing, so there's more persecution. But there's a bad news side too, because that means there's more of our brothers and sisters who are suffering.”</blockquote>
  1752. <h2>Persecution in Unseen Areas</h2>
  1753. According to the <strong><a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/">2024 World Watch List from Open Doors</a>, </strong>more than 380 million Christians face very high persecution for their faith. With fast internet and phone connections, the Church can often share stories within minutes of persecution. However, there are harder-to-reach areas where information is scarce. Nettleton notes that many of these difficult-to-reach places include areas of Africa like Eritrea, Mozambique, and Burkina Faso or places in the Middle East like Afghanistan.
  1754.  
  1755. <div id="attachment_214194" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214194" class="size-medium wp-image-214194" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VOM-3-225x300.jpg" alt="Person being baptized" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214194" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)</p></div>
  1756.  
  1757. “There were, I believe, five pastors who in 2024 marked 20 years in prison in Eritrea,” Nettleton states. “Some of those pastors I met. It's great to talk about the joy of the Lord, and it's great to talk about how the church is growing, but that's 20 years that those guys have been in prison, and they've been away from their families. I know that the Lord is with them. I trust that He is caring for them and encouraging them, but that's such a hard thing. So I never want to get depressed, but I also never want to forget that this is very real suffering that our brothers and sisters are encountering and dealing with.”
  1758.  
  1759. Yet, despite the intense persecution and years left languishing, many persecuted Christians truly exemplify <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201&amp;version=NIV">James 1:2</a> by counting all their troubles as joy for the spread of the Gospel.
  1760.  
  1761. “One of the counterintuitive things about interviewing and talking to persecuted Christians is our picture of them is these sad, depressed, downtrodden people who have just suffered so much they can barely put one foot in front of the other," Nettleton says. "Then when you sit down with them, they are filled with joy and excitement about what God is doing. Yes, it's coming at a cost, but boy, look at what God is doing. They are not depressed.”
  1762. <h2>An Impetus for Sharing Truth</h2>
  1763. The bigger picture of what is happening fuels these brothers and sisters. Ultimately, the enemy they face is not men, but Satan and the forces of darkness. Pastors in the Middle East have told Nettleton that they don’t hate Muslims who persecute them. They know sin holds people hostage. Those in darkness need to be rescued. And whatever happens to the Christian, God will ultimately win the battle.
  1764.  
  1765. For many in the West, persecution is not a personal trial, but there are still ways to be faithful. The number one thing persecuted Christians ask for is prayer.
  1766.  
  1767. <div id="attachment_214193" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214193" class="size-medium wp-image-214193" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VOM-2-300x200.jpg" alt="Person reading Bible" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-214193" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)</p></div>
  1768.  
  1769. Nettleton challenges Christians. “Number one, commit to pray. Number two, educate yourself so that you can pray more effectively. And then number three is whatever God asks you to do. Do it because as you're praying and as you're learning, God's going to put his thumb on something and say, 'Okay, I want you to x'… We have to choose to be obedient when God asks us to do that.”
  1770.  
  1771. VOM USA offers many different ways for the Church to support persecuted Christians. Their <a href="https://www.persecution.com/app/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>app</strong> </span></a>makes specific prayers simple. VOM USA also shares many resources and ways to get involved on their <a href="https://www.persecution.com/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>website</strong></span></a>. Commit to praying for the persecuted Church today.
  1772.  
  1773. &nbsp;
  1774.  
  1775. &nbsp;
  1776.  
  1777. <em>Header photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs, USA</em>]]>
  1778. </description>
  1779. <pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate>
  1780. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/increase-in-persecution-as-global-church-grows/</guid>
  1781. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/VOM-header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1782. </item>
  1783. <item>
  1784. <title>Four challenges shaping SAT-7 ARABIC’s mission</title>
  1785. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/four-challenges-shaping-sat-7-arabics-mission/</link>
  1786. <description>
  1787. <![CDATA[
  1788. MENA (MNN) — Bringing hope to a region shaken by war, economic crisis, and natural disasters is no easy task — but it is one filled with powerful lessons.
  1789.  
  1790. <div id="attachment_210514" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-210514" class="size-medium wp-image-210514" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/sara-calado-zeFEjIjsHRA-unsplash-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-210514" class="wp-caption-text">Beirut, Lebanon (Photo courtesy of Sara Calado/Unsplash)</p></div>
  1791.  
  1792. The media we consume is shaped by the world around us. In North Africa and the Middle East, recent years have been difficult. Tragedies — from war-torn streets and earthquake rubble to economic collapse — have filled the news, radio, and TV. That’s where <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/sat-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>SAT-7 ARABIC</strong></a> steps in to say: the news might be bad, but<strong> there is still hope</strong>!
  1793.  
  1794. The headlines coming out of the region reflect the same pressure felt by SAT-7’s Arabic media ministry. Every day, the team faces at least four major challenges, explains Executive Director Rami Al-Halaseh.
  1795. <h4>1. The first challenge is <strong>offering hope in the midst of crisis</strong>.</h4>
  1796. <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>“We want to function with a crisis response approach where anybody who's watching SAT-7, anybody who follows SAT-7, will find something that will help them go through the crisis, go through the struggle, the challenge, with at least some hope.”</strong></p>
  1797.  
  1798. <h4>2. The second challenge:<strong> staying clear of political entanglements</strong>.</h4>
  1799. Called to be a voice for the Church and to shed light on injustice, SAT-7 often navigates complex and controversial stories with wisdom. Still, discussing political topics can be difficult. “We're a Christian satellite station that presents, and, you know, promotes the message of hope, salvation, and, you know, new life in Christ. However, we cannot really disconnect ourselves as people of the land from the ongoing daily challenges,” he adds.
  1800. <blockquote>
  1801. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“If this is unjust, what's happening, we have to say it's unjust in our biblical way, not in a political way.”</strong></p>
  1802. </blockquote>
  1803. <div id="attachment_214218" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214218" class="size-medium wp-image-214218" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-selimgraphy-14226595-300x191.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="191" /><p id="caption-attachment-214218" class="wp-caption-text">Woman praying in Cairo church (Photo courtesy of Selim Graphy/Pexels)</p></div>
  1804. <h4>3. Another challenge is <strong>misinformation</strong>, like the claim that no Christians remain in places like Palestine or Lebanon.</h4>
  1805. Some assume that if there are few news reports about Christians in an area, they no longer exist there. But SAT-7 has interviewed believers living through conflict in Gaza and Lebanon.
  1806. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Where we were, we were interviewing Christians, you know, falling under the war itself. Same thing in Lebanon, when people were displaced, and where they had to leave their homes. We interviewed all those people, Christians, who live in the south, but they had to leave because of the strikes.”</strong></p>
  1807. “The task,” he adds, “is giving them the voice to share the story!”
  1808. <h4>4. The final challenge — and a constant prayer request — is for the <strong>safety and peace of mind of SAT-7’s team as they serve amid war, inflation, and earthquakes</strong>.</h4>
  1809. “We deal first hand with these things because it's our people. It's our staff that is in the studio of Lebanon, where, for example, we're meeting on Zoom, and then suddenly their windows are shaken because of the air strikes.”
  1810.  
  1811. Pray for the safety of <a href="https://www.sat7arabic.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAT-7 ARABIC</a> workers — that they would be protected from persecution, war, economic hardship, and more. Pray for their peace of mind as they continue their mission, and for wisdom as they face ongoing crises.
  1812.  
  1813. &nbsp;
  1814.  
  1815. &nbsp;
  1816.  
  1817. <em>Header photo courtesy of Alex Azabache via Pexels.</em>]]>
  1818. </description>
  1819. <pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 05:00:36 -0400</pubDate>
  1820. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/four-challenges-shaping-sat-7-arabics-mission/</guid>
  1821. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-alexazabache-3243027-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1822. </item>
  1823. <item>
  1824. <title>Nigerian government takes notice of International Bible Institute&#8217;s impact</title>
  1825. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nigerian-government-takes-notice-of-international-bible-institutes-impact/</link>
  1826. <description>
  1827. <![CDATA[
  1828. <span style="font-weight: 400;">International (MNN) -- Since 1989, <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/prisoners-for-christ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prisoners for Christ</a> </strong>(PFC) has been fulfilling its mission: bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to men, women, and juveniles in jails and prisons in the Pacific Northwest, across the United States, and around the world. In 2024 alone, <strong><a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/18791154/18/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the ministry saw 2,136,271 attend PFC programs</a> </strong>across 35 countries, with 73,087 decisions for Christ made.</span>
  1829.  
  1830. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Because we’re very evangelistic, we also have to be very discipleship-oriented,” says PFC President Greg Von Tobel, “and so that’s what the IBI is all about.”</span>
  1831.  
  1832. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The<a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/18791154/10/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> International Bible Institute (IBI) was created in 2018</strong></a> to fill the void for quality discipleship curriculum for prisoners in developing countries. The two-and-a-half-year program consists of three curriculum levels:</span>
  1833. <ol>
  1834. <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Basic: Covers principles, doctrines, and theology of the Christian faith, then moves into parables of Jesus, prayer, and the men of the Bible.</span></li>
  1835. <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Intermediate: Teaches inmates how to have a prison ministry in their own prison and how to witness for the cause of Christ with other inmates.</span></li>
  1836. <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Advanced: Trains inmates to plant churches and be spiritual overseers of inmates within the institutions where they live.</span></li>
  1837. </ol>
  1838. <span style="font-weight: 400;">As of December 2024, IBI has six schools operating in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Pakistan —a nd authorities in some of those countries are taking notice of the impact.</span>
  1839.  
  1840. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We planted an IBI in one particular southern state of Nigeria, and ran that for a year and a half, and then we planted another IBI in the south-central region, and we've had probably three different graduations at each one of these institutions,” says Von Tobel. “And of course, the good news always gets back to the Department of Corrections headquarters, and they are absolutely excited and thrilled about the changes that they're seeing occur in the lives of inmates at those institutions.”</span>
  1841.  
  1842. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, PFC is hoping to open more IBI programs in regions that are currently suffering from ongoing violence. According to Von Tobel, it costs about $23,000 to run an IBI program for six years in an institution: “That is not a lot of money we're expending to have people come to know the Lord and get them discipled. So that's pretty exciting. We just need more resources in order to expand to other institutions.”</span>
  1843.  
  1844. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The impact of the IBI schools is powerful, bringing what Von Tobel calls a “calming spirit,” which can help the superintendents and overseers better manage their correctional institutions.</span>
  1845.  
  1846. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Those officers take notice, and they want more of what we have to offer,” says Von Tobel, later adding, “Some of these Christian brothers that are graduating from our schools are now very confident and, with holy boldness underneath their wings, going and ministering the Word of God to the Muslim population. And we're seeing Muslims come to know Jesus in a very powerful way, and we're seeing terrorists who might be arrested coming to know Jesus. And so that's the beauty of the IBI—that souls are being won, and we're using the current population to win souls.”</span>
  1847.  
  1848. &nbsp;
  1849.  
  1850. <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><em>Header photo courtesy of Colin Carey via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  1851. </description>
  1852. <pubDate>Mon, 21 Apr 2025 05:00:11 -0400</pubDate>
  1853. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nigerian-government-takes-notice-of-international-bible-institutes-impact/</guid>
  1854. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/colin-carey-F5oDUpFCIAQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1855. </item>
  1856. <item>
  1857. <title>Hope for crime-ridden South Africa after kidnapped pastor&#8217;s rescue</title>
  1858. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-crime-ridden-south-africa-after-kidnapped-pastors-rescue/</link>
  1859. <description>
  1860. <![CDATA[
  1861. South Africa (MNN) — The <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.saps.gov.za/newsroom/selnewsdetails.php?nid=60329" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rescue</a></strong></span> of kidnapped American pastor Joshua Sullivan in South Africa has drawn attention to the crime-ridden nation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1862.  
  1863. South Africa ranks in the top five countries with the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/crime-rate-by-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highest crime indexes</a></strong></span> in the world. Police statistics between 2023 and 2024 data periods show a nearly 19% rise in commercial crimes. Kidnapping shot up by 8% during that time as well. (<a href="https://excellerateservices.co.za/news/168/quarterly-saps-crime-statistics-q2-update-20242025"><b>Source: South African Police Service</b></a>) <strong>Carjacking, murder, and armed robberies are also <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://theconversation.com/violent-crime-in-south-africa-happens-mostly-in-a-few-hotspots-police-resources-should-focus-there-criminologist-248233" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ills that plague the nation</a></span>. </strong>
  1864.  
  1865. “It's just one of those things that is a result of the growing unemployment rate,” says Marietjie Prollius, the marketing and communications director with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans World Radio</a></strong></span> Africa. “They want to get money. They abduct people, and then actually ask for a ransom. Some of these people are recovered. Some of them unfortunately get killed, which is a sad reality.”
  1866.  
  1867. <div id="attachment_148112" style="width: 291px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-148112" class=" wp-image-148112" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/bible-study.jpg" alt="" width="281" height="281" /><p id="caption-attachment-148112" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Trans World Radio)</p></div>
  1868.  
  1869. Prollius says the increasing violent crime isn’t so much driven by political anger as by life in poverty.
  1870.  
  1871. “Part of it is also that there's a lot of influx from other Africa countries. People come here to make a better living, but then they don't find jobs and then they’re kind of destitute here," she says.
  1872.  
  1873. That spiral can quickly lead people into situations they never thought they’d be in. For them and others caught in circumstances of their own or of others’ making, TWR<span class="Apple-converted-space"> has a simple message. </span>
  1874. <blockquote>
  1875. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Our tagline is ‘speaking hope to the world.’ So our aim is always to speak hope into these situations where crime is rife,” says Prollius. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  1876. </blockquote>
  1877. TWR sends that hope by broadcasting biblical content in the heart languages of South Africans. The team invites and responds to listener prayer requests. Sometimes they can connect them with counseling services.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1878.  
  1879. “Many of them contact TWR and ask for prayer for safety, for their children just walking from and to school,” she says, “asking for prayer for children that get involved in gangs, asking for children that are involved in drugs.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1880.  
  1881. <strong>Don't let South Africa's challenges discourage you in prayer! Ask God to bless <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.twr360.org/twr-africa-listen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TWR Africa</a></span> with opportunities to keep sharing the hope and love of Jesus.</strong>
  1882.  
  1883. “[Pray for listeners], that God will open their hearts and their minds, and that they will find peace in the midst of the difficult situations,” Prollius says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1884.  
  1885. "Please pray for the broadcasts that go out, that TWR will continue to find <strong>new and relevant broadcasting</strong> that speaks into the specific difficulties that South Africans find themselves in."
  1886.  
  1887. &nbsp;
  1888.  
  1889. &nbsp;
  1890.  
  1891. &nbsp;
  1892.  
  1893. <em>Header photo: Johannesburg, South Africa (Photo courtesy of Clodagh Da Paixao via Unsplash)</em>]]>
  1894. </description>
  1895. <pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
  1896. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-crime-ridden-south-africa-after-kidnapped-pastors-rescue/</guid>
  1897. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/clodagh-da-paixao-xvJVDUoGpoU-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1898. </item>
  1899. <item>
  1900. <title>Resurrection Sunday reveals three life-changing truths</title>
  1901. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/resurrection-sunday-reveals-three-life-changing-truths/</link>
  1902. <description>
  1903. <![CDATA[
  1904. USA (MNN) -- Today is Good Friday, the day Jesus gave His life on the cross to pay for our sins. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Huchcraft Ministries’</strong></span></a> Ron Hutchcraft says the coming weekend is more than a holiday for millions of believers worldwide.
  1905.  
  1906. “When you go to Easter morning, you see at that empty tomb three life changers,” Hutchcraft says. “One is the proof. Some people think Easter is just a historical event, but it’s much more than that.”
  1907.  
  1908. Resurrection Sunday holds deep personal meaning for those who follow Christ. Thomas, one of Christ’s disciples, was forever changed by the proof Jesus offered Him in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2020%3A24-29&amp;version=NKJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John 20.</a></strong></span>
  1909.  
  1910. <div id="attachment_214116" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sixteen-miles-out-ciE9GJS7-fE-unsplash.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214116" class="size-medium wp-image-214116" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sixteen-miles-out-ciE9GJS7-fE-unsplash-300x240.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="240" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-214116" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Sixteen Miles Out/Unsplash)</p></div>
  1911.  
  1912. “The ultimate significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is that it’s a deeply personal event. It was only after Jesus rose from the dead that Thomas said, ‘My Lord and my God,’” Hutchcraft says.
  1913.  
  1914. “He’d heard every sermon, he’d seen every miracle, but it was only after the resurrection that Thomas said, ‘He’s my Lord now. He’s my God now.’”
  1915.  
  1916. Christ’s resurrection also proved His divinity and His authorship of salvation.
  1917.  
  1918. “The resurrection of Jesus is the ultimate proof that there’s only one way to get to heaven. To give eternal life, you have to have it, and the only one who ever proved He had it is the Man who conquered death,” Hutchcraft says.
  1919. <blockquote>
  1920. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Out of the billions of people who lived on this planet, one man walked out of his grave under His own power, and that’s Jesus.”</strong></p>
  1921. </blockquote>
  1922. Historical evidence and personal conviction of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection lead to transformation. “The second life changer is the hope. The hope that that tomb represents is one of the most powerful forces on the planet,” Hutchcraft says.
  1923.  
  1924. “This is not hope, the sentiment; this is a death-crushing Person who is a living hope.”
  1925.  
  1926. With the hope of a risen Savior, Christ-followers have a new life mission. “If you’ve come and seen and have a hope like this, go and tell. It’s all there in Matthew 28,” Hutchcraft says.
  1927.  
  1928. <em><strong>One look at our broken world provides the reason for the season.</strong></em> “People are starved for peace and hope. We have it. They need it. It’s time to deliver it.”
  1929.  
  1930. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://store.hutchcraft.com/products/72-hours-that-rocked-the-world" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Request your rescue resource for Resurrection Sunday.</a></strong></span>
  1931.  
  1932. &nbsp;
  1933.  
  1934. &nbsp;
  1935.  
  1936. &nbsp;
  1937.  
  1938. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/white-and-black-happy-birthday-signage-fL5M_GgZ_w8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash.</a></em>]]>
  1939. </description>
  1940. <pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate>
  1941. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/resurrection-sunday-reveals-three-life-changing-truths/</guid>
  1942. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/kelly-sikkema-fL5M_GgZ_w8-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1943. </item>
  1944. <item>
  1945. <title>This Easter, be part of someone’s redemption story</title>
  1946. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/give-an-easter-gift-that-changes-lives-with-one-click/</link>
  1947. <description>
  1948. <![CDATA[
  1949. International (MNN) — What if your Easter gift could help build a church, send a child to school, or equip a family with clean water — all while sharing the love of Christ?
  1950.  
  1951. This Easter, believers have a chance to give in a way that reflects the very meaning of the season: hope, new life, and redemption. Through <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Concern</a>’s <em>One Village Transformed</em> <a href="https://worldconcern.org/what-we-do" target="_blank" rel="noopener">project</a> around the globe, practical gifts become powerful tools to meet needs and build up communities in the name of Jesus.
  1952.  
  1953. Whether it’s a Bible in South Sudan, medicine in Myanmar, or a beehive in Kenya, each gift supports long-term ministry efforts led by local partners — not just charity, but transformation.
  1954.  
  1955. Allison Farstad with World Concern says this type of giving aligns closely with the Easter message.
  1956. <blockquote>
  1957. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The idea of redemption and resurrection goes along with giving other people the opportunity for a new life and sharing with those in need.”</strong></p>
  1958. </blockquote>
  1959. <div id="attachment_214177" style="width: 249px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214177" class="size-medium wp-image-214177" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/bernd-dittrich-ge4APtUmo-s-unsplash-239x300.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="239" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214177" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Bernd Dittrich/Unsplash)</p></div>
  1960.  
  1961. These aren’t one-time handouts. Each gift is intentionally chosen to serve a broader purpose — helping families generate income, equipping churches to serve, and giving children a future through education and health. And they all come through ongoing ministry relationships in places like Kenya, Laos, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
  1962.  
  1963. “A bee farm isn't the first thing you would think of when you want to help someone in need,” Farstad says. “But we think long-term — how can this provide food, income, and a way to contribute to the community?”
  1964.  
  1965. The impact is deeply personal. A bicycle becomes a way for an evangelist to reach distant villages. A small bundle of ducklings can start a family business. Clean water, parasite treatment, or school supplies can mean the difference between survival and thriving.
  1966.  
  1967. And while the gifts vary in size — from just $5 to several thousand dollars — they each represent an opportunity to share God’s love in practical, life-giving ways.
  1968.  
  1969. This Easter, consider a gift that brings lasting hope. Join the story of transformation by supporting <a href="https://worldconcern.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Concern</a> ministry efforts in hard-to-reach places — and pray that more communities will experience the light of the Gospel and its redeeming power.
  1970.  
  1971. &nbsp;
  1972.  
  1973. &nbsp;
  1974.  
  1975. &nbsp;
  1976.  
  1977. &nbsp;
  1978.  
  1979. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Ganta Srinivas/Pexels.</em>]]>
  1980. </description>
  1981. <pubDate>Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:00:42 -0400</pubDate>
  1982. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/give-an-easter-gift-that-changes-lives-with-one-click/</guid>
  1983. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-ganta-srinivas-2966633-4511301-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1984. </item>
  1985. <item>
  1986. <title>China formally bans foreign missionary activity</title>
  1987. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/china-formally-bans-foreign-missionary-activity/</link>
  1988. <description>
  1989. <![CDATA[
  1990. <span style="font-weight: 400;">China (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Chinese Communist Party is banning foreign missionary activity, effective May 1. According to </span><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.org/2025/04/04/china-moves-to-formally-ban-missionary-activity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Christian Concern</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the regulations “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">prohibit foreigners from preaching, sharing their faith, or establishing religious organizations without official government approval.” </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kurt Rovenstine with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bibles for China</strong></a> says the legislation is not a surprise but is discouraging. On the other hand:  </span>
  1991.  
  1992. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It doesn’t slam the door closed; it just makes it a whole lot more difficult to keep open. There’s more steps in the process, more scrutiny in the process,” he says. </span>
  1993.  
  1994. <span style="font-weight: 400;">New restrictions are part of the administration’s strategy to maintain sole influence on the Chinese people, as they deal solely with foreigners.</span>
  1995.  
  1996. <span style="font-weight: 400;"> “It doesn’t talk about what a Chinese church can do in relation to their Chinese neighbors,” Rovenstine says. </span>
  1997.  
  1998. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Expats could also be affected. </span>
  1999.  
  2000. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Their own ministry in and amongst themselves is even potentially highly scrutinized.” </span>
  2001.  
  2002. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Perhaps ironically to Western nations, Chinese officials are proud of religious freedom in their country. </span>
  2003.  
  2004. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They say, ‘We’ll allow it but within this context,’ and the net effect is that the religious freedom they tout is not much of a freedom at all,” Rovenstine says. </span>
  2005.  
  2006. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Rather than an overt push to remove foreigners, Rovenstine sees this as a quieter closing of heavy doors resulting from anti-foreigner sentiment. </span>
  2007.  
  2008. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Restrictions are such that the result will be, ‘It’s just too hard.’ There’s no way to get past all the things you have to go through,” he says. </span>
  2009.  
  2010. <span style="font-weight: 400;">BFC <strong><a href="https://biblesforchina.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already works in the country</a></strong> and has a strong relationship with the local church. Because of this, the new regulations won’t immediately impede their work. </span>
  2011.  
  2012. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“And I praise God for that,” Rovenstine says. </span>
  2013.  
  2014. <span style="font-weight: 400;">What will suffer is Americans’ ability to visit, meet with pastors, and take an active role on the ground in China. Foreign funding may also present challenges, with much yet to play out as the restrictions are interpreted and applied. </span>
  2015.  
  2016. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for missionaries to China facing new hurdles with this legislation. Pray that God would continue to open doors for ministry, and pray that the Holy Spirit would help believers discern appropriate actions in the midst of sweeping changes. </span>
  2017.  
  2018. &nbsp;
  2019.  
  2020. <img class=" wp-image-206091 aligncenter" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Bibles_For_China_church-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="423" height="317" />
  2021. <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Images in this article courtesy of Bibles for China</em></p>]]>
  2022. </description>
  2023. <pubDate>Thu, 17 Apr 2025 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate>
  2024. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/china-formally-bans-foreign-missionary-activity/</guid>
  2025. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/China-Bibles-for-China-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2026. </item>
  2027. <item>
  2028. <title>Resurrection Sunday means victory in life or death</title>
  2029. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/resurrection-sunday-means-victory-in-life-or-death/</link>
  2030. <description>
  2031. <![CDATA[
  2032. International (MNN) — <b>Do you think of Easter as a victory day?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  2033.  
  2034. “In the countries we serve, Easter has greater prominence among the churches even than Christmas,” says Erick Mock with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slavic Gospel Association</a></strong></span>. “Easter becomes a profound time of worship.”
  2035.  
  2036. The victory concept carries a particular poignancy in countries like Ukraine, Israel, Russia and many others where SGA partners with local churches. Destruction and discord have loud voices. Yet Mock tells the story of one woman who discovered God's voice even in mayhem.
  2037.  
  2038. While in Ukraine, he met an older woman who had lost her family and home. She often didn't know where her next meal would come from.<strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> But she w</span>ore a beautiful smile.</strong>
  2039.  
  2040. "Please tell me why you're smiling,” he said after hearing her story.
  2041.  
  2042. <div id="attachment_209429" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-209429" class="size-medium wp-image-209429" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SGA_aid-campaign-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-209429" class="wp-caption-text">In a time of great uncertainty, God is bringing help, healing, and hope to the people of Ukraine through SGA-supported pastors, churches, a seminary and SGA-supported Compassion Ministry.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association)</p></div>
  2043. <blockquote>
  2044. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Because everything tragic that happened in my life led me to this place where I found the grace of God,” she replied.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“God has filled my heart with peace and joy, independent of my circumstances, and I know heaven is before me. Whatever happens to me, heaven is there.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  2045. </blockquote>
  2046. That same hope in Jesus’ resurrection is yours today, if you know Christ.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2047.  
  2048. ”Even as you watch the chaos in this world, or even some of the chaos in our own country, [I encourage you] to <b>see Easter as a point of victory, a point of celebration that our lives are not determined by our circumstances </b>— both positive and negative — but it's the hope we have in Jesus Christ, by His grace, through faith,” says Mock.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2049.  
  2050. This Easter, SGA is boosting support to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sga.org/ministries/missionary-pastors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">missionary pastors</a></strong></span> so they can deliver more aid to their neighbors in the name of Christ. It opens the way to invite people to church and hear the gospel — <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sga.org/but-then-god/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">like it did for Sergei in Belarus</a></strong></span>.<strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> Pray for many people to be drawn to Jesus this Holy Week.</span></strong>
  2051.  
  2052. Learn more about SGA <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sga.org/ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2053.  
  2054. &nbsp;
  2055.  
  2056. &nbsp;
  2057.  
  2058. <em>Header photo: In a time of great uncertainty, God is bringing help, healing, and hope to the people of Ukraine through SGA-supported pastors, churches, a seminary and SGA-supported Compassion Ministry. (Photo, caption courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association)</em>]]>
  2059. </description>
  2060. <pubDate>Thu, 17 Apr 2025 05:00:14 -0400</pubDate>
  2061. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/resurrection-sunday-means-victory-in-life-or-death/</guid>
  2062. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/2007-1007-014-001-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2063. </item>
  2064. <item>
  2065. <title>“Spiritual spring” creates Gospel opportunities</title>
  2066. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/spiritual-spring-creates-gospel-opportunities/</link>
  2067. <description>
  2068. <![CDATA[
  2069. USA (MNN) -- Spring is underway here in the United States, a season of new beginnings.
  2070.  
  2071. “Where I live, I can tell that it’s spring because the pond is singing and the daffodils are blooming,” Ron Hutchcraft of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hutchcraft Ministries</a></strong></span> says.
  2072. <blockquote>
  2073. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“On a spiritual basis, there seems to be a blooming of a spiritual spring. God is on the move and accelerating His work.”</strong></p>
  2074. </blockquote>
  2075. David Kinnaman with the Barna Research Group recently presented the results of an extensive survey done for the National Religious Broadcasters Convention. “Over the last couple of years, they have noticed that there’s a growing turn toward the spiritual for answers,” Hutchcraft says.
  2076.  
  2077. “It’s not so much about church-going and the institutional side, but a spiritual curiosity and openness is growing.”
  2078.  
  2079. This “spiritual spring” creates a Gospel opportunity for believers. “The number one thing people are looking for is peace,” Hutchcraft says.
  2080.  
  2081. “We’ve been through a huge recession [and] confusing political turmoil; a pandemic turned everything upside down. The mental health statistics are frightening.”
  2082.  
  2083. <em><strong>Do you know how to share your hope story?</strong></em> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://store.hutchcraft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Resources from Hutchcraft Ministries can help.</a></strong></span>
  2084.  
  2085. Hutchcraft says, “We who know Christ have experienced the peace that comes from the One who speaks to a storm and says, ‘Peace be still.’”
  2086.  
  2087. &nbsp;
  2088.  
  2089. &nbsp;
  2090.  
  2091. &nbsp;
  2092.  
  2093. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/yellow-and-white-flowers-in-tilt-shift-lens-s0YBaLsAbK8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andréas BRUN/Unsplash</a>.</em>]]>
  2094. </description>
  2095. <pubDate>Thu, 17 Apr 2025 05:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
  2096. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/spiritual-spring-creates-gospel-opportunities/</guid>
  2097. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/andreas-brun-s0YBaLsAbK8-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2098. </item>
  2099. <item>
  2100. <title>Turkiye drains itself of Christian expats while local church rallies</title>
  2101. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/turkiye-drains-itself-of-christian-expats-while-local-church-rallies/</link>
  2102. <description>
  2103. <![CDATA[
  2104. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Turkiye (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">With </span><strong><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/countries/TU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">57 unreached people groups</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Turkiye has a great need for evangelism. Yet an increasing number of Christian expats are departing from the country. Bruce Allen with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong> says their exit is part of a systemic attempt to remove foreign Christians. He says what’s happening is not as explicit as imprisonment or deportation. </span>
  2105.  
  2106. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a little bit more sly. It’s that, ‘We are not renewing your visa.’ So it doesn’t look like you are being expelled. It’s just that you’re not getting a renewal to come back.”</span>
  2107.  
  2108. <span style="font-weight: 400;">People may not know they are in danger of losing their visa until they have very little time to plan accordingly. For example, a family who has vacationed in another country may return to a closed door in Turkiye, or they may be told on the way out that they will be refused reentry. Allen says he recently spoke with one woman in Turkiye who told him,</span>
  2109.  
  2110. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“You don’t know until you get to the airport if they’re going to say, ‘And never come back.’”</span>
  2111.  
  2112. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the case of being refused reentry before departure, some people decide not to leave the country at all. </span>
  2113.  
  2114. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Those are the people who, two weeks later, the police are at their door saying, ‘We arrest you,’” Allen says.  </span>
  2115.  
  2116. Please pray for Christian expats in Turkiye facing uncertainty.
  2117.  
  2118. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Meanwhile, Turkish pastors see potential in this situation. Allen thinks it has to do with the second part of the Great Commission. While the first command is to go and make disciples: </span>
  2119.  
  2120. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The other half is, ‘And teach them to do everything I’ve told you to do.’ And often we’ve said, ‘We have this manpower, we have the purse strings, we own the ministry; and we’ve not empowered the local believers,’” he says. </span>
  2121.  
  2122. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Indigenous church planters see the opportunity to step up to the plate as a breath of fresh air. For his part, Allen says adjacent ministries must still come alongside the local congregation to facilitate, mobilize, and inspire. </span>
  2123.  
  2124. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Believers in Turkiye face challenges. With a rich history of Christian tradition, the country is often sought out by Christians seeking to visit the seven churches of Revelation; but the present-day situation differs from the historical scene. Allen says most of Turkiye’s Christians face meeting space insecurity. </span>
  2125.  
  2126. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The government appreciates the tourism, but the reality is you cannot build a Christian church building today in the country.” </span>
  2127.  
  2128. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray that believers would find places to continue meeting. Pray that as they continue to do the Lord’s work in Turkiye, ministries like FMI will effectively equip and fortify them. Please pray also for church planters being sent out from local Turkiye churches. Pray for the training and mentoring of new pastors, and pray for the hearts of the people in the communities they serve. </span>
  2129.  
  2130. <img class=" wp-image-214129" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/collin-ross-qHL7tkRfiyo-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="719" height="479" />
  2131. <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Images in this article courtesy of Unsplash. </em></p>]]>
  2132. </description>
  2133. <pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2025 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate>
  2134. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/turkiye-drains-itself-of-christian-expats-while-local-church-rallies/</guid>
  2135. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/abdullah-qureshi-_gIcbWxMCq4-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2136. </item>
  2137. <item>
  2138. <title>What the Iranian church could say to the West as U.S.-Iran nuclear talks continue</title>
  2139. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-the-iranian-church-could-say-to-the-west-as-u-s-iran-nuclear-talks-continue/</link>
  2140. <description>
  2141. <![CDATA[
  2142. Iran (MNN) — Oman’s foreign minister <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/the-monitors-view/2025/0414/Why-Iran-and-US-need-Oman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facilitated positive indirect talks</a></strong></span> between the U.S. and Iran last weekend. The two nations plan to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-nuclear-talks-italy-77b07a31957b2cb64bd2c37a9d47dad5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">meet again on Saturday</a></strong></span> about Iran’s disputed nuclear program.
  2143.  
  2144. In the meantime, the people of Iran endure <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranfocus.com/economy/53855-the-iranian-regimes-economic-crisis-in-a-critical-year/)" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skyrocketing inflation</a> </strong></span>as Iran’s economy reels from sanctions. But incredible things are happening there spiritually. The Iranian church is multiplying, and their example can offer encouragement and challenge to believers in the West, says Shah Ahmadi with Iran Alive Ministries.
  2145.  
  2146. For example, Iranian believers know there is a price to follow Christ. “[They learn] Jesus died on the cross. He rose after three days, He already gave His life to you. <strong>Come and follow, but you may lose everything</strong>,” Ahmadi says. “So that is one thing I would encourage to change perspective [in the West]. [The] gospel is not about you. Gospel is about Jesus Christ and following Him."<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2147.  
  2148. Ahmadi also shares a call to <strong>treasure God’s Word</strong> and <strong>pursue fellowship with other believers</strong>, both of which are so dangerous to come by in Iran.
  2149.  
  2150. "Inside Iran, it took one month to get [a] Bible to some person. We had to smuggle our Bible inside Iran. We had to put [it] in very unknown place, take a screenshot, send location, send three different people to put there, and then ask, 'can someone come and pick that Bible?' It's just been a heavy, heavy process of having just one Bible in there," he says.
  2151.  
  2152. <div id="attachment_208929" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-208929" class="size-medium wp-image-208929" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/pexels-inima-14413072-300x267.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="267" /><p id="caption-attachment-208929" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo by Inimafoto A/Pexels)</p></div>
  2153.  
  2154. "In Iran, people, they die for going to house churches. Iranian government believes in power of the church more than we [in the West] do. That's why they arrest them."
  2155.  
  2156. The fourth encouragement he brings up is the most important one, he says. "Share with others. Share with others. <strong>Don't hold back the good news.</strong> You can share with your friend, your family, your coworkers and in many creative ways, but share it. Sharing is not pastor's job or evangelists' job. Every one of us, we play [a] role [in] sharing the love of God with other people.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2157. <h2><b>Find your place in the story</b></h2>
  2158. If you worship in Western churches, ask God to help you make the most of your freedoms. Pray for Iranian brothers and sisters in Christ and let their challenges spur you on after God.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2159.  
  2160. “They say, ‘Don't pray the persecution finish. Pray we could be faithful during that persecution," says Ahmadi.
  2161.  
  2162. Finally, here is his simple suggestion for church multiplication in the West.
  2163.  
  2164. “My strategy is this: if each member of the church in next year [will] bring one person to Christ, the church will be double[d]." <strong>Sounds straightforward, doesn't it? Is there a way your church could begin encouraging and (if needed) training people for a year of outreach?</strong>
  2165.  
  2166. &nbsp;
  2167.  
  2168. &nbsp;
  2169.  
  2170. &nbsp;
  2171.  
  2172. <em>Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy mentatdgt via Pexels.</em>]]>
  2173. </description>
  2174. <pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2025 05:00:19 -0400</pubDate>
  2175. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-the-iranian-church-could-say-to-the-west-as-u-s-iran-nuclear-talks-continue/</guid>
  2176. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/cellphone-chairs-coffee-1568342-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2177. </item>
  2178. <item>
  2179. <title>Barna sees 66 percent rise in Christian commitments</title>
  2180. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/barna-sees-66-percent-rise-in-christian-commitments/</link>
  2181. <description>
  2182. <![CDATA[
  2183. USA (MNN) -- According to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.barna.com/research/belief-in-jesus-rises/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the latest report</a></strong></span> from Barna Research, nearly 30 million more U-S adults claim to be following Jesus today than in 2021. The most significant drivers of the Jesus movement are younger generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials.
  2184.  
  2185. Significantly, Millennial and Gen Z men are more likely to indicate a commitment to Christ than their female counterparts.
  2186.  
  2187. “I am super thrilled that we’re seeing a change, especially in young men,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keys for Kids’</a></strong></span> Greg Yoder says.
  2188. <blockquote>
  2189. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“If we’re expecting men to lead our families, we need to make sure that men not only know Jesus but how to disciple kids and their families.”</strong></p>
  2190. </blockquote>
  2191. According to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://access.barna.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Households-of-Faith_Access.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barna’s 2019 study</a></strong></span>, parents are the primary spiritual influencers in a child’s life, more than church leaders or youth pastors. The 2019 study also found that kids who engage in conversations about God at home are much more likely to remain active in faith as adults.
  2192.  
  2193. <div id="attachment_154781" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/kfkkids.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-154781" class="size-medium wp-image-154781" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/kfkkids-300x204.png" alt="" width="300" height="204" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-154781" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Keys For Kids)</p></div>
  2194.  
  2195. “We all, as followers of Jesus, want to lead our kids and have quiet time with the Lord. But you know, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start,” Yoder says.
  2196.  
  2197. “Keys for Kids Ministries makes it easy. You don’t have to plan. You get a free devotional, and you can either open it up and read it with your kids or get the app and have conversations with your kids as they listen to the audio.”
  2198.  
  2199. For some parents, incorporating devotional time into an existing routine is the quickest way to start.
  2200.  
  2201. “Many moms put it in their cars and listen to it on their way to school, so their commute to school is all about Jesus. Some families take the devotional, and they pass it around. Each kid gets a turn to read,” Yoder says.
  2202.  
  2203. “Having devotions with your kids is not the end all, but it certainly is a great place to start.”
  2204.  
  2205. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/keys-for-kids-and-unlocked-devotionals/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Request a kids or teen devotional from Keys for Kids here.</a></strong></span>
  2206.  
  2207. “We’re the Mission Network News media partner this month, where you can sign up and get Keys for Kids and Unlocked. It’s absolutely free, and we’ll get those out as soon as possible,” Yoder says.
  2208.  
  2209. &nbsp;
  2210.  
  2211. &nbsp;
  2212.  
  2213. &nbsp;
  2214.  
  2215. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-little-girl-in-a-pink-coat-holding-her-hands-together-wewIIEq-KQg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Ben White/Unsplash.</em></a>]]>
  2216. </description>
  2217. <pubDate>Wed, 16 Apr 2025 05:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
  2218. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/barna-sees-66-percent-rise-in-christian-commitments/</guid>
  2219. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ben-white-wewIIEq-KQg-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2220. </item>
  2221. <item>
  2222. <title>Sudan war enters third year today</title>
  2223. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudan-war-enters-third-year-today/</link>
  2224. <description>
  2225. <![CDATA[
  2226. Sudan (MNN) -- When the Sudanese army recaptured Khartoum <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/army-advances-in-khartoum-rsf-uses-church-as-barracks/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last month</a></strong></span>, many hoped that Sudan’s war would end. Diplomats pushed both sides to come to a peaceful resolution that would end record-breaking displacement and bloodshed.
  2227.  
  2228. Instead, the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.crisisgroup.org/africa/horn-africa/sudan/two-years-sudans-war-spreading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conflict is escalating</a></strong></span> as it enters its third year today. The Rapid Support Forces have killed more than 300 people in two aid camps <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/14/nx-s1-5363700/in-sudan-hundreds-killed-in-attacks-on-famine-hit-displacement-camps" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since Thursday</a></strong></span>.
  2229.  
  2230. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfoldingWord</a></strong></span> partners are among the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2025/4/14/animated-maps-show-two-years-of-war-in-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">14 million people</a></strong></span> forced to flee their homes. “All of their lives are at risk, and they’re all worried about their families,” Dane* with unfoldingWord says.
  2231.  
  2232. “Most of them have experienced being displaced, yet they’re still working [and] translating the Bible for their people,” he continues.
  2233. <blockquote>
  2234. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They see the Gospel and people meeting Christ as the only thing that will save their country.”</strong></p>
  2235. </blockquote>
  2236. <h2>Scripture in minority languages</h2>
  2237. unfoldingWord teaches indigenous church planters how to translate God’s Word into their heart languages. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://unfoldingword.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> “There are 11 Bible translation teams working in Sudan’s unreached people group languages,” Dane says.
  2238.  
  2239. “Our partners there have completed drafting 20 New Testament books into Sudanese Arabic. They’ve drafted and have done the secondary checking on five Old Testament books.”
  2240.  
  2241. <div id="attachment_214103" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/UW_Sudan-WBWN.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214103" class="size-medium wp-image-214103" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/UW_Sudan-WBWN-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-214103" class="wp-caption-text">“They see the Gospel and people meeting Christ as the only thing that will save their country.”<br />(Photo courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div>
  2242.  
  2243. One minority language group, for whom Sudanese Arabic is a second language, works parallel with the Sudanese Arabic translation team. “The [group was] able to tell the guys doing the Sudanese Arabic work, ‘Wow, these are excellent tools. Thank you so much. We’re using them right away,’” Dane says.
  2244.  
  2245. “The [group] has already translated our unfoldingWord Open Bible Stories, which are 50 Bible stories from Genesis to Revelation, for evangelism, discipleship, church planting, and translation training,” he continues.
  2246.  
  2247. “They’ve been trained to use all our tools, and they’ve completed five books so far: Jonah, 3 John, 1 Timothy, Ruth, and Esther. So that’s where things stand regarding the actual translation progress.”
  2248. <h2>Courage in action</h2>
  2249. This translation work doesn’t happen in a vacuum but within the context of persecution and risk. When Sudan’s war began, Dane interviewed the head of unfoldingWord’s partner organization, who says Sudanese church planters know their Gospel work puts them in harm’s way.
  2250.  
  2251. “He said, ‘In Sudan, if you’re going to obey Christ and plant churches and preach the Gospel, your life is forfeit. We carry our death certificates in our pocket,’” Dane recalls.
  2252. <blockquote>
  2253. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They know they may die doing this, and yet they do it anyway because they love God and their countries.”</strong></p>
  2254. </blockquote>
  2255. <em><strong>Now that you know, could you hit the “share” button?</strong> </em>“With Ukraine and the war in the Middle East, Sudan is getting ignored,” Dane says.
  2256.  
  2257. “Share their story as much as you can on social media.”
  2258.  
  2259. Additionally, you can help this vital translation work continue in Sudan by <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://unfoldingword.org/wbwn/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">giving to unfoldingWord’s “Whole Bible, Whole Nation” projec</a></strong></span>t. Your support drives a holistic process that reaches remote regions, equips communities with the tools they need, and trains church leaders to bring the Bible to life for new generations.
  2260.  
  2261. &nbsp;
  2262.  
  2263. <em><strong>*Name withheld for security purposes.</strong></em>
  2264.  
  2265. &nbsp;
  2266.  
  2267. &nbsp;
  2268.  
  2269. &nbsp;
  2270.  
  2271. <em>Header and story images courtesy of unfoldingWord.</em>]]>
  2272. </description>
  2273. <pubDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2025 05:00:03 -0400</pubDate>
  2274. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudan-war-enters-third-year-today/</guid>
  2275. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/UW_pray-for-sudan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2276. </item>
  2277. <item>
  2278. <title>Sudanese flee war as Darfuri people encounter Jesus</title>
  2279. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudanese-flee-war-as-darfuri-people-encounter-jesus/</link>
  2280. <description>
  2281. <![CDATA[
  2282. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sudan (MNN) – As Sudan faces dual crises of war and famine, Sudanese continue to flee their country. Many seek refuge in nearby Egypt, Algeria, Uganda, South Sudan, or Chad. Bishop Dr. Yassir Eric, partner of <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horizons International</a></strong>, was born and raised in a Muslim family in Northern Sudan. He says relocating to a neighboring country does not dispel cultural challenges for refugees. </span>
  2283.  
  2284. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Geographically, they are neighbors, but culturally they are extremely different. There is lots of discrimination going on in Egypt,” for example, “because of their color, their background,” he says. </span>
  2285.  
  2286. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In Ethiopia, Sudanese are not welcome because of political differences. In Uganda, refugee camps exist but are often underserved. This plethora and diversity of challenge is experienced by the approximately </span><strong><a href="https://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing-notes/unrelenting-violence-sudan-drives-continued-refugee-exodus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3 million IDP who fled to other countries </a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> since Sudan's civil war began on April 15, 2023. </span>
  2287. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Gospel and Darfuri diaspora</span></h2>
  2288. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sudan’s northwestern region of Darfur is especially ravaged by the ongoing conflict. Historically, the area has been distinctly Muslim. Eric says he knew of only one Christian from Darfur when he moved out of Sudan in 1995. Since then, spiritual transformation has rippled through the growing wave of refugees. </span>
  2289.  
  2290. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Today, the church is flourishing among the Darfuri people: in Chad, in Egypt, and even in Southern Sudan,” he says. </span>
  2291.  
  2292. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Eric suggests that refugees from this region are responding to the Gospel for two main reasons. </span>
  2293.  
  2294. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The first is disillusionment with Islam. </span>
  2295.  
  2296. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Those people are being killed by their own brothers and sisters, so we realize that Islam cannot be the solution that we have been always seeking out.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">
  2297. </span>
  2298.  
  2299. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The second reason is that Christians are proactively engaging displaced Sudanese with the love of Christ. </span>
  2300.  
  2301. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I just got back from Chad where I baptized in one day 250 Muslim-background believers from Darfur,” Eric says. </span>
  2302. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ministry to Muslim-background believers</span></h2>
  2303. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The encouraging reality of a growing church among Darfuri diaspora is sobered by the unique challenges faced by Muslim background believers. Eric explains that they must overcome theological challenges as their worldview is overhauled; spiritual challenges as they seek freedom from the spirit of bondage; and liturgical challenges as they learn how to worship and mature in their newfound Christian faith. </span>
  2304.  
  2305. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Growing up in a devout Muslim family, Eric experienced these obstacles firsthand. Before he became a believer, he witnessed genocide from the perpetrator’s perspective. </span>
  2306.  
  2307. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“People got killed in Southern Sudan because they were followers of Christ. And I used to belong to the group that wanted to finish those people,” he says. </span>
  2308.  
  2309. <span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s why when he became a follower of Jesus, the first thing Eric learned was how to live in peace with others. </span>
  2310.  
  2311. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“And this is what we are lacking in Sudan. It’s not the political intellect or the resources, but we just don’t know how peace works,” he says.</span>
  2312.  
  2313. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Eric now serves the church of Muslim-background believers worldwide, working with Horizons International, an MNN partner based in Lebanon. </span>
  2314.  
  2315. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“What we need as Muslim-background believers: people to help us find our identity in Christ,” he says. “Sometimes people think that we became Christians because Islam is bad. No. We became Christians because Jesus touched our hearts.”</span>
  2316.  
  2317. <span style="font-weight: 400;">He says ministries should seek to drive that point home by engaging with, listening to, and answering the questions of Muslim background believers, being careful not to provide content without context. </span>
  2318. <h2><span style="font-weight: 400;">Find your place in the story</span></h2>
  2319. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In a </span><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKkMDMvzF1o&amp;ab_channel=Hurttimurtti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">short documentary about his conversion</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Eric credits his salvation to a persecuted Christian’s 25 years of supplication on his behalf. This Christian was once the victim of a brutal attack by Eric himself, years before he knew the Lord.</span>
  2320.  
  2321. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“That’s the answer to persecution, to hate,” he concludes. “It’s prayer.” </span>
  2322.  
  2323. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for the country of Sudan. Pray that the warring parties, primarily the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, would seek peace in the best interest of their people. </span>
  2324.  
  2325. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray also for the Darfuri people and other refugees fleeing the country. Pray that in the midst of turmoil, they would encounter the transforming love of Jesus Christ. </span>
  2326.  
  2327. <strong><a href="https://form-renderer-app.donorperfect.io/give/horizons-international/sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to financially support Bishop Yassir Eric’s ministry in Sudan. </span>
  2328.  
  2329. &nbsp;
  2330.  
  2331. <div id="attachment_207015" style="width: 612px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-207015" class=" wp-image-207015" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/smaller-ammar-nassir-n0C_I1tqGxU-unsplash-300x183.jpg" alt="stock photo, Sudan, Unsplash" width="602" height="367" /><p id="caption-attachment-207015" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo of Khartoum, Sudan courtesy of Ammar Nassir via Unsplash)</p></div>
  2332.  
  2333. Header image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons]]>
  2334. </description>
  2335. <pubDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2025 05:00:25 -0400</pubDate>
  2336. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sudanese-flee-war-as-darfuri-people-encounter-jesus/</guid>
  2337. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/960px-Refugees_queue_for_water_in_the_Jamam_camp_South_Sudan_7118597209-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2338. </item>
  2339. <item>
  2340. <title>Approaching trauma healing with the Great Healer</title>
  2341. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/approaching-trauma-healing-with-the-great-healer/</link>
  2342. <description>
  2343. <![CDATA[
  2344. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Lebanon (MNN) – With the near total decimation of Hezbollah in Lebanon, Nuna from Triumphant Mercy Lebanon says Shiites are shattered. While some are affiliated with the terrorist group, others do not support it. Regardless, she says Lebanese Shiites are refused by their community. </span>
  2345.  
  2346. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We pray for broken hearts,” she says. “These are the brokenhearted now.” </span>
  2347.  
  2348. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nuna says prayer ministry for Lebanon should include Hezbollah members as well. </span>
  2349.  
  2350. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“How do you pray for them? You just ask God to heal the broken hearts, to send His spirit to bring them up again, and to minister to their lack of vision. He’s the one who opens eyes,” she says. </span>
  2351.  
  2352. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nuna adds that our shared need for redemption gives us grounds for connection with and prayer for people unlike us. </span>
  2353.  
  2354. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“True that they are so bad, but God loves them; and that changes our perspective in prayer.” </span>
  2355.  
  2356. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In Lebanon, “trauma healing” programs are popular; but Nuna says people are tired of a programmed approach.  </span>
  2357.  
  2358. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We went to shelters, and the people just reacted to it and said, ‘We had enough of trauma healing sessions, and we don’t want this because it’s not doing anything.’”</span>
  2359.  
  2360. <span style="font-weight: 400;">She says individuals need to be seen and valued amidst a wider group.  </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">
  2361. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">
  2362. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They need to speak. They need to bring up what is inside them, and when you just do a group trauma healing session, I don’t know how effective this is.” </span>
  2363.  
  2364. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Rather than a set number of sessions, people are looking for practical, physical help as well as a listening ear. The team at Triumphant Mercy takes a long view of this issue and approaches trauma with a Gospel mindset. </span>
  2365.  
  2366. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“How can you be healed without Christ? He is the healer. So we come to bring breakfast and just sit together, but the reality is we’re trying to bring Christ to people’s lives.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">
  2367. </span>
  2368.  
  2369. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Ministry visits to shelters that start with a simple meal or conversation often lead to witnessing opportunities. She says connecting Scripture to current circumstances is more than just a bridge builder. </span>
  2370.  
  2371. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“With a story from the Bible, you just bring God in a way that is not threatening. It’s a story, but at the same time it brings hope and restoration.” </span>
  2372.  
  2373. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Nuna says in trauma healing ministry, it’s important not to rely on platitudes like, “Be happy! Jesus loves you.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">
  2374. </span>
  2375.  
  2376. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“That doesn’t matter to them now in their pain. In their pain they need to see how God weaves stories of lives from stories that are existing: from stories of the Old Testament, from stories of Jesus.”</span>
  2377.  
  2378. <span style="font-weight: 400;">One mistake we can make in news interpretation is thinking of world events as occurring to groups rather than individuals. </span>
  2379.  
  2380. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would like people when they pray, to think of one person,” Nuna says. “Maybe they don’t know the person, but they know somebody who has a financial crisis, health issue, or death in the family. When you think about that person and relate it to any person in our region, it’s the same. People are hurting.” </span>
  2381.  
  2382. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for God to heal broken hearts across Lebanon. Pray that lost souls would be saved and blinded eyes would be given a new direction in Christ’s light.</span>
  2383.  
  2384. <div id="attachment_214052" style="width: 828px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214052" class=" wp-image-214052" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-karolina-grabowska-5207091-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="818" height="545" /><p id="caption-attachment-214052" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of kaboompics.com via Pexels</p></div>
  2385.  
  2386. <em>Header image courtesy of Triumphant Mercy Lebanon</em>]]>
  2387. </description>
  2388. <pubDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  2389. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/approaching-trauma-healing-with-the-great-healer/</guid>
  2390. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/TM-Lebanon-e1710378013921-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2391. </item>
  2392. <item>
  2393. <title>Protests in Haiti reveal a nation&#8217;s desperation</title>
  2394. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/protests-in-haiti-reveal-a-nations-desperation/</link>
  2395. <description>
  2396. <![CDATA[
  2397. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Haiti (MNN) -- Haitians are reaching their limit. Gangs are taking over more cities, leaving people with no option but to flee their homes. Roseline DeHart with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/for-haiti-with-love/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For Haiti with Love</a></strong> says busloads of people are arriving daily in </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cap-Haïtien</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, where her ministry is based. </span>
  2398.  
  2399. <span style="font-weight: 400;"> “These people have left everything they had in Port-au-Prince. Some of them have just the clothes on their back they fled with,” she says. </span>
  2400.  
  2401. <strong><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/gunfire-as-thousands-protest-in-haiti-to-denounce-a-surge-in-gang-violence/ar-AA1CbsT7?ocid=BingNewsSerp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Widespread demonstrations protesting gang activity</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> are an outgrowth of an aching question: Can things in Haiti get any worse? DeHart says people are discouraged, fed up, and tired. </span>
  2402.  
  2403. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They just pray that God will intervene and do something with Haiti with all these gangs because they can’t stand it anymore,” she says. “We try to help the ones we can.” </span>
  2404.  
  2405. <span style="font-weight: 400;">For Haiti With Love has been working in </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cap-Haïtien</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for years, but the recent violence is unprecedented. </span>
  2406.  
  2407. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is the first time we’ve ever seen anything like this in Haiti,” DeHart says.  </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ministry has a reputation for refusing to abandon Haiti, come what may. </span>
  2408.  
  2409. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“God is really holding us together so we can continue to help them. And that is a big thing for them: knowing we will always be there for them,” DeHart says. </span>
  2410.  
  2411. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Practical help includes food assistance, a burn clinic, and housing help. 5,000 US dollars funds the building of a starter house for a single mother. DeHart says the ministry has built eight such houses so far, with three more on the way. It’s a sizable effort for a team operating alone for the last five years. </span>
  2412.  
  2413. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Everybody’s afraid of going to Haiti now, so we haven’t had any team at all since 2020,” DeHart shares. </span>
  2414.  
  2415. <span style="font-weight: 400;">She puts her faith in God, whose protection she entrusts herself to as she and her team care for the poor. As they serve, sometimes people ask more about the One in whose name these deeds are done. </span>
  2416.  
  2417. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“That’s when the doors open and we tell them about the Gospel,” DeHart says. </span>
  2418.  
  2419. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for peace and God’s intervention in Haiti. Pray for the people who are suffering and discouraged. Pray that God would turn chaos into order and restore Haiti to a country of beauty and thriving. </span>
  2420.  
  2421. <div id="attachment_214055" style="width: 411px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214055" class=" wp-image-214055" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/tim-trad-sS28i1H39AY-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="401" height="267" /><p id="caption-attachment-214055" class="wp-caption-text">Haitian boy. Courtesy of Tim Trad via Unsplash.</p></div>
  2422. <p style="text-align: left;"><em>Header image courtesy of topshere via Unsplash</em></p>]]>
  2423. </description>
  2424. <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate>
  2425. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/protests-in-haiti-reveal-a-nations-desperation/</guid>
  2426. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/topsphere-media-fA29oQ0cpcY-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2427. </item>
  2428. <item>
  2429. <title>New diplomacy steps for Syria, yet will justice and freedom come?</title>
  2430. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-diplomacy-steps-for-syria-yet-will-justice-and-freedom-come/</link>
  2431. <description>
  2432. <![CDATA[
  2433. Syria (MNN) --<b> </b>Syria and South Korea <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/11/syria-and-south-korea-establish-formal-diplomatic-relations" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>established</b></a></span> formal diplomatic relations on Thursday. It’s significant not only because Syria’s new transitional government is on fledgling international footing, but also because Syria used to be a close ally of North Korea.
  2434.  
  2435. This diplomatic development comes more than a month after sectarian violence <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2025/0328/syria-assad-alawites-massacre-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>broke out</b></a></span> in Syria, challenging the transitional government’s position on religious freedom. Last week, Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-coastal-killings-alawites-amnesty-assad-latakia-c76c9be2eee1fa48c7d58ef7cd0a2aed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extended</a></strong></span> the initial 30-day investigation of that massacre to three months from now.
  2436.  
  2437. <div id="attachment_213739" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213739" class="size-medium wp-image-213739" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-abdalhady-mansour-1697164-29886739-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213739" class="wp-caption-text">Photo of shadowed Syrian flag is a representative stock photo (Courtesy of Abdalhady Mansour via Pexels)</p></div>
  2438.  
  2439. <b>But will more time lead to justice or religious freedom?</b> Joe Willey serves with SAT-7, a satellite TV ministry to the Middle East and North Africa. He says that across the MENA region, people’s human rights, especially those of Christians, are not always honored.
  2440.  
  2441. That may mean a more helpful response to Syria’s instability is <b>to help its people, especially its Christians, endure.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  2442.  
  2443. “So when we look at a country like Syria or others in the Middle East and North Africa, we really think about Christians, because there may be — if not outright persecution — it just may be that there are what we call ‘isolated believers,’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> says Willey.</span>
  2444.  
  2445. Through SAT-7’s gospel-centered satellite TV and digital avenues, Christians with no connections to other believers have a chance to be discipled and interact with other Christians. Willey says the technology SAT-7 uses is “virtually uncensorable” — meaning hope can’t be silenced.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2446.  
  2447. <b>“Christians are only 4% of the population in the Middle East and North Africa,” he says. </b>“That means that there are other religions — and it's not just Islam, but there are other religions, or even atheism — that Christians have to deal with."
  2448.  
  2449. Whether Christians are viewed as minorities, as people without rights, or as people from a separate, inconsequential religion, the result is often still the same:
  2450. <blockquote>
  2451. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Many people... are not really allowed to freely proclaim their faith. That does not mean they do not have faith. It means that their faith is not able to be communicated to everyone, one at large, like we may do in the U.S.,” says Willey.</strong></p>
  2452. </blockquote>
  2453. <div id="attachment_156576" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-156576" class="size-medium wp-image-156576" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/sat-7-syrian-refugees-father-dad-son-child-boy-hat-asleep-immigrants-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-156576" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA via Facebook)</p></div>
  2454.  
  2455. But far from “hiding their light under a bushel,” so to speak, Willey says he’s noticed something interesting among these persecuted believers. “That is where God sovereignly has placed them, and they're going to serve Him no matter if they're the only one. <strong>That is so encouraging, as another Christian, to say, ‘These people are not Christians because it is easy. They are Christians because it is true.’”</strong>
  2456.  
  2457. Please pray! <strong>Pray that Syria’s government will truly uphold religious freedom.</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> Ask God to open the way for </span>believers in Syria (as well as other nations under persecution) to be able to share His love.
  2458.  
  2459. Pray also for SAT-7’s gospel ministry, meant as a resource not a replacement for the church. <strong>Pray their work truly does strengthen the church in the MENA in its range of needs. </strong>
  2460.  
  2461. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.sat7usa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about SAT-7 here.</a></strong></span>
  2462.  
  2463. &nbsp;
  2464.  
  2465. &nbsp;
  2466.  
  2467. <em>Header photo: On Thursday, April 10, diplomatic relations were established between the Republic of Korea and the Syrian Arab Republic with the signing of the Joint Communiqué by Cho Tae-yul, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea, and Asaad al-Shaibani, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic, in Damascus. (Photo courtesy of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (South Korea) - https://www.mofa.go.kr/eng/brd/m_5674/view.do?seq=321125, South Korea-Gov, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=163426738 via Wikimedia Commons.)</em>]]>
  2468. </description>
  2469. <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 05:00:25 -0400</pubDate>
  2470. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-diplomacy-steps-for-syria-yet-will-justice-and-freedom-come/</guid>
  2471. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/South_Korea_and_Syria_established_diplomatic_ties_on_April_10_2025-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2472. </item>
  2473. <item>
  2474. <title>No school, no future? A ministry brings hope to Syrian children in Lebanon</title>
  2475. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/no-school-no-future-a-ministry-brings-hope-to-syrian-children-in-lebanon/</link>
  2476. <description>
  2477. <![CDATA[
  2478. Lebanon (MNN) -- The best way to help Syria is to invest in its future — its children.
  2479.  
  2480. Lebanon hosts one of the world’s largest Syrian refugee populations. Government estimates put the number at <strong><a href="https://www.unhcr.org/lb/about-us/unhcr-lebanon-glance#:~:text=Lebanon%20remains%20a%20country%20hosting,11%2C238%20refugees%20of%20other%20nationalities." target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.5 million</a>,</strong> with at least <strong><a href="https://www.unhcr.org/lb/what-we-do/education#:~:text=Lebanon%20hosts%20close%20to%20470%2C000,formal%20and%20non%2Dformal%20education." target="_blank" rel="noopener">31%</a></strong> of them being school-aged children. Some began their education before the war or managed to enroll in Lebanese schools, but many have missed out on basic education — reading, writing, math, even music and science. Lebanon’s strained economy leaves little room to support these children, and many struggle with the language and curriculum.
  2481.  
  2482. “<strong>There was an attempt several years ago [to educate Syrian children] by the support of several international institutions</strong>,” explains Daoud Arnaout, “<strong>but it didn't succeed mainly because of economic situation</strong>.” Seeing an entire generation of Syrian children growing up with limited educational foundations, <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong> stepped in with a solution. If they couldn’t help all, they would start with a few.
  2483.  
  2484. <div id="attachment_214071" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214071" class="size-medium wp-image-214071" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/salah-darwish-KO1dRQByijA-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-214071" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Salah Darwish via Unsplash)</p></div>
  2485.  
  2486. “We have our educational non-formal program, which is equal to school,” says Arnaout. “It's not a regular or registered school, but it is an education program with a good curriculum. We've adopted most of the Lebanese curriculum, though not all of it.” Today, the ministry serves around 400 Syrian children across southern Lebanon and the Beqaa Valley. Students are placed in various grade levels depending on their academic ability.
  2487. <blockquote>
  2488. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“What we have accomplished so far with these kids is the style of their life, their education levels have changed positively, and they've gained a lot of education — language, math, a little bit of science. And definitely the spiritual part is as part of the curriculum; they have Bible lessons. They have chapel on weekly basis,” Arnaout shares.</strong></p>
  2489. </blockquote>
  2490. The impact goes beyond academics. The children also show noticeable behavioral changes. “When they come in, they will treat each other maybe in a harsh manner, but after months or a year they understand what it means to be and behave well — with others, with yourself even, and with teachers and with the school and people around,” he adds.
  2491.  
  2492. <strong>“These kids are the future, whether here and back in Syria again, or outside the country,</strong><strong> outside the other area, Middle East,” </strong>Arnaout says. <strong>“They are the future — if you build them correctly, and equip them with education, social awareness, all the knowledge that they can grasp, and definitely spiritually.”</strong>
  2493.  
  2494. <div id="attachment_214080" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214080" class="size-medium wp-image-214080" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/mitan-fetah-T4DEFZe25uk-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-214080" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of<br />Mitan Fetah via Unsplash)</p></div>
  2495.  
  2496. Pray that Syrian children receive the education they need to build a better future for themselves and for Syria. Pray also that <strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a>’</strong>s school receives official licensing to continue its work and provide recognized education so children can pursue their studies long-term.
  2497. <blockquote>
  2498. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“These kids are the future..</strong><strong>.”</strong></p>
  2499. </blockquote>
  2500. &nbsp;
  2501.  
  2502. &nbsp;
  2503.  
  2504. &nbsp;
  2505.  
  2506. &nbsp;
  2507.  
  2508. <em>Header photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha via Pexels.</em>]]>
  2509. </description>
  2510. <pubDate>Mon, 14 Apr 2025 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate>
  2511. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/no-school-no-future-a-ministry-brings-hope-to-syrian-children-in-lebanon/</guid>
  2512. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-ahmed-akacha-3313934-8633374-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2513. </item>
  2514. <item>
  2515. <title>Red Cross highlights concerning trends ahead of Sudan war anniversary</title>
  2516. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/red-cross-highlights-concerning-trends-ahead-of-sudan-war-anniversary/</link>
  2517. <description>
  2518. <![CDATA[
  2519. Sudan (MNN) -- The International Committee of the Red Cross <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.icrc.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/ICRC_Sudan_Report_two_years_of_devastation_0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently released</a></strong></span> a new report highlighting trends of concern in Sudan, whose civil war will hit the two-year mark on Tuesday.
  2520.  
  2521. Broken healthcare systems and widespread sexual assault top off the report, while <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2025-04-10/red-cross-concerned-by-drone-attacks-on-critical-infrastructure-in-sudan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repeated attacks</a></strong></span> on civilian infrastructure keep millions in the dark and cut off from lifesaving aid.
  2522.  
  2523. “Sudan, for many reasons, should be on our radar. It’s the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today. Famine is widespread; there are massive cholera outbreaks,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></strong></span>’ Greg Kelley says.
  2524. <blockquote>
  2525. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“This is a country of only 50 million people, and more than half are dependent upon some kind of aid, or else they are facing death.”</strong></p>
  2526. </blockquote>
  2527. Sudan’s most recent civil war erupted in April 2023 due to a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti).
  2528.  
  2529. Tensions escalated when a failed transition to civilian rule following the 2019 ousting of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir and a 2021 military coup brought both leaders to power.
  2530.  
  2531. <div id="attachment_205814" style="width: 161px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WikimediaCommons_janjaweed.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205814" class="size-medium wp-image-205814" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WikimediaCommons_janjaweed-151x300.jpg" alt="" width="151" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-205814" class="wp-caption-text">Arab militia known as Janjaweed are terrorizing Masalit communities in Sudan, particularly in the Darfur region.<br />(2004 U.S. State Department photo)</p></div>
  2532.  
  2533. Disagreements over integrating the RSF into the regular army and the timeline for returning to civilian governance led to open conflict, plunging the country into widespread violence, displacement, and a humanitarian crisis.
  2534. <h2>How is Sudan’s war affecting Christians?</h2>
  2535. The RSF has launched numerous attacks against Christian communities and churches since the war began. “The RSF takes it to the next level because they have no limits, there’s no governor on what they will do, and so they will attack,” Kelley says.
  2536. <blockquote>
  2537. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Christians are always a convenient target. They (RSF fighters) find majority Christian pockets in parts of Sudan and South Sudan, [and] they will target them for no other reason [than] they are Christians.”</strong></p>
  2538. </blockquote>
  2539. <em><strong>Yet the Lord is bringing good from Sudan’s tragedy.</strong></em> Muslims are hearing about Christ for the first time in refugee camps and turning to Him for salvation.
  2540.  
  2541. “When everything has been taken from you, your heart is open to a different message,” Kelley says. “Even last week, there [were] 15 new baptisms [reported] from our Darfur believers who are working as missionaries among refugees.”
  2542.  
  2543. Keep praying for the war in Sudan to end. “The only thing that will change Sudan is the Gospel because the Gospel changes the heart. Yeah, we need to feed them and give them water, but the Gospel is the only answer for Sudan,” Kelley says.
  2544.  
  2545. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consider supporting Unknown Nations’ efforts</a></strong></span> to send practical help and spiritual hope. “We work through Christian missionaries and nationals who are on the ground, and they will disperse food, blankets, and clean water to the people who are affected,” Kelley says.
  2546.  
  2547. &nbsp;
  2548.  
  2549. &nbsp;
  2550.  
  2551. <em>Header image courtesy of Spoken Worldwide.</em>]]>
  2552. </description>
  2553. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 05:00:55 -0400</pubDate>
  2554. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/red-cross-highlights-concerning-trends-ahead-of-sudan-war-anniversary/</guid>
  2555. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/spokenworldwideprayforsudan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2556. </item>
  2557. <item>
  2558. <title>Believers in India experience ongoing discrimination</title>
  2559. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-in-india-experience-ongoing-discrimination/</link>
  2560. <description>
  2561. <![CDATA[
  2562. <span style="font-weight: 400;">India (MNN) -- 640 cases of anti-Christian discrimination were recorded in 2024, </span><strong><a href="https://morningstarnews.org/2025/03/report-shows-increase-in-anti-christian-incidents-in-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly quadruple the number</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> ten years prior. Floyd Brobbel with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Voice of the Martyrs Canada</a></strong> says this trend will not likely redirect. </span>
  2563.  
  2564. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“When people on the ground feel that they are empowered to discriminate against other religions - in this case, a Christian minority – without any consequences and in most cases encouraged by government authorities, I think you’ll see these incidents increase.”</span>
  2565.  
  2566. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Many Indian believers worship in makeshift structures of fabric and corrugated cardboard. Brobbel says these buildings are being destroyed during worship services. </span>
  2567.  
  2568. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“As they’re praying and as they’re worshipping, we’ve seen footage of Christians even beaten with sticks and rods to discourage them from worshipping in that place,” Brobbel says. </span>
  2569.  
  2570. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Modi administration is promoting Hinduism not just as a national religion but as an individual and corporate identity. While top-level officials tout religious freedom, Brobbel says the real test of authenticity is what is happening at the ground level. </span>
  2571.  
  2572. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“When we see states that are not allowing conversion from one religion to another, when we see repression that is coming from a state or ground level that is happening to not only Christians but other religious minorities in India, those words fall flat.”</span>
  2573.  
  2574. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Brobbel suggests that political pressure from Western governments and agencies could be better leveraged. </span>
  2575.  
  2576. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“With their counterparts in India, this should be one of the topics that’s brought to the forefront, and I don’t think that’s really being done,” he says. </span>
  2577.  
  2578. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Organizations like Voice of the Martyrs Canada can help supply political and business leaders with information that can help them advocate for Indian believers.</span>
  2579.  
  2580. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Further than that, of course, Christians should be raising a voice anyway,” Brobbel says. “They can be writing to their Indian consulates or embassies, raising awareness and raising a voice on behalf of persecuted Christians in India.” </span>
  2581.  
  2582. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Most importantly, Christians interested in partnering with the Indian church should fall heavily on the importance of prayer. </span>
  2583.  
  2584. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We should be praying constantly that in the midst of this struggle, that brothers and sisters in India would be faithful – that they can continue to shine a light in the midst of increasing opposition,” Brobbel says. </span>
  2585.  
  2586. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray that Christians in India would be resourced to evangelize and that God’s church would continue to grow. Brobbel says there are things to be excited about as pressures abound. </span>
  2587.  
  2588. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“God’s will is being done through His people, so we need to continue to pray with our brothers and sisters in India that the Word would continue to go forward and have the impact that we know that it can have.” </span>
  2589.  
  2590. <div id="attachment_207742" style="width: 595px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-207742" class=" wp-image-207742" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/MNI_pentecost-prayer-guide-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="585" /><p id="caption-attachment-207742" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Mission India)</p></div>
  2591.  
  2592. &nbsp;
  2593.  
  2594. &nbsp;
  2595.  
  2596. <em>Header image courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada. </em>]]>
  2597. </description>
  2598. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate>
  2599. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-in-india-experience-ongoing-discrimination/</guid>
  2600. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/prayforIndia_VCM-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2601. </item>
  2602. <item>
  2603. <title>Boy escaping home chaos finds peace at Mission India Bible Club</title>
  2604. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/boy-escaping-home-chaos-finds-peace-at-mission-india-bible-club/</link>
  2605. <description>
  2606. <![CDATA[
  2607. <p class="" data-start="250" data-end="467">India (MNN) -- When young boy Akil began attending a <a href="https://missionindia.org/matching-challenge/?referral=MNN2504.Match" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">10-Day Children’s Bible Club</span></strong></a> in India, he struggled with anxiety and loneliness. His home life was filled with conflict, and Akil had nowhere else to turn.</p>
  2608. <p class="" data-start="250" data-end="467">Raina Miller with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mission India</span></strong></a> says, "His parents were fighting at home all the time. His dad was really busy with work, and his mom was busy performing rituals to their gods because she was very superstitious. His parents had differing belief systems and it caused a lot of arguments between them."</p>
  2609. <p class="" data-start="570" data-end="712"><strong>A friend had invited Akil to the 10-Day Bible Club run by Mission India. What started as a simple invitation turned into something life-changing.</strong></p>
  2610. <p class="" data-start="714" data-end="929">"He was just surrounded by love and joy like he hadn't experienced before — and stability that he definitely didn't have at home," says Miller. "As he was at the Bible Club each day, he felt relaxed in a way that he didn't feel at home."</p>
  2611. <p data-start="714" data-end="929">Akil played games with other kids, sang songs, and most importantly, heard about Jesus for the first time.</p>
  2612.  
  2613. <blockquote>
  2614. <p class="" style="text-align: center;" data-start="714" data-end="929"><strong>Miller says, "He noticed that the Bible stories he was hearing contradicted what his parents believed, but he believed in them, and he believed in Jesus. He was moved and received Jesus as his Savior!"</strong></p>
  2615. </blockquote>
  2616. <div id="attachment_214031" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214031" class="size-medium wp-image-214031" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Akil_CBC-story-300x239.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="239" /><p id="caption-attachment-214031" class="wp-caption-text">Akil, a boy who first learned about Jesus at a 10-Day Children's Bible Club. (Photo courtesy of Mission India)</p></div>
  2617. <p class="" data-start="931" data-end="1239">Akil returned home transformed and he began sharing the Bible stories he learned with his family. His mother, moved by the change in her son, left behind her superstitious practices. By God's grace, there is more peace now in Akil's home.</p>
  2618. <p class="" data-start="1241" data-end="1404">While Akil’s parents haven’t yet made decisions to follow Jesus, they are open and curious — and continuing to explore the Gospel because of their son’s testimony.</p>
  2619. <p class="" data-start="1406" data-end="1442">Miller says stories like Akil’s aren’t uncommon. “We see kids all the time leading others to Christ.... Kids come to a Bible Club for the first day and love it so much that they want to bring their brothers and sisters and friends the next day. So the impact just grows from there."</p>
  2620. <p class="" data-start="1647" data-end="1946">With 356 million children under the age of 15, India holds one of the greatest opportunities to reach the next generation for Jesus.</p>
  2621. <p class="" data-start="1948" data-end="2042">This Easter, Mission India is inviting believers to get involved in a simple but powerful way.</p>
  2622. <p class="" data-start="2044" data-end="2332"><strong>Through April 21, donations to the 10-Day Children’s Bible Clubs are being matched dollar for dollar, up to $350,000.</strong> That means every $1 sends <em data-start="2200" data-end="2205">two</em> children like Akil to a Bible Club where they’ll hear about Jesus — and potentially change their families from the inside out.</p>
  2623. <p class="" data-start="2334" data-end="2435">“I don’t know what better Easter gift you could give than introducing a child to Jesus,” says Miller.</p>
  2624. <p data-start="2334" data-end="2435"><a href="https://missionindia.org/matching-challenge/?referral=MNN2504.Match" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Donate to Mission India's Easter Matching Challenge!</span></strong></a></p>
  2625. <p data-start="2334" data-end="2435"></p>
  2626. <p data-start="2334" data-end="2435"></p>
  2627. <p data-start="2334" data-end="2435"><em>Header photo courtesy of Mission India.</em></p>]]>
  2628. </description>
  2629. <pubDate>Fri, 11 Apr 2025 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate>
  2630. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/boy-escaping-home-chaos-finds-peace-at-mission-india-bible-club/</guid>
  2631. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/482128338_1104010335086021_8724104023238339982_n-e1742413330272-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2632. </item>
  2633. <item>
  2634. <title>China blocks US ministry&#8217;s travel amid relationship tensions</title>
  2635. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/china-blocks-us-ministrys-travel-amid-relationship-tensions/</link>
  2636. <description>
  2637. <![CDATA[
  2638. China (MNN) -- As US-China tensions escalate with <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/video/6371264967112" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">tit-for-tat tariffs,</span></strong></a> the fallout may be impacting more than just global markets. A Christian ministry based in the US is reporting fresh roadblocks to travel in China — cutting off direct access to churches and training centers they’ve partnered with for decades.
  2639. <blockquote>
  2640. <p class="" style="text-align: center;" data-start="505" data-end="691"><strong>Erik Burklin, President of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/china-partner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">China Partner</span></a>, says, “We were invited to come and do some more trainings in two different provinces and three different schools – like seminaries and Bible schools. We’ve just been informed by our friends over there who are with the Registered Church that they did not receive permission by their government to receive us.</strong></p>
  2641. </blockquote>
  2642. <div id="attachment_206585" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206585" class="size-medium wp-image-206585" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/church-celebration-China-Partner-300x200.jpeg" alt="China Partner, girl, church" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-206585" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of China Partner)</p></div>
  2643. <p class="" data-start="505" data-end="691">“We've never had that where, last minute, somebody would indicate it to us, 'Oh, please don't come right now because we couldn't get permission to host you.'"</p>
  2644. <p class="" data-start="1347" data-end="1458">The setback comes during a landmark year for China Partner, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2025.</p>
  2645. <p class="" data-start="1460" data-end="1682">“My grandparents went to China 100 years ago this year,” Burklin shares. “In 1925, they got the call of God in their hearts to become missionaries."</p>
  2646. <p class="" data-start="1460" data-end="1682">Burklin sees today’s restrictions in light of his grandparents’ experience. "They went through struggles and they had political strife during the middle of their tenure in China. That’s right at the end of World War II, Mao Zedong came into power, and all the foreigners were asked to leave. So this is not necessarily unprecedented, in a way.”</p>
  2647. <p class="" data-start="2013" data-end="2241">China’s tightened travel permissions appear to align with a broader pattern of retaliation toward the US in recent months, especially as trade tensions increase. However, Burklin says ministry doesn’t stop just because travel does.</p>
  2648.  
  2649. <blockquote>
  2650. <p class="" style="text-align: center;" data-start="2243" data-end="2406"><strong>“Just because China Partner ministries or other foreign organizations cannot right now travel to China to do direct ministry, there's a lot of things that still can be done.”</strong></p>
  2651. </blockquote>
  2652. <div id="attachment_201014" style="width: 202px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-201014" class="size-medium wp-image-201014" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/323300979_947878052858795_6003505221091565718_n-1-192x300.jpg" alt="" width="192" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-201014" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of China Partner)</p></div>
  2653. <p class="" data-start="2408" data-end="2656">Online relationships, prayer support, and ongoing communication with local believers remain key strategies. Burklin says he’s still in touch with pastors from the two provinces affected by the recent cancellation to better understand the situation.</p>
  2654. <p data-start="2408" data-end="2656">“We want to be very wise, and we also want to respect the authorities that have now basically limited international travel to come to China.”</p>
  2655. <p class="" data-start="2658" data-end="2760">In the midst of shifting policies, the Holy Spirit is moving and God is sovereign. Burklin says, “The Church is still operating in China and people are going to church – whether that is in the house Church movement or the Registered Church. God is still working.”</p>
  2656. <p class="" data-start="3594" data-end="3708">Find ways you can <a href="https://chinapartner.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">support China Partner at their website!</span></strong></a></p>
  2657. <p data-start="3594" data-end="3708"></p>
  2658. <p data-start="3594" data-end="3708"></p>
  2659. <p data-start="3594" data-end="3708"></p>
  2660. <p data-start="3594" data-end="3708"><em>Header photo courtesy of China Partner.</em></p>]]>
  2661. </description>
  2662. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:00:17 -0400</pubDate>
  2663. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/china-blocks-us-ministrys-travel-amid-relationship-tensions/</guid>
  2664. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/church-platform-China-Partner-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" />
  2665. </item>
  2666. <item>
  2667. <title>What &#8220;Zionist&#8221; means and how it impacts Middle Eastern churches</title>
  2668. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-zionist-means-and-how-it-impacts-middle-eastern-churches/</link>
  2669. <description>
  2670. <![CDATA[
  2671. Syria (MNN) — A political label is causing deep division in communities and churches in the Middle East. The word in the center of the trouble is “Zionist.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2672.  
  2673. Nuna* with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/triumphant-mercy-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Triumphant Mercy Lebanon</a></strong></span> explains the thought process that many people in the Middle East go through.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2674.  
  2675. “What they see is that all the support to Christians is coming from the U.S.,” she says. “And the U.S. — mainly the big pastors, the tele-evangelists — all these people are talking about Israel as ‘the Promised Land,’ and about Israel as being the land chosen by God.”
  2676.  
  2677. <div id="attachment_206376" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206376" class="size-medium wp-image-206376" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4386403-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-206376" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska/Unsplash)</p></div>
  2678.  
  2679. This quickly earns the label “Zionist,” which Nuna says, “It's not Israel as the Israeli, or the faith, or the Jews. They’re talking about Zion as land. <strong>So the ‘Zionist’ means ‘the right to the land.</strong>’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2680.  
  2681. It’s an easy jump to extend that label to Christians anywhere in the Middle East. “The views of Islam, of the Muslim people, is that these Christians are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://theconversation.com/christian-zionism-hasnt-always-been-a-conservative-evangelical-creed-churches-views-of-israel-have-evolved-over-decades-249314" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affiliated with the U.S.</a></strong></span>,” says Nuna.
  2682.  
  2683. <b>“This is a statement that you're making just by being Christian: you're just saying ‘Israel has the right to the land,’ meaning ‘everybody else needs to go.’”</b>
  2684.  
  2685. <b>Many, many Christians do not believe this about the land of Israel. </b>But Nuna explains the perception still hinders the gospel, because people don’t want to listen to Christians.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2686.  
  2687. The issue also puts churches themselves in danger of being called Zionists and targeted accordingly. <b>Tragically, this is happening in Syria, and among Christians no less.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  2688.  
  2689. “Even churches — like traditional churches — are going to the [interim] government and saying that ‘these evangelicals are Zionists.’ Christians inside Syria are saying this, which is Christians against each other,” Nuna says.
  2690.  
  2691. <div id="attachment_209258" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-209258" class="size-medium wp-image-209258" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/smaller-nathan-dumlao-MrtzHLp4zVM-unsplash-copy-300x233.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="233" /><p id="caption-attachment-209258" class="wp-caption-text">(Representative stock photo courtesy of Nathan Dumlao via Unsplash)</p></div>
  2692.  
  2693. “The churches are very, very afraid of what this means, of being labeled under this Zionist movement. [Government officials] close churches, they stop ministries. I know of one ministry that has even been removed [from its] license just because the ministry is to evangelize the non-Christians.”
  2694.  
  2695. <b>We know that Christians are not enemies of one another. These lies about political beliefs and these divisions among churches are stirred up by the enemy. Please pray!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Pray that unity in Christ will overcome all wrong perceptions about what following Him means.
  2696.  
  2697. “What we have to do all the time is talk about [the] realities that God does not divide His Body. Jesus came for everyone,” Nuna says of their ministry at Triumphant Mercy Lebanon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> "When we're talking with people, we have to explain ourselves all the time. 'Yes, there are preachers who are saying this. Yes, this is true, but this is not the reality on the ground. On the ground, everyone needs salvation. Israelis need salvation. Palestinians need salvation. Everyone needs Jesus."</span>
  2698.  
  2699. <strong>Ask God to overcome fear and divisions within churches in Syria and all other points of contention.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Specifically p</span>ray for Triumphant Mercy Lebanon as they evaluate what is going on in neighboring Syria and how they can or cannot support evangelism and discipleship within Syria. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  2700.  
  2701. Learn more about Triumphant Mercy Lebanon <a href="https://tm-lebanon.com"><b>here</b></a>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2702.  
  2703. &nbsp;
  2704.  
  2705. <em>*Pseudonym</em>
  2706.  
  2707. &nbsp;
  2708.  
  2709. &nbsp;
  2710.  
  2711. <em>Header photo of a minaret and a church steeple side-by-side in Syria. (Photo courtesy of Ali Wassouf/Unsplash)</em>]]>
  2712. </description>
  2713. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:00:06 -0400</pubDate>
  2714. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-zionist-means-and-how-it-impacts-middle-eastern-churches/</guid>
  2715. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ali-wassouf-_iWdvouR8LQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2716. </item>
  2717. <item>
  2718. <title>When cannibals meet Christ</title>
  2719. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-cannibals-meet-christ/</link>
  2720. <description>
  2721. <![CDATA[
  2722. <span style="font-weight: 400">Indonesia (MNN) — Nathan Fagerlie is a pilot with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-aviation-fellowship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Aviation Fellowship</a></strong>. Along with passengers and supplies, he carries memories and stories – some of them strikingly poignant. Take, for example, his account of a landing field in Papua, Indonesia, the region where he most frequently flies. </span>
  2723.  
  2724. <span style="font-weight: 400">“I love this airstrip. It’s called </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Apahapsali</span><span style="font-weight: 400">,” he says. </span>
  2725.  
  2726. <span style="font-weight: 400">Intrigued by the name, Fagerlie asked the local Yali people what it meant in their heart language.</span>
  2727.  
  2728. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They said, ‘Apah’ means ‘human’ and ‘hapsali’ means ‘where we remove their skin,’” he recounts. </span>
  2729.  
  2730. <span style="font-weight: 400">Matching the candor of their answer, he posed another question: what was the backstory of this airstrip? They pointed across the valley and gestured. </span>
  2731.  
  2732. <span style="font-weight: 400">“You know, we used to do a lot of night raids to that village. We’d capture people alive, we’d bring them back here, we’d skin them, and we’d eat them.” </span>
  2733.  
  2734. <span style="font-weight: 400">It’s a hair raising account, yet Fagerlie relays it without a hint of alarm in his voice. That’s because something happened between the head hunting history and Fagerlie’s entrance to the village. That something was the Gospel. </span>
  2735.  
  2736. <span style="font-weight: 400">When missionaries </span><strong><a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/former-cannibal-tribe-receives-bibles-in-their-own-language.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first introduced this tribe to Jesus Christ and His Word</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> in the 1950s, they were met with opposition that ended with two of them dead. But as the Yali began to receive the Word, a magnificent transformation rippled throughout the community. Cannibalism was turned on its head, as the Yali began to hunt fellow souls for redemption. </span>
  2737.  
  2738. <span style="font-weight: 400">By the time Fagerlie met this tribe in 2018, they were able to give an update on some of the structural outcomes that accompanied spiritual change. </span>
  2739.  
  2740. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They said, ‘This place that we used to skin and eat them, now it’s the air strip. And our celebration hut is now the church. And that place across the valley that we used to go and raid, our sons and daughters now marry their sons and daughters.’” </span>
  2741.  
  2742. <span style="font-weight: 400">The transformation of the Yali people is a reminder that when God’s Word goes out, it does not return void. </span>
  2743.  
  2744. <span style="font-weight: 400">“It changes them personally, it changes them culturally, it changes the way they view themselves, their neighbors, and the world,” Fagerlie says. </span>
  2745.  
  2746. <span style="font-weight: 400">MAF pilots are integral in <strong><a href="https://maf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carrying the Gospel across challenging terrain</a></strong>. Throughout mountainous jungles in Papua, for example, villages are isolated from each other because of the physical features of the island. It can take days to walk from one community to another, Fagerlie says. </span>
  2747.  
  2748. <span style="font-weight: 400">“An MAF airplane can get them there in 15 or 20 minutes. And not only can we get them there quicker, we can bring in their family, food, building supplies,” he says. </span>
  2749.  
  2750. <span style="font-weight: 400">So please pray for MAF pilots, their passengers, and the villages they serve. Pray for safe flights, open ministry doors, and receptivity of Papuan people to the Gospel. This tribe is an example of impact. </span>
  2751.  
  2752. <span style="font-weight: 400">“In a generation, it has changed them from cannibals to Christians," Fagerlie points out.</span>
  2753.  
  2754. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray that Yali believers would continue to grow in their faith and in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. </span>
  2755.  
  2756. <span style="font-weight: 400">And please pray for the others still waiting to hear the Good News: that even now, the Holy Spirit would be moving in their hearts to ready them for His life-giving Word.</span>
  2757.  
  2758. <div id="attachment_213936" style="width: 607px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213936" class=" wp-image-213936" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/edit-6684-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="597" height="396" /><p id="caption-attachment-213936" class="wp-caption-text">Village in Papua, courtesy of Becky Fagerlie, MAF.</p></div>
  2759. <p style="text-align: center"><em>Header image courtesy of MAF. </em></p>]]>
  2760. </description>
  2761. <pubDate>Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate>
  2762. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-cannibals-meet-christ/</guid>
  2763. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Evangelists-arrive-Puluk-by-N-Fagerlie-8-Jun-2021-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" />
  2764. </item>
  2765. <item>
  2766. <title>In Bangladesh, Islamists target believers from a Muslim background</title>
  2767. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-bangladesh-islamists-target-believers-from-a-muslim-background/</link>
  2768. <description>
  2769. <![CDATA[
  2770. Bangladesh (MNN) -- Islamist hard-liners <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://eastasiaforum.org/2025/04/07/political-islam-could-fill-bangladeshs-power-vacuum/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">threaten to fill</a></strong></span> a political power vacuum in Bangladesh.
  2771.  
  2772. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/muslim-fundamentalists-target-christians-in-bangladesh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Last summer</a></strong></span>, Bangladesh experienced widespread unrest driven by mass protests demanding Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s resignation and establishing a neutral caretaker government before the general elections.
  2773.  
  2774. The demonstrations, led mainly by the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), often turned violent, with clashes between protesters and security forces resulting in numerous injuries and arrests.
  2775.  
  2776. <div id="attachment_209787" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The_victory_celebration_of_Bangladeshi_students_one_point_movement.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-209787" class="size-medium wp-image-209787" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The_victory_celebration_of_Bangladeshi_students_one_point_movement-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-209787" class="wp-caption-text">Victory march by protesters after the resignation of Sheikh Hasina.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  2777.  
  2778. Popular support for traditional parties <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/01/world/asia/bangladesh-islam.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has fallen</a></strong></span> since then, creating an opportunity for fundamentalist groups.
  2779.  
  2780. Scott Clifton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/farms-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FARMS International</a></strong></span> says the new political uprising has led to persecution. “Previously, Bangladesh – at least on paper – was a secular government,” Clifton says.
  2781.  
  2782. “As it trends towards Islamic nationalism, just as India trends towards Hindu nationalism, that presents problems for anybody who’s not within that group.”
  2783.  
  2784. One believer was killed because Islamists found out he was keeping money in his home. Radicals are targeting believers from a Muslim background and those who minister to them.
  2785.  
  2786. “Because of this (political) transition, there’s a power struggle going on. There’s less of a police presence, and so that means things like persecution towards minorities in general and Christians in particular, has been increasing,” Clifton says.
  2787. <blockquote>
  2788. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They’ve made lists of people, and they’re following up door to door, going to people and telling them that they should revert to Islam. In some cases, that comes with threats.”</strong></p>
  2789. </blockquote>
  2790. However, there is a silver lining to this political storm. “It’s had an actual positive effect, counterintuitively, on the Church. It’s caused leadership to grow in faith, [and] rely on each other; they’re reading their Word more and more,” Clifton says.
  2791.  
  2792. “The Church is not backing down from its work, so we pray for the hearts they’re reaching.”
  2793.  
  2794. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.farmsinternational.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Consider partnering with FARMS</a></strong></span> to help local churches establish sustainable businesses that benefit the Christian community in Bangladesh.
  2795.  
  2796. FARMS’ mission is “to build back businesses that contribute to the long-term sustainability of (Christian) leaders,” Clifton says.
  2797.  
  2798. “It’s not a continual flow of funds, but it’s helping to establish businesses that will support that leader in a sustainable way year by year into the future.”
  2799.  
  2800. &nbsp;
  2801.  
  2802. &nbsp;
  2803.  
  2804. &nbsp;
  2805.  
  2806. <em>Header image is a representative photo created using <a href="https://gencraft.ai/p/xjjhfC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI/Gencraft</a>.</em>]]>
  2807. </description>
  2808. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2025 05:00:01 -0400</pubDate>
  2809. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-bangladesh-islamists-target-believers-from-a-muslim-background/</guid>
  2810. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/GenCraft_bangladesh-islamists-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2811. </item>
  2812. <item>
  2813. <title>Storytellers are &#8220;game changers&#8221; for evangelism, discipleship in the Middle East</title>
  2814. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/storytellers-are-game-changers-for-evangelism-discipleship-in-the-middle-east/</link>
  2815. <description>
  2816. <![CDATA[
  2817. <em>This story has been corrected from its broadcast. The young boy in the story is the son of a tribal chief in Pakistan, not the son of an imam. His father was able to instruct the imam to play Christian content from the mosque loud speakers. </em>
  2818.  
  2819. &nbsp;
  2820.  
  2821. Middle East/Near East (MNN) — God sends hope into the unrest of the Middle East and Near East today through a simple tool called "Storytellers" for kids.
  2822.  
  2823. These devices from <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keys for Kids</a></strong></span> are handheld players loaded with audio Bibles and more. They’ve been translated in Urdu, Pashto and soon to be Farsi to reach entire communities in Pakistan, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/News-Events/News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Afghanistan</a></strong></span> and beyond!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2824.  
  2825. Greg Yoder says they’ve heard incredible stories from distributions just this year. <strong>“Where we're actually seeing not just kids coming to faith in Christ, not only memorizing Scripture, not only memorizing the stories, but adults being able to see the simplicity of what it means to follow Jesus Christ and want that in their own lives.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  2826.  
  2827. In recent years, one player somehow reached <strong>the son of a tribal chief in Pakistan</strong>. He was notorious as a bad, troublemaking boy, but two days after he started listening, his dad said, “What is going on with you? You're now a nice kid. What is going on?”
  2828.  
  2829. <div id="attachment_210025" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-210025" class="size-medium wp-image-210025" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/mp3-D-ameen-225x300.jpg" alt="Keys for Kids, boy, Pakistan, Storyteller" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-210025" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo of a boy in Pakistan with a Storyteller courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries)</p></div>
  2830. <blockquote>
  2831. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>His son said, “I know Jesus.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  2832. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"What do you mean you ‘know Jesus’?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  2833. </blockquote>
  2834. After his son started playing the storyteller for him, the chief then ordered 200 more players for other village kids. After the kids began to change, he instructed the imam to play the devotional content from the village mosque loud speaker. The village began to change!
  2835.  
  2836. There’s another layer! Not only Muslims but also Christians need the encouragement and content on these audio players.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2837.  
  2838. “The pastors and evangelists and lay leaders in this area of the world <b>are saying they're game changers, not just for evangelism, but for discipleship,</b> because some of these pastors are learning more about the Bible than they'd ever known before,” says Yoder.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2839.  
  2840. “Since most of these pastors haven't been Christians for very long — Muslim background believers — they’re learning as if they were a child learning about Scripture.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2841.  
  2842. <strong>Today Keys for Kids is raising funds for thousands of players to load with content in Pashto, Urdu and soon Farsi. The opportunity is urgent, and the<span class="Apple-converted-space"> potential for impact is incredible! </span></strong>
  2843.  
  2844. “Those two languages (Pashto and Urdu) need 10,000 units right now. Then, the Farsi translation project has already been started,” Yoder says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2845.  
  2846. “We’re being told by pastors, especially in Pakistan, that they could use 3,000 units a month."
  2847.  
  2848. <strong>Find your place in this story! <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/international" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Join the campaign with Keys for Kids</a></span> to reach families in the Middle East and beyond with the hope of Jesus.</strong>
  2849.  
  2850. &nbsp;
  2851.  
  2852. &nbsp;
  2853.  
  2854. &nbsp;
  2855.  
  2856. <em>Header photo: Ameen, the son of a tribal leader in Pakistan, had a reputation as a rude and rebellious boy. However, his actions and attitude began to change after receiving a Storyteller. (Photo, caption courtesy of Keys for Kids)</em>]]>
  2857. </description>
  2858. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2025 05:00:04 -0400</pubDate>
  2859. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/storytellers-are-game-changers-for-evangelism-discipleship-in-the-middle-east/</guid>
  2860. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Ameen-with-his-friends_edited-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2861. </item>
  2862. <item>
  2863. <title>Where youth speak and hearts heal: Inside the SAT-7 &#8220;What’s Up&#8221; program</title>
  2864. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/where-youth-speak-and-hearts-heal-inside-the-whats-up-program/</link>
  2865. <description>
  2866. <![CDATA[
  2867. Lebanon (MNN) — Having a large family doesn’t always mean your voice will be heard — but there is One who always listens.
  2868.  
  2869. <em>"I'm from Morocco, and I'm 19 years old. Though many people surround me, I have no one to talk to. I am so grateful to the Lord for your help and advice."</em>
  2870.  
  2871. <div id="attachment_213987" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213987" class="size-medium wp-image-213987" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-silverkblack-23496635-300x169.jpg" alt="Man on the phone" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-213987" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Vitaly Gariev via Pexels)</p></div>
  2872.  
  2873. This heartfelt message came from a listener of "What’s Up", a <a href="https://www.sat7usa.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAT-7 program</a> designed to connect with young people across the Middle East and North Africa. Formerly known as "Catalyst", the updated show targets viewers aged 18 to 24, encouraging honest conversations, emotional depth, and mutual support — especially for those often misunderstood by their families or communities.
  2874.  
  2875. Through episodes that explore fear, pain, regret, and confusion, "What’s Up" program creates a safe space where youth can reflect and grow. Joe Willey of SAT-7 explains: <span style="text-align: center;">"Scripture is not just for a particular day or for a particular time period. <strong>Scripture encompasses our entire experience, and we can go to God with pain, with suffering</strong>. We see this in the imprecatory Psalms. We see this throughout Scripture."</span>
  2876.  
  2877. Many teens in the region are surrounded by conflict, crisis, and loss. "What’s Up" gives them a platform to be heard — and to hear the hope of Christ.
  2878. <blockquote>
  2879. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“SAT-7 is saying, ‘No, you <em>do</em> matter. You are made in the image of God, and we want to give you an opportunity to voice your concerns, and also then be able to share from a biblical perspective God’s view on difficulty, God’s view on suffering,’” says Willey.</strong></p>
  2880. </blockquote>
  2881. One powerful episode, “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAlg1IpCiR8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Is God present in the midst of painful trials?</a>”, looks directly at grief and hardship, helping young viewers process suffering in light of Scripture.
  2882.  
  2883. <span style="text-align: center;">"I pray that God would change the hearts of teens, because it really would change the culture of the Middle East and North Africa to have young people who said, ‘I’ve heard about Christ and I've heard about Him as the Son of God, not just as a prophet and I believe what He says is true,’” adds Willey.</span>
  2884.  
  2885. Pray that more young people across the Middle East and North Africa will discover this <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/sat-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAT-7 program</a> and be empowered by it to speak out. For the One who gifted us with the power to speak is the very One who longs to hear our voices.
  2886.  
  2887. &nbsp;
  2888.  
  2889. &nbsp;
  2890.  
  2891. &nbsp;
  2892.  
  2893. <em>Header photo courtesy of Ashkan Sadeghi via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  2894. </description>
  2895. <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2025 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate>
  2896. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/where-youth-speak-and-hearts-heal-inside-the-whats-up-program/</guid>
  2897. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ashkan-sadeghi-ooJHTX3l9Eg-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2898. </item>
  2899. <item>
  2900. <title>Junta delays aid to earthquake impact zones, believers work toward relief</title>
  2901. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/junta-delays-aid-to-earthquake-impact-zones-believers-work-toward-relief/</link>
  2902. <description>
  2903. <![CDATA[
  2904. Myanmar (MNN) — Hope of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-ceasefire-military-resistance-earthquake-disaster-05329d5a2448d0afd9d7c09e55a1c759" target="_blank" rel="noopener">finding earthquake survivors</a></strong></span> is ending in Myanmar, now eleven days after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> The death toll has surpassed <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/07/nx-s1-5354691/myanmar-earthquake-rain" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3,560 people</a></strong></span>.  </span>
  2905.  
  2906. Instead, delivery of aid is <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp31wk21zveo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">choked</a></strong></span> by military junta checkpoints, where inspections and bribery are the norm, says a pastor with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On top of that, attacks between the junta and rebel groups have been reported, despite the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/myanmar-military-declares-ceasefire-until-april-22-to-help-quake-survivors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporary ceasefire</a></strong></span> that was announced last week.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2907.  
  2908. Because of the junta’s actions, “That's why, especial[ly] the most affected area, people are <i>crying</i>. No water, no help,” says this pastor from Myanmar.
  2909. <blockquote>
  2910. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“One very serious thing I really want to make known to the world is, ‘Don’t try to <i>legitimize</i> the military junta. They are seeking international legitimacy acknowledgement by using this situation.'”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p>
  2911. </blockquote>
  2912. He says over half of Myanmar is <strong>no longer under the control of the military</strong> but instead the legitimate government, the National Unity Government. However, the military junta has control over the internet.
  2913.  
  2914. <div id="attachment_213968" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213968" class="size-medium wp-image-213968" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/z-wFVHg4fyzI-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213968" class="wp-caption-text">Photo from Tambon Mae La, Kayin State, Myanmar (Photo courtesy of Z via Unsplash)</p></div>
  2915.  
  2916. “The [internet] switch is in their hands. It's so hard to get the actual ground information. Generally we know that international aid comes in, trying their best to [do] the rescue things, as well as trying to help people. <strong>But the need is <em>so huge</em>. The impact area is vast.</strong> But the help, international help comes — <strong>it's too small, actually. It's too small, unbelievably too small.</strong>
  2917. <blockquote>
  2918. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“People [are] helping — but the need and the help, it's like an elephant and sesame seed.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p>
  2919. </blockquote>
  2920. Myanmar has a history of its people responding to help one another, the pastor explains.
  2921.  
  2922. "Wherever there was that kind of natural disaster, people rise up. You don't have to push them — they just rise up and in one heart and trying their best to help. <strong>So churches are the same: rising up, trying to help from our own pocket</strong>," he explains.
  2923.  
  2924. Even so, the pastor says Christians should be described as <strong>“wounded healers.” </strong>
  2925. <blockquote>
  2926. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“But one thing [I want to] say: Don’t expect too much, because we churches also are facing the same situation."</strong></p>
  2927. </blockquote>
  2928. <strong>Would you consider <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.a3leaders.org/projects/1831-global-disaster-relief-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partnering with A3</a></span> to send relief to Myanmar?</strong> The pastor says the Free Burma Rangers are also on the ground and doing true good there, as they have for decades.
  2929.  
  2930. <strong>Pray for genuine comfort and genuine help to be sent from the international community, not tainted by political agendas.</strong>
  2931.  
  2932. <b>“Pray for comfort. Pray for comfort,” the pastor says. “Please pray for God's strength from above for the churches.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  2933.  
  2934. &nbsp;
  2935.  
  2936. &nbsp;
  2937.  
  2938. &nbsp;
  2939.  
  2940. <em>Header photo from Myanmar courtesy of Guilherme Romano via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  2941. </description>
  2942. <pubDate>Tue, 08 Apr 2025 05:00:13 -0400</pubDate>
  2943. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/junta-delays-aid-to-earthquake-impact-zones-believers-work-toward-relief/</guid>
  2944. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/guilherme-romano-301384-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2945. </item>
  2946. <item>
  2947. <title>Sectarian clashes in Syria send new wave of refugees to Lebanon</title>
  2948. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sectarian-clashes-in-syria-send-new-wave-of-refugees-to-lebanon/</link>
  2949. <description>
  2950. <![CDATA[
  2951. Syria (MNN) -- Weeks of sectarian violence in Syria have triggered an influx of refugees into Lebanon. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/04/syria-coastal-massacres-of-alawite-civilians-must-be-investigated-as-war-crimes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Amnesty International</a></strong></span>, militias affiliated with the current government deliberately killed more than 100 Alawite people in towns along the coast.
  2952.  
  2953. Lebanon offers a haven.
  2954.  
  2955. “New Christian families, new Alawite families, and new Kurdish families have come to Lebanon seeking shelter, fearing retribution from the strong Sunni regime right now,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong></span>’s Camille Melki says.
  2956. <h2>Why are Alawites targeted?</h2>
  2957. Syria’s former dictator, Bashar al-Assad, and his father Hafez before him, are from the Alawite sect, a minority offshoot of Shia Islam. When the Assad family took power, starting with Hafez in 1970, they heavily staffed key positions in the military, intelligence, and government with Alawites, often from their region.
  2958.  
  2959. <div id="attachment_213964" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Al_Assad_family.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213964" class="size-medium wp-image-213964" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Al_Assad_family-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213964" class="wp-caption-text">The Assad family. Hafez al-Assad and his wife, Mrs Anisa Makhlouf. On the back row, from left to right: Maher, Bashar, Basil, Majid, and Bushra al-Assad.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  2960.  
  2961. Over time, this tight link between the regime and the Alawite community created the perception that the Alawites as a whole were behind or benefited from the Assad regime’s rule. So, when the regime committed atrocities during the Syrian civil war (e.g., mass detentions, chemical attacks, sieges), people began to associate the regime with the sect.
  2962.  
  2963. After Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow in December, hundreds of the Syrian refugees Heart for Lebanon cared for returned home. “Early on, we [saw] fewer people in our aid distribution, only to see those numbers not only returning but also increasing,” Melki says.
  2964.  
  2965. “Since the last three weeks of this infighting between the Alawites and the Sunnis, Lebanon has seen an increase in the refugee population coming from Syria. They see and are afraid that the new Syrian regime would be a more Islamic regime, with no room for diverse religious families,” he continues.
  2966. <blockquote>
  2967. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“More than 60,000 individuals have crossed our borders.”</strong></p>
  2968. </blockquote>
  2969. <h2>Find your place in the story</h2>
  2970. Newly arrived refugees are scattered across northern Lebanon, predominantly in 27 villages near the border with Syria. Local officials cited 20,553 new individuals in this region <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/lebanon/unhcr-lebanon-flash-update-new-arrivals-north-lebanon-2-april-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as of April 2.</a></strong></span>
  2971.  
  2972. As they meet today’s needs, Heart for Lebanon teams offer hope for tomorrow. “The more they experience these ethnic cleansing and wars in Syria, [the more] you see people seeking the truth, and the truth is only found in the Gospel,” Melki says.
  2973.  
  2974. “We have seen a significant turn toward the Gospel, with people desiring to hear and learn more about the God of Christianity. God has given us amazing opportunities to love on, care for, and share a word of encouragement.”
  2975.  
  2976. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can help by supporting Heart for Lebanon’s efforts here.</a></strong></span>
  2977.  
  2978. &nbsp;
  2979.  
  2980. &nbsp;
  2981.  
  2982. &nbsp;
  2983.  
  2984. <em>Header image courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.</em>]]>
  2985. </description>
  2986. <pubDate>Tue, 08 Apr 2025 05:00:32 -0400</pubDate>
  2987. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sectarian-clashes-in-syria-send-new-wave-of-refugees-to-lebanon/</guid>
  2988. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HFL_despair-refugee-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2989. </item>
  2990. <item>
  2991. <title>Biblical prophecy about Iran is a call to action</title>
  2992. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/biblical-prophecy-about-iran-is-a-call-to-action/</link>
  2993. <description>
  2994. <![CDATA[
  2995. Iran (MNN) — France and other European nations hope to coax the Iran regime into <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/2/military-clash-almost-inevitable-if-iran-nuclear-talks-fail-france-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a diplomatic conversation</a></strong></span> over its advancing nuclear program.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Will Iran <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/iran-threatens-swift-response-if-us-attacks-2054600" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listen</a></strong></span>?</span>
  2996.  
  2997. As we consider Iran, Hormoz Shariat with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran Alive Ministries</a></strong></span> wants us to remember that biblical prophecy has something to say to us. He clarifies that that doesn't mean trying to predict every detail of the future:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2998.  
  2999. “It's not looking at world events or world leaders, because they can change. The events can change. But when God says it, that's settled and it's going to happen," he says. <b>
  3000. </b>
  3001.  
  3002. For example, in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Jeremiah%2049%3A34-39&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeremiah 49:34-39</a></strong></span>, God reveals He will set His throne in Elam, <strong>a region that today is part of modern-day Iran and Iraq.</strong>
  3003.  
  3004. “He says He will save Iran,” Shariat notes. “It talks about that He will remove kings and princes, that there is going to be a war, there's going to be suffering, that Iranians will be scattered all over the world. Then He says, at the end times, ‘I will set my throne there, and I will bring back the captives, and I will bless that nation.’”
  3005.  
  3006. <div id="attachment_204660" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-204660" class="size-medium wp-image-204660" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Copy-of-Iran-Freedom-300x168.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="168" /><p id="caption-attachment-204660" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Iran Alive Ministries)</p></div>
  3007.  
  3008. Although biblical prophecies tend to make us wonder what hard things will happen at the end of time, <strong>Shariat points out the underlying "call to action" for Christians.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3009. <blockquote>
  3010. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Don’t forget: the end-time events come with the end-time harvest. We shouldn't be inactive, shouldn’t be fearful. We should be [saying], ‘This is a great opportunity to gather the end time harvest,’” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  3011. </blockquote>
  3012. God is doing something unique in the Iranian church today. Shariat believes Iran will one day be a Christian nation.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More on that here</a></strong></span>)</span>
  3013.  
  3014. “One thing I know is we are moving in that direction really fast. The number of Christians in Iran is growing fast. So it is possible that it will happen in our lifetime,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3015.  
  3016. <strong>Let’s find our place in God's story in Iran!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3017.  
  3018. “<strong>The purpose of prophecy is two things. Don't be afraid. Get it done</strong>,” Shariat says. “We need to wake up and say, ‘God, oh, you're saving Iranians? You're transforming that nation? I want to be a part of it. I want to be a history maker.’ As a Christian, we need to listen to the Lord and work with Him where He's working.”
  3019.  
  3020. Learn more <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span> about how Iran Alive Ministries is bringing the gospel of Jesus to Iran.
  3021.  
  3022. &nbsp;
  3023.  
  3024. &nbsp;
  3025.  
  3026. <em>Header photo of Tehran, Iran courtesy of Khashayar Kouchpeydeh/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3027. </description>
  3028. <pubDate>Tue, 08 Apr 2025 05:00:35 -0400</pubDate>
  3029. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/biblical-prophecy-about-iran-is-a-call-to-action/</guid>
  3030. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/khashayar-kouchpeydeh-eSOST-WeOqo-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3031. </item>
  3032. <item>
  3033. <title>As U.S. leads airstrikes, where is hope for Yemen?</title>
  3034. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/as-u-s-leads-airstrikes-where-is-hope-for-yemen/</link>
  3035. <description>
  3036. <![CDATA[
  3037. Yemen (MNN) — The <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-iran-pulling-forces-out-of-yemen-amid-intensive-us-airstrikes-on-houthis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interplay</a></strong></span> between the U.S. and Iran continues in Yemen, where U.S. airstrikes against Iran-backed <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67614911" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Houthi</a></strong></span> rebels escalated in March.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3038.  
  3039. Tragically, those who often pay the price in these conflicts are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/4/just-like-that-yemeni-families-destroyed-by-us-air-strikes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ordinary people</a></strong></span>. At least <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-airstrikes-israel-hamas-war-614b616f130dca37ee22bfdd85834487#:~:text=The%20intense%20campaign%20of%20airstrikes,figures%20released%20by%20the%20Houthis." target="_blank" rel="noopener">67 people</a></strong></span> have been killed in U.S. airstrikes, according to casualty numbers released by the Houthis.
  3040.  
  3041. <strong>Hope is already hard to find in Yemen.</strong> The past decade of civil war between the government and Houthis has created one of the worst <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unrefugees.org/news/yemen-crisis-explained/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">humanitarian crises</a></strong></span> today. More than half of the people in Yemen need urgent aid; more than <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unrefugees.org/emergencies/yemen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80% live under the poverty line</a></strong></span>.
  3042.  
  3043. “The people in Yemen are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://weblog.iom.int/yemen-years-crisis-lifetime-loss" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noble people</a></strong></span>. Their heritage, their history, is so rich — yet they have had the misfortune of dealing with certain crisis over the years, famine and other challenges. So the level of hopelessness, again, has been on the rise,” says Mike Ansari with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a></strong></span>.
  3044.  
  3045. <div id="attachment_213951" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213951" class="size-medium wp-image-213951" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-irwan-zahuri-259816440-14927249-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213951" class="wp-caption-text">(Children in Yemen courtesy of Irwan Zahuri via Pexels)</p></div>
  3046.  
  3047. <b>Yet God is building His Church in Yemen.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  3048.  
  3049. “That deep-seated hopelessness results in your heart being more open, and that openness [it] is creating is allowing them to be able to see the light of Jesus,” says Ansari.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3050.  
  3051. “Within the Middle East, people are having dreams and visions, or somebody is telling them, <strong>‘Look, I had this experience. I had an encounter with Jesus. My life is richer. Would you like to try it?’</strong> That's how we're seeing people of Yemen, within certain communities, gravitate more towards Christianity.”
  3052.  
  3053. Ansari calls Yemen’s growing underground church <strong>"a promising beacon within the Arab world.”</strong> They are no strangers to persecution — believers there have reached out to ministries like Heart4Iran; they say they look up to Iran’s underground church in Iran.
  3054.  
  3055. <strong>Discipleship is a pressing need.</strong> In both Iran and Yemen, discipleship “takes place, first of all, through God's grace, and second of all, through face to face, trusted communication,” says Ansari.
  3056.  
  3057. Then, because of lack of physical and community resources, “Many of them (persecuted believers across the world) are resorting to connecting on social media, on following satellite TV programs and/or try[ing] to download Bibles and connect with people outside of these regions that could basically mentor them.”
  3058. <h2><strong>Find your place in the story</strong></h2>
  3059. <div id="attachment_204313" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-204313" class="size-medium wp-image-204313" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/H4I_hope-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-204313" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</p></div>
  3060.  
  3061. <b>Gospel ministries in Yemen and across the Middle East, North Africa need your support in this work. That’s why Ansari invites you to prayerfully research and partner with one of them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  3062.  
  3063. “We do have a bit of legwork that we [each] need to do to validate from these ministries and organizations the ones that we feel represent our heart goal,” Ansari says. “But we do need to be more missional in America to understand that God is still on the move.”
  3064.  
  3065. He continues, “Jesus is on the move. We need to open up our eyes and see that He's calling us to partner with Him and go across the world to the different regions, and baptize people in the name of Jesus. <strong>That is the Great Commission that every single one of us [was] called to take part in.</strong>
  3066.  
  3067. <b>“So let us come together, explore amazing opportunities in difficult regions in [the] Middle East, partner with other organizations and spread the gospel.”</b>
  3068.  
  3069. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heart4iran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can start by learning more about Heart4Iran here</a></strong></span>.
  3070.  
  3071. &nbsp;
  3072.  
  3073. &nbsp;
  3074.  
  3075. &nbsp;
  3076.  
  3077. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo of a boy in Yemen courtesy of Nazar Alareqe via Pexels.</em>]]>
  3078. </description>
  3079. <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate>
  3080. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/as-u-s-leads-airstrikes-where-is-hope-for-yemen/</guid>
  3081. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-nezar-alareqe-3818231-8387469-scaled-e1743794787894-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3082. </item>
  3083. <item>
  3084. <title>Unreached people in India are on the brink of hearing Good News</title>
  3085. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/unreached-people-in-india-are-on-the-brink-of-hearing-good-news/</link>
  3086. <description>
  3087. <![CDATA[
  3088. <span style="font-weight: 400">India (MNN) – India is home to the </span><strong><a href="https://lausanne.org/report/unreached-people#:~:text=The%20countries%20that%20have%20received%20the%20greatest%20amount,and%20India%20%28which%20once%20included%20Pakistan%20and%20Bangladesh%29." target="_blank" rel="noopener">largest population</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> of Unreached People Groups and </span><strong><a href="https://www.ethnologue.com/country/IN/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">424 living languages</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. 104 of these are the target of MegaVoice’s next audio player distribution project. JP from MegaVoice highlights the importance of faith coming by hearing. </span>
  3089.  
  3090. <span style="font-weight: 400">“India remains primarily a non-literate nation. About 60 percent of India, I would say, if you were to give them a book to read, it’d be an incredibly difficult task,” he says. </span>
  3091.  
  3092. <span style="font-weight: 400">In oral communities, Scripture is committed to memory and transmitted person-to-person. </span>
  3093. <blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400">“And now you have this little device that shows up and it speaks their language, which is not just a novelty, but it’s a realization that it’s not just the device that speaks my language, but it’s God who speaks my language.”</span></blockquote>
  3094. <span style="font-weight: 400">JP says the history and culture of communities are captured in language. When a language dies, a culture dies with it. Several Bible Translation agencies are committed to translating Scripture in India’s remaining languages, despite logistical, linguistic, and other challenges. </span>
  3095.  
  3096. <span style="font-weight: 400">“What we want to do is partner with them and say, ‘Ok, you’ve done so much hard work. Could we come along side you to identify readers, record what has been translated so all of your people can have access to God’s Word?’” JP says.</span>
  3097.  
  3098. <div id="attachment_213620" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213620" class="size-medium wp-image-213620" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/MegaVoice-Audio-Bible-Solar-Powered-Photos-Page-5-Thumbnail-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213620" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of MegaVoice)</p></div>
  3099.  
  3100. <span style="font-weight: 400">The local church in India has committed to raising a third of the budget. The rest is up for grabs. 15 thousand dollars will round out the funds needed to provide a language group with 1000 devices. Would you, your church, or a group of friends consider taking on one of the languages? </span>
  3101. <blockquote><span style="font-weight: 400">“I have seen with my own eyes what five loaves and two fish can do to multitudes in India. 1000 audio Bibles to some of these unreached people groups could be transformative in many ways,” JP says.</span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  3102. </span></blockquote>
  3103. <span style="font-weight: 400">For the giver, it’s more than a front row seat to Bible Translation history in the making. </span>
  3104.  
  3105. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We get to be part of something historic, but then how wonderful that the history we’re helping create involves God’s Word in somebody’s heart language.”</span>
  3106.  
  3107. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray for this project: that God would provide necessary tools, resources, and people needed to complete the recordings, and that His Word would go forth fruitfully across the language groups being targeted. If you’d like to learn more about how you can donate or pray specifically, </span><strong><a href="https://megavoice.com/contact/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visit this page</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> or call MegaVoice at 1-800-219-1758. </span>
  3108.  
  3109. <span style="font-weight: 400">“For me the real takeaway is the engagement of the local church in partnership with an international organization to reach their own people for Christ,” JP concludes. “That’s a really beautiful way to see Christian believers living in harmony as we reach out to our neighbors.” </span>]]>
  3110. </description>
  3111. <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 05:00:24 -0400</pubDate>
  3112. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/unreached-people-in-india-are-on-the-brink-of-hearing-good-news/</guid>
  3113. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/MegaVoice04-274.png-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3114. </item>
  3115. <item>
  3116. <title>Equip believers for refugee ministry with the MENA Leadership Center</title>
  3117. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/equip-believers-for-refugee-ministry-with-the-mena-leadership-center/</link>
  3118. <description>
  3119. <![CDATA[
  3120. MENA (MNN) — Refugee crises abound in the Middle East and North Africa today. Think of Syria, Gaza, Yemen, and Sudan just to name a few. That’s why the MENA Leadership Center is offering a new course on refugee ministry.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3121.  
  3122. “Whatever type or demographic of refugee we're talking about, the principles are still the same. Those people are in need for help and support within the region,” says Fadi Sharaiha with the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mena-leadership-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MENA Leadership Center</a></strong></span>.
  3123.  
  3124. Sharaiha says believers in Lebanon are a great example. They have lived out <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James%201%3A27&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">James 1:27</a></strong></span> by welcoming displaced Syrians in recent years — those who traditionally might be considered their enemies.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3125. <blockquote>
  3126. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“What I love about this is that the Lord is challenging us to be more like Him in accepting and helping and supporting refugees,” Sharaiha says.</strong></p>
  3127. </blockquote>
  3128. On April 28-29, Christian leaders from different ministries in the Middle East (including Pakistan) will begin the “Refugee Ministry Framework” course. The MENA Leadership Center has partnered with the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iafr.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Association for Refugees</a></strong></span> (IAFR) to offer this training. Students will learn how to evaluate needs of displaced people and identify opportunities to meet those needs in the name of Christ, <strong>who was Himself a refugee once.</strong>
  3129.  
  3130. <strong>“We are not using this ministry to enforce or impose the gospel on people. Definitely not,” Sharaiha notes. “But it's again, another opportunity to share the gospel with them.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3131.  
  3132. Sharaiha adds that outside of intense persecution, equipping local believers to respond to local refugee crises is usually the best plan, instead of relocation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3133.  
  3134. "As Christians, we need to support and help, not for them to come to Europe or different countries, but to help them manage the refugee situation or displacement situation within the region,” he explains.
  3135.  
  3136. <div id="attachment_193841" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-193841" class="size-medium wp-image-193841" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/MLC_story-image-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-193841" class="wp-caption-text">MENA Leadership Center partners with more than 132 ministries throughout the Middle East and North Africa.<br />(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)</p></div>
  3137. <h2><strong>Find your place in the story</strong></h2>
  3138. You can be a part of what God is doing in the MENA region to raise up leaders in the church for gospel ministry.
  3139.  
  3140. “I really would like to invite people to have compassion — <strong>Jesus’ heart, Jesus’ hand and Jesus’ eyes to the situation [of refugees]</strong>,” Sharaiha says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3141.  
  3142. <strong>Pray for local ministries in the MENA region who are trying to serve refugees, sometimes with very limited resources and training. Pray for the MENA Leadership Center and IAFR as they prepare for and then deliver the course training this month. </strong>
  3143.  
  3144. “Finally please, if you can and [are] able, <strong>support us financially so that we can do more of those courses," Sharaiha says. </strong>
  3145.  
  3146. If you’re interested in building up Christian leaders in the MENA region, partner with the MENA Leadership Center <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>. Check out the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/en/programs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">courses coming later this year</a></strong></span> to see what you’d be investing in.
  3147.  
  3148. &nbsp;
  3149.  
  3150. &nbsp;
  3151.  
  3152. <em>Header image courtesy of the MENA Leadership Center. </em>]]>
  3153. </description>
  3154. <pubDate>Mon, 07 Apr 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  3155. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/equip-believers-for-refugee-ministry-with-the-mena-leadership-center/</guid>
  3156. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MLC_header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3157. </item>
  3158. <item>
  3159. <title>Myanmar military declares ceasefire until April 22 to help quake survivors</title>
  3160. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/myanmar-military-declares-ceasefire-until-april-22-to-help-quake-survivors/</link>
  3161. <description>
  3162. <![CDATA[
  3163. Myanmar (MNN) -- Myanmar’s military <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/04/03/nx-s1-5350471/myanmar-ceasefire-earthquake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">declares a temporary truce</a></strong></span> in the country’s civil war to facilitate relief efforts as the death toll from the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.usgs.gov/news/featured-story/m77-mandalay-burma-myanmar-earthquake?utm_source=comms&amp;amp%3Butm_medium=rss&amp;amp%3Butm_campaign=news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 28 earthquake</a></strong></span> climbs above 3,000.
  3164.  
  3165. Military leaders say the ceasefire will last until April 22. Conflict between the army and ethnic resistance groups has plagued Myanmar for decades, complicated further by the 2021 coup.
  3166.  
  3167. “While these may be dangerous times, they’re unbelievably opportunistic times,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong></span>’s Joe Handley says.
  3168. <blockquote>
  3169. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It’s our chance for the body of Christ to shine in these moments of chaos and show that real stability comes from Jesus.”</strong></p>
  3170. </blockquote>
  3171. <div id="attachment_213925" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Earthquake_Damage_Mandalay_2025_cropped.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213925" class="size-medium wp-image-213925" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Earthquake_Damage_Mandalay_2025_cropped-300x181.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="181" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213925" class="wp-caption-text">Building damaged during the 2025 Myanmar Earthquake in Mandalay.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  3172.  
  3173. On March 28, 2025, at about 12:50 p.m. local time, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck near Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city with 1.2 million residents. Its shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) led to strong shaking, felt as far away as Bangkok, Thailand.
  3174.  
  3175. While politics <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4grl7nydyzo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tie up international aid</a></strong></span>, local believers have a distinct advantage. Handley says, “We’re more connected right now in Myanmar, and that means we can be a conduit of help.”
  3176.  
  3177. Believers see Gospel opportunity in the confusion and overwhelming need that follow a disaster.
  3178.  
  3179. “They don’t dichotomize the Gospel and physical needs. They see it all working together,” Handley says.
  3180.  
  3181. “We help with food and supplies and shelter and rescue. At the same time, we demonstrate and proclaim the hope and truth of Jesus Christ.”
  3182.  
  3183. <em><strong>Find your place in the story.</strong></em> “Pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ on the front lines,” Handley requests. “They’re delivering aid right now as we speak.”
  3184.  
  3185. Pray for lasting peace in Myanmar, so aid may be delivered to those in need and recovery work may begin at the appropriate time.
  3186.  
  3187. “Finally, consider what God might have you do to help,” Handley says.
  3188.  
  3189. “Stand with us and give and help out through local channels of the churches there. This is a long-term investment that is Kingdom oriented.”
  3190.  
  3191. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.a3leaders.org/projects/1831-global-disaster-relief-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Give financial support through A3 to help local churches with practical needs like food, shelter, and rescue efforts.</a></strong></span>
  3192.  
  3193. &nbsp;
  3194.  
  3195. &nbsp;
  3196.  
  3197. &nbsp;
  3198.  
  3199. <em>Header image depicts cracks formed in roads in Naypyidaw after the 2025 Myanmar earthquake. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Road_damage_in_Naypyidaw,_2025_Earthquake.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  3200. </description>
  3201. <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2025 05:00:08 -0400</pubDate>
  3202. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/myanmar-military-declares-ceasefire-until-april-22-to-help-quake-survivors/</guid>
  3203. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Road_damage_in_Naypyidaw_2025_Earthquake-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3204. </item>
  3205. <item>
  3206. <title>For Syrian Christians, prayer is a matter of life and death</title>
  3207. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/for-syrian-christians-prayer-is-a-matter-of-life-and-death/</link>
  3208. <description>
  3209. <![CDATA[
  3210. Syria (MNN) — Syria’s new, 23-member Cabinet <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/30/middleeast/syria-new-transitional-government-intl-hnk/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sworn in</a></strong></span> last weekend gives a token nod to government <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/is-syrias-new-technocratic-cabinet-as-inclusive-as-it-could-be/a-72100412" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>inclusivity</b></a></span>. But Tom Doyle with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries</a></strong></span> says the message of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://international.la-croix.com/world/syrias-new-regime-moderates-religious-policy-to-strengthen-its-rule" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moderation</a></strong></span> that Syria's government is trying to project is the opposite of what they are really doing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3211.  
  3212. “In fact, our national leaders in Syria [with] Uncharted say that as you go to all the checkpoints, they're not even hiding it anymore. Their headbands, everything just says the <strong>Islamic State</strong> on it,” says Doyle.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3213.  
  3214. <strong>These national believers tell Uncharted Ministries that leaders under President Ahmed al-Sharaa are openly threatening to wipe out Christians.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>Brutal targetings of Alawites, Druze and Christians have <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-fallout-continues-from-killings-in-syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">already begun</a></strong></span>.
  3215.  
  3216. Doyle points to the spiritual battle. “Last year, our team in Syria reported more people coming to faith in Christ than ever before,” he says. “So we know there are bigger issues than just a radical Muslim government taking over. The gospel’s on the line. Jesus is building His church in Syria in some of the most dangerous situations you can imagine.”
  3217. <h2>Two miraculous deliverances</h2>
  3218. Doyle says things are so desperate for Syrian Christians that their trust in God runs incredibly deep. “Every day they don't know what they're going to encounter, because HTS (Hayat Tahrir al-Sham) is just combing through these Alawite areas, these Christian areas," he says.
  3219. <blockquote>
  3220. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“They are day-to-day telling us, ‘The prayers that are being sent up to the throne, God is using them to save us. We would surely be dead by now if there weren't groups of people praying around the world.’"</b></p>
  3221. </blockquote>
  3222. <strong>Here are two stories of God answering these prayers. </strong>
  3223.  
  3224. During the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-fallout-continues-from-killings-in-syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sectarian violence that broke out</a></strong></span> in coastal Syria in early March, one Christian family could hear armed men coming door to door down their street.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> They were on their faces in their home, begging God for protection. </span>
  3225.  
  3226. “We don't have to worry,” their young son suddenly said. When his parents asked him why, he replied, “Because Jesus loves us, and He's strong enough to protect us.”
  3227.  
  3228. <div id="attachment_213738" style="width: 226px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213738" class="size-medium wp-image-213738" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Syria-HTS-Attackers-of-Christians-and-Alawites_March-2025-216x300.jpg" alt="Syria," width="216" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213738" class="wp-caption-text">Attackers of Christians and Alawites, March 2025 (Photo courtesy of Uncharted Ministries)</p></div>
  3229.  
  3230. Doyle says, “And do you know, they heard the footsteps coming to their house… and the footsteps kept going. They walked right by. <strong>It was almost as if the house was invisible.</strong> They didn't come in, they didn't do anything.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3231.  
  3232. <strong>At another house, armed fighters discovered two Christian brothers and their families.</strong> The men dragged the brothers out into the street.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Each was given a gun and commanded to shoot his brother. But neither would do it.
  3233.  
  3234. Their captors said they had three seconds to fire, or they would kill them themselves.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3235.  
  3236. Doyle says, “They can't find it in themselves to shoot their brother. So they're prepared to die, praying to Jesus, ‘Lord, into your hands I commit my spirit.’”
  3237.  
  3238. The captors counted to three, the brothers didn’t shoot, and then, “they get distracted by something that's happened somewhere else in the city, and they take off, and the [brothers] are still there, they’re alive, and they came just seconds away from being murdered,” Doyle says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3239.  
  3240. <strong>To this day, the men don’t know what distracted their would-be killers.</strong>
  3241. <h2><strong>Find your place in the story</strong></h2>
  3242. <strong>Please keep Syrian believers in your prayers daily. Uncharted Ministries’ partners are boldly delivering aid and relocation assistance for fellow Syrians. The work is incredibly dangerous. </strong>
  3243.  
  3244. <strong>Pray for the above-ground church in Syria. Pray for the secret home churches of people from all backgrounds.</strong>
  3245.  
  3246. <strong>Learn more about Uncharted Ministries and how you can partner with them <a href="https://unchartedministries.com/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </strong>
  3247.  
  3248. &nbsp;
  3249.  
  3250. &nbsp;
  3251.  
  3252. <em>Header photo of children in Idlib, Syria is a representative stock photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha via Pexels.</em>]]>
  3253. </description>
  3254. <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2025 05:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
  3255. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/for-syrian-christians-prayer-is-a-matter-of-life-and-death/</guid>
  3256. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/pexels-ahmed-akacha-3313934-8876109-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3257. </item>
  3258. <item>
  3259. <title>More than a letter: How a stay-at-home mom found purpose in prison ministry</title>
  3260. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/more-than-a-letter-how-a-stay-at-home-mom-found-purpose-in-prison-ministry/</link>
  3261. <description>
  3262. <![CDATA[
  3263. USA (MNN) -- In the stage of young motherhood, it’s not easy to find ways to get involved with ministry. That was the experience of Arijaan Norwood, a mom in the western United States with three young kids, ages six and under.
  3264. <p style="text-align: left;">"When you're in the early years with young children as a stay-at-home mom, it can definitely be isolating [and] sometimes not as mentally stimulating as I was used to," says Arijaan.</p>
  3265. <p style="text-align: left;">Arijaan’s own mother encouraged her to look into becoming a mentor with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/crossroad-bible-institute/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Crossroads Prison Ministries</span></strong></a>. It’s a unique ministry opportunity from home where <a href="https://cpministries.org/mentor/become-a-mentor-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Christian mentors</span></strong></a> correspond with Crossroads Bible study students in prison through writing letters.</p>
  3266.  
  3267. <blockquote>
  3268. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"To take on a ministry that I could do from home and really see the impact and believe in it was so exciting for me!" she shares.</strong></p>
  3269. </blockquote>
  3270. <div id="attachment_213918" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213918" class="size-medium wp-image-213918" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/arijaannorwood-300x240.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="240" /><p id="caption-attachment-213918" class="wp-caption-text">Arijaan Norwood and her family. (Photo courtesy of Arijaan Norwood with Crossroads Prison Ministries)</p></div>
  3271.  
  3272. <strong>Now, as a Crossroads mentor, Arijaan not only engages with inmates through Bible study but also sees the spiritual impact on her own family.</strong>
  3273.  
  3274. Arijaan shares, "My kids see me working on the lesson or writing the letter [and] they'll ask about what I'm doing. I love sharing with them about God's heart for those who are in prison and the role that we can play. We pray for them together.
  3275.  
  3276. "Another positive impact I would say is on my marriage, kind of unexpectedly. But there are times where my mentee will write something that I'm not sure how to respond to. I'll bring it up with my husband and we'll talk it through, and it just brings about deeper conversation than just the day-to-day conversations."
  3277.  
  3278. Through prison mentorship, Arijaan has found a tangible way to connect with the Great Commission and witness God’s movement — both in her life and in the lives of others.
  3279. <blockquote>
  3280. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>She says, "It's definitely worth it to invest into the lives of not just those that you see right in front of you, but to gain that eternal perspective as you're reaching out to all sorts of people that God has a heart for."</strong></p>
  3281. </blockquote>
  3282. If you or someone you know may be interested in becoming a Bible study mentor with Crossroads, Arijaan encourages, "It's definitely a step of faith, and it's easy to think that you don't have time. I will say that it does take discipline to set aside really just about an hour a week, so it's not long. But it's really mentally and spiritually engaging."
  3283.  
  3284. Learn more about <a href="https://cpministries.org/mentor/become-a-mentor-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">becoming a mentor</span></strong></a> with Crossroads!
  3285.  
  3286. &nbsp;
  3287.  
  3288. &nbsp;
  3289.  
  3290. &nbsp;
  3291.  
  3292. <em>Header stock photo courtesy of Sixteen Miles Out/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3293. </description>
  3294. <pubDate>Fri, 04 Apr 2025 05:00:37 -0400</pubDate>
  3295. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/more-than-a-letter-how-a-stay-at-home-mom-found-purpose-in-prison-ministry/</guid>
  3296. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/sixteen-miles-out-5Gkf2QctRRQ-unsplash-scaled-e1743713382820-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3297. </item>
  3298. <item>
  3299. <title>Zimbabwe faces political uncertainty; Christian ministry giving next generation hope</title>
  3300. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/zimbabwe-faces-political-uncertainty-christian-ministry-giving-next-generation-hope/</link>
  3301. <description>
  3302. <![CDATA[
  3303. Zimbabwe (MNN) -- <strong>Zimbabwe has <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/1/dozens-arrested-in-zimbabwe-after-antigovernment-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">arrested</span></a> nearly 100 protestors as people push back against the government. Demonstrators are upset over a proposal to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s time in office until 2030 — two years past the end of his last term.</strong>
  3304.  
  3305. On Monday, the capital city came to a standstill as businesses, schools, and vendors shut down in protest. A demonstration of roughly 200 people gathered in Harare's Freedom Square. The government responded with heavy police presence, arresting at least 95 protestors who were accused of throwing rocks at law enforcement.
  3306. <blockquote>
  3307. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Greg Yoder, President of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Christian World Outreach (CWO)</span></a>, says, “Even though these protests are kind of limited to the capital…it does affect the whole country. As power changes from one leader to another or is possibly changing, it does cause people to think, ‘Okay, what's going to happen now?’”</strong></p>
  3308. </blockquote>
  3309. <div id="attachment_203551" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203551" class="size-medium wp-image-203551" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/342995467_1422530818560881_7705175624163918938_n-300x211.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="211" /><p id="caption-attachment-203551" class="wp-caption-text">Kids supported by CWO in Zimbabwe. (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)</p></div>
  3310.  
  3311. <strong>Amidst political uncertainty, Zimbabwe’s youth face challenges of their own.</strong> Over half struggle with <a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/2024/09/drug-abuse-crisis-zimbabwe-africa-youth-church-christians/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">substance abuse</span></strong></a>, and high unemployment leaves many feeling lost.
  3312.  
  3313. CWO supports vulnerable children and teens in Zimbabwe through the Our Kids program, which provides food, medical care, and education in Jesus' name.
  3314.  
  3315. “The children we work with are vulnerable children — maybe an orphan or double orphan," explains Yoder. "So we come alongside caregivers and try to help them and even give them training so they know how to take care of these children that they've brought into their homes.”
  3316.  
  3317. For teens, the focus is on sharing the Gospel and setting them up for a bright and productive life. Yoder says, “We recently had a camp with teenage boys and girls and they were asked the question: ‘If you dream about your future, what would you want to do?’"
  3318. <blockquote>
  3319. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"One of the young ladies shared that there's only one clinic in her area. She wanted to become a doctor so she could come back to her area and be able to help the people.”</strong></p>
  3320. </blockquote>
  3321. <div id="attachment_212095" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-212095" class="size-medium wp-image-212095" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/441572675_831023225722349_5178663180321557986_n-300x216.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="216" /><p id="caption-attachment-212095" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of CWO)</p></div>
  3322.  
  3323. <strong>CWO also works with local churches to support these kids.</strong> “We're trying to encourage the leaders of churches to come alongside these young people and be able to minister to them. So we try to connect with a church in that area...and work with the leadership in those areas where the kids are.”
  3324.  
  3325. As Zimbabwe faces an uncertain future, ministries like CWO are pointing the next generation to Jesus Christ.
  3326.  
  3327. Yoder encourages, “Pray for our staff that are working with these young people as they go through the program. They can invest in their lives. These kids are the future of Zimbabwe, and so to raise up Christian leaders is important."
  3328.  
  3329. Financial support is another way you can make a difference. “This program costs about $45 a month to help send these kids to school, to help them with medical, clothes, food — whatever their needs are — and to support the caregivers too."
  3330.  
  3331. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://cwomissions.org/zimbabwe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Connect with CWO's Zimbabwe ministry here.</strong></a></span>
  3332.  
  3333. &nbsp;
  3334.  
  3335. &nbsp;
  3336.  
  3337. &nbsp;
  3338.  
  3339. <em>Header photo: Zimbabwe's president, Emmerson Mnangagwa. (Photo courtesy of News Measurements Network Live/Flickr: Public Domain Mark 1.0 Universal, https://rb.gy/cx6qlr)</em>]]>
  3340. </description>
  3341. <pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2025 05:00:17 -0400</pubDate>
  3342. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/zimbabwe-faces-political-uncertainty-christian-ministry-giving-next-generation-hope/</guid>
  3343. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/38631261391_74a9e7121e_b-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3344. </item>
  3345. <item>
  3346. <title>Haiti gangs expand their reach</title>
  3347. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-gangs-expand-their-reach/</link>
  3348. <description>
  3349. <![CDATA[
  3350. Haiti (MNN) -- With Haiti’s capital under complete control, armed gangs are now expanding their territory. Gang members stormed Mirebalais in central Haiti <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn05ek5gw0wo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earlier this week</a></strong></span>, releasing <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20250331/gangs-strike-haitis-heartland-hundreds-flee-under-heavy-gunfire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 500 prisoners.</a></strong></span>
  3351.  
  3352. “No matter where you are in Haiti, you are affected, whether you are Christian or not,” says Dierf*, a Haitian man serving with Every Man A Warrior, a partner of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans World Radio</a></strong></span>.
  3353.  
  3354. Gangs have taken over or destroyed schools, orphanages, courts, media outlets, and hospitals. Over 7,200 people were killed between July and February, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the United Nations reports.</a></strong></span>
  3355.  
  3356. <div id="attachment_203151" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/238303416_10151423613554986_83167533671852354_n.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203151" class="size-medium wp-image-203151" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/238303416_10151423613554986_83167533671852354_n-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-203151" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of TWR)</p></div>
  3357.  
  3358. With every reason to run, believers are committed to staying put. “We want to be with these people and teach them how to handle the situation,” Dierf says.
  3359.  
  3360. “We are called to be right in the middle of catastrophic times and to bring light and hope for people around us.”
  3361.  
  3362. Dierf disciples Haitian couples using Every Man A Warrior curriculum. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://twr.org/story/mens-ministry-growing-amid-haitis-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> “We teach them also to be the light in their community, to go out and spread the news,” Dierf says.
  3363.  
  3364. <em><strong>However, standing for Jesus puts Christian men in the crosshairs.</strong></em> “Anytime you want to try to influence the gang to become like God or to leave the gang and come to Christ, this will upset them,” Dierf says.
  3365. <blockquote>
  3366. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Our men sometimes feel like they are going to be killed.”</strong></p>
  3367. </blockquote>
  3368. Pray for courage and boldness for Haitian Christian men. “Pray that men would be willing to go to the field and bring that (Gospel) message to the gang,” Dierf requests.
  3369.  
  3370. Pray also for believers traveling throughout Haiti to do ministry. Ask the Lord to protect them from gang violence.
  3371.  
  3372. &nbsp;
  3373.  
  3374. <em><strong>*Name withheld for security purposes.</strong> </em>
  3375.  
  3376. &nbsp;
  3377.  
  3378. &nbsp;
  3379.  
  3380. <em>In the header image, a group of men gather and sit together in prayer during an Every Man A Warrior meeting. (Photo, caption courtesy of TWR)</em>]]>
  3381. </description>
  3382. <pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2025 05:00:36 -0400</pubDate>
  3383. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-gangs-expand-their-reach/</guid>
  3384. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Haiti-EMAW-Banner-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3385. </item>
  3386. <item>
  3387. <title>Need for Bibles persists in China</title>
  3388. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/need-for-bibles-persists-in-china/</link>
  3389. <description>
  3390. <![CDATA[
  3391. <span style="font-weight: 400">China (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Ministries in China face challenges of funding, opportunity, and access. Kurt Rovenstine of Bibles for China recently visited partners in the country and heard updates from the ground. Word is spreading, from the Chinese government and elsewhere, that Bible distribution is no longer needed in China. Rovenstine paints a different picture. </span>
  3392.  
  3393. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Every year, we have requests and projects that are no smaller than the year before, and this year is no exception. So we’re excited about as much opportunity as we’ve ever had,” he says.</span>
  3394.  
  3395. <span style="font-weight: 400">Rather than the need lessening, Rovenstine says it has simply changed. </span>
  3396.  
  3397. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The need in certain places does not exist because of the ease of access to those certain provinces and locations. At the provincial level, at the government level, we’ve been able to work there. But there are a lot of places that are a little more difficult.” </span>
  3398.  
  3399. <span style="font-weight: 400">BFC partners are starting to explore those areas. He says the road to Scripture access often winds through the registered church. </span>
  3400.  
  3401. <span style="font-weight: 400">“If you have access to a registered church, there’s a good chance you can get a Bible in many of the provinces. But not every province takes advantage of that opportunity. They don’t have large supplies because they can’t afford them or they choose not to get them.”</span>
  3402.  
  3403. <span style="font-weight: 400">Sometimes rural areas face unique changes. </span>
  3404.  
  3405. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Someone just lives way too far away from the place where they need to go – a central church in a larger city – that would have a supply of Bibles,” Rovenstine says. </span>
  3406.  
  3407. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray that BFC would find open doors for its Bible distribution projects. </span>
  3408.  
  3409. <span style="font-weight: 400">Rovenstine is encouraged about the state of the church in China despite heavy regulation by the government and lack of freedom to evangelize. </span>
  3410.  
  3411. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray for the situation in China and for the believers there. </span>
  3412.  
  3413. <span style="font-weight: 400">Pray that Chinese followers of Jesus would be obedient to His call, whether He leads them to the registered church or underground church. Pray that these congregations would not be divided, and pray that lost people would be drawn to the pleasing aroma of Christ’s church in China. </span>
  3414.  
  3415. <div id="attachment_211589" style="width: 543px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-211589" class=" wp-image-211589" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Bible-study-Bibles-for-China-e1732649484772-300x210.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="373" /><p id="caption-attachment-211589" class="wp-caption-text">Images used in this article courtesy of Bibles for China</p></div>]]>
  3416. </description>
  3417. <pubDate>Thu, 03 Apr 2025 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate>
  3418. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/need-for-bibles-persists-in-china/</guid>
  3419. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Bibles_For_China_smile-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3420. </item>
  3421. <item>
  3422. <title>Network of believers in Myanmar already in place to bring earthquake aid</title>
  3423. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/network-of-believers-in-myanmar-already-in-place-to-bring-earthquake-aid/</link>
  3424. <description>
  3425. <![CDATA[
  3426. Myanmar (MNN) --<b> </b>The death toll from Myanmar’s Friday earthquake has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/myanmar-thailand-earthquake-c4ccdcd3ff2e38c54046274ee039cbf7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpassed 2,700</a></strong></span>. That number is expected to rise as lifesaving rescue work turns to recovery work.
  3427.  
  3428. The United Nations humanitarian office (OCHA) says <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-earthquake-flash-update-2-31-march-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 10,000 buildings</a></strong></span> in Myanmar collapsed or were seriously damaged in the magnitude 7.7 earthquake and aftershocks. On top of rescue work, food, clean water, sanitation, and more are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/myanmar/myanmar-earthquake-flash-update-2-31-march-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>rising needs</b></a></span> for survivors. Thousands in the city of Mandalay and other hard-hit regions are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/1/myanmar-holds-minute-of-silence-as-death-toll-from-earthquake-tops-2700" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>living on the streets</b></a></span>, whether because they lost their homes or because they’re afraid more tremors will strike.
  3429.  
  3430. <strong>The earthquake is one more layer to Myanmar’s complicated situation.</strong> After four years of horrific civil war, Myanmar is already deep in instability, explains Brian Dennett with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMG International</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3431.  
  3432. “[In a place] where you've got people already struggling just to survive, any disruption like this, having a massive earthquake in the midst of it all, is just devastating,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3433.  
  3434. <b>But even in this disaster, God has prepared people to respond.</b>
  3435.  
  3436. <b>“</b>We've been offering relief throughout the civil war. We have a trusted network of churches across Myanmar — ministry workers, as well as our team just over the border in Thailand, where we also operate a refugee camp,” Dennett says.
  3437.  
  3438. <div id="attachment_203794" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203794" class="size-medium wp-image-203794" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/AMG_myanmar-aid-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-203794" class="wp-caption-text">Myanmar aid from recent years.<br />(Photo courtesy of AMG International)</p></div>
  3439.  
  3440. Over the weekend, AMG sent generators and food support, including nutritional drinks for the elderly.
  3441.  
  3442. “We are actively working right now with our team on the ground, assessing the situation, finding out where the most damage was, and we are going to be providing immediate relief. We really are well-positioned to make a difference there,” Dennett explains.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3443. <h2><b>Please help Myanmar</b></h2>
  3444. Because of the network AMG already has, this is an avenue you can use to send help to people in Myanmar as the hands and feet of Christ.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3445.  
  3446. “As always, everything we do at AMG is an opportunity for us to share the gospel and to share hope,” Dennett says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Pray for AMG, pray for our workers. Pray that we are able to get the [aid] to where it's most needed, and that we can share Jesus in the process.”
  3447.  
  3448. <b>Would you prayerfully consider joining AMG to help brothers and sisters in Christ and others in great need?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  3449.  
  3450. “This is going to require a tremendous amount of resources. Anyone who feels compelled to give towards this can visit <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://amginternational.org/featured-projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>amghelp.org</b></a></span> and click on Myanmar. That money will go directly to our disaster relief efforts in Myanmar,” Dennett says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3451.  
  3452. &nbsp;
  3453.  
  3454. &nbsp;
  3455.  
  3456. <em>Header image of Myanmar courtesy of David Mark via Pixabay.</em>]]>
  3457. </description>
  3458. <pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2025 05:00:57 -0400</pubDate>
  3459. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/network-of-believers-in-myanmar-already-in-place-to-bring-earthquake-aid/</guid>
  3460. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/myanmar-2494826_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3461. </item>
  3462. <item>
  3463. <title>Rocket fire and Israeli strikes test ceasefire</title>
  3464. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/rocket-fire-and-israeli-strikes-test-ceasefire/</link>
  3465. <description>
  3466. <![CDATA[
  3467. Lebanon (MNN) -- An Israeli airstrike targeting a Hezbollah official killed four people in Lebanon's capital <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/airplanes-fly-low-over-lebanons-beirut-huge-blasts-heard-reuters-witnesses-say-2025-04-01/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on Tuesday.</a></strong></span> Israel says the targeted official was helping Hamas plan an attack on Israeli civilians.
  3468.  
  3469. It was Israel's second airstrike in Beirut in five days, straining the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended last year's devastating conflict. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong></span>’s Tom Atema calls the ceasefire “very tenuous at best; there is a lobbying of shells back and forth almost every day.”
  3470.  
  3471. Meanwhile, Lebanese authorities <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/311929-lebanon-makes-arrests-over-rockets-fired-at-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested several people</a></strong></span> on Sunday in connection to rocket fire targeting Israel on March 22 and 28. Israel <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-beirut-1652bc0f69f2c635980432abc7671a41" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sent a warning</a></strong></span> to Lebanon on Friday, striking parts of Beirut and saying more would come unless the rocket attacks stopped.
  3472.  
  3473. <div id="attachment_213864" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HFL_home-repairs.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213864" class="size-medium wp-image-213864" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/HFL_home-repairs-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213864" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
  3474.  
  3475. Months of war between Israel and Hezbollah have left southern Lebanon in tatters. Heart for Lebanon teams are making repairs in several hundred homes.
  3476.  
  3477. “Nonprofits, especially faith-based in Lebanon, can’t rebuild a house. [But] we can repair a room in a home,” Atema explains.
  3478.  
  3479. Work begins in the kitchen, often considered the heart of the home in Middle Eastern culture.
  3480.  
  3481. “The mom can make a meal with a new stove and refrigerator and a few things. They can sit around it, they can talk,” Atema says.
  3482. <blockquote>
  3483. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The kitchen is the hub of the family.”</strong></p>
  3484. </blockquote>
  3485. As they work, believers talk to families about the Lord. Interest leads to deeper conversations.
  3486.  
  3487. “Our missional leadership students are doing small group Bible studies throughout southern Lebanon. They have about 130 different people [involved,]” Atema says.
  3488.  
  3489. Pray that lives will change as people meet Jesus at the kitchen table. “These kitchens could eventually become like a house church,” Atema says.
  3490.  
  3491. &nbsp;
  3492.  
  3493. &nbsp;
  3494.  
  3495. &nbsp;
  3496.  
  3497. <em>Header image depicts a recent art activity at Heart for Lebanon's children-at-risk club, which exposed the deep trauma experienced by Lebanon's children. (Photo, caption courtesy of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HeartforLebanon/posts/pfbid037CQ9srQYkT2ZHEYHSEPoXRSkYDUupLJvzhjPDuHK4ep8XVBqTjPCz6mVKt8pQ5dfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a>)</em>]]>
  3498. </description>
  3499. <pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2025 05:00:16 -0400</pubDate>
  3500. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/rocket-fire-and-israeli-strikes-test-ceasefire/</guid>
  3501. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HFL_kids-pic-war-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3502. </item>
  3503. <item>
  3504. <title>Have you written a blank check to God?</title>
  3505. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/have-you-written-a-blank-check-to-god/</link>
  3506. <description>
  3507. <![CDATA[
  3508. <span style="font-weight: 400;">International (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">-- </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jeff Mallory with </span><strong><a href="https://a3leaders.org/stories/president/1988-and-our-new-name-is" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> says conversations about generosity should extend beyond finances. The call of believers is to hold all God-given resources loosely and seek His direction in stewarding them.</span>
  3509.  
  3510. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“There’s fear around that,” Mallory says. “It goes back to ownership, and it goes back to trusting that the Lord has a plan and a purpose. And that it’s all His.”</span>
  3511.  
  3512. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sometimes Christians approach generosity as a leverage tool, as if God owes believers a return on investment for the resources we entrust to Him. But this mindset fails to take into account that every good gift is from the Father and ultimately belongs to Him. </span>
  3513.  
  3514. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“If you love the Lord, you should have an understanding that the Lord gave everything to us, and the response of that is to hold it loosely,” Mallory says. </span>
  3515.  
  3516. <span style="font-weight: 400;">He points out that generosity is evidence of spiritual maturity. </span>
  3517.  
  3518. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s coming to an understanding that we don’t own anything. Everything we have is from the Lord.”</span>
  3519.  
  3520. <span style="font-weight: 400;">A3, a Christian leadership development network, is now offering a generosity curriculum based on concepts from </span><strong><a href="https://generousgiving.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Generous Giving</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and the </span><strong><a href="https://generositypath.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Generosity Path</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. The program was piloted a year ago and has since been launched with businessmen in Indonesia and India.</span>
  3521.  
  3522. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Many wanted to take it and get trained up as facilitators and take it back to their own churches and their own networks,” Mallory says. </span>
  3523.  
  3524. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The volunteers who have thus far participated in the program work with A3 and, in Mallory’s assessment, are already practicing generosity. </span>
  3525.  
  3526. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“But to see how the Lord really owns everything, and to take time to pray, to listen to the Lord, and also to obey what He’s calling us to do – that was the call to action,” he says. </span>
  3527.  
  3528. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The goal of the program is to spark a conversation between participants and the Lord. </span>
  3529.  
  3530. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“To hopefully facilitate that lightbulb going on about ownership, stewardship, faith, and spiritual maturity,” Mallory says. </span>
  3531.  
  3532. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Generosity comes down to two main principles: open-handedness and obedience. Are you willing to give all to the Savior who gave all for you?</span>
  3533.  
  3534. <div id="attachment_213732" style="width: 597px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213732" class=" wp-image-213732" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/alexander-schimmeck-WhBMPxr2RhA-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="587" height="391" /><p id="caption-attachment-213732" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Photos in this article courtesy of Unsplash</em></p></div>]]>
  3535. </description>
  3536. <pubDate>Wed, 02 Apr 2025 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate>
  3537. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/have-you-written-a-blank-check-to-god/</guid>
  3538. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/volodymyr-hryshchenko-x_OKGbxB3fA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3539. </item>
  3540. <item>
  3541. <title>Conflict and unity mingle in Myanmar after last week&#8217;s earthquake disaster</title>
  3542. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/conflict-and-unity-mingle-in-myanmar-after-last-weeks-earthquake-disaster/</link>
  3543. <description>
  3544. <![CDATA[
  3545. Myanmar (MNN) — <b>The civil war in Myanmar runs deep. Even the 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck on March 28 hasn’t stopped the military junta from </b><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/amid-earthquake-crisis-myanmar-military-still-bombs-towns-2025-03-30/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bombing</a></span></strong><b> villages.</b>
  3546.  
  3547. “It's a multiplied crisis because of the coup that happened several years back. The military took over the nation, and they are still fighting an insurgency in the country,” says Joe Handley with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong></span>.
  3548.  
  3549. <div id="attachment_213857" style="width: 234px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213857" class="size-medium wp-image-213857" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-03-28_2025_Mandalay_Burma_Myanmar_Earthquake_M7.7_earthquake_shakemap_USGS-224x300.jpg" alt="" width="224" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213857" class="wp-caption-text">(By United States Geological Survey - https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000pn9s, Public Domain)</p></div>
  3550.  
  3551. “Some of the original governments, as well as [the] majority of people really don't stand for this military. So the [earthquake] crisis is exacerbated because, sadly, the military is bombing their own people. <b>They’re using the crisis as a cover to kill some of those insurgency players</b>.”
  3552.  
  3553. The 7.7- and 6.5-magnitude quakes and aftershocks on Friday have <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/31/rescuers-race-the-clock-as-myanmar-earthquake-death-toll-climbs-past-1700" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed at least 1,700 people</a></strong></span>, with hundreds still missing. The tremors reached even to neighboring Thailand, where at least 18 people in Bangkok lost their lives and dozens remain missing after <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/bangkok-thailand-earthquake-building-collapse-missing-workers-3354a61713e2e0041814a27c2dd04fdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a high rise</a></strong></span> under construction collapsed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3554. <h2>Responses to the disaster</h2>
  3555. Despite the devastation, the disaster has prompted a strong international response. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g9x22gd8zo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rescue teams</a></strong></span> from China, India, Russia, Thailand and more nations have arrived or will soon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3556.  
  3557. Handley says there’s also an incredible inter-faith response happening within Myanmar.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3558.  
  3559. “You’ve got Catholics and Protestants, even Buddhist and Muslims banding together united to help the people. It's kind of unheard of, really, in Myanmar's history in many ways, to have all these faith communities working together,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3560.  
  3561. <b>Even with the help coming in, Myanmar’s situation is incredibly complex and the window for rescuing people trapped in the rubble is coming to an end. Pray for God’s mercy!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  3562.  
  3563. <b>In that complexity, </b>A3 is doing reconnaissance this week to identify whether they can get aid in. For now, Handley says, “my colleague from Myanmar is really praying that the global Church will rally behind the people and the churches of Myanmar.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3564.  
  3565. <b>You can be part of that rallying through your prayers. </b>Pray for power to be restored in the quake zones and for open channels for aid to get through to the people who need it, rather than other powers that be.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3566.  
  3567. <strong>Look for more coverage later this week for other ways to come alongside <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.a3leaders.org/projects/1831-global-disaster-relief-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></span>’s gospel-centered response.</strong>
  3568.  
  3569. “Whenever we're doing aid-related efforts — helping the needy, providing food, providing shelter, rescuing people — the center of it is faith in Christ. So as we're reaching out, the churches keep that center stage,” Handley says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3570.  
  3571. Over the years, A3 local partners across the continent have responded to many disasters.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3572.  
  3573. “Ever since [a tsunami crisis in Southeast Asia], the mutuality and trust of the A3 alumni network of churches across the spectrum — every evangelical kind of background you can imagine, denomination and independent groups — they learn from each other," says Handley.
  3574.  
  3575. Learn more about A3's responses to global disasters <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.a3leaders.org/projects/1831-global-disaster-relief-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3576.  
  3577. &nbsp;
  3578.  
  3579. &nbsp;
  3580.  
  3581. <em>Indian Navy official loading INS Satpura &amp; INS Savitri are carrying 40 tonnes of humanitarian aid, heading for the port of Yangon. (Photo by Government of India - https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1905922454863716544/photo/3, GODL-India, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=162955676)</em>]]>
  3582. </description>
  3583. <pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate>
  3584. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/conflict-and-unity-mingle-in-myanmar-after-last-weeks-earthquake-disaster/</guid>
  3585. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GnMyW0FWEAAWPPD-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3586. </item>
  3587. <item>
  3588. <title>Central Asia: A shifting landscape for Christian persecution</title>
  3589. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/central-asia-a-shifting-landscape-for-christian-persecution/</link>
  3590. <description>
  3591. <![CDATA[
  3592. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Central Asia (MNN) – For years, Christians in Central Asia have quietly practiced their faith, often under the radar. But lately, things have been changing – and not for the better.</span>
  3593.  
  3594. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Governments that once ignored small Christian communities are now tightening restrictions, and believers are feeling the pressure.</span>
  3595.  
  3596. <span style="font-weight: 400;">So what’s behind this shift? The answer goes back several decades.</span>
  3597.  
  3598. <span style="font-weight: 400;">After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, Central Asian nations faced a power struggle between secular and Muslim factions. Most governments ultimately leaned toward secularism, prioritizing stability and combating extremism.</span>
  3599.  
  3600. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“At the time, there was such a small Christian population, a majority of the extremism they were concerned about was…a radical form of Islam,” explains Eric Mock with </span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)</a></span></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span>
  3601.  
  3602. <span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the political landscape is shifting as more Muslim officials take government positions and focus pressure on Christian communities.</span>
  3603.  
  3604. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“A lot of what we see depends on the region and the local law enforcement,” says Mock. “You have the government policy, and then how it's implemented locally has a lot to do with the character of the religious groups that are there and the intent of the local law enforcement.”</span>
  3605.  
  3606. <span style="font-weight: 400;">This year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called out the Central Asian countries – Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan – for using </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/uscirf-confronts-central-asian-countries-use-of-extremism-laws/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extremism laws</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to censor Christians and peaceful religious activities.</span>
  3607.  
  3608. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Also, for the first time in at least five years, all five Central Asian countries appeared on the </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 World Watch List</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for Christian persecution. Kyrgyzstan previously was not ranked.</span>
  3609.  
  3610. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet, believers across Central Asia are faithful to Christ in the face of growing persecution.</span>
  3611.  
  3612. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I asked them, ‘How are you holding up? How are you doing?’” shares Mock. “I get the same response – That I should not ask how they are doing. But instead, [I should] join with them and pray that God moves them to an abundant harvest.”</span>
  3613.  
  3614. <span style="font-weight: 400;">SGA supports Christians in Central Asia through spiritual encouragement and prayer. The ministry also offers resources such as biblical literature, trainings, and financial assistance.</span>
  3615.  
  3616. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Mock explains, “We get behind those who know their people the best, who love Christ and want to see more of their people won to Christ…. We support them as God leads them.”</span>
  3617.  
  3618. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Join SGA in praying for and supporting the Church in Central Asia! </span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.sga.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more at SGA’s website.</a></span></strong>
  3619.  
  3620. &nbsp;
  3621.  
  3622. &nbsp;
  3623.  
  3624. <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><em>Header image is a representative stock image courtesy of Farid Mardanov via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3625. </description>
  3626. <pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate>
  3627. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/central-asia-a-shifting-landscape-for-christian-persecution/</guid>
  3628. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/smaller-farid-mardanov-Ug0mx4P26V4-unsplash-copy-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" />
  3629. </item>
  3630. <item>
  3631. <title>Church planters seek to reach the unreached in Benin</title>
  3632. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-planters-seek-to-reach-the-unreached-in-benin/</link>
  3633. <description>
  3634. <![CDATA[
  3635. Benin (MNN) -- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wycliffe.net/resources/statistics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to Wycliffe Global Alliance</a></strong></span>, just over 50 percent of all languages worldwide have at least some portions of the Bible.
  3636.  
  3637. “The great goal is to get the Gospel in every tribe and every tongue,” Dane with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfoldingWord</a></strong></span> says, but translation organizations face significant challenges in finishing the task. This shortfall requires a change in tactics.
  3638.  
  3639. “It’s not unfoldingWord that’s going to do this. It’s the Church.”
  3640.  
  3641. unfoldingWord equips church networks around the world to translate God’s Word for themselves. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://unfoldingword.org/about/strategic-overview/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here</a></strong></span>. “When the local people do the work, Scripture engagement happens much more rapidly because they own it from the very beginning,” Dane says.
  3642. <blockquote>
  3643. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They take it home and show it to their friends and family. It’s like, ‘Look what we did.’ Automatically, there’s a high level of interest, which is just not there when an outsider comes in and does it for you.”</strong></p>
  3644. </blockquote>
  3645. <h2>Whole Bible, Whole Nation: Benin</h2>
  3646. This year, unfoldingWord and its partners are undertaking ‘Whole Bible, Whole Nation’ projects in six strategic locations: Benin, Chad, Iran, the Islands of Southern Asia, Southeast Asia, and Sudan.
  3647.  
  3648. “The [Whole Bible, Whole Nation] strategy equips local church networks to evangelize the unreached, establish the Church on solid doctrinal foundations, and then entrust the next generation with the tools and the training they need for excellence in Bible translation,” Dane says.
  3649.  
  3650. <em><strong>Obstacles threaten to hinder the work in Benin.</strong> </em>“The Church is under great pressure because the government decided that voodoo will be the national religion,” Dane says.
  3651.  
  3652. “There’s a lot of Islamic pressure <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.voanews.com/a/gunmen-1-soldier-killed-in-northern-benin-attack/7994426.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coming in</a></strong></span> from the north and, even though some 30-odd percent of Benin is considered Christian, Scripture engagement is really poor.”
  3653.  
  3654. Praise God for the five training events that have taken place in Benin so far, and pray for progress in the 11 language groups that began translation work. Believers want to do more, but funding restraints have caused a slowdown.
  3655.  
  3656. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://donorbox.org/uw-general" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Support unfoldingWord’s efforts financially here.</a></strong></span>
  3657.  
  3658. <div id="attachment_213850" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/UW_Benin-highlights.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213850" class="size-medium wp-image-213850" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/UW_Benin-highlights-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213850" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div>
  3659.  
  3660. “People are so excited to hear about the creation, the fall, the flood, and the story of redemption in their own language,” Dane says.
  3661. <blockquote>
  3662. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Most of them have never heard anything like this before.”</strong></p>
  3663. </blockquote>
  3664. Work began in late 2023, and it’s already opening doors for the Gospel. Last year, “they did their first Open Bible Stories translation and shared it with a group on the border of another country,” Dane says.
  3665.  
  3666. “This was during Ramadan [and] during Ramadan, Muslims are not supposed to listen to anything other than Islamic preaching because they might miss what’s called their ‘night of destiny,’” he continues.
  3667.  
  3668. “But the translation broke through that tradition, so [approximately] 30 people gathered near the border with another country to listen to Open Bible Stories in their language. That’s a first in Benin, and in listening sessions like we’ve seen the Church in Africa successfully lead Muslims to Christ.”
  3669.  
  3670. &nbsp;
  3671.  
  3672. &nbsp;
  3673.  
  3674. &nbsp;
  3675.  
  3676. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of <a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-and-woman-in-hat-in-wooden-sail-boat-6729748/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kenza Loussouarn/Pexels.</a></em>]]>
  3677. </description>
  3678. <pubDate>Tue, 01 Apr 2025 05:00:25 -0400</pubDate>
  3679. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-planters-seek-to-reach-the-unreached-in-benin/</guid>
  3680. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-kenza-loussouarn-24828091-6729748-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3681. </item>
  3682. <item>
  3683. <title>Why staying informed is so important as interplay between the U.S. and Iran escalates</title>
  3684. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-staying-informed-is-so-important-as-interplay-between-the-u-s-and-iran-escalates/</link>
  3685. <description>
  3686. <![CDATA[
  3687. Iran (MNN) -- The interplay between the U.S. and Iran is always one step forward, two steps back. Iran stated last week that it is open to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-trump-letter-c0afbeda50cd19d42fcc68732e60b4a4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indirect talks</a></strong></span> with the U.S. Yet both countries have threatened to take military action — the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2025/03/28/iran-indicates-support-for-indirect-negotiations-with-u-s-over-nuclear-deal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">U.S.</a></strong></span> if a new nuclear deal is not reached within two months, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.newsweek.com/united-states-iran-nuclear-warning-2051988">Iran</a></strong></span> if the U.S. were to strike Iran.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3688.  
  3689. In tensions like these, Lana Silk with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a></strong></span> says, “In terms of how we think about countries—particularly countries that we would consider enemies of our state—as Christians, we have a responsibility to see things from the filter of a ‘God lens.’ You know, God loves these people.”
  3690.  
  3691. <div id="attachment_213825" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213825" class="size-medium wp-image-213825" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/paul-skorupskas-7KLa-xLbSXA-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213825" class="wp-caption-text"><strong>"As Christians, we have a responsibility to see things from the filter of a ‘God lens.’"</strong> (Photo courtesy of Paul Skorupskas via Unsplash)</p></div>
  3692.  
  3693. Part of using that lens is <strong>remembering these are spiritual battles</strong>, as <span class="Apple-converted-space"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206%3A12&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ephesians 6:12</a></strong></span> says.</span>
  3694.  
  3695. "Our enemy is never people, even the worst people," Silk says. "Our enemy is a spiritual darkness — a real spiritual enemy, the devil — who is poisoning minds, deceiving minds, and is out to steal, kill, and destroy. He is using people for [his] evil agenda.
  3696.  
  3697. “<strong>For sure, no one's condoning the behavior of the worst perpetrators</strong>," she clarifies, "<strong>but as Christians, our duty is to pray.</strong> I mean, isn't that the direct commandment to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%205%3A43-48&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">love those who persecute us and pray for our enemies</a></strong></span>? The more we are tempted to fear and hate people, those are the very people we should be driven to our knees to be praying for.”
  3698.  
  3699. <strong><span class="Apple-converted-space">P</span>raying for gospel change in Iran is logical, not only spiritual. </strong>Silk says on a practical level, Iran is one of the most powerful players in the world today, with far-reaching impact across countries in the Middle East and beyond, such as Sudan and Russia among others.
  3700.  
  3701. "Iran is very strategic and careful in making alliances with countries who also have issues or grudges against Western powers," Silk says. "<strong>If and when God really intervenes and changes the course of Iran, all of this is affected</strong> — and right down to the price of our eggs, it changes our everyday life."
  3702.  
  3703. She says it's essential the West sees the bigger picture of what God is doing in Iran.
  3704.  
  3705. <div id="attachment_206741" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206741" class="size-medium wp-image-206741" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/TI_story-pic-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-206741" class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div>
  3706.  
  3707. “From the Western perspective, I'm concerned about [us] not knowing all the facts, and as a result, not engaging, lack of empathy, lack of prayer, lack of financial support in what is happening in countries like Iran," Silk says.
  3708.  
  3709. <strong>As one step to stay engaged, Silk invites you to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://transformiran.com/newsletter-sign-up/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign up</a></span> for Transform Iran's monthly email newsletter. </strong>
  3710.  
  3711. "Then you can really pray informed, because you'll get into the weeds with us. We'll tell you what the different areas of [our] ministry are battling, what the specific needs are," she says.
  3712.  
  3713. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about Transform Iran's work here.</a></strong></span>
  3714.  
  3715. &nbsp;
  3716.  
  3717. &nbsp;
  3718.  
  3719. <em>Header photo of Tehran, Iran courtesy of Amir Housseini/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3720. </description>
  3721. <pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate>
  3722. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/why-staying-informed-is-so-important-as-interplay-between-the-u-s-and-iran-escalates/</guid>
  3723. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/amir-hosseini-1FixQdw5gns-unsplash-e1743195163508-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3724. </item>
  3725. <item>
  3726. <title>Letters and life change for incarcerated women in Kenya</title>
  3727. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/letters-and-life-change-for-incarcerated-women-in-kenya/</link>
  3728. <description>
  3729. <![CDATA[
  3730. Kenya (MNN) -- <strong>At Langata Women’s Prison in Kenya, where the walls and locked gates are meant to confine, something unexpected is happening: Freedom is being found. Not the kind granted by release papers, but the kind that transforms hearts.</strong>
  3731.  
  3732. <strong>The catalyst for this transformation is <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/crossroad-bible-institute/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Crossroads Prison Ministries'</span></a> mentor program.</strong>
  3733.  
  3734. “We connect mentors from churches with our students in prisons, and they correspond back and forth with each other through letters and our Bible study lessons,” explains Brian Kamstra, Crossroads' Director of International Ministries.
  3735.  
  3736. During a recent visit to Langata Women's Prison, Kamstra and his team witnessed firsthand how the Holy Spirit is moving. “That was just a very, very touching time for us,” he shares. “We spent time worshiping with the women and learning some of their stories. A couple of students shared how going through the Crossroads lessons has transformed their lives.”
  3737. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">One moment stood out to Kamstra. “I looked down in front of me, and there was a Bible sitting on the chair. A woman had written on the pages of her Bible — the word ‘blessed.’ As I looked at that woman, we were in our time of worship and she was just singing at the top of her lungs.</p>
  3738.  
  3739. <blockquote>
  3740. <p style="text-align: center;" data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong>“How ironic to see the word ‘blessed’ on her Bible when she’s locked up in this prison, but probably is more free than she has ever been through learning more about Jesus and the life transformation she has gone through.”</strong></p>
  3741. </blockquote>
  3742. <div id="attachment_213830" style="width: 179px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213830" class="size-medium wp-image-213830" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/image0-1-169x300.jpeg" alt="" width="169" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213830" class="wp-caption-text">Jane from the Langata Women’s Prison in Kenya. (Photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries)</p></div>
  3743. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">The reality of life in Kenyan prisons is sobering. Overcrowding is a massive issue, partly because more than half of incarcerated individuals are still awaiting trial — sometimes for over a year.</p>
  3744. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Kamstra says, “One of the reasons why women are going into prison is because of fighting or domestic violence issues.” He describes tragic situations where a woman, defending herself against an abusive partner, might unintentionally cause harm and find herself imprisoned.</p>
  3745. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Crossroads is a lifeline for many women at Langata. One inmate, Jane, shared how the lessons sustain her. “She said, ‘When you're in prison, you have to forgive. I have to forgive my neighbor...because I have to live with that person.'"</p>
  3746. <p data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Through Bible study, women are learning about their identity in Christ.</p>
  3747. “Those are the things that our ministry is all about,” Kamstra says. “The Crossroads lessons have helped people understand forgiveness, understand that they're a child of God, understand that they are loved, understand that a mentor cares for them, [and] understand that there are churches out there that want to be involved and engaged in prison ministry."
  3748.  
  3749. Crossroads carries out ministry to prisons in Kenya and four other African countries. You can advance this critical Gospel outreach by <a href="https://cpministries.org/donate" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">supporting Crossroads at their website.</span></strong></a>
  3750.  
  3751. &nbsp;
  3752.  
  3753. &nbsp;
  3754.  
  3755. <em>Header photo courtesy of Crossroads Prison Ministries.</em>]]>
  3756. </description>
  3757. <pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate>
  3758. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/letters-and-life-change-for-incarcerated-women-in-kenya/</guid>
  3759. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-28-230640-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3760. </item>
  3761. <item>
  3762. <title>How access to clean water drives global change</title>
  3763. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-access-to-clean-water-drives-global-change/</link>
  3764. <description>
  3765. <![CDATA[
  3766. International (MNN) — Many of the world’s greatest challenges could be solved with one simple resource: clean water.
  3767.  
  3768. For many, a morning cup of tea or coffee is a daily ritual. But for billions, access to safe water is a luxury that determines not just personal well-being but the survival of entire communities and nations. The presence or absence of clean water shapes the future, making it no surprise that Jesus compared Himself and His word to water.
  3769.  
  3770. <div id="attachment_213801" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213801" class="wp-image-213801 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/479520293_941105788151137_2131380647210280564_n-1-300x157.jpg" alt="AMG on Facebook" width="300" height="157" /><p id="caption-attachment-213801" class="wp-caption-text">Ministry in Bangladesh. Image courtesy of AMG International on Facebook.</p></div>
  3771.  
  3772. Today, <strong><a href="https://www.worldvision.org/clean-water-news-stories/global-water-crisis-facts#:~:text=global%20water%20crisis-,Fast%20facts%3A%20Global%20water%20crisis,safely%20managed%20drinking%20water%20services." target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than two billion</a></strong> people lack access to safe drinking water, leading to devastating consequences. Brian Dennett from <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel</a></strong> (AMG) explains, <strong>“This causes all kinds of waterborne diseases — cholera, dysentery — and claims thousands of lives in many countries where AMG is working.”</strong>
  3773.  
  3774. In some communities, people drink, bathe, and wash their clothes in the same contaminated water source — often near outhouses — exposing themselves to serious health risks. Yet with limited water available, they have no other choice.
  3775. <blockquote>
  3776. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It is one of the most basic needs for health, education, and economic stability. Without it, communities remain trapped in poverty, disease, and suffering,” Dennett adds.</strong></p>
  3777. </blockquote>
  3778. <div id="attachment_213800" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213800" class="wp-image-213800 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/476837316_941105728151143_2314907992691315026_n-1-300x225.jpg" alt="AMG Facebook" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-213800" class="wp-caption-text">Ministry in Bangladesh. Featured images courtesy of AMG International on Facebook.</p></div>
  3779.  
  3780. That’s why AMG makes clean water an important part of its mission. Depending on the needs of a community, they implement two key approaches: <strong>drilling deep wells</strong> in central locations to serve entire villages or providing household <strong>water filtration systems</strong> to families one by one.
  3781.  
  3782. But their mission doesn’t stop with physical water. After quenching physical thirst, AMG helps people discover the living water of Christ.
  3783. <blockquote>
  3784. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“When we visit a home to provide a water filter, we immediately begin a relationship, Gospel conversations with the family.”</strong></p>
  3785. </blockquote>
  3786. Jesus said that whoever drinks the water He gives will never thirst. Pray that as <strong><a href="https://www.amginternational.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMG International</a></strong> provides clean water, communities will also encounter the life-changing hope of Christ!
  3787.  
  3788. &nbsp;
  3789.  
  3790. &nbsp;
  3791.  
  3792. <em>Featured images courtesy of AMG International on Facebook.</em>]]>
  3793. </description>
  3794. <pubDate>Mon, 31 Mar 2025 05:00:38 -0400</pubDate>
  3795. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-access-to-clean-water-drives-global-change/</guid>
  3796. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/477698660_941105791484470_3615209831965796273_n-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3797. </item>
  3798. <item>
  3799. <title>Nourishing life in a world that feeds conflict</title>
  3800. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nourishing-life-in-a-world-that-feeds-conflict/</link>
  3801. <description>
  3802. <![CDATA[
  3803. <span style="font-weight: 400">International (MNN) </span><b>— </b><span style="font-weight: 400">Newsfeeds relay conflict. Screens display war. In the midst of global unrest that devalues life, LIFE International’s Dr. Okongo Samson says believers are called to be life givers. </span>
  3804.  
  3805. <span style="font-weight: 400">“As we read from John 10:10, the thief comes to steal and destroy and to kill, but Jesus came to give life. So the mandate he gave us is for us to give life,” he says. </span>
  3806.  
  3807. <span style="font-weight: 400">In our homes, churches, and communities, valuing life can look like anything from celebrating a baby’s first steps to respecting an overlooked person. At LIFE International, it looks like bringing awareness to the value of pre-born life. To that end, LIFE has developed a training program to equip Christian leaders in matters of life and expose areas where their communities are cheapening it.   </span>
  3808.  
  3809. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Because some of them are not aware that they are devaluing life,” Samson says. “They think they are helping, but actually they are hurting.”</span>
  3810.  
  3811. <div id="attachment_213672" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213672" class="size-medium wp-image-213672" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ben-white-EMZxDosijJ4-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213672" class="wp-caption-text">Courtesy of Ben White via Unsplash.</p></div>
  3812.  
  3813. <span style="font-weight: 400">He says addressing heart issues with heart transformation is an approach that resonates with trainees. </span>
  3814.  
  3815. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Ultimately, they go back to their community and their country, and they become part of changing life – bringing life – to the people they are serving.”</span>
  3816.  
  3817. <span style="font-weight: 400">Since matters of life are Gospel matters, LIFE International primarily works with believers. </span>
  3818.  
  3819. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The Gospel can only be given by the church of Christ,” Samson says, “but we train even Muslims because if we can really reach them through equipping them, and lives could be changed, restored, and dignified, we give God glory for that.”</span>
  3820.  
  3821. <span style="font-weight: 400">In restrictive countries, LIFE seeks governmental permission before working with citizens. Samson says this approach usually secures the investment of high-level officials.</span>
  3822.  
  3823. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Ultimately, they own that vision to really value the life of their citizens and bring life,” he says. </span>
  3824.  
  3825. <span style="font-weight: 400">Trainings are typically held over four days, from morning to evening. The format is a mix of teaching, listening, contextualizing, and conferring ideas. Please pray that these trainings would be effective.</span><span style="font-weight: 400"> Pray that hearts would be transformed by the Gospel, and pray that many lives would be saved as a result. </span>
  3826.  
  3827. <span style="font-weight: 400">Samson says the intrinsic value of life need not be contextualized. </span>
  3828.  
  3829. <span style="font-weight: 400">“This is not a new message. This is our Father’s heart.” </span>
  3830.  
  3831. <em>Featured photo courtesy of Volodymyr Hryschenko via Unsplash</em>]]>
  3832. </description>
  3833. <pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2025 05:00:50 -0400</pubDate>
  3834. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nourishing-life-in-a-world-that-feeds-conflict/</guid>
  3835. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/volodymyr-hryshchenko-87ev1NvhDsU-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3836. </item>
  3837. <item>
  3838. <title>Hope in the midst of harsh realities for women in Iran</title>
  3839. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-in-the-midst-of-harsh-realities-for-women-in-iran/</link>
  3840. <description>
  3841. <![CDATA[
  3842. Iran (MNN) — The lives of women and girls continue to be systemically devalued in Iran today.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3843.  
  3844. A <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/iran-government-continues-systematic-repression-and-escalates-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">new report</a></strong></span> is out from a UN fact-finding mission. It adds more evidence to the documentations of human rights violations surrounding Iran’s 2022 “Women, Life, Freedom” protests, some of which carry through even to today.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3845.  
  3846. Among the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/03/iran-government-continues-systematic-repression-and-escalates-surveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">concerns</a></strong></span> it highlights are gender-based violence, executions and imprisonments of women, men and even children in Iran. Some of the evidence, the Mission affirms, amounts to crimes against humanity.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3847.  
  3848. Also noted in the report is the Iranian regime’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/mar/24/iran-police-women-surveillance-hijab-drones-dress-code-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increasing surveillance</a></strong></span> and criminal prosecution of women who defy the mandatory <em>hijab</em> laws. (More on that <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/mar/24/iran-police-women-surveillance-hijab-drones-dress-code-law" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span> — an ominous warning text to the woman’s personal cell phone is the least worrisome thing in this scenario.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3849. <h2><b>The sobering reality<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></h2>
  3850. “[Women in Iran are] more treated as possessions, tools to get what men want from them. For that reason, women go through a vicious cycle of despair from the beginning,” says Lily Meschi from Iran Alive Ministries.
  3851.  
  3852. <div id="attachment_203328" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203328" class="wp-image-203328 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/mostafa-meraji-ZtgL9q_rSs4-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-203328" class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Mostafa Meraji on Unsplash)</p></div>
  3853.  
  3854. <strong>Education and marriage offer no escape.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3855.  
  3856. “Education is very important for women in general in Iran, in the Middle East. That’s why Iranian women are among the most educated in the Middle East. So they pursue education to find their identity. Then after they land a job or they start their career and whatnot, they're mistreated by men,” Meschi says. "Most superiors are men, and most do not shy away from making advances and doing things like that to women."
  3857.  
  3858. For middle- or lower-income families, education may be less attainable. For these girls, “they're usually given into marriage [to] the first person that shows interests in the women. They usually get into toxic situations because of that,” Meschi says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3859.  
  3860. These toxic realities include abuse, divorce, and temporary marriages. Child marriages and “honor killings” are also present in modern-day Iran.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3861.  
  3862. “It's a vicious cycle. Women generally depend on men for provision, and so they're emotionally abused, verbally abused and they're physically abused,” Meschi says.
  3863. <h2><b>The only way out</b></h2>
  3864. The political and cultural climate of Iran appears hopeless for women, doesn’t it? But that’s exactly where Meschi says the gospel is a counter-cultural light.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3865.  
  3866. <b>“When they find Christ, when the gospel is shared with them, they find true freedom. They find true identity, and they cling to that,” Meschi says.</b>
  3867.  
  3868. <div id="attachment_182327" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-182327" class="wp-image-182327 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/mostafa-meraji-rql24m2eO2s-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-182327" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Mostafa Meraji via Unsplash)</p></div>
  3869.  
  3870. “That’s why women that are Muslim-background believers are so on fire for the Lord. They're so bold. They are at the frontlines of the protests that are happening in Iran, and they want change for others as well. <b>They want the identity that they have found in Christ, as daughters of the Most High God, for others to experience the same thing.</b>
  3871.  
  3872. “They're saying that, you know, to live in Iran under such oppression is to die every single day. Why not die for the sake of the gospel? To a new believer and to a woman that came to Christ in Iran, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
  3873.  
  3874. <strong>Please pray for women in Iran. Pray for the good news of God’s LOVE for them to penetrate their worlds. Pray for political and cultural reversals to open Iran up to the gospel!</strong>
  3875.  
  3876. You can join Iran Alive Ministries to share gospel hope. Their team ministers to underground and online churches in Iran. They also broadcast gospel hope into Iran via satellite TV.
  3877.  
  3878. “We basically let people know, and especially women, that you're not enslaved to God. You are a child. You are a daughter [or son] of the Most High God. You are crowned with a crown of life,” Meschi says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3879.  
  3880. Visit Iran Alive's website <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>. You can also sign up to receive updates and testimonies from inside of Iran — <strong>simply text “Iran” to 85789.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3881.  
  3882. &nbsp;
  3883.  
  3884. &nbsp;
  3885.  
  3886. <em>Header photo courtesy of Hasan Almasi via Unsplash. </em>]]>
  3887. </description>
  3888. <pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2025 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate>
  3889. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-in-the-midst-of-harsh-realities-for-women-in-iran/</guid>
  3890. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/hasan-almasi-kXzuEOyXaRs-unsplash-scaled-e1743105612879-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3891. </item>
  3892. <item>
  3893. <title>Witnessing to the ends of the earth at Michigan&#8217;s State Capitol</title>
  3894. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/witnessing-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-at-michigans-state-capitol/</link>
  3895. <description>
  3896. <![CDATA[
  3897. <span style="font-weight: 400;">USA (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">How are mission leaders finding their place in God’s story? Jason Woolford, president of </span><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-resources-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Cry</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, is expanding his mission field to include a political role: that of </span><strong><a href="https://gophouse.org/member/RepJasonWoolford/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">representative in the Michigan State House</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span>
  3898.  
  3899. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“For me, personally, I saw religion and politics as spiritual issues when you boil them down to their finite,” he says. </span>
  3900.  
  3901. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Woolford felt the Lord calling him to run for office after his experience with COVID clampdowns on the church. The unraveling of Christian values across our nation paired with the willingness of believers to give up rights was alarming to him. As a basis for his political service, he points to Psalm 82:3: “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” </span>
  3902.  
  3903. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Matthew 4:4, where Jesus refutes the tempter by proclaiming ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,’ fuels Woolford’s other work: </span><strong><a href="https://missioncry.com/about-new/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bible distribution through Mission Cry</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span>
  3904.  
  3905. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“As the president of Mission Cry, sending the word of God around the world to people – that’s the only thing that doesn’t return void – and then working also as a lawmaker, I see it going hand in hand,” he says. </span>
  3906.  
  3907. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The work is rewarding, but the responsibility is weighty. Woolford draws strength from the Lord. </span>
  3908.  
  3909. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“God has called me to both these things, and so it’s a balance that only God himself could be doing right now.”</span>
  3910.  
  3911. <div id="attachment_213637" style="width: 232px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213637" class=" wp-image-213637" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Jason-JoAnn-Walsh-185x300.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="360" /><p id="caption-attachment-213637" class="wp-caption-text">Mission Cry President Jason Woolford and volunteer JoAnn Walsh. Photo courtesy of Mission Cry.</p></div>
  3912.  
  3913. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Whether sending Bibles to 178 nations or </span><strong><a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/2025/03/12/woolford-biological-men-shouldnt-men-in-womens-sports/82310281007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">working to change unjust laws in Michigan</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Woolford knows his work puts him on the front lines of spiritual battle. Please pray for Woolford, his family, and their ministry team. </span>
  3914.  
  3915. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Acts 1:8 </span>reads,<b> “</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”</span>
  3916.  
  3917. <span style="font-weight: 400;">"Michigan at the capitol is the uttermost parts of the earth," Woolford says, "so I would appreciate the prayers, and I’m very thankful to be serving both globally and at the state level for Michiganders."</span>
  3918.  
  3919. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray that Mission Cry would raise sufficient funds to send containers filled with Bibles and free books around the world, and pray for partners distributing them. On the home front, pray for Representative Woolford as he storms the spiritual strongholds of Michigan’s political realm. </span>
  3920.  
  3921. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“That’s going to be a real battle, and so praying specifically that God would give me strength and wisdom and knowledge above and beyond my own, and a Holy Ghost boldness,” he says. </span>
  3922.  
  3923. <em>Featured image courtesy of Mission Cry. </em>]]>
  3924. </description>
  3925. <pubDate>Fri, 28 Mar 2025 05:00:44 -0400</pubDate>
  3926. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/witnessing-to-the-ends-of-the-earth-at-michigans-state-capitol/</guid>
  3927. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Rep-Woolford-Capitol-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3928. </item>
  3929. <item>
  3930. <title>USCIRF flags four nations for &#8216;Countries of Particular Concern&#8217; list</title>
  3931. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/uscirf-flags-four-nations-for-countries-of-particular-concern-list/</link>
  3932. <description>
  3933. <![CDATA[
  3934. USA (MNN) -- Four more countries may begin feeling the heat from the United States over religious freedom violations. <strong>The US Commission for International Religious Freedom released a <a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/uscirf-releases-2025-annual-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">report</span></a> Tuesday recommending four additional nations for the State Department to designate as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) – India, Nigeria, Afghanistan, and Vietnam.</strong>
  3935.  
  3936. Todd Nettleton with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Voice of the Martyrs USA (VOM)</span></strong></a> says, "That will be interesting. In some of those cases, there are trade relationships like India. In others, it has been confusing to me how Nigeria was not on the list previously. So we wait and see what the State Department does.
  3937.  
  3938. "Part of the State Department's job is to talk about religious freedom. But they also, obviously, want to keep trade relationships good. They want to keep military relationships good. So they kind of factor in a lot more different angles into the equation."
  3939. <blockquote>
  3940. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>When it comes to the four nations recommended as CPCs by the USCIRF report, Nettleton explains, "In some of those cases, there are trade relationships — like India. In others, it's been confusing to me how Nigeria was not on the list previously."</strong></p>
  3941. </blockquote>
  3942. <div id="attachment_179842" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-179842" class="size-medium wp-image-179842" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/uscirfState-Department-300x163.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="163" /><p id="caption-attachment-179842" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of USCIRF)</p></div>
  3943.  
  3944. Foreign governments have criticized America in the past for making religious freedom part of the conversation.
  3945.  
  3946. "These countries who are listed on this list...are saying, 'This is none of your business. You need to take care of your country. We'll take care of our country, and you don't tell us what to do.' That is the attitude."
  3947.  
  3948. However, Nettleton points to the US <a href="https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/105/hr2431/summary" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">International Religious Freedom Act of 1998</span></strong></a>. He explains, "Our government has actually passed a law to say, ‘No, it (religious freedom) is important. We are going to pay attention to it.’ I think it's important for us as citizens to remind our government leaders that this is something we care about too."
  3949.  
  3950. Now is a critical time for Christians to respond and prayerfully intercede for these nations.
  3951. <blockquote>
  3952. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Nettleton encourages, "The map that is printed in the USCIRF report is something that you can take and pray over. In all of these countries, we have Christian brothers and sisters who are paying a price for being bold witnesses for Christ."</strong></p>
  3953. </blockquote>
  3954. You can also <a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">find more prayer resources with VOM USA here.</span></strong></a>
  3955.  
  3956. &nbsp;
  3957.  
  3958. &nbsp;
  3959.  
  3960. &nbsp;
  3961.  
  3962. <em>Header photo courtesy of Arpit Rastogi/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3963. </description>
  3964. <pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 05:00:06 -0400</pubDate>
  3965. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/uscirf-flags-four-nations-for-countries-of-particular-concern-list/</guid>
  3966. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/arpit-rastogi-xv7DTjnx2YQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3967. </item>
  3968. <item>
  3969. <title>Iran navigating sanctions and geopolitical shifts</title>
  3970. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-navigating-sanctions-and-geopolitical-shifts/</link>
  3971. <description>
  3972. <![CDATA[
  3973. Iran (MNN) —<b> </b>Pressure on Iran from without and within may lead to a new balance of powers between nations.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3974. <h2><strong>What's going on outside of Iran?</strong></h2>
  3975. “Iran is at the cross-junction of deciding whether they want to continue their relationship with the West or become closer to Russia and China,” says Mike Ansari with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a></strong></span>.
  3976.  
  3977. <div id="attachment_203269" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203269" class="size-medium wp-image-203269" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/H4I_header-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-203269" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</p></div>
  3978.  
  3979. He says Iran’s financial situation today is dire. “There are still embargoes, and we anticipate that under President Trump's administration there will be more pressure on Iran and the Iranian government.”
  3980.  
  3981. <strong>Case in point: On March 14, Iranian, Russian and Chinese foreign ministers met in Beijing. They <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-russia-iran-nuclear-talks-5ead4a1969e6645c7afb5557a37061e8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a></span> for a lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran for its disputed nuclear program, and for diplomatic dialogue to resume over the issue.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3982.  
  3983. <strong>A week later, the U.S. imposed a new round of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us-issues-fresh-iran-related-sanctions-treasury-dept-says-2025-03-20/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sanctions</a></span>, this time including a Chinese refinery purchasing Iranian crude oil.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3984.  
  3985. “The Supreme Leader  has basically state[d] his position that he does not envision Iran getting closer to America,” Ansari says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“[Yet] there are people in his government that are pushing for a closer relationship with China, because that would release a lot of financial pressure on Iran and Iranian people.”
  3986.  
  3987. However, Ansari notes, others know that aligning with China <strong>may not be to the best interests of Iranian people long-term.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3988. <h2><strong>What's going on inside Iran?</strong></h2>
  3989. In the midst of these geopolitical rumblings, the people of Iran long for freedom and stability but are getting neither.
  3990.  
  3991. <div id="attachment_199910" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-199910" class="size-medium wp-image-199910" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/IMG_3814-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-199910" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</p></div>
  3992.  
  3993. “The challenge that potentially may take place is the discontent within the Iranian communities and society may reach a [climax] again, which may lead to some kind of uprising among its citizens,” Ansari says.
  3994.  
  3995. “<strong>[The] Iranian government is going to deal with an iron fist if that happens, because that's exactly what they did during the last uprising.</strong> Countless number[s] of people were executed. There was no accountability [from the international community].”
  3996.  
  3997. But whenever a community is in crisis and faced with hopelessness, Ansari says, there is an innate desire in people to seek hope. Iranians are finding it in the gospel. <strong>Yet in a closed country like Iran it’s hard to know how much the church is growing.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3998.  
  3999. “[<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heart4iran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a></strong></span> call center members] are still getting phone calls from inside Iran, people who are responding to the gospel, and many of them are praying and asking to receive Jesus,” Ansari says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4000.  
  4001. <strong>“We feel that the gospel is still spreading inside Iran, but [we’re] not hearing much about it, because people are genuinely afraid of retaliations from the government.”</strong>
  4002. <h2><b>Find your place in the story</b></h2>
  4003. It’s easy to consider Iran in a negative light especially after the past year plus of wars in the Middle East. But Ansari urges us not to accept the rhetoric that mainstream media gives.<b> Instead, pray full of compassion and hope for what God can do in Iran.</b>
  4004.  
  4005. <div id="attachment_203862" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203862" class="size-medium wp-image-203862" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/H4I_pray-for-iran-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-203862" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Denis Oliveira/Heart4Iran)</p></div>
  4006.  
  4007. “The reality of the matter is that Jesus left ninety-nine to attend to one. People of Iran are very noble. They are coming to Christ. They are fed up. They're highly persecuted, and it is important for us to know that they're not a lost cause,” says Ansari. <b>“It is spiritual warfare at the end of the day.”</b>
  4008.  
  4009. <b>Finally, please pray for the maturity and strength of Christians in Iran under persecution.</b>
  4010.  
  4011. “A lot of Iranians that decide to convert from Islam to Christianity are realizing that it is hopeless to stay in Iran and continue to be persecuted. Many of them are choosing to leave Iran, <strong>but that is creating a crisis where the church, as fast as this is growing in Iran, is dealing with a lack of depth,</strong>” Ansari says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4012.  
  4013. <strong>“Should there be any kind of a change in the governments or in the fabrics of [the] Iranian political system, the church does need solid believers to stand on his feet if he wants to survive.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4014.  
  4015. &nbsp;
  4016.  
  4017. &nbsp;
  4018.  
  4019. &nbsp;
  4020.  
  4021. &nbsp;
  4022.  
  4023. <em>Header image courtesy from a user named Pavellllllll on Pixabay. </em>]]>
  4024. </description>
  4025. <pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate>
  4026. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/iran-navigating-sanctions-and-geopolitical-shifts/</guid>
  4027. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/globe-4088554_1280-e1743021659321-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4028. </item>
  4029. <item>
  4030. <title>MENA ministries chart digital course with Gospel compass</title>
  4031. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mena-ministries-chart-digital-course-with-gospel-compass/</link>
  4032. <description>
  4033. <![CDATA[
  4034. <span style="font-weight: 400">Middle East North Africa (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">As countries across the Middle East </span><strong><a href="https://www.gulf-times.com/article/701496/region/is-the-middle-east-positioned-for-success-in-the-era-of-generative-ai" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invest in AI initiatives</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> geared to influence the public sector, nations in Africa are </span><strong><a href="https://www.thefastmode.com/technology-solutions/40020-eutelsat-orange-partner-to-expand-satellite-internet-in-africa-and-the-middle-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ramping up satellite internet access</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> and looking to strengthen local ecosystems through technology. How are ministries in the MENA region adapting to fast and furious digital advancements? </span>
  4035.  
  4036. <span style="font-weight: 400">Terry Ascott is the founder and president of SAT-7, a television and digital media ministry in the Middle East. He says traditional broadcasting still serves an important role there, as people in restricted areas often seek to avoid a digital footprint on their devices. Adding to this is the reality that many people are digitally illiterate or do not have access to the latest forms of technology and digital media. </span>
  4037.  
  4038. <span style="font-weight: 400">But the younger generation’s widespread embracing of digital media puts it on SAT-7’s radar. </span>
  4039.  
  4040. <span style="font-weight: 400">“As we go into this world of digital media, we’re very conscious that we need to do no harm,” Ascott says. “We need to present the Gospel in a way that’s relevant and meaningful to young people – people who will give you three seconds to capture their attention with a video clip or a message.”</span>
  4041.  
  4042. <span style="font-weight: 400">The fluid nature of digital media platforms poses a difficulty to anyone trying to predict the needs of future digital ministry. </span>
  4043.  
  4044. <span style="font-weight: 400">“With the advent of AI, there’s going to be a major challenge in understanding what is true and what is not true,” Ascott says.</span>
  4045.  
  4046. <div id="attachment_213645" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213645" class="size-medium wp-image-213645" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-mart-production-8121818-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213645" class="wp-caption-text">Representative stock photo, courtesy of Pexels</p></div>
  4047.  
  4048. <span style="font-weight: 400">Media brands with established trust will be important in the MENA region as the technology sphere integrates new dimensions such as </span><strong><a href="https://www.ibm.com/think/topics/quantum-computing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quantum computing</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> and </span><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250306-the-future-of-conservation-might-be-in-vr-headsets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">virtual reality</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  4049. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  4050. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“What will the future really look like in terms of ministry to people across the Middle East and North Africa? And is the divide between the uneducated and the educated, the young and the old, going to deepen?” Ascott asks. </span>
  4051.  
  4052. <span style="font-weight: 400">These are all factors being considered as ministries chart their digital course. Another consideration is that each platform lends itself to a certain style of content.</span>
  4053.  
  4054. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Good content that’s relevant and meaningful to people will find audiences no matter where you put the content, but of course you can be more productive or less productive in reaching larger audiences through certain techniques,” Ascott says. </span>
  4055.  
  4056. <span style="font-weight: 400">Outside the digital realm, conflict and social disruption in the MENA region can open people’s hearts to messages of hope.</span>
  4057.  
  4058. <span style="font-weight: 400">“And so these very challenging times are also times of opportunities for the Gospel,” Ascott points out. </span>
  4059.  
  4060. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray for the team at SAT-7 as they navigate opportunities to share the Gospel in the MENA region. Pray that as people in theocratic countries such as Iran and Turkiye question Islam, they will find answers in Christ. </span>
  4061.  
  4062. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We have brothers and sisters in very difficult places today that are facing challenges very few of us understand,” Ascott says. “So continue to pray for the Christians in the Middle East and the church in the Middle East.”</span>
  4063.  
  4064. <em>Featured photo courtesy of Fabien Bazanegue via Unsplash</em>]]>
  4065. </description>
  4066. <pubDate>Thu, 27 Mar 2025 05:00:18 -0400</pubDate>
  4067. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mena-ministries-chart-digital-course-with-gospel-compass/</guid>
  4068. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/fabien-bazanegue-FVv0P5O6PC0-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4069. </item>
  4070. <item>
  4071. <title>“There is no justice, just order”: Ongoing protests in Türkiye see over 1,100 arrests</title>
  4072. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/there-is-no-justice-just-order-ongoing-protests-in-turkiye-see-over-1100-arrests/</link>
  4073. <description>
  4074. <![CDATA[
  4075. Türkiye (MNN) — When the law is silent, people shout!
  4076.  
  4077. <em>Zıpla, Zıpla, Zıplamayan Tayyipçi!</em>
  4078. “Jump! Jump! The ones who don’t jump are Tayyip’s supporters!”
  4079.  
  4080. Hundreds of thousands of <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czrnzdkp68eo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protesters</a>, many of whom are students, have gathered across Turkish cities to protest President Erdoğan's actions. This time, Erdoğan has sparked outrage by targeting his main rival, <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/turkish-president-erdogans-main-rival-ekrem-imamoglu-formally-arrested-and-jailed-pending-trial-13334195" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ekrem İmamoğlu</a>.
  4081.  
  4082. <div id="attachment_213759" style="width: 262px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213759" class=" wp-image-213759" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Ekrem_Imamoglu_2024.png-225x300.webp" alt="Wikimedia commons" width="252" height="336" /><p id="caption-attachment-213759" class="wp-caption-text">Ekrem İmamoğlu (Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Medyascope TV via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  4083.  
  4084. On March 18, Istanbul University announced that it had <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/istanbul-university-annuls-istanbul-mayor-imamoglus-diploma-over-irregularities-2025-03-18/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">annulled</a> Ekrem İmamoğlu’s degree, effectively barring him from running in the upcoming presidential election. Although the official excuse was to prevent him from running, the move is widely seen as retaliation due to İmamoğlu being nominated as the presidential candidate for the main opposition party, the Republican People’s Party (CHP), in the 2028 elections. The following day, Erdoğan had İmamoğlu arrested, despite a lack of evidence or a court decision. <strong>This was the breaking point, leading to nationwide protests. Over <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/24/journalists-among-more-than-1100-arrested-in-turkey-crackdown-istanbul" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,100</a> people have been arrested so far.</strong>
  4085.  
  4086. Local believer Emre* shares, "<strong>The people that protest are the majority of university students protesting to protect their right to keep their degree, to have an assurance that they will be able to keep their degree after they graduate.</strong>"
  4087.  
  4088. What sets these protests apart is their nationwide scale. A chart mapping the protests shows demonstrations taking place in nearly every city across Türkiye.
  4089. <blockquote>
  4090. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"These recent happenings are scary because the government is using their power to shut down opposition, and that’s not a good sign for the future of politics in Türkiye," he adds.</strong></p>
  4091. </blockquote>
  4092. Protesters shout “Hak, Hukuk, Adalet!” which means “Rights, Law, Justice!” Their signs read: <em>Adalet yok emir var</em> (“There is no justice, there is order”), <em>Hukuk susar halk bağırır!</em> (“When the law is silent, the people shout!”), and <em>Bu devirde kimse padişah değil</em> (“In this era, no one is a sultan”) — expressing their discontent with the country’s growing oppression of freedoms and the persecution of opposition.
  4093.  
  4094. Emre explains, “What protesters are afraid of is future security, because what we see here is the government more and more abusing their power.”
  4095.  
  4096. Although Turkish law protects the right to protest, the police have frequently overstepped, using tear gas, rubber bullets, and other forceful methods. The safety of protesters is a growing concern, and prayers for peace and de-escalation are urgently needed.
  4097. <blockquote>
  4098. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Pray that the protests succeed, that justice will be served, and a better Türkiye will come soon,” Emre says. </strong></p>
  4099. </blockquote>
  4100. He also asks for prayers that the protests remain focused on their core goals and that the government does not use the presence of any separatist or terrorist elements to discredit the protesters.
  4101.  
  4102. &nbsp;
  4103.  
  4104. &nbsp;
  4105.  
  4106. &nbsp;
  4107.  
  4108. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Faruk Melik ÇEVİK via Unsplash.</em>
  4109.  
  4110. <em>*Full name withheld for security.</em>]]>
  4111. </description>
  4112. <pubDate>Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  4113. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/there-is-no-justice-just-order-ongoing-protests-in-turkiye-see-over-1100-arrests/</guid>
  4114. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/faruk-melik-cevik-IVtIBhjftaE-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4115. </item>
  4116. <item>
  4117. <title>Gospel work continues amid South Sudan hostility</title>
  4118. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-work-continues-amid-south-sudan-hostility/</link>
  4119. <description>
  4120. <![CDATA[
  4121. South Sudan (MNN) -- South Sudan is again <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161456" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on the brink</a></strong></span> of civil war. The latest wave of violence erupted earlier this month when a youth militia overran South Sudanese army barracks.
  4122.  
  4123. The government responded with force, and chaos spread throughout the country. At least 63,000 people have fled the capital. “The [U.S.] State Department has issued a level four warning for Americans, which is their highest level,” Dane with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfoldingWord</a></strong></span> says.
  4124. <blockquote>
  4125. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They say, ‘If you go [to South Sudan], you should leave a DNA sample with your family doctor so they can identify you later.’”</strong></p>
  4126. </blockquote>
  4127. <p style="text-align: left;">Hostility between President Salva Kiir’s allies and his long-time rival, First Vice President Riek Machar, has been <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.khq.com/national/south-sudan-opposition-decries-strike-as-us-warns-of-rise-in-violence/article_21a7a2f2-84ea-5856-8696-85cd82bef507.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at its highest</a></strong></span> since a temporary peace deal was initiated in 2018. Because of the rising tensions, Germany has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/germany-temporarily-shuts-embassy-south-sudan-amid-fears-civil-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporarily closed</a></strong></span> its embassy in South Sudan’s capital, Juba.</p>
  4128. “‘There is the violent crime like carjackings, shootings, and ambushes. Foreign nationals have been victims of rape, sexual assault, armed robberies, and other violent crimes,’” Dane says, reading from a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-orders-non-emergency-personnel-leave-south-sudan-amid-ongoing-violence-state-department/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">March 9 notice.</a></strong></span>
  4129.  
  4130. “The State Department ordered the immediate departure of nonemergency personnel from Juba because of an increase in crime, kidnapping, and armed conflict.”
  4131. <h2>Continuing God’s work</h2>
  4132. unfoldingWord trains and equips local believers to translate the Bible. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://unfoldingword.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here</a></strong></span>. Partners who work on translations in neighboring Sudan are based in South Sudan.
  4133.  
  4134. “It’s pretty serious, but our partners are still working. They’re still translating the Bible,” Dane says.
  4135.  
  4136. <div id="attachment_213779" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/UW_Sudan-quote.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213779" class="size-medium wp-image-213779" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/UW_Sudan-quote-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213779" class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div>
  4137.  
  4138. As part of its “Whole Bible, Whole Nation” initiative, unfoldingWord trains, coaches, observes and assists Sudanese partners in establishing foundational expertise in technology, software usage, translation principles, and equipping trainers. Equipping Sudanese church planters will enable them to translate the Bible into all the heart languages in Sudan.
  4139.  
  4140. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://donorbox.org/open-the-gates-sudan-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Support Bible translation in Sudan through unfoldingWord.</a></strong></span>
  4141.  
  4142. Sudanese evangelists are incorporating Bible translation into their church planting strategy. Ramadan provides a unique opportunity for translators to showcase their work.
  4143.  
  4144. “Very often, we hear stories of Muslims coming to Christ during Ramadan because He appears to them in dreams and visions and speaks to them,” Dane says.
  4145. <blockquote>
  4146. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The next thing you know, He leads them to someone with a Bible they can read in their language.”</strong></p>
  4147. </blockquote>
  4148. Pray the Lord will use Bible translations in minority languages to introduce people to Jesus.
  4149.  
  4150. &nbsp;
  4151.  
  4152. &nbsp;
  4153.  
  4154. &nbsp;
  4155.  
  4156. <em>Header image depicts a Sudanese combatant with G3 rifle. (Photo courtesy of <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:South_Sudan_022.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Steve Evans/Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  4157. </description>
  4158. <pubDate>Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:18 -0400</pubDate>
  4159. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-work-continues-amid-south-sudan-hostility/</guid>
  4160. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Wikimedia_South_Sudan_022-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4161. </item>
  4162. <item>
  4163. <title>How A3 is equipping women in service to the Lord</title>
  4164. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-a3-is-equipping-women-in-service-to-the-lord/</link>
  4165. <description>
  4166. <![CDATA[
  4167. <span style="font-weight: 400;">International (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jesus values women. Throughout Scripture, we see him cherishing their gifts, caring for their needs, and speaking to their hearts. </span>
  4168.  
  4169. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Silk Handley with </span><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a3/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A3</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> says it’s important for women to know they are valuable. </span>
  4170.  
  4171. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“To the Lord, but also in their context: to serve, to minister, to have a voice.” </span>
  4172.  
  4173. <span style="font-weight: 400;">She says </span><a href="https://a3leaders.org/wim"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A3’s “Women in Ministry” cohort</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> was birthed out of desire to see women at the table. </span>
  4174.  
  4175. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We know that women do so much for the church. This is just a great opportunity for us to come alongside women, empowering them and equipping them in topics like spiritual formation, leadership, mission,” Handley says. </span>
  4176.  
  4177. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2007, a group of expat women began a women’s Bible study in one Southeast Asian country. Since then, A3’s ministry to women has spread to India, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Nepal. </span>
  4178.  
  4179. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Most of these women are leading in places that we’re accustomed to seeing them in,” Handley says – areas such as education, children’s ministry, and outreach. Yet leadership roles and discussion are secondary, as women take the Great Commandment and Commission to heart. </span>
  4180.  
  4181. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In Bangladesh, for example: </span>
  4182.  
  4183. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The last session is usually focused on mission, and a couple of the women went out to some of the unreached people groups in their community. So that was really exciting to hear.”</span>
  4184.  
  4185. <div id="attachment_213716" style="width: 224px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213716" class=" wp-image-213716" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/janaya-dasiuk-0XPUk_8rvo4-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="214" height="321" /><p id="caption-attachment-213716" class="wp-caption-text">Woman in Nepal, courtesy of Unsplash</p></div>
  4186.  
  4187. <span style="font-weight: 400;">After a training in Nepal: </span>
  4188.  
  4189. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I heard feedback that some of the husbands of the wives were saying they’ve noticed a difference in their wives.”</span>
  4190.  
  4191. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Women who have been blessed by A3 programs are being trained to train others. </span>
  4192.  
  4193. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We empower so that each group can carry it forward,” Handley says. “By the third cohort, they can replicate it themselves.”</span>
  4194.  
  4195. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray for the growth of women involved with the ministry of A3. Pray that the Word of God would shape their identities, roles, and responsibilities, and pray that they will use their gifts and abilities to build up the church. </span>
  4196.  
  4197. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m not saying <em>women power</em>,” Handley clarifies. “I’m just saying, <em>let’s embrace what men and women can do for the Kingdom of God</em>.”</span>
  4198.  
  4199. &nbsp;
  4200.  
  4201. <em>Featured image courtesy of Unsplash</em>]]>
  4202. </description>
  4203. <pubDate>Wed, 26 Mar 2025 05:00:04 -0400</pubDate>
  4204. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-a3-is-equipping-women-in-service-to-the-lord/</guid>
  4205. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/beth-macdonald-N64Ygz8CPsA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4206. </item>
  4207. <item>
  4208. <title>Army advances in Khartoum; RSF uses church as barracks</title>
  4209. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/army-advances-in-khartoum-rsf-uses-church-as-barracks/</link>
  4210. <description>
  4211. <![CDATA[
  4212. Sudan (MNN) -- Sudan’s army <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/sudan-military-rsf-war-khartoum-c41e1d829ea2560c9ff8eb43daac85da" target="_blank" rel="noopener">captures more territory</a></strong></span> in the capital after seizing the presidential palace <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudanese-army-enters-presidential-palace-khartoum-eastern-side-military-sources-2025-03-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on Friday</a></strong></span>. It’s the government’s most significant advance in a two-year war against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
  4213.  
  4214. “The people seeing their army, the Sudanese armed forces, take back a very symbolic location is very encouraging,” Greg Kelley of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></strong></span> says.
  4215.  
  4216. “Hopefully, this is the beginning of a negotiation that brings long-standing peace because Sudan is long overdue for peace.”
  4217.  
  4218. Unfortunately, these gains don’t mean the war’s end, as the RSF holds territory in the western Darfur region and elsewhere. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/sudanese-army-enters-presidential-palace-khartoum-eastern-side-military-sources-2025-03-21/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Analysts say</a></strong></span> the war will likely turn into a conflict similar to that of the early 2000s when rebel groups fought the Islamist Sudanese government led by Omar al-Bashir.
  4219.  
  4220. “When it’s all said and done, the real victim is the people because these are just two groups fighting for power, and the people are suffering,” Kelley says.
  4221.  
  4222. <em><strong>Believers aren’t immune from the ongoing violence</strong></em>. RSF mercenaries <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://x.com/Sudan_tweet/status/1904170718063124781?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently used</a></strong></span> the Khartoum Evangelical Church as barracks, looting all the church’s contents.
  4223.  
  4224. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/countries/SU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More than 90 percent</a></strong></span> of Sudan’s population adheres to Islam. The Christian minority is quick to find in a context like this, and Islamist groups like the RSF “view Christians as easy targets,” Kelley says.
  4225.  
  4226. <div id="attachment_213752" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-24-145538.png"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213752" class="size-medium wp-image-213752" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-24-145538-300x159.png" alt="" width="300" height="159" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213752" class="wp-caption-text">(Screenshot of damaged church obtained via March 24 post on X.)</p></div>
  4227. <blockquote>
  4228. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They will kill Christians, take over their properties; they’ll take their women, force their children into military service.”</strong></p>
  4229. </blockquote>
  4230. Pray for peace in Sudan. The civil war will be three years old on April 15. Pray that those who need humanitarian aid will secure it quickly.
  4231.  
  4232. “[Sudan] is a country of only 50 million people, and more than half of them are dependent upon [outside] aid, or else they are facing death. Famine is widespread right now; there are massive outbreaks of cholera, which is rapidly transmitted through water [and] food,” Kelley says.
  4233.  
  4234. “The International Rescue Committee analyzes which countries are most likely to experience new or worsening humanitarian conditions, and Sudan, out of 195 countries, is number one.”
  4235.  
  4236. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/donate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Send the light of God’s Word in audio to Sudan through Unknown Nations.</a></strong></span>
  4237.  
  4238. &nbsp;
  4239.  
  4240. &nbsp;
  4241.  
  4242. <em>Header image depicts vehicles in southern Khartoum, Sudan, on April 19, 2023, destroyed amid fighting between Sudan's regular army and paramilitaries. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Destroyed_vehicles_in_southern_Khartoum.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  4243. </description>
  4244. <pubDate>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 05:00:38 -0400</pubDate>
  4245. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/army-advances-in-khartoum-rsf-uses-church-as-barracks/</guid>
  4246. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Destroyed_vehicles_in_southern_Khartoum-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4247. </item>
  4248. <item>
  4249. <title>Mercy in the midst of Syria&#8217;s devastation: &#8220;They entered all the houses except ours&#8221;</title>
  4250. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mercy-in-the-midst-of-syrias-devastation-they-entered-all-the-houses-except-ours/</link>
  4251. <description>
  4252. <![CDATA[
  4253. Syria (MNN) -- It’s been nearly three weeks since an outbreak of sectarian violence in northwest Syria. Since then, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.newarab.com/news/thousands-still-missing-after-syria-coastal-violence-sohr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 1,600 Syrians</a></strong></span> have lost their lives, according to a UK-based Syrian war monitor.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4254.  
  4255. Christians are among the slain, but most are Muslim Alawites. They were targeted in door-to-door massacres after a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/timeline-of-the-recent-sectarian-strife-on-syrias-coast/">complicated conflict</a></strong> </span>between fighters from Syria’s old regime and new government forces.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4256.  
  4257. Bruce* with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Uncharted Ministries</b></a></span> says one local Syrian leader they support is an Alawite convert to Christianity — a doubly dangerous identity. During the rampage, this man (who we’ll call "Hamid") wrote an incredible story to the Uncharted team:
  4258.  
  4259. <div id="attachment_213738" style="width: 226px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213738" class="size-medium wp-image-213738" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Syria-HTS-Attackers-of-Christians-and-Alawites_March-2025-216x300.jpg" alt="Syria, " width="216" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213738" class="wp-caption-text">Attackers of Christians and Alawites, March 2025 (Photo courtesy of Uncharted Ministries)</p></div>
  4260. <blockquote>
  4261. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“The Lord, be with you, dear brothers and sisters. The armed men left the village now, and they are going toward Isqabla. They entered all the houses except ours. They did not enter it or fire a single shot at it. We thank the Lord for His care and protection.”</b></p>
  4262. </blockquote>
  4263. Bruce continues, <b>“</b>Now, Hamid is trying to figure out, ‘How do I get food to 120 families?’ that they know that have no food.”
  4264.  
  4265. <b>It’s a story of mercy amid still-unfolding <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://newlinesmag.com/first-person/massacres-on-the-syrian-coast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devastation</a></span>.</b> The Syrian war monitor says some burials still need to take place and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.newarab.com/news/thousands-still-missing-after-syria-coastal-violence-sohr" target="_blank" rel="noopener">thousands more remain missing</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4266.  
  4267. “The Assad regime for 50 years was a brutal regime. But they were the minority — the Alawite minority. So even though [Syria had] a much larger Sunni population of Muslims, the Alawites were in control,” Bruce explains.
  4268.  
  4269. “So now [Hayat Tahrir al-Sham] is taking revenge on the Alawites, and they don't care. If you happen to be an ally, you're dead, basically. Even if you have no governmental [affiliation].”
  4270.  
  4271. Bruce says Syrian Christians practice their faith underground, <strong>yet there’s a gold thread of God’s Spirit at work even in the tragedies.</strong>
  4272.  
  4273. <div id="attachment_212022" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-212022" class="wp-image-212022 size-full" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/unmin_icons-02-300x300-1.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-212022" class="wp-caption-text">"Inspiring the Body of Christ to rise up and join the new great awakening among Jews and Muslims in the Middle East and in uncharted territories around the world." (Caption and photo courtesy of Uncharted Ministries)</p></div>
  4274.  
  4275. “The other thing that's amazing [is Alawites are] a sect of Islam, but many have been coming to Christ. Hamid was the first Alawite to come to Christ in a couple hundred years. It just began. God has opened the door. Now there's several hundred of these people, and more are coming," he says.
  4276.  
  4277. <b>Please join in praying for Syrians to find true peace in Christ. Pray for the underground church to keep pressing forward in hope. Pray God will bring peace and justice to Syria. </b>
  4278.  
  4279. <strong>Then, learn how you can partner with Uncharted in their work in some of the hardest-to-reach places today <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://unchartedministries.com/about-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></span>. Find your place in the story.</strong>
  4280.  
  4281. &nbsp;
  4282.  
  4283. &nbsp;
  4284.  
  4285. <em>*name withheld for security</em>
  4286.  
  4287. &nbsp;
  4288.  
  4289. &nbsp;
  4290.  
  4291. <em>Header image of a shadow on a Syrian flag is a representative stock photo (Courtesy of Abdalhady Mansour via Pexels)</em>]]>
  4292. </description>
  4293. <pubDate>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 05:00:20 -0400</pubDate>
  4294. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mercy-in-the-midst-of-syrias-devastation-they-entered-all-the-houses-except-ours/</guid>
  4295. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-abdalhady-mansour-1697164-29886739-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4296. </item>
  4297. <item>
  4298. <title>Ministry equips Arab women to take up the weapon of peace</title>
  4299. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ministry-equips-arab-women-to-take-up-the-weapon-of-peace/</link>
  4300. <description>
  4301. <![CDATA[
  4302. <span style="font-weight: 400;">International (MNN) -- <em>To be role models of love and respect. To forgive. To be social together.</em> These are lessons Ruba Rihani hopes to relay to women across the Arab world. As founder and manager of Arab Women Today Ministry (AWT), Rihani says one lesson tops the others: Love one another as Jesus Christ loves you. </span>
  4303.  
  4304. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I always bring the gospel into our conversation,” she says. “This is in real life – in the field, in our daily life.” </span>
  4305.  
  4306. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Rihani believes women can play a pivotal role in modeling and promoting peace. Those raising children have an especially important charge: to bring them up on a diet of forgiveness instead of revenge. Though change is incremental and often slow-moving, Rihani and her team are seeing hearts transformed through their ministry. She says she has heard women stand and declare: </span>
  4307.  
  4308. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“From now on, I will not send my children to fight the enemy – to fight the people who killed my husband or my son or my daughter – I will love everyone and forgive everyone.”</span>
  4309.  
  4310. <span style="font-weight: 400;">While a culture of peace begins in homes, it continues in the political and economic sphere as a defense of women’s rights. In the Arab world, Rihani says, many women have the potential to lead but are deprived of positions because of their gender. AWT is involved with campaigns and lobbying surrounding this issue. In regions where women’s rights are trampled, Rihani says it is important to speak the language of liberty. </span>
  4311.  
  4312. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Represent their freedom. Write about their life. Write about why they deserve to be treated better than what they are now. Write about their rights to live and be educated.”</span>
  4313.  
  4314. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Change takes time, but Rihani is optimistic, especially with the younger generation’s adaptation to social media. </span>
  4315.  
  4316. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Because of globalization, it opened the eyes of the new generation and the younger people to see something different and listen to a different perspective," she says. </span>
  4317.  
  4318. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Many young people are realizing there is a world outside Islam. Pray that they would come to Christ. </span>
  4319.  
  4320. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray also for the ministry of AWT: that Rihani and her partners would be sustained during geopolitical and spiritual turmoil and that the Lord will provide opportunities for Christian minorities in Arab communities to build bridges with their Islamic neighbors.</span>
  4321.  
  4322. &nbsp;
  4323.  
  4324. &nbsp;
  4325.  
  4326. <div id="attachment_213632" style="width: 757px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213632" class=" wp-image-213632" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-artempodrez-7048017-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="747" height="421" /><p id="caption-attachment-213632" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Images in this article courtesy of Pexels.</em></p></div>]]>
  4327. </description>
  4328. <pubDate>Tue, 25 Mar 2025 05:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
  4329. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ministry-equips-arab-women-to-take-up-the-weapon-of-peace/</guid>
  4330. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-mikhail-nilov-8938271-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4331. </item>
  4332. <item>
  4333. <title>TWR offers hope as M23 rebels gain ground in DR Congo</title>
  4334. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/twr-offers-hope-as-m23-rebels-gain-ground-in-dr-congo/</link>
  4335. <description>
  4336. <![CDATA[
  4337. Congo-Kinshasa (MNN) -- M23 rebels <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/20/m23-rebels-capture-strategic-mining-hub-of-walikale-in-eastern-drc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently seized</a></strong></span> a strategic mining hub in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, defying calls for an immediate ceasefire. The rebels also took control of a road linking four provinces, cutting off the army’s positions.
  4338.  
  4339. At least 7,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands uprooted from their homes since January. East Africa ministry director Egide Bandyatuyaga says <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans World Radio</a></strong></span> is active on the airwaves, bringing hope to those who need it most.
  4340.  
  4341. TWR has a station <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://twr.org/story/every-kind-of-suffering-in-wartorn-congo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in Kinshasa</a></strong></span>, the capital city on the far western side of the DRC, and shortwave broadcasts from Eswatini in southeastern Africa can be heard throughout the DRC.
  4342.  
  4343. <div id="attachment_213704" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TWR_Africa-IDP.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213704" class="size-medium wp-image-213704" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TWR_Africa-IDP-300x158.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="158" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213704" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of TWR)</p></div>
  4344.  
  4345. “We try to give hope to the people that, even when they are going through those difficulties, God has not forsaken them [and] God still cares for them,” Bandyatuyaga says.
  4346.  
  4347. “Apart from giving them hope, we are also advocating for them so that the international community may come to their rescue.”
  4348.  
  4349. Burundi has taken in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wfp.org/stories/drc-refugee-surge-strains-humanitarian-support-burundi-and-uganda" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the lion’s share</a></strong></span> of refugees. Nearly 66,000 Congolese people have crossed the border to date.
  4350.  
  4351. “Refugees need a place to stay. They need food, medicine, water, and the government of Burundi might not be able to provide much of those [things] unless the international community comes to help,” Bandyatuyaga says.
  4352. <blockquote>
  4353. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“With a small country with very limited resources, like water, food, fuel, and then you add thousands of [people] fleeing from DR Congo, it’s not going to be easy.”</strong></p>
  4354. </blockquote>
  4355. TWR programs offer refugees a place of peace amid tribulation. Pray that TWR receives the support it needs to keep these programs going. “Pray that the war ends very quickly, and then we pray for protection for the refugees,” Bandyatuyaga says.
  4356.  
  4357. “It’s rainy season. When you are running away, and there is rain, there is no solid shelter. It’s a big problem.”
  4358.  
  4359. Pray for physical protection and protection from diseases. “Also, we pray for provision so they can get something to eat, they can get medicines, [and] clothing,” Bandyatuyaga says.
  4360.  
  4361. &nbsp;
  4362.  
  4363. &nbsp;
  4364.  
  4365. &nbsp;
  4366.  
  4367. <em>Header image courtesy of TWR.</em>]]>
  4368. </description>
  4369. <pubDate>Mon, 24 Mar 2025 05:00:56 -0400</pubDate>
  4370. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/twr-offers-hope-as-m23-rebels-gain-ground-in-dr-congo/</guid>
  4371. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/TWR_DRC-war-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4372. </item>
  4373. <item>
  4374. <title>The impact of anti-conversion laws in India</title>
  4375. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-impact-of-anti-conversion-laws-in-india/</link>
  4376. <description>
  4377. <![CDATA[
  4378. <span style="font-weight: 400">India (MNN) — While many Christians may express concerns about the world becoming more secular, in a recent conversation with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/">Voice of the Martyrs</a> Canada Director of HITHA (Hyderabad Institute of Theology and Apologetics) Reverend Sudhakar Mondithoka is praying for India to embrace secularism in the face of anti-conversion laws.</span>
  4379.  
  4380. <div id="attachment_203050" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203050" class="size-medium wp-image-203050" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/prayforIndia_VCM-300x251.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="251" /><p id="caption-attachment-203050" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada)</p></div>
  4381.  
  4382. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We pray for India to become an example in maintaining the spirit of secularism, which in India means that all religions are respected equally,” said Reverend Sudhakar. “Yes, we respect people of all religions, and we respect their ability to think and analyze and discern the truth and receive it, because ultimately, it is truth that is going to triumph, and we want all our people, our fellow citizens, to be on the side of the truth.”</span>
  4383.  
  4384. <span style="font-weight: 400">According to Reverend Sudhakar, anti-conversion laws were originally intended in the 1930s-60s by princely states in India to protect their Hindu culture and religion. However, after India became Independent in 1947, anti-conversion laws were ultimately rejected from being included in the country’s constitution. In 2015, it was decided the power to regulate anti-conversion legislation would belong to state legislature. </span>
  4385.  
  4386. <span style="font-weight: 400">In 1967, Odisha became the first Indian state to pass anti-conversion laws. Currently, </span><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indian-state-of-rajasthan-considering-anti-conversion-laws/"><span style="font-weight: 400">Rajasthan is set to become the 12th Indian state to have an anti-conversion law</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400">.</span>
  4387.  
  4388. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They are supposed to protect the vulnerable sections of the society, like the untouchables, the Scheduled Caste people, the mountain dwellers, these Scheduled Tribes and women and minorities, girls and so on and so forth,” said Reverand Sudhakar. “So they sometimes, quite paradoxically, call these laws ‘protection of freedom to choose a religion bill’ or something like that. The problem with all these is that quite often, they are misused, and this whole idea of majoritarianism is becoming more prevalent than ever before in Indian society—the majority Hindu friends thinking that because they are majority, their religion should be, you know, given official status. And so their views should be accepted by all the minorities without raising any issues, and so on and so forth.”</span>
  4389.  
  4390. <span style="font-weight: 400">Currently there are anti-conversion laws that do not allow religious symbols in educational institutions run by Christians or that do not allow nuns and priests in these institutions to wear religious garments. Rajasthan’s law would require individuals to notify officials of their plans to convert to another religion 60 days in advance.</span>
  4391.  
  4392. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Things have gone to such an extent that they say even if you preach about hell, you are intimidating them. You are causing fear in them, and thus forcing them to accept Christian gospel,” said Reverend Sudhakar. “Or if you give a very good description of heaven, you are alluring them.”</span>
  4393.  
  4394. <span style="font-weight: 400">These anti-conversion laws have resulted in persecution against Christians. They are falsely accused of bribing, coercing, or alluring, and in some cases are physically attacked. However, the country is seeing pushback against these anti-conversion laws. </span>
  4395.  
  4396. <span style="font-weight: 400">“There is a case that has been going on in the Supreme Court of India, which is contending that these anti-conversion laws go against the spirit of Indian Constitution which very clearly says that every single individual has a right to freely choose a faith, his or her faith, then practice it, profess it and propagate it,” said Reverend Sudhakar.</span>
  4397.  
  4398. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We pray that in all those places where discussions take place and decisions are made, there might be the spirit of justice ruling in their thinking and in their deliberations and decision making.”</span>
  4399.  
  4400. <br style="font-weight: 400" /><br style="font-weight: 400" />
  4401.  
  4402. Header photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs Canada]]>
  4403. </description>
  4404. <pubDate>Mon, 24 Mar 2025 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate>
  4405. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-impact-of-anti-conversion-laws-in-india/</guid>
  4406. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/prayforIndia_VCM-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4407. </item>
  4408. <item>
  4409. <title>Discipleship ministry focuses on transforming worldview</title>
  4410. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/213545/</link>
  4411. <description>
  4412. <![CDATA[
  4413. <span style="font-weight: 400">Lebanon (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">—</span> <span style="font-weight: 400">Cubs to Lions is a </span><strong><a href="https://www.horizonsinternational.org/cubs-to-lions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discipleship program designed for Muslim-background believers</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. Georges Houssney with </span><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Horizons International</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> says it was born out of pain. </span>
  4414.  
  4415. <span style="font-weight: 400">“For seeing a lot of Muslims receive Christ – some of them dramatic conversions – but they don’t last long,” he says. “Within a year, two years, even up to ten years, they withdraw, backslide, go into the world, or return to Islam.” </span>
  4416.  
  4417. <span style="font-weight: 400">Three decades ago, when Houssney became aware of this, he sought the Lord in the spirit of John 15:8, </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“This is to my Father’s glory that you bear much fruit.”</span>
  4418.  
  4419. <span style="font-weight: 400">Later in the chapter, Jesus emphasizes what kind of fruit: </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  4420. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  4421. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“Fruit that will last.” </span>
  4422.  
  4423. <span style="font-weight: 400">God answered Houssney's prayers with the idea for a discipleship curriculum, one Houssney created 30 years ago and has been using with thousands of Muslims ever since. The thrust of the program is a weeklong training conference. </span>
  4424.  
  4425. <span style="font-weight: 400">"In one week, what can you do?" he asks. "What I can do is basically explain to them what it means to be a Christian: lifestyle, disciplines, and worldview."</span>
  4426.  
  4427. <span style="font-weight: 400">Beyond the week, participants receive a two-year supply of study material and are encouraged to form groups of like-minded believers to grow in discipleship together. The curriculum is available in Arabic, English, and French, with more translations underway. Houssney has used it with Arabs, Turks, Albanians, and others from across the Muslim world. He is observing its impact. </span>
  4428.  
  4429. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Rather than 80% recanting, now we have about 10 to 20%.”</span>
  4430.  
  4431. <span style="font-weight: 400">But this begs the question: if Muslim believers grasp the Gospel at conversion, why do so many of them fall away? </span>
  4432.  
  4433. <span style="font-weight: 400">Houssney thinks it has to do with Christians’ approach to evangelism. Often, we proclaim the Gospel with an emphasis on grace and freedom found in Christ. This paradigm shift is attractive to Muslims who come from an extremely moralistic background. While it is true that Christ offers freedom, oversimplification of a grace-based theology can be problematic for Muslims. </span>
  4434.  
  4435. <span style="font-weight: 400">“It’s accurate theologically, but the impression they get is, ‘I’m free from all these restraints and requirements that God has put on me,’” Houssney says. “And so they don’t go to church, they don’t read the Bible, they don’t even pray. They don’t know how to pray.” </span>
  4436.  
  4437. <span style="font-weight: 400">Those who do go to church or pray often maintain an Islamic lifestyle, Houssney says. James 2:14 comes into play here: </span>
  4438.  
  4439. <span style="font-weight: 400">“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?”</span>
  4440.  
  4441. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray that ongoing Cubs to Lions trainings would be effective. Pray that Muslim-background believers would be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. Pray that their faith would transform every aspect of their lives and produce lasting, Godly fruit. </span>
  4442.  
  4443. <span style="font-weight: 400">Houssney says his biggest prayer request is for disciple makers: people who are willing to bring new converts into their homes, lives, and fellowships. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  4444. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  4445. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“Give them the theology of suffering, the theology of the cost of discipleship, the theology of exchanging the pleasures of this world with leading a life that is Godly, holy, and sanctified,” Houssney asks.</span>
  4446.  
  4447. <span style="font-weight: 400">For mature believers, here lies a starting point for discipleship ministry: </span>
  4448.  
  4449. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Those things need to be taught but also modeled.”</span>
  4450.  
  4451. <img class=" wp-image-213549" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot_12-3-2025_19476_www.horizonsinternational.org_-300x197.jpeg" alt="" width="531" height="349" />
  4452. <p style="text-align: center"><em>Featured images courtesy of Horizons International</em></p>]]>
  4453. </description>
  4454. <pubDate>Mon, 24 Mar 2025 05:00:17 -0400</pubDate>
  4455. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/213545/</guid>
  4456. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Untitleddesign13-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4457. </item>
  4458. <item>
  4459. <title>Pakistani judge&#8217;s resignation sparks calls for blasphemy law reform</title>
  4460. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistani-judges-resignation-sparks-calls-for-blasphemy-law-reform/</link>
  4461. <description>
  4462. <![CDATA[
  4463. Pakistan (MNN) -- A Pakistani judge has <a href="https://morningstarnews.org/2025/03/judge-implicated-in-blasphemy-entrapment-ring-resigns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">resigned</span></strong></a> after being allegedly linked to a "blasphemy business gang" that trapped Christians and other minorities with false blasphemy charges. Justice Chaudhry Abdul Aziz of the Lahore High Court stepped down on March 6 citing "personal reasons." But reports suggest his resignation came after an <a href="https://factfocus.com/humanrights/4215/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">investigative report</span></strong></a> broke about his ties to the criminal ring that tricked people into blasphemy accusations.
  4464. <blockquote>
  4465. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Floyd Brobbel with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Voice of the Martyrs Canada</span></a> explains, "It was quite unethical that the way they were trying to trap people into some sort of blasphemy against Islam or against Muhammad or against the Quran, and then making sure that those charges would go through."</strong></p>
  4466. </blockquote>
  4467. Days before stepping down, Aziz had blocked actions that exposed flaws in how blasphemy cases were being handled.
  4468. <h3><strong>Christians in the legal crosshairs</strong></h3>
  4469. <div id="attachment_213707" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213707" class="size-medium wp-image-213707" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-20-160954-300x239.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="239" /><p id="caption-attachment-213707" class="wp-caption-text">Christians in Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA)</p></div>
  4470. <p data-start="575" data-end="1094">This case is just one example of how Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are often misused to target minority Christians. Recently, the Lahore High Court pushed for an <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/high-court-in-pakistan-calls-for-investigation-behind-blasphemy-case-surge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">investigation</span></strong></a> into the growing number of blasphemy cases, raising concerns that organized groups might be behind them.</p>
  4471. <p data-start="575" data-end="1094">"We've seen a lot of Christians targeted, and other religious minorities in Pakistan would be targeted," says Brobbel. "Certainly, I think those who are trying to expose the inner workings of this group could face a number of security challenges and issues. When other groups and lawyers or high profile government officials have tried to speak up on behalf of religious minorities and defend them, they have been assassinated in the past."</p>
  4472. <p data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">With the resignation of Justice Aziz and growing pressure for investigations, there’s hope that Pakistan will take steps to protect minorities from these abuses. But without real legal reforms, many Christians still face a dangerous reality.</p>
  4473.  
  4474. <blockquote>
  4475. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><strong>"The blasphemy laws have been an issue, not only in Pakistan but in other Muslim countries. But in particular, in Pakistan, these blasphemy laws were used to incite hatred and incite unjust attacks on Christians and arrests of Christians," says Brobbel.</strong></p>
  4476. </blockquote>
  4477. <p data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">"On the ground level, often imams in their mosque can incite their people through saying that a particular Christian was caught blaspheming...and they can incite a mob to attack Christians. We've seen this happen."</p>
  4478.  
  4479. <h3 data-start="1096" data-end="1337"><strong>The start of reform?</strong></h3>
  4480. <p data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">With blasphemy entrapment and false accusations now being called out in Pakistan, it's a first step towards reform.</p>
  4481.  
  4482.  
  4483. <div id="attachment_185889" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-185889" class="size-medium wp-image-185889" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/vom-pakistan-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-185889" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)</p></div>
  4484. <p data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Yet, Brobbel points out, "The concern remains that while we can see some changes hopefully happening at a higher level, will it filter down to the grassroots level? Will those things be dealt with? That remains to be seen.</p>
  4485. <p data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">"We need to encourage that if authorities are trying to weed out and dismantle this blasphemy ring that's happening, it also needs to go a step further and ensure that these blasphemy laws (or anti-blasphemy laws) will be dealt with completely...where people truly can be free from this type of thing. So we need to pray that that will continue to happen."</p>
  4486.  
  4487. <blockquote>
  4488. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><strong>Brobbel also urges, "We need to pray that the truth would continue to come forward, that people would be courageous in exposing what is happening with this group, and hopefully see that this group would be dismantled."</strong></p>
  4489. </blockquote>
  4490. <p data-start="1096" data-end="1337" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><em>Header photo: Lahore, Pakistan (Photo courtesy of Syed Bilal Javaid via Unpslash)</em></p>]]>
  4491. </description>
  4492. <pubDate>Fri, 21 Mar 2025 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate>
  4493. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistani-judges-resignation-sparks-calls-for-blasphemy-law-reform/</guid>
  4494. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/syed-bilal-javaid-NDw1gxtfglY-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4495. </item>
  4496. <item>
  4497. <title>Hope and suffering in Iran&#8217;s Church: call to informed prayer</title>
  4498. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-and-suffering-in-irans-church-call-to-informed-prayer/</link>
  4499. <description>
  4500. <![CDATA[
  4501. Iran (MNN) — Last week, three formerly Muslim Christians in Iran were <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/latest-news/iran-converts-prison/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handed 10-plus-year prison sentences</a></strong></span>. Their offenses included house church involvement and other faith-related activities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4502.  
  4503. <strong>It’s a sobering snapshot of dual realities in Iran today: Iranians are coming to Christ like never before, and the persecution they face is relentless.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4504.  
  4505. Shah Ahmadi with Iran Alive Ministries explains imprisonment is a key strategy of the Iranian regime.
  4506.  
  4507. <div id="attachment_211595" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-211595" class="size-medium wp-image-211595" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/fateme-alaei-gFfTc6R5rXE-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-211595" class="wp-caption-text">(Representative stock photo of boy in Tehran, Iran courtesy of Fateme Alaei via Unsplash.)</p></div>
  4508.  
  4509. “Some people get baptized. Only for <strong>baptism</strong>, they go more than five years being in prison. If you <strong>hold the Bible</strong>, you go to prison. If you <strong>evangelize</strong>, you go to prison,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4510.  
  4511. <strong>Entire families suffer the emotional strain of separation as well as the loss of one of their breadwinners.</strong> But that's not all Christians in Iran face.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4512.  
  4513. “[If the government knows] they become a Christian, they don't have a right to go to university. They don't have a right to work in many jobs,” says Ahmadi.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4514.  
  4515. He adds that the Iranian government has been <strong>accusing believers involved in home churches as threats against the Iranian government.</strong>
  4516.  
  4517. “They [are] saying these (house churches) are having some kind of relationship with Israel, some kind of relation with America. They try to make political things of that. So they say, ‘Oh, we are not against Christianity. We are against this (political) movement.’”
  4518. <blockquote>
  4519. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Despite the difficulties, many Iranians say Jesus is worth it. Iran is still one of the fastest growing churches today. </strong></p>
  4520. </blockquote>
  4521. “In Iran around 50 years ago, there was 10,000 believers. Right now, [there are] more than 2 million believers,” says Ahmadi.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4522. <h2><b>Why the growing Church?</b></h2>
  4523. <strong>It's important for us to understand some of the context for Iran’s Christian community growing so much.</strong> Here are insights from Ahmadi.
  4524.  
  4525. <b>1) God is reaching Iranians through dreams and visions of Jesus</b>. He did that in Ahmadi’s own life as well as the lives of some of his family members.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4526.  
  4527. <b>2) The power of the gospel and prayer is leading to salvation (</b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%201:16-17&amp;version=NIV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Romans 1:16</a></strong></span><b>).</b>
  4528.  
  4529. “Many people [have] been praying from America, England, Europe to inside Iran see salvation, and God [is] answering prayers,” says Ahmadi. “Spiritual warfare has been going on, people [are] battling, but right now, they [are] receiving Christ in amazing ways.”
  4530.  
  4531. People hear the gospel from family who have accepted Christ. They also hear it through <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">satellite TV, one of the ways Iran Alive sends the hope of Christ into Iran</a></strong></span>.
  4532.  
  4533. <div id="attachment_193035" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-193035" class="size-medium wp-image-193035" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/iran-5238845_1920-300x200.jpg" alt="Iran" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-193035" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Pixabay)</p></div>
  4534.  
  4535. <b>3) The discontent Iranians have toward their government is pushing them away from Islam.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  4536.  
  4537. Iranians know their history. Ahmadi says they see how kings in the Persian era were an incredible empire. In their own lifetime they remember Iran's prosperity and freedom before the Islamic revolution of 1979. They compare it with the oppression they are under today.
  4538.  
  4539. “[They say] ‘Why this history happened to us?’ So this generation, they read. This generation, they search. They go to Instagram, they search in through AI and everything," says Ahmadi.
  4540. <blockquote>
  4541. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Why this [growing of the Church] happening? Because many people [are] leaving Islam. They don't want to do anything with religion. So through the satellite, through social media, through the hearing [of] the gospel, some of them [come] to Christ Jesus."</strong></p>
  4542. </blockquote>
  4543. <h2><b>How we can respond</b></h2>
  4544. <div id="attachment_205797" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205797" class="size-medium wp-image-205797" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/zahra-amiri-WVDV6wECOUY-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-205797" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Zahra Amiri/Unsplash)</p></div>
  4545.  
  4546. More and more Iranians are grasping the hope of Christ in a seriously hostile nation.<strong> Please pray for them to be faithful to Christ and witness to others even under persecution.</strong> Pray that especially for the three Christians sentenced in March 2025 to long prison terms.
  4547.  
  4548. <strong>Pray for God’s protection as new believers go through spiritual warfare.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4549.  
  4550. Then, <strong>learn more about partnering with Iran Alive Ministries</strong>. Sign up to receive their emails or print newsletters to receive specific prayer requests and partnering opportunities. Pray for God’s blessing on their critical ministry to Iran. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Connect with Iran Alive here. </a></strong></span>
  4551.  
  4552. &nbsp;
  4553.  
  4554. &nbsp;
  4555.  
  4556. &nbsp;
  4557.  
  4558. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo from Iran, courtesy of Mashid Saberpour via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  4559. </description>
  4560. <pubDate>Fri, 21 Mar 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  4561. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-and-suffering-in-irans-church-call-to-informed-prayer/</guid>
  4562. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/mahshid-saberpour-_qmrx3EWaLE-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4563. </item>
  4564. <item>
  4565. <title>Young Indian girl found purpose, healing at 10-Day Bible Club</title>
  4566. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/young-indian-girl-found-purpose-healing-at-10-day-bible-club/</link>
  4567. <description>
  4568. <![CDATA[
  4569. India (MNN) -- For six long years, Samrina’s life was overshadowed by pain. A persistent stomach ulcer plagued her childhood, leaving her parents desperate for answers. Doctors searched for solutions, but none could bring relief.
  4570.  
  4571. Then Samrina's parents heard about a 10-Day Children's Bible Club from a Christian relative. Although they themselves were not believers, her parents figured it would be an enjoyable distraction for their young daughter.
  4572.  
  4573. From Samrina's first day, Raina Miller with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mission India</span></strong></a> says, "She loved it! There were tons of fun activities. There were songs that she got to sing about Jesus that had fun dances and motions to them, and then she memorized Scripture verses too. All this is just kind of new to her."
  4574.  
  4575. <div id="attachment_213693" style="width: 179px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213693" class="size-medium wp-image-213693" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Samrina-169x300.jpg" alt="" width="169" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213693" class="wp-caption-text">Samrina (Photo courtesy of Mission India)</p></div>
  4576.  
  4577. <strong>But most of all, "The message of Jesus really spoke to her," Miller says. "She was just amazed that God loved her. After her life had been pretty much dominated by pain and desire for healing [from] medical issues, she was amazed to discover that her life really had purpose — no matter what she might be going through."</strong>
  4578.  
  4579. With childlike faith, Samrina decided to bring her greatest need before Jesus. She prayed for healing.
  4580.  
  4581. “One of the incredible things about our 10-Day Bible Clubs is that the children learn how to pray to Jesus,” said Raina Miller with Mission India. “They understand that Jesus can answer their prayers and that he can do miracles.”
  4582.  
  4583. <strong>By the end of the 10 days, Samrina experienced what no doctor had been able to provide — complete healing. The pain that had tormented her for years was gone, and her family could not deny the miracle they witnessed.</strong>
  4584.  
  4585. Overcome with gratitude, her parents began attending church, eager to learn more about the God who had healed their daughter. "Now we're just praying that her parents come to salvation," says Miller.
  4586.  
  4587. "We're so excited about what's to come this summer as more children like Samrina find hope and even healing and eternal life in Christ through this 10-Day Children's Bible Club!"
  4588.  
  4589. Across India, thousands of children will step into these clubs — some battling struggles of their own, and all seeking joy, love, and hope. You can help introduce them to the love of Christ!
  4590.  
  4591. <strong>Just $1 typically allows one child to attend a 10-Day Children's Bible Club. But right now, Mission India is running an Easter matching challenge that doubles every dollar given until April 21.</strong>
  4592.  
  4593. See your gift expanded to reach more kids in India with the Gospel! <a href="https://missionindia.org/matching-challenge/?referral=MNN2503.Match" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Give to Mission India's matching challenge here.</span></strong></a>
  4594.  
  4595. Then, pray for these kids attending 10-Day Children's Bible Clubs to become lights for Jesus in their generation.
  4596.  
  4597. &nbsp;
  4598.  
  4599. &nbsp;
  4600.  
  4601. &nbsp;
  4602.  
  4603. <em>Header photo courtesy of Mission India.</em>]]>
  4604. </description>
  4605. <pubDate>Fri, 21 Mar 2025 05:00:13 -0400</pubDate>
  4606. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/young-indian-girl-found-purpose-healing-at-10-day-bible-club/</guid>
  4607. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/482128338_1104010335086021_8724104023238339982_n-e1742413330272-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4608. </item>
  4609. <item>
  4610. <title>Rising attacks, little action: US moves to hold Nigeria accountable</title>
  4611. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/rising-attacks-little-action-us-moves-to-hold-nigeria-accountable/</link>
  4612. <description>
  4613. <![CDATA[
  4614. Nigeria (MNN) -- The United States Congress is taking steps to hold Nigeria accountable for the growing persecution of Christians. The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa has approved a measure urging President Donald Trump to <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2025/03/17/u-s-congress-moves-to-sanction-nigeria-over-rising-christian-persecution/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">impose sanctions</span></strong></a> on the Nigerian government.
  4615. <p data-start="511" data-end="923">Todd Nettleton with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Voice of the Martyrs USA</span></strong></a> says the move highlights the plight of Nigerian Christians. "This is one subcommittee of the U.S. House basically saying, ‘Hey, we're going to shine a light on what's happening in Nigeria, and we would like the President to sanction the government of Nigeria to try to encourage them to take steps on religious freedom and on protecting the Christian minority, especially in northern Nigeria.’”</p>
  4616.  
  4617.  
  4618. <div id="attachment_172420" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-172420" class="size-medium wp-image-172420" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/vomTEENVICTIMSINNIGERIA-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-172420" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)</p></div>
  4619. <p data-start="511" data-end="923"><strong>Lawmakers hope this move will push Nigeria to take stronger action in protecting religious minorities.</strong></p>
  4620. <p data-start="925" data-end="1329">For years, extremist groups like Boko Haram, Fulani militants, and ISWAP have targeted Christians in Nigeria. A 2024 report from the <a href="https://orfa.africa/#nigeria-violence-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa</span></strong></a> found that Nigeria was responsible for 90% of all Christian deaths worldwide each year.</p>
  4621. <p data-start="925" data-end="1329"><strong>Between October 2019 and September 2023, the report recorded at least 55,910 people killed by terrorist groups active in the country.</strong></p>
  4622. <p data-start="925" data-end="1329"><em><strong>Nettleton says, “The sad thing to me is that these attacks have become so common that they almost don't make the news anymore."</strong></em></p>
  4623. <p data-start="1331" data-end="1887">Despite the ongoing violence, Nigeria was removed from the U.S. State Department’s Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) list in November 2021, a designation that allows for direct sanctions. While the U.S. administration has not yet reinstated Nigeria on the CPC list, Congress is urging sanctions regardless.</p>
  4624. <p data-start="1331" data-end="1887">"The reality is the Nigerian government hasn't taken steps to protect persecuted Christians in the North, and so I think they do deserve to be painted as complicit in what is happening there," says Nettleton.</p>
  4625. <p data-start="1331" data-end="1887">"The national government of Nigeria, even though in their constitution they promise religious freedom, they don't actually defend the rights of religious minorities in the North in a way that protects them from these attacks.”</p>
  4626.  
  4627. <blockquote>
  4628. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="2396" data-end="2777"><strong>As Congress pushes for action, Nettleton urges Christians worldwide to respond. "We need to know what's happening with them so that we're aware; so that we can pray effectively and pray knowledgeably for them."</strong></p>
  4629. </blockquote>
  4630. <p data-start="2779" data-end="3437">Nettleton also encourages, “One of the things Christ calls us to do is to forgive and even to pray for those who are persecuting us. So pray that our Nigerian brothers and sisters, even through the grief and the loss and the suffering they have endured, will still be able to have soft hearts towards their persecutors.”</p>
  4631. <p data-start="2779" data-end="3437"></p>
  4632. <p data-start="2779" data-end="3437"></p>
  4633. <p data-start="2779" data-end="3437"></p>
  4634. <p data-start="3439" data-end="3693"><em>Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs, Canada.</em></p>]]>
  4635. </description>
  4636. <pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 05:00:44 -0400</pubDate>
  4637. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/rising-attacks-little-action-us-moves-to-hold-nigeria-accountable/</guid>
  4638. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/hero-nigeria-vomc-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4639. </item>
  4640. <item>
  4641. <title>Religious conversions “will not be tolerated” in Madhya Pradesh</title>
  4642. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/religious-conversions-will-not-be-tolerated-in-madhya-pradesh/</link>
  4643. <description>
  4644. <![CDATA[
  4645. India (MNN) -- The chief minister of India’s second-largest state says he’ll seek the death penalty for those involved in forced conversions.
  4646.  
  4647. Speaking at a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.org/2025/03/13/indian-state-official-calls-for-death-penalty-for-forced-religious-conversions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent public meeting</a></strong></span> in the Madhya Pradesh capital, Mohan Yadav equated forced religious conversions with the sexual abuse of minors, saying both deserved the death penalty.
  4648.  
  4649. Yadav’s comments make following Jesus even deadlier in a Hindu nationalist state known for anti-Christian violence. Darrel Templeton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/megavoice/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MegaVoice</a></strong></span> says, “As some listeners might know, India is now the 10th most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian.”
  4650.  
  4651. This South Asian nation also has some of the world’s most significant Gospel needs. “India has the largest unreached people groups as far as population,” Templeton says.
  4652. <blockquote>
  4653. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The Church in India has taken ownership for reaching the unreached in India.”</strong></p>
  4654. </blockquote>
  4655. <div id="attachment_213620" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/MegaVoice-Audio-Bible-Solar-Powered-Photos-Page-5-Thumbnail.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213620" class="size-medium wp-image-213620" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/MegaVoice-Audio-Bible-Solar-Powered-Photos-Page-5-Thumbnail-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213620" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of MegaVoice)</p></div>
  4656.  
  4657. MegaVoice produces solar-powered audio Bibles in thousands of languages. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://megavoice.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> MegaVoice partners are doing significant work in India.
  4658.  
  4659. “They’re on target to complete 40 more (projects) between September and the end of this year,” Templeton says.
  4660.  
  4661. “So, 40 people groups, by the end of this year, will have access to the Bible for the first time in their language. For the most part, these are completely oral communities.”
  4662.  
  4663. While believers celebrate the work set to finish this fall, they’re also desperate for help. Templeton says partners implored him for assistance during a recent in-person meeting.
  4664.  
  4665. “I said, ‘Okay, what do you want us to do?’ and they said, ‘Well, we need more audio Bibles, but we can’t raise enough money in India.’ So, they have committed to raise $7 per audio Bible, and MegaVoice has committed to help raise the (remaining) $15,” Templeton says.
  4666.  
  4667. “We want to give away at least 1,000 audio Bibles for each of these people groups at the dedication of the Bible… so, 40,000 audio Bibles by the end of the year.”
  4668.  
  4669. &nbsp;
  4670.  
  4671. &nbsp;
  4672.  
  4673. &nbsp;
  4674.  
  4675. <em>Header and story images courtesy of MegaVoice.</em>]]>
  4676. </description>
  4677. <pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  4678. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/religious-conversions-will-not-be-tolerated-in-madhya-pradesh/</guid>
  4679. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/MVIN-Homepage-Hero-2a-1024x575-1-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" />
  4680. </item>
  4681. <item>
  4682. <title>Former “Alone” winner leaves lasting legacy in East Africa</title>
  4683. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/former-alone-winner-leaves-lasting-legacy-in-east-africa/</link>
  4684. <description>
  4685. <![CDATA[
  4686. East Africa (MNN) -- It’s been a challenging four months for one US-based freedom ministry.
  4687.  
  4688. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Set Free</a></strong></span>’s Dean Vander Mey says November 21, 2024, was an excellent day for the ministry’s former Global Director, Dave McIntyre. The two leaders held a Zoom call with Set Free’s program head in East Africa.
  4689.  
  4690. <div id="attachment_213663" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SFM_mac.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213663" class="wp-image-213663 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SFM_mac-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213663" class="wp-caption-text">Mac’s impact on Set Free was immeasurable. He served with unwavering faith, boundless kindness, and deep devotion to God. <br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Set Free)</p></div>
  4691.  
  4692. “At the end of the Zoom call, our director said, ‘Mac, you’ve had a huge impact upon these youth; 132 students want to be baptized because of your teachings and training. Would you please come and witness the baptisms?’” Vander Mey recalls.
  4693. <blockquote>
  4694. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“I looked at Dave and said, ‘Dave, you’re going to Africa!’ The next day, he died very unexpectedly from some complications with diabetes.”</strong></p>
  4695. </blockquote>
  4696. Season two winner of the hit TV show Alone, Dave McIntyre, joined the Set Free team <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/season-two-winner-of-alone-heads-international-ministry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in 2021</a></strong></span>. Better known as “Mac,” he brought 15 years of missionary expertise and insight to Set Free’s international program.
  4697.  
  4698. Found unresponsive in his home on November 22, 2024, McIntyre is survived by his beloved daughters Erin (husband, John Hunley) and Karina, his son Daniel, and his precious grandchildren Zoe and Matthias.
  4699. <h2>A living legacy</h2>
  4700. Grief-stricken yet determined to carry on, the Set Free team decided to hold baptisms for the students as planned in March 2025. Earlier this month, McIntyre’s adult children traveled with the Set Free team to see their father’s work in East Africa.
  4701.  
  4702. “Dave’s middle daughter, Karina, sat next to me on the plane and said, ‘Dean, I wanted my dad to baptize me, and he’s gone. Will you baptize me?’” Vander Mey shares.
  4703.  
  4704. <div id="attachment_213665" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SFM-baptism-line.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213665" class="wp-image-213665 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SFM-baptism-line-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213665" class="wp-caption-text">270 people were baptized on March 4, 2025!<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Set Free Global)</p></div>
  4705.  
  4706. <em><strong>Karina led the way as dozens of East African youth – and some onlookers – took a public stand for Jesus.</strong></em> “One of the guards at the guard shack laid his weapon down, walked into the water with his full uniform on, and got baptized. It was amazing!” Vander Mey says.
  4707. <blockquote>
  4708. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It was quite beautiful to see Dave’s legacy live on, not only through his daughter but also through 177 youth at Light Academy.”</strong></p>
  4709. </blockquote>
  4710. Dave McIntyre dedicated his time, talent, and treasure to making disciples of Jesus in East Africa. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://setfreemin.org/dave-mcintyre-memorial/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">You can honor his memory by supporting that mission here.</a></strong></span>
  4711.  
  4712. &nbsp;
  4713.  
  4714. &nbsp;
  4715.  
  4716. &nbsp;
  4717.  
  4718. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Set Free.</em>]]>
  4719. </description>
  4720. <pubDate>Thu, 20 Mar 2025 05:00:07 -0400</pubDate>
  4721. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/former-alone-winner-leaves-lasting-legacy-in-east-africa/</guid>
  4722. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/SFM_baptism1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4723. </item>
  4724. <item>
  4725. <title>A look at Iran&#8217;s influence in the Middle East as U.S.-Houthi conflict rises</title>
  4726. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-look-at-irans-influence-in-the-middle-east-as-u-s-houthi-conflict-rises/</link>
  4727. <description>
  4728. <![CDATA[
  4729. Iran (MNN) — Tension between the U.S. and Houthi rebels in Yemen rose this weekend after heavy U.S. airstrikes and some answering fire from the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-s-re-designates-houthis-as-foreign-terrorist-organization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">newly re-designated terrorist group</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4730.  
  4731. But the U.S. is also <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyd2l17ygpo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pointing past the Houthis to Iran</a></strong></span>, which denies backing the group despite <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-united-states-government-middle-east-65b99a04a99d2504fd1123fc8e4300cc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">evidence</a></strong></span> over the years.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4732.  
  4733. <strong>For Iran, it’s already not been a good year. Dr. Hormoz Shariat with Iran Alive Ministries says that after the events of 2024 and of 2025 so far, “the Iranian government has lost its influence in the Middle East.”</strong>
  4734.  
  4735. He says Iran’s proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and players in Syria have been destroyed. <strong>On top of that, Iran has already lost the support of the Iranian people, plus suffered financial losses.</strong>
  4736.  
  4737. “Now with Trump in power, it's going to be even worse with maximum pressure and sanctions,” he says. “So [the] Iranian government is really desperate right now for survival.”
  4738.  
  4739. The people of Iran are suffering along with the government, though in sharper ways. “They're suffering because of [the] economy. They're suffering because of the government. The government is so afraid of the people … that anybody [who] speaks up will be killed,” Shariat says, pointing to recent uprisings in the past few years which the government responded to with brutal crackdowns.
  4740.  
  4741. <span class="Apple-converted-space">But despite the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20240916-two-years-after-death-mahsa-amini-quiet-revolution-in-iran-women-protest-reformers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued undercurrent of defiance</a></strong></span> of Iranians, their outlook is still grim.</span>
  4742.  
  4743. <div id="attachment_198974" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-198974" class="size-medium wp-image-198974" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/mostafa-meraji-rql24m2eO2s-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-198974" class="wp-caption-text">Women in Iran wearing the traditional hijab and loose-fitting clothing required by sharia law.<br />(Photo courtesy of mostafa meraji/Unsplash)</p></div>
  4744. <blockquote>
  4745. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“People are in such a desperate way that they say, ‘What else is there? Who can save us? If we come on the streets, they will kill us,’” says Shariat. “So [the] people of Iran are looking for a savior.”</strong></p>
  4746. </blockquote>
  4747. As the Iranian regime grips its own people, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iran Alive</a></strong></span> broadcasts the hope of Jesus into Iranian homes through a 24/7 satellite channel.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4748.  
  4749. <strong>“The message we have is, ‘No human can be your Savior. Don't trust in human[s]. They say something and they change their mind. The prince is not your Savior. Netanyahu is not your Savior. Trump is not your Savior. Jesus is your only Savior left.’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4750.  
  4751. <strong>Please ask God for more spiritual breakthroughs in Iran.</strong> "We are facing a dark spirit of Islam. It’s named in Daniel 10 ‘the Prince of Persia,’” says Shariat. “So, number one [way to get involved]: prayer. Number two is to support us financially. For any growth, you need the right people and you need finances.
  4752.  
  4753. “Number three is [to] get involved. If you have discipleship material, if you have video resources on any subject — not just the Bible, but how to have a good marriage, how to parent -- any subject that you can build [up] Christians, you can broadcast on our channel. <strong>I invite brothers and sisters to join us using media to help the church in Iran</strong>,” says Shariat.
  4754.  
  4755. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranalive.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Connect with Iran Alive Ministries here to learn more. </a></strong></span>
  4756.  
  4757. &nbsp;
  4758.  
  4759. &nbsp;
  4760.  
  4761. &nbsp;
  4762.  
  4763. <em>Header photo of Tehran, Iran courtesy of Mohammad Amirahmadi/Unsplash. </em>]]>
  4764. </description>
  4765. <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2025 05:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
  4766. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-look-at-irans-influence-in-the-middle-east-as-u-s-houthi-conflict-rises/</guid>
  4767. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/mohammad-amirahmadi-ShZzflXymPI-unsplash-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4768. </item>
  4769. <item>
  4770. <title>Heart for Lebanon helps 500 at-risk girls</title>
  4771. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart-for-lebanon-helps-500-at-risk-girls/</link>
  4772. <description>
  4773. <![CDATA[
  4774. Lebanon (MNN) -- Lebanon balances tenuous ceasefires with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanon-israeli-strikes-point-precarious-ceasefire-2025-03-18/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-syria-army-border-hezbollah-hts-beb2bb44fabc186ab67e661a26b47e3b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Syria</a></strong></span>. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong></span>’s Tom Atema says, “The longer the ceasefire stays in place, the better it will become.”
  4775.  
  4776. War, prejudice, and the threat of deportation create a tumultuous atmosphere for refugee children in Lebanon. Little girls are especially vulnerable.
  4777.  
  4778. <div id="attachment_213657" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HFL_A-Haven-of-Love-1.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213657" class="size-medium wp-image-213657" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/HFL_A-Haven-of-Love-1-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213657" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
  4779.  
  4780. Heart for Lebanon has been helping at-risk girls since its founding nearly twenty years ago. This year, the ministry aims to support 500 girls between the ages of 13 and 21.
  4781.  
  4782. “These are young girls that have the potential or have been sold into early marriage, human trafficking, child labor – you name the bad thing, and it’s probably in that bucket,” Atema says.
  4783.  
  4784. Some parents sell their girls to meet family needs. Others are abused or exploited, like a girl we’ll call Lily. Atema says, “She got pregnant, came to our medical clinic, and didn’t know what to do.”
  4785.  
  4786. Lily knew she couldn’t tell anyone about the pregnancy because it would bring shame to her family. Heart for Lebanon’s care center became a safe haven.
  4787.  
  4788. “It wasn’t her fault. She had nothing to do with it. She was just in a vulnerable place, living in poverty, and that [event] happened,” Atema says.
  4789. <blockquote>
  4790. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We had the privilege of not only helping her keep the baby and move forward but also restoring her relationship with her parents and bringing dignity to her life.”</strong></p>
  4791. </blockquote>
  4792. Ask the Lord to guide Heart for Lebanon staff. They’re encountering rising numbers of at-risk girls.
  4793.  
  4794. “Pray for the teachers, for wisdom. These aren’t easy conversations in any culture because, at the end of the day, it’s just not the girl. There’s a whole string of people around that girl that have to be dealt with at the same time,” Atema says.
  4795.  
  4796. &nbsp;
  4797.  
  4798. &nbsp;
  4799.  
  4800. &nbsp;
  4801.  
  4802. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.</em>]]>
  4803. </description>
  4804. <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2025 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate>
  4805. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart-for-lebanon-helps-500-at-risk-girls/</guid>
  4806. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/H4L-Home-Banners-2025-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4807. </item>
  4808. <item>
  4809. <title>Pro-life ministry means valuing what God values</title>
  4810. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pro-life-ministry-means-valuing-what-god-values/</link>
  4811. <description>
  4812. <![CDATA[
  4813. <span style="font-weight: 400;">International (MNN)</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">—</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lifeinternational.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LIFE International</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is taking Christ to the global mission field created by abortion. In 164 countries, their ministry partners are praying for and working towards transformation. Through training events, personal coaching, resource development, and direct care, they are calling church communities to value life, and they are supporting them every step of the way. </span>
  4814.  
  4815. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Zac Kadau is the Director of International Ministries at LIFE International. He says one of the biggest challenges in their international work is to raise awareness about abortion’s devaluing nature. </span>
  4816.  
  4817. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sometimes we have to open pastors’ eyes to see how life is being devalued or to see how different worldviews are impacting how we’re acting or treating image bearers of God.”</span>
  4818.  
  4819. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The team at LIFE International knows life begins in the womb. </span>
  4820. <blockquote>
  4821. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Once you can recognize the value of life there, it’s much easier to value life all the way throughout from conception to natural death,” Kadau says. </strong></p>
  4822. </blockquote>
  4823. <div id="attachment_213536" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213536" class="wp-image-213536 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/rod-long-y0OAmd_COUM-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213536" class="wp-caption-text">Courtesy of Unsplash</p></div>
  4824.  
  4825. <span style="font-weight: 400;">LIFE International's world partners are involved in ministries that value life from start to finish. Several European partners are especially focused on engaging the elderly in their church communities. </span>
  4826.  
  4827. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“How can we be honoring to our elderly? How can we incorporate them into our family structure into our system in a way that truly values them and walks with them in that time of their life?” Kadau asks.</span>
  4828.  
  4829. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Global church is hungry for Gospel clarity on matters of life. In the West, Kadau points out that the issue of abortion is drawn into the political realm. LIFE International hopes to shift the paradigm. </span>
  4830. <blockquote>
  4831. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We see this as primarily a Gospel issue,” he says. “We see the value of life as something that is established by God.”</strong></p>
  4832. </blockquote>
  4833. <span style="font-weight: 400;">When abortion is addressed from a spiritual standpoint, Kadau says the church will see change – sometimes in the most difficult places. In Israel and Gaza, for example, LIFE International’s partners are looking beyond the lens of conflict to see people for whose image they bear. </span>
  4834.  
  4835. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They’re pushing toward reconciliation and they’re trying to see a world where God’s perfect peace is reigning supreme,” Kadau says. </span>
  4836.  
  4837. <span style="font-weight: 400;">He points to prayer as the reason this ministry has been fruitful. Before every training, the team dedicates 30 days to prayer. </span>
  4838.  
  4839. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We make sure that the local body is praying for any training because we recognize that what we’re talking about is transformation. It’s spiritual work. It’s work that only God can do.” </span>
  4840.  
  4841. <span style="font-weight: 400;">He asks you to pray too. Please ask the Holy Spirit to give ministry partners the proper words in due season, and pray that their ministry of life and reconciliation would fall on fertile ground. </span>
  4842.  
  4843. &nbsp;
  4844.  
  4845. &nbsp;
  4846.  
  4847. &nbsp;
  4848.  
  4849. <em>Featured image courtesy of Ben White via Unsplash</em>]]>
  4850. </description>
  4851. <pubDate>Wed, 19 Mar 2025 05:00:13 -0400</pubDate>
  4852. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pro-life-ministry-means-valuing-what-god-values/</guid>
  4853. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/ben-white-4K2lIP0zc_k-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4854. </item>
  4855. <item>
  4856. <title>DRC peace talks underway today in Angola</title>
  4857. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/regional-leaders-seek-peace-in-the-drc/</link>
  4858. <description>
  4859. <![CDATA[
  4860. Congo-Kinshasa (MNN) -- Angola says it will mediate peace talks today between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and M23 rebels. A Congolese government spokesperson <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-m23-rebels-begin-direct-peace-talks-march-18-angola-says-2025-03-12/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told Reuters</a></strong></span> that her office had received Angola’s invitation but had failed to confirm its participation in the talks.
  4861.  
  4862. The leaders of neighboring countries emphasize a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://allafrica.com/stories/202503130473.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">peaceful way forward</a></strong></span>, as ongoing clashes threaten to destabilize the region. “A central Africa conflict has memories of Somalia, the bombings even in Nairobi, and there’s just not a big appetite to engage,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations’</a></strong></span> Greg Kelley says.
  4863. <blockquote>
  4864. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“One of the real challenges of Eastern Congo is the historical relations with nearby Uganda and Rwanda. It’s probably the most complicated situation in Africa today.”</strong></p>
  4865. </blockquote>
  4866. <div id="attachment_213572" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/africa-1609993_1280.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213572" class="size-medium wp-image-213572" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/africa-1609993_1280-300x291.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="291" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213572" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Wendyfleury/Pixabay)</p></div>
  4867.  
  4868. Although the DRC has a significantly larger land mass, the country struggles to protect its borders from incursions by neighboring nations.
  4869.  
  4870. “Rwanda and Uganda have been pushing in their military in the name of national security, conveniently inside the mines, so they’ve been taking out gold and stuff. So, the relations with those two countries are very fragile and hostile,” Kelley says.
  4871.  
  4872. “Unfortunately, Congo has been at the mercy of all these other bad actors, who are taking advantage of the lack of security and just taking their stuff.”
  4873. <h2>Prayer needed</h2>
  4874. Rebel forces have seized east Congo’s two biggest cities since January. At least 7,000 people have died in the fighting, and more than 600,000 people are on the run.
  4875.  
  4876. “The president of Congo <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjryjlndddpo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">made an offer</a></strong></span> to the United States for access to the minerals, and in exchange, there would be a US presence in Congo. How the State Department or President Trump responds to that is yet to be known,” Kelley says.
  4877.  
  4878. “Congo is wealthy from the standpoint of natural resources, but at the same time – short of maybe Sudan – it’s the most unstable place in the world.”
  4879.  
  4880. Pray for Unknown Nations and its partners in the DRC as they continue to distribute God’s Word and train leaders – despite the war raging around them. “In eastern Congo, 20 years ago, we built our first training center in the middle of this carnage. It’s been kind of a beachhead for the Gospel,” Kelley says.
  4881. <blockquote>
  4882. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Those moments are a tremendous opportunity for the Gospel and to reinforce our efforts of discipleship because that’s the only thing that’s going to stop it (the war.)”</strong></p>
  4883. </blockquote>
  4884. Pray also for the war to end. Kelley says, “It’s going to require a supernatural act of forgiveness because there is guilt to be shared in this situation. But when the blood of Jesus covers that, it can be a testimony, maybe like we’ve never seen before.”
  4885.  
  4886. &nbsp;
  4887.  
  4888. &nbsp;
  4889.  
  4890. &nbsp;
  4891.  
  4892. <em>Header image is a representative 2015 photo depicting Congolese soldiers on patrol in the Ituri district. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Aveba,_district_de_l%E2%80%99Ituri,_Province_Orientale,_DR_Congo_-_Des_militaires_FARDC_en_patrouille._(16643921095).jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  4893. </description>
  4894. <pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:18 -0400</pubDate>
  4895. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/regional-leaders-seek-peace-in-the-drc/</guid>
  4896. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1280px-Aveba_district_de_lIturi_Province_Orientale_DR_Congo_-_Des_militaires_FARDC_en_patrouille._16643921095-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4897. </item>
  4898. <item>
  4899. <title>What travel bans could mean for international ministry workers</title>
  4900. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-travel-bans-could-mean-for-international-ministry-workers/</link>
  4901. <description>
  4902. <![CDATA[
  4903. <span style="font-weight: 400">USA (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— As part of </span><span style="font-weight: 400">sweeping immigration reform, President Trump is </span><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-weighs-travel-ban-dozens-countries-memo-says-2025-03-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weighing travel bans</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> of ranging severity for 41 countries. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">This </span><span style="font-weight: 400">comes amidst </span><strong><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/4-in-5-of-these-americans-approve-of-trump-s-immigration-policies/ss-AA1AKOQd?ocid=BingNewsVerp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">widespread approval</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> of Trump’s immigration policies and a majority opinion that America </span><strong><a href="https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/polling/58-americans-think-us-friendlier-immigrants-most-countries-poll" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remains friendly to immigrants</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">, specifically those of legal status. </span>
  4904. <h2><b>How are changing policies affecting Green Card holders?</b></h2>
  4905. <span style="font-weight: 400">While most of Trump’s actions in the immigration arena have targeted illegal residents, the ubiquity of reform is now being felt by another group: green card holders, or lawful permanent residents. Travelers in this category are reporting longer point-of-entry interviews when returning to the US; and the recent arrest of </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder </span><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-university-mahmoud-khalil-ice-6964107d218dba43eb995d6dbbe528b1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">facing deportation</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> for affiliation with Hamas, </span><span style="font-weight: 400">raises further concerns about potential for deportation. </span>
  4906.  
  4907. <span style="font-weight: 400">The full White House immigration policy is outlined </span><strong><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-the-american-people-against-invasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. </span>
  4908. <h2><b>How does this relate to ministry? </b></h2>
  4909. <span style="font-weight: 400">The flood of policy change could affect an overlooked subset of green card holders: those working in international ministry. Bruce Allen with FMI says many employees of Christian organizations in the US are operating on religious workers visas. For example, FMI employs a US-based Pakistani national who travels extensively for the ministry. Increased scrutiny could bog down FMI’s logistics. </span>
  4910.  
  4911. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Providentially, our staff member when he returned to the US a few days ago after traveling in three countries visiting with many of FMI’s indigenous church planters overseas, he encountered no problems,” Allen says. “But it may be a concern moving forward, especially if these proposals and considerations do get passed.”</span>
  4912.  
  4913. <span style="font-weight: 400">Allen knows of green card holders who have canceled overseas travel plans to avoid unwanted risks. But he says the real game changer for ministries won’t be policy concerning foreigners entering America. </span>
  4914.  
  4915. <span style="font-weight: 400">“It’s that those countries on the list of 41 nations may likely take reciprocal action against US travelers.”</span>
  4916.  
  4917. <span style="font-weight: 400">FMI supports projects and partnerships in three of the countries under travel ban consideration.  </span>
  4918.  
  4919. <span style="font-weight: 400">“And a fourth country on the list is one that has just invited us to help out in recent weeks, which would require travel to that country to set up leadership teams overseeing a ministry. So that could be even more challenging,” he says. </span>
  4920.  
  4921. <span style="font-weight: 400">Even without travel restrictions, the nature of international work is logistically complex. Allen points out that the command to make disciples of all nations is not conditional on safety, comfort, or ease. </span>
  4922.  
  4923. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We will continue to do ministry: trusting in God’s sovereignty, praying for the leaders of our nations, so that they will make wise and safe decisions that allow us to operate peacefully,” he says. </span>
  4924.  
  4925. <div id="attachment_213612" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213612" class="size-medium wp-image-213612" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/President_Donald_Trump_and_Vice_President_J.D._Vance-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213612" class="wp-caption-text">Vice President Vance and President Trump, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.</p></div>
  4926. <h2><b>How can we pray? </b></h2>
  4927. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray that ministries anticipating fallout from changing immigration policies will be of good courage, trusting God to open doors for continued international partnerships as He sees fit. Pray that the Trump administration would make wise decisions surrounding immigration and national security, and pray that the church will firmly root itself in the Word of God rather than national diplomacy.</span>
  4928.  
  4929. <em>Featured image courtesy of Pexels</em>]]>
  4930. </description>
  4931. <pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  4932. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-travel-bans-could-mean-for-international-ministry-workers/</guid>
  4933. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-niccolo-chiamori-37401699-16153075-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4934. </item>
  4935. <item>
  4936. <title>Turkish government expelling foreign Christians without pushback</title>
  4937. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/turkish-government-expelling-foreign-christians-without-pushback/</link>
  4938. <description>
  4939. <![CDATA[
  4940. Türkiye (MNN) — There’s a quiet targeting of Christians happening in modern-day Türkiye. It looks different than it did in 2018, when American pastor <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/brunson-on-u-s-soil-following-conviction-release/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Andrew Brunson was arrested and spent two years in prison</a></strong></span>.
  4941.  
  4942. “The Turkish Government kind of went to school on that [Brunson] case,” says Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs, USA. “They got a lot of negative publicity for arresting a foreign Christian. So since 2019, they have just begun kicking foreign Christians out.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4943.  
  4944. <strong>Nettleton says more than 140 Christians have been impacted by this in the past five years, including 50 in December 2024 alone. Some have been<span class="Apple-converted-space"> told to leave on a very short timeline. Others have been denied re-entry to Türkiye after traveling internationally. </span></strong>
  4945.  
  4946. “This is clearly sort of not an aberration. This is now a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.org/2024/06/14/turkiyes-constitutional-court-supports-governments-expulsion-of-9-foreign-christians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strategy</a></strong></span> that's being used by the Turkish government to decrease the Christian influence and decrease Christian ministry in Turkey,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4947.  
  4948. <strong>The current administration in Türkiye has taken the nation in a more Islamic direction.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4949.  
  4950. “When I started working at Voice of the Martyrs, Muslim people would point to Turkey as a success story. ‘Look, democracy and Islam can coexist. Look, democracy and human rights can coexist. What about Turkey?’” Nettleton says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4951.  
  4952. Today, Türkiye's population is majority Muslim and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/countries/TU">less than 1% Christian</a></strong></span>. “They have become more overt about, ‘No, we don't want to be a secular republic. We want to support Islam. It is our religion. We are Turks. We are Muslims.’”
  4953.  
  4954. (Listen the story of one Christian no longer allowed back into Türkiye, Jerry Mattix, on the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrQvqNWp_r0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">VOM YouTube channel</a></strong></span> or podcast.)
  4955.  
  4956. “<strong>They (Turkish government leaders) haven’t seen a lot of pushback from the world community since they've just been quietly letting people go,</strong>” Nettleton says. “So why would they change course, if it's not costing them anything, and they see it as a benefit to have less Christian influence in the country?”
  4957. <h2><b>Hope and prayer points</b></h2>
  4958. Yet even as foreign Christians are being forced out of Türkiye, Nettleton says God isn’t leaving the local churches adrift.
  4959.  
  4960. <div id="attachment_152396" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152396" class="size-medium wp-image-152396" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/VOM_pray-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-152396" class="wp-caption-text">Your prayers are powerful. (Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA)</p></div>
  4961.  
  4962. “It is depleting the number of Christian leaders in the country … but what we see happening… is Turkish Christian leaders are stepping up into those roles,” says Nettleton.
  4963.  
  4964. “So I think in the long-term, this is going to be a blessing. This is going to be a good thing. But it's certainly difficult if a country you've lived in for a long time and raise[d] your family there says, ‘Sorry, you cannot come to what is really your home.’”
  4965. <ul>
  4966. <li><b>Pray for the families and individuals no longer able to live in Türkiye.</b> “There's a lot of trauma and stress that these families have had to go through. Pray for the children who have had been uprooted in this process.”</li>
  4967. <li><b>Please pray for the churches losing Christian leaders, </b>who "need God's blessing. They need His empowerment. They need His protection."</li>
  4968. <li><b>Pray also for the foreign Christians still living in Türkiye, who know what is going on and what they may face soon.</b> “Pray for God's peace to be on them as they are in the country, and for them to be lighthouses representing Jesus Christ, even in a police station, even in a courtroom. Pray that they'll be able to represent Christ.”</li>
  4969. </ul>
  4970. &nbsp;
  4971.  
  4972. &nbsp;
  4973.  
  4974. <em>Header photo of Turkish flag courtesy of Meg Jerrard/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  4975. </description>
  4976. <pubDate>Tue, 18 Mar 2025 05:00:48 -0400</pubDate>
  4977. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/turkish-government-expelling-foreign-christians-without-pushback/</guid>
  4978. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/meg-jerrard-JnLp1kus3Ks-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4979. </item>
  4980. <item>
  4981. <title>Gang violence creeping closer to ministry base in Port-au-Prince</title>
  4982. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gang-violence-creeping-closer-to-ministry-base-in-port-au-prince/</link>
  4983. <description>
  4984. <![CDATA[
  4985. Haiti (MNN) -- What do you do when gangs in Haiti might be just a couple of streets away? If you’re the local staff at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian World Outreach</a></strong></span> (CWO), you’ve had to consider that question.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Their</span> main office has a feminine training center, a feeding center for kids, and a church. It’s located right by Delmas 30, the Port-au-Prince neighborhood that suffered a brutal <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-gangs-launch-deadly-attack-capitals-delmas-neighborhood-2025-02-26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gang attack</a></strong></span> on February 26.
  4986.  
  4987. <div id="attachment_202363" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202363" class="size-medium wp-image-202363" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/11425061_1074022435960361_881513482980671839_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-202363" class="wp-caption-text">Women learning sewing skills at a feminine training center (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)</p></div>
  4988.  
  4989. Greg Yoder with CWO says that even though armed security forces are in the capital too, “not much has changed in Port au Prince itself, as far as reducing the risk of doing ministry right there.”
  4990.  
  4991. But he says Haitians are resilient. “The women want to come to the classes for the feminine training center. The people still come to church, and the kids still come to the feeding program,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4992. <blockquote>
  4993. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“If [the violence] gets too close, we just don't have classes, we don't hold the feeding program, we won't hold church. But they (local staff) continue to want to do ministry, share the gospel. Our hope is that gang members come to know the Lord through us being there and the Haitian people being resilient, and pastors still ministering to people, and teachers still speaking into women's lives.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  4994. </blockquote>
  4995. Yoder says their ministry in Port-au-Prince will end <strong>only if gangs take over the property</strong> — and even if the Lord allows that worst-case scenario, ministry outside of the capital will go on. He explains that a network of churches in the countryside is standing united.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4996.  
  4997. “The churches in the countryside are still able to meet, and they are coming together,” he says.
  4998.  
  4999. <div id="attachment_206803" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206803" class="size-medium wp-image-206803" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/419913064_754226216735384_813339767299915349_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-206803" class="wp-caption-text">A church in Haiti (Courtesy of Christian World Outreach via Facebook)</p></div>
  5000.  
  5001. One of the ways these churches support one another is through a “Harvest Feast.” Part of that gathering is families bringing produce from their gardens.
  5002.  
  5003. “They use that [produce] to sell — the church does — to help support the church, but they also help by giving to people in need. Some of those people may be people that are displaced because of the gang violence in Port au Prince,” Yoder says.
  5004.  
  5005. “They want to help each other. I’ve seen that happen where they take offerings and help support the need of another church. <strong>It's a true picture of what Christianity should be about as we work together to share the gospel.</strong>”
  5006.  
  5007. <strong>Please pray for protection for CWO staff, church attendees and class participants in Haiti's <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-gangs-capital-violence-port-au-prince-53a9932015795bdf540725d7f1e371df" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ongoing crises</a></span> so that gospel ministry can continue in Port-au-Prince.</strong>
  5008.  
  5009. “If people have a heart to give, give financially, so we can continue to do ministry. Costs have gone up for everything.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5010.  
  5011. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://cwomissions.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more here about how Christian World Outreach is making a difference for Christ. </a></strong></span>
  5012.  
  5013. &nbsp;
  5014.  
  5015. &nbsp;
  5016.  
  5017. <em>Header photo from 2020 of a suburb of Port-au-Prince called Petionville (Photo courtesy of Reynaldo Mirault via Unsplash)</em>]]>
  5018. </description>
  5019. <pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:00:06 -0400</pubDate>
  5020. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gang-violence-creeping-closer-to-ministry-base-in-port-au-prince/</guid>
  5021. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/reynaldo-mirault-U3Sdt2phkmA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5022. </item>
  5023. <item>
  5024. <title>Bible translation breakthrough! 25 new languages may hear of Jesus&#8217; love</title>
  5025. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translation-breakthrough-25-new-languages-may-hear-of-jesus-love/</link>
  5026. <description>
  5027. <![CDATA[
  5028. Southeast Asia (MNN) -- For God so loved the world... but over seven hundred languages have never heard the Gospel. That's about to change — starting with <strong><a href="https://blog.wycliffeassociates.org/gods-word-for-25-language-groups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">twenty-five new translations</a>.</strong>
  5029.  
  5030. One of the most beautiful sounds to the human ear is the sound of one’s own name, especially when called by the Creator and Savior. But many truth-seekers in South Asia have never known this joy because their language has not yet welcomed Jesus. Without Scripture in their heart language, they remain disconnected from the greatest story ever told.
  5031.  
  5032. Moved by this reality, <strong>twenty-five believers have answered the call to bring God's Word into </strong><strong>their world of sounds</strong>. Wycliffe Associates is coming alongside them, providing essential tools, encouragement, and training to make it possible. Mark Stedman from <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/wycliffe-associates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wycliffe Associates</a></strong> explains:
  5033. <blockquote>
  5034. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong style="text-align: center;">“The teams that are choosing to do this work, they do it because they love the Lord. And despite all of that, sometimes these projects can take a year or even two years.”</strong></p>
  5035. </blockquote>
  5036. <div id="attachment_213595" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213595" class="size-medium wp-image-213595" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/randall-meng-jGM0ils-LIs-unsplash-300x300.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213595" class="wp-caption-text">Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Randall Meng via Unsplash</p></div>
  5037.  
  5038. Two years can feel like a long wait for those desperate for hope. That’s where <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/technology-meets-mission-starlinks-role-in-bible-translation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Starlink</a></strong> — a satellite internet service — comes in. By equipping translators with their own internet kits, the mission removes several key barriers.
  5039.  
  5040. “So what's exciting about this new technology is we can upload files, back up their work, and even have video calls with people in the remotest places on Earth, so they can work with facilitators helping them translate," says Stedman.
  5041.  
  5042. Bringing the Gospel to these unreached groups costs about three to four thousand dollars, covering the Starlink kit, delivery, and setup. <strong>This is where your prayers and <a href="https://blog.wycliffeassociates.org/gods-word-for-25-language-groups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support</a> can cross land and sea to reach the waiting hearts of Southeast Asia.</strong>
  5043.  
  5044. Visit <a href="https://wycliffeassociates.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Wycliffe Associates</strong></a> to learn how you can help!
  5045.  
  5046. &nbsp;
  5047.  
  5048. &nbsp;
  5049.  
  5050. <em>Header photo Malaysia (Photo courtesy of Melanie Lim/Unsplash)</em>]]>
  5051. </description>
  5052. <pubDate>Mon, 17 Mar 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  5053. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-translation-breakthrough-25-new-languages-may-hear-of-jesus-love/</guid>
  5054. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/melanie-lim-O6mUO7Y5Nlo-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5055. </item>
  5056. <item>
  5057. <title>Deadly train hijack highlights growing terror problem in Pakistan</title>
  5058. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deadly-train-hijack-highlights-growing-terror-problem-in-pakistan/</link>
  5059. <description>
  5060. <![CDATA[
  5061. Pakistan (MNN) -- A terrifying hostage situation ignited in Pakistan on Tuesday when militants from the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/world/asia/pakistan-militants-train-hostages.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">hijacked a passenger train</span></strong></a> in Balochistan. The Jaffar Express, carrying around 440 people, was stopped and armed insurgents took control. What followed was a violent standoff with security forces.
  5062.  
  5063. According to Pakistan's military, security forces have freed the hostages, but 21 train passengers were killed along with four soldiers and 33 hijackers. However, as of yesterday, the BLA claims it is still active on the train and continues to hold over 100 hostages.
  5064.  
  5065. <div id="attachment_213575" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213575" class="size-medium wp-image-213575" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Отработка_военнослужащими_России_и_Пакистана_совместных_разведывательно-диверсионных_действий_на_учении_Дружба-2016_18-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213575" class="wp-caption-text">The Pakistan Army's special forces soldiers in a drill conducting jointly with the Russian special forces in 2016. (Caption, photo by Mil.ru, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52068269)</p></div>
  5066. <p data-start="521" data-end="872">This attack is just the latest in a string of violent incidents in Balochistan, a region where the BLA has been fighting for autonomy.</p>
  5067. <p data-start="521" data-end="872"><strong>Nehemiah with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">FMI</span></a> points out this attack also highlights growing extremism in the country. According to the new <a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/world/global-terrorism-index-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Global Terrorism Index 2025</span></a>, he says, "Pakistan is now ranked as the second most terrorism affected country in the world, right after Burkina Faso and before Syria, alarmingly terrorism-related deaths in Pakistan rose by 45% in 2024 alone."</strong></p>
  5068. <p data-start="874" data-end="1301">While the BLA mainly targets government forces and infrastructure, their actions also make life even more dangerous for Christians and other religious minorities who already face discrimination and persecution.</p>
  5069. <p data-start="874" data-end="1301">"It's a fearful situation when these partners go in these areas and try to share the Word of God. You never know who is your enemy and who is your friend, especially in this hostile situation where terrorists are everywhere," Nehemiah explains.</p>
  5070. <p data-start="874" data-end="1301">"Sadly, in Balochistan and KPK, which is a border region of Afghanistan and Iran, many cities control have been taken over by Taliban or ISIS or BLA.... So different aspects are now in Pakistan. They are [attacking] the military, mosques, and of course they are targeting Christians or minorities in Pakistan as well."</p>
  5071. <p data-start="874" data-end="1301">Amazingly, Pakistani Christians are praying for terrorists, that they would know and turn to Jesus! Please pray with them.</p>
  5072.  
  5073. <blockquote>
  5074. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="874" data-end="1301"><strong>Nehemiah says, "I was talking to a brother a few days ago, and I was like, 'How can we pray for you?' And he said, 'Please pray for terrorists who are killing them and killing other Pakistanis. Please pray for them that they know the light of the message and the light of hope, which is Jesus Christ.'"</strong></p>
  5075. </blockquote>
  5076. <p data-start="1303" data-end="1535" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/our-fields/#Pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about FMI's ministry in Pakistan.</span></strong></a></p>
  5077. <p data-start="1303" data-end="1535" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""></p>
  5078. <p data-start="1303" data-end="1535" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""></p>
  5079. <p data-start="1303" data-end="1535" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""></p>
  5080. <p data-start="1303" data-end="1535" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""><em>Header photo: Pakistan flag (Photo courtesy of Abuzar Xheikh/Unsplash)</em></p>]]>
  5081. </description>
  5082. <pubDate>Fri, 14 Mar 2025 05:00:48 -0400</pubDate>
  5083. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deadly-train-hijack-highlights-growing-terror-problem-in-pakistan/</guid>
  5084. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/abuzar-xheikh-5yweA-6T3nA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5085. </item>
  5086. <item>
  5087. <title>U.S. re-designates Houthis as foreign terrorist organization</title>
  5088. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-s-re-designates-houthis-as-foreign-terrorist-organization/</link>
  5089. <description>
  5090. <![CDATA[
  5091. Yemen (MNN) — On March 4, the U.S. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.state.gov/designation-of-ansarallah-as-a-foreign-terrorist-organization/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">re-designated</a></strong></span> Ansarallah as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. Also known as the Houthis, they are one of several players in civil war-torn Yemen, along with ISIS and al-Qaeda.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5092.  
  5093. A woman we'll call Isabel* is a Christian serving with nonprofit organizations that meet humanitarian needs in Yemen. She says disruptions are part of daily life for their partners.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5094.  
  5095. “It’s prohibited people from being able to travel deep into certain parts of the territory, and constrained movement to areas that aren't controlled by Houthi rebels,” she says.
  5096.  
  5097. <div id="attachment_206605" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206605" class="size-medium wp-image-206605" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pexels-lara-jameson-8828585-200x300.jpg" alt="yemen, map, Ethiopia" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-206605" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Lara Jameson/Pexels)</p></div>
  5098.  
  5099. “Some groups that I work with that are doing translation work may literally be working together while bombs are falling in their neighborhood. They live in an extremely precarious situation when it comes to just physical safety.”
  5100.  
  5101. Since 2023, Houthis have raised havoc on international trade in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yet no <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://time.com/7265418/houthi-terrorist-fto-status-us-relations-yemen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">international policy</a></strong></span> like this one from the U.S. can reach to the heart of someone caught up in radical Islamic ideology. Isabel glimpsed that during one meeting with a mixed group of Yemenis.
  5102. <blockquote>
  5103. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>One man spoke up, saying, “If you had told me I'd be sitting around this table with brothers from my country who were part of different political factions, plus an American, I would never have believed you. But only through the grace of God and through our shared love of Jesus could we be here together today.”</b></p>
  5104. </blockquote>
  5105. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/yemen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yemen is number 3</a></strong></span> on the World Watch List from Open Doors. Would you join in praying for secret Yemeni believers? Many of them deal with divisiveness, danger and opposition. <strong>Isabel asks that you pray for their safety and provision. Pray also for people in Yemen to be open to hearing a new message, open to building peace together through Jesus. Then, trust God! </strong>
  5106.  
  5107. “I think it's easy to forget, particularly as Western Christians, that there are people in other parts of the world that are living out stories we read in the Bible that we may think don't happen anymore. For example, the small numbers of believers in these areas of such destruction and despair are truly being salt and light. [There] may truly be only 10 people in their city that know God,” Isabel says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5108.  
  5109. “It’s really opened my eyes to how big God is, how good God is and how He continues to work with His people, with His children, to bring hope and new life in places like [Yemen]."
  5110.  
  5111. &nbsp;
  5112.  
  5113. <em>*Name withheld for security</em>
  5114.  
  5115. &nbsp;
  5116.  
  5117. &nbsp;
  5118.  
  5119. <em>Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of  Jiří Zeman via Pexels.</em>]]>
  5120. </description>
  5121. <pubDate>Fri, 14 Mar 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  5122. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/u-s-re-designates-houthis-as-foreign-terrorist-organization/</guid>
  5123. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-jiri-zeman-2040000-6389193-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5124. </item>
  5125. <item>
  5126. <title>An education for Syrian refugees in Lebanon</title>
  5127. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/an-education-for-syrian-refugees-in-lebanon/</link>
  5128. <description>
  5129. <![CDATA[
  5130. <span style="font-weight: 400">Lebanon (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— </span><span style="font-weight: 400">What would your life look like without the building blocks of an elementary education? </span>
  5131.  
  5132. <span style="font-weight: 400">That’s a question one ministry has asked on behalf of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Tom Atema with </span><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> says through educational programs hosted at two locations, his ministry is helping provide hope and a future to about 2,000 children. </span>
  5133.  
  5134. <span style="font-weight: 400">The program, “Helping Overcome Poverty through Education” (HOPE), is open to Lebanese families but serves Syrian refugees by enlarge. Most students are between the ages of five and thirteen. Atema says this age group is critical. </span>
  5135.  
  5136. <span style="font-weight: 400">“You can mold that mind very appropriately in one of two directions: for good or for evil. And we bend it for good so the radical groups don’t bend it for evil.” </span>
  5137.  
  5138. <b>School for Syrian refugees</b>
  5139.  
  5140. <span style="font-weight: 400">At HOPE, Students are instructed by knowledge level rather than grade level. Courses include science, math, Arabic, English, and most importantly: Biblical character development. Every month, a single Biblical trait is studied, and many of these are new concepts for students. Incorporating them into the curriculum is critical. </span>
  5141.  
  5142. <span style="font-weight: 400">“If you can get a young person into a relationship with Jesus Christ and then disciple and educate them, they’re on a path to do something significant with their life,” Atema says. </span>
  5143.  
  5144. <span style="font-weight: 400">Public school in Lebanon is only an option for Syrian refugees if they can pay for it. Most cannot. Heart for Lebanon’s offering closes educational gaps, including for mothers, who are able to take classes in home economics skills and management. Atema says graduates of the program take many paths beyond it. </span>
  5145.  
  5146. <span style="font-weight: 400">“It’s a stepping stone to further education, or it’s a stepping stone in some cases for people to serve with Heart for Lebanon or some other non-profit in the country.” </span>
  5147.  
  5148. <b>Gospel impact </b>
  5149.  
  5150. <span style="font-weight: 400">Most importantly, the Biblical training students receive is a seed for future spiritual growth and Gospel spread. </span>
  5151.  
  5152. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Most of these kids, I would say, are some of the best ambassadors for Jesus Christ because they’re winning mom – and if they have a dad at home, dad – to Christ,” Atema says. </span>
  5153.  
  5154. <span style="font-weight: 400">He recalls the experience of a student named Samuel, a quiet kid who didn’t give much feedback during class. After school, at his home tent settlement, Atema bumped into him. </span>
  5155.  
  5156. <span style="font-weight: 400">“In between these tents, Samuel is sitting in the dirt with four other children around him playing teacher and teaching these kids what he learned in class,” Atema says.</span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  5157. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  5158. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">It wasn’t math or English he was relaying. </span>
  5159.  
  5160. <span style="font-weight: 400">“He was teaching them the story of David.”</span>
  5161.  
  5162. <div id="attachment_202663" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202663" class="size-medium wp-image-202663" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/HFL_syrian-refugee-smile-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-202663" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
  5163.  
  5164. <b>Your place in the story</b>
  5165.  
  5166. <strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> is looking for another 275 prayer partners this year. </span>
  5167.  
  5168. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We think and believe deeply and strongly that prayer does change everything,” Atema says. “It’s the power, protection, provision. It’s all the things we can’t physically do that God does through the power of prayer.” </span>
  5169.  
  5170. <span style="font-weight: 400">Since the change of regime in Syria, Atema says there’s a misconception that displaced Syrians will all return to their home country. </span>
  5171.  
  5172. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Estimates will have anywhere from 4 to 8 thousand Syrians a month coming into Lebanon, and the ones living in Lebanon have a greater need.” </span>
  5173.  
  5174. <span style="font-weight: 400">Atema says Lebanon continues to be the most democratic country in the Arab world.  </span>
  5175.  
  5176. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We have to take advantage of that in the proper way.” </span>
  5177.  
  5178. <span style="font-weight: 400">That means getting the Gospel to Syrians before they return to their home country, where they may never hear it. </span>
  5179.  
  5180. <span style="font-weight: 400">Consider </span><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/prayer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joining in prayer</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> for this ministry, and find more stories of impact </span><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/overcoming-h-o-p-e-bekaa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. </span>]]>
  5181. </description>
  5182. <pubDate>Fri, 14 Mar 2025 05:00:33 -0400</pubDate>
  5183. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/an-education-for-syrian-refugees-in-lebanon/</guid>
  5184. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/HFL_education-header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5185. </item>
  5186. <item>
  5187. <title>The fallout continues from killings in Syria</title>
  5188. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-fallout-continues-from-killings-in-syria/</link>
  5189. <description>
  5190. <![CDATA[
  5191. Syria (MNN) — Complexities in Syria have reached a new pitch after the events of last week.
  5192.  
  5193. Thursday, March 6, a band of Alawite fighters from the old regime killed more than a dozen soldiers in the coastal town of Jableh affiliated with the new government.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5194.  
  5195. But it might not have "started" on Thursday. Samuel* with Redemptive stories says, “They killed, the reports say, 16 to 20 soldiers related to a dispute.... There [are] suspicions that there was some act done even before that, which then this [attack on soldiers] was recompense for that previous act.”
  5196.  
  5197. <div id="attachment_212129" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-212129" class="size-medium wp-image-212129" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/smaller-shvan-harki-lGKhhnFRUs4-unsplash-copy-300x164.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="164" /><p id="caption-attachment-212129" class="wp-caption-text">Syrian citizens celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, December 2024 (Photo courtesy of Shvan Hark via Unsplash)</p></div>
  5198.  
  5199. In response, the government sent in troops <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crknjgrd3geo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">and a massacre began</a></strong></span>. The numbers are still coming in, but reports are saying <b>hundreds of fighters and civilians were killed.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>Christians were among those slain. However, <strong>the chief targets were Alawites,</strong> a minority sect of Shia Islam that Syria’s former president belongs to.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/syrias-transitional-honeymoon-over-after-massacres-and-disinformation" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> (Amid misinformation regarding this event, read a detailed analysis here.) </a></strong></span>
  5200.  
  5201. Samuel explains the killing happened “primarily in areas that were hubs for Alawite fighters, or Alawite military personnel historically. But then they were killing quite indiscriminately — killing families, young people who had nothing to do with [it]. I mean, they were part of the previous regime, [by] the fact that they were Alawites, but it was more of an ethnic cleansing as retribution for what was done [in Jableh].”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5202.  
  5203. The fallout from these horrific killings has already begun. “Some say over 10,000 have crossed into Lebanon, trying to seek refuge there,” Samuel says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5204.  
  5205. But there’s another, deeper issue in the fallout.
  5206. <blockquote>
  5207. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The new government is showing their inability to form systems of society that are needed in order to be able to govern its people,” he says. “They're working towards it, but still, there seems to be a disconnect, as you can tell by the goon-ery of their troops and this massacre that occurred.”</strong></p>
  5208.  
  5209.  
  5210. <div id="attachment_213518" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213518" class="size-medium wp-image-213518" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/pexels-ahmed-akacha-3313934-7183520-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-213518" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Ahmed Akacha via Pexels</p></div></blockquote>
  5211. Another example of this lack of structure is that security checkpoints in Syria are haphazard, not clearly regulated. One of Samuel's teammates was in Syria recently. He says checkpoints during al-Assad's rule were clearly marked with flags and different uniforms signifying which factions had charge of them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5212.  
  5213. “Now you get to a checkpoint, [our partner says, and] you have no idea who these people are. They're just wearing this regular old camo. They might have a new flag on it, but there's no marking that these are military personnel, police officers or civil defense,” Samuel explains.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5214. <blockquote>
  5215. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“So they're still lagging behind in their ability to create the structures necessary for a flourishing society. The honeymoon period is over, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/syrian-christians-remain-in-limbo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the true colors</a></span> seem to be coming out more and more.”</strong></p>
  5216. </blockquote>
  5217. That's not the full story though. Samuel says that in the midst of deep suffering, there are opportunities for believers to step in with gospel hope and help. At the same time, this kind of hardship “also exacerbates already [existing] issues, like fear, the ability to do meetings, to connect together, to meet together.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5218.  
  5219. <strong>Please, pray for the minority church in Syria. Pray for those who are fleeing to Lebanon and believers who will receive them there.</strong>
  5220.  
  5221. “We’re just praying for our brothers and sisters on the ground that they can find that balance of still being able to engage people and particularly help them in their season of fear and concern,” Samuel says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“This is an opportunity to care for Alawites. Also in Lebanon, for the refugees that are coming there, [pray] for the church to engage to help them there.”
  5222.  
  5223. &nbsp;
  5224.  
  5225. <em>*Pseudonym</em>
  5226.  
  5227. &nbsp;
  5228.  
  5229. <em>Header photo courtesy of Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay.</em>]]>
  5230. </description>
  5231. <pubDate>Thu, 13 Mar 2025 05:00:48 -0400</pubDate>
  5232. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-fallout-continues-from-killings-in-syria/</guid>
  5233. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/syria-1202174_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5234. </item>
  5235. <item>
  5236. <title>Over half of Sudan’s population needs help to survive</title>
  5237. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/over-half-of-sudans-population-needs-help-to-survive/</link>
  5238. <description>
  5239. <![CDATA[
  5240. Sudan (MNN) -- Sudan’s bloody civil war will enter its third year <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/14/visualising-the-war-in-sudan-conflict-control-and-displacement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">next month</a></strong></span>. Two opposing generals remain deadlocked in a fight for control of Africa’s third-largest country.
  5241.  
  5242. “Five years ago, no Sudanese would have ever believed that what is happening to them and their country could ever take place,” a Gospel worker we’ll call John* says.
  5243.  
  5244. “Many of those who are displaced outside of Sudan feel that they have no real country to return to.”
  5245.  
  5246. The war triggered the world’s largest and fastest-growing displacement crisis, while <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1160831" target="_blank" rel="noopener">famine has been confirmed</a></strong></span> in several areas of Sudan. Over half of Sudan’s population – <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-conflict-public-health-situation-analysis-phsa-10-march-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 30 million people</a></strong></span> – need help to survive another day.
  5247.  
  5248. <div id="attachment_213458" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1280px-Refugees_queue_for_water_in_the_Jamam_camp_South_Sudan_7118597209.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213458" class="size-medium wp-image-213458" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1280px-Refugees_queue_for_water_in_the_Jamam_camp_South_Sudan_7118597209-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213458" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Robert Stansfield/Department for International Development via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  5249.  
  5250. The region’s dominant religion offers little help. John says, “Sudanese from all strata of society are genuinely and desperately seeking inner peace, and Islam is generally silent.”
  5251.  
  5252. Yet hope remains. “In the middle of everything we’re talking about, more are coming to Christ out of Islam than [at] any other time in our ministry,” John says.
  5253. <blockquote>
  5254. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“God is moving in a powerful way.”</strong></p>
  5255. </blockquote>
  5256. We can’t mention John’s group’s name for security purposes, but it offers evangelism and discipleship training, trauma healing, and targeted relief. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://greater-reach-inc.networkforgood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Your support keeps this work going.</a></strong></span>
  5257.  
  5258. “It (the relief aid is) opening doors; within two months of doing that, we had 50 house churches, and we’re having baptisms in IDP camps,” John says.
  5259.  
  5260. “We’ve trained and sent out over 325 Muslim background believers from 61 tribes of Sudan, and they are all among their people, serving.”
  5261.  
  5262. <em><strong>Will you keep Sudan on your prayer list?</strong></em> “Prayer releases God’s power for ministry,” John says.
  5263.  
  5264. “As you pray for the people of Sudan, pray for God’s healing power to be released into broken hearts, bodies, and spirits. Pray for the growth of the Church in Sudan and its diaspora. Pray for growth and multiplication among the churches being planted.”
  5265.  
  5266. &nbsp;
  5267.  
  5268. <em><strong>*Pseudonym</strong> </em>
  5269.  
  5270. &nbsp;
  5271.  
  5272. &nbsp;
  5273.  
  5274. <em>Header image depicts Sudanese refugees who have fled the conflict in Sudan register for food aid in neighboring Chad. (Photo courtesy of <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Foreign_Secretary_David_Lammy_meets_Sudanese_refugees_in_Chad_in_the_border_town_of_Adre_on_24_January_2025_-_13.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FCDO/Russell Watkins via Wikimedia Commons</a>) </em>]]>
  5275. </description>
  5276. <pubDate>Thu, 13 Mar 2025 05:00:03 -0400</pubDate>
  5277. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/over-half-of-sudans-population-needs-help-to-survive/</guid>
  5278. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Foreign_Secretary_David_Lammy_meets_Sudanese_refugees_in_Chad_in_the_border_town_of_Adre_on_24_January_2025_-_13-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5279. </item>
  5280. <item>
  5281. <title>What makes men truly courageous? A program for Muslim men navigating tough questions</title>
  5282. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-makes-men-truly-courageous-a-program-for-muslim-men-navigating-tough-questions/</link>
  5283. <description>
  5284. <![CDATA[
  5285. International (MNN) — A transformed society starts with truly courageous men.
  5286.  
  5287. <em>Never show weakness.</em>
  5288.  
  5289. Untangling the cultural chains that bind the heart is no easy task — especially when Islam tightens those knots. David Carlsen from <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans World Radio</a></strong></span> says that for a long time, Muslim men were overlooked in outreach efforts. Yet in a culture that forces them to hide any weakness, many are left struggling with deep emotional and mental burdens. David explains:
  5290. <h3 style="text-align: center;"><strong>“So, I started to ask this question, what if we could reach the Muslim men? What would that change? And I talked to a lot of people, both media ministries working among Muslim ministries, but also on-ground ministries around the world. And I was so surprised to find that it was very, very limited.”</strong></h3>
  5291. Another reason this focus is critical is that when women or children come to Christ, these men often respond with hostility, becoming a danger to their own families. <strong>But when men embrace biblical values, they protect their families and become agents of change.</strong>
  5292.  
  5293. <div id="attachment_213523" style="width: 285px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213523" class="wp-image-213523" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/photo-1583583224932-ee88d0b8a374.avif" alt="Unsplash" width="275" height="413" /><p id="caption-attachment-213523" class="wp-caption-text">Praying man. Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Ashkan Forouzani via Unsplash.</p></div>
  5294.  
  5295. Recognizing this reality, Carlsen created "<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://twr.org/project/men-of-courage-global" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Men of Courage</a></strong></span>", a program shaped by research among field workers around the world, addressing the real needs of Muslim men. He says: "The vision for this is bringing a fresh perspective on life and eternity. <strong>We really want to bring hope and help to the Muslim men.</strong> If they become Christians, praise God! We want to, you know, go that direction, but already, from the start, we want to help them do better in their own lives and grow society, of course, with biblical values underneath."
  5296.  
  5297. In search of a program that works not only in theory but in practice, Carlsen embarked on a journey for answers. He spoke with many active missionaries in different countries and compiled a list of 25 core topics. "I've checked with a lot of people, and they said these are pretty much general for Muslim men around the world," he says.
  5298.  
  5299. However, the program is flexible for each culture where missionaries serve. Carlsen says: "<strong>So it is very interesting to work with all these different people and see how they are shaping the concept differently, depending on their own cultures, which is amazing.</strong>"
  5300.  
  5301. The initiative includes short social media pieces, a drama series, and a talk show. It's now available in Indonesian, French, Turkish, and Albanian, with more languages coming.
  5302.  
  5303. Pray that the outwardly tough focus group of Muslim men will open their hearts to the genuineness of their feelings and be open to the transformative healing of Christ. Also, pray for the workers preparing this program for their nations — that they would consider all necessary cultural sensitivities to be effective and strategic.
  5304.  
  5305. <strong>Click <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://twr.org/">here</a></span> to learn more about the work of TWR, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://twr.org/project/men-of-courage-global">here</a></span> to learn more about the "Men of Courage" program.</strong>
  5306.  
  5307. &nbsp;
  5308.  
  5309. &nbsp;
  5310.  
  5311. &nbsp;
  5312.  
  5313. <em>Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Alexander Kirov, via Unsplash.</em>
  5314.  
  5315. &nbsp;]]>
  5316. </description>
  5317. <pubDate>Thu, 13 Mar 2025 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate>
  5318. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-makes-men-truly-courageous-a-program-for-muslim-men-navigating-tough-questions/</guid>
  5319. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/alexander-kirov-IcHDTruvBA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5320. </item>
  5321. <item>
  5322. <title>Terrorists in Afghanistan are a house divided</title>
  5323. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/terrorists-in-afghanistan-are-a-house-divided/</link>
  5324. <description>
  5325. <![CDATA[
  5326. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Afghanistan (MNN) -- Terror groups in Afghanistan are at odds with one another. Nehemiah Paul with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong> says since the fall of Kabul to the Taliban in 2021, the country’s terror network has grown in number but not in unity. ISIS fighters, who have a strong presence in Afghanistan, consider the Taliban to be too liberal.</span>
  5327.  
  5328. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They are fighting against the Taliban now. Before that, they were one organization or they were playing together, but now they are against each other,” Paul says. </span>
  5329.  
  5330. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Many Taliban fighters have left the Taliban to join ISIS. </span>
  5331.  
  5332. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“And they know everything about Talibans. They know their whereabouts. They know how they operate, so it’s very strategic for ISIS to fight against Talibans in Afghanistan,” Paul says. </span>
  5333. <h2><strong>The ISIS Mindset</strong></h2>
  5334. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Afghanistan has seen several Taliban leaders killed in the last six months. Paul says ISIS fighters hold the opinion that infidels can be dealt with later, whereas theologically problematic leaders must be addressed immediately. </span>
  5335.  
  5336. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Paul says this strategy has played out in Syria and parts of Asia, where ISIS fights not only “infidels” but also anyone who opposes Sharia law or their regional expansion strategy.</span>
  5337.  
  5338. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They want to make one region, and they call this Khorasan: Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Nepal,” Paul says. </span>
  5339.  
  5340. <div id="attachment_213479" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213479" class="wp-image-213479 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Greater_Khurasan-300x212.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="212" /><p id="caption-attachment-213479" class="wp-caption-text">Khorasan region, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons</p></div>
  5341.  
  5342. <span style="font-weight: 400;">He says there is a reason so many lone wolf attacks are claimed by ISIS.</span>
  5343.  
  5344. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“This ISIS ideology is not about organization. It’s about the mindset.”</span>
  5345. <h2><strong>Your Place in the Story</strong></h2>
  5346. <span style="font-weight: 400;">FMI serves in Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. </span>
  5347.  
  5348. <span style="font-weight: 400;">A region known as Balochistan has the highest known presence of ISIS fighters and is a hub of terrorist activity. Paul calls it the “Wild Wild West of Pakistan.” </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for FMI partners on the ground in this region: that God would open doors for them to enter towns controlled by either ISIS or the Taliban. Pray that believers would boldly speak the Gospel when prompted by the Holy Spirit, and ask the Lord to soften hearts across the Middle East. </span>
  5349.  
  5350. <span style="font-weight: 400;">When Paul asks his colleagues how to pray, they respond with a clear answer:</span>
  5351.  
  5352. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Please pray for the Taliban. Please pray for ISIS. Jesus is the only hope who can provide eternal life and salvation.”</span>
  5353.  
  5354. &nbsp;
  5355.  
  5356. &nbsp;
  5357.  
  5358. <em>Header image courtesy of Unsplash. </em>]]>
  5359. </description>
  5360. <pubDate>Wed, 12 Mar 2025 05:00:07 -0400</pubDate>
  5361. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/terrorists-in-afghanistan-are-a-house-divided/</guid>
  5362. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/mohammad-husaini-goS6euEhMcM-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5363. </item>
  5364. <item>
  5365. <title>Hope for those trapped by Lebanon&#8217;s kafala system</title>
  5366. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-those-trapped-by-lebanons-kafala-system/</link>
  5367. <description>
  5368. <![CDATA[
  5369. Lebanon (MNN) -- Imagine moving to a new country for work, and on day one, your employer confiscates your passport.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5370.  
  5371. Meet a common reality of Lebanon’s kafala system.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5372.  
  5373. “The <em>kafala</em> system is a migrant labor system in the Middle East that is often described as modern-day slavery,” says Ghinwa Akiki with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/lsesd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thimar-LSESD</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5374.  
  5375. Many migrant workers are young women from underdeveloped countries. “These women come to the region hoping to earn money for their families back home, and upon arrival, they often find themselves in low-wage domestic jobs which are different from what they [had] been told,” Akiki says.
  5376.  
  5377. <div id="attachment_206747" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206747" class="size-medium wp-image-206747" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/MERATH-Food-Assistance-Relief-and-Development-300x200.png" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-206747" class="wp-caption-text">Food assistance, relief and development (Photo courtesy of Thimar-LSESD/MERATH)</p></div>
  5378.  
  5379. As you can imagine, these men and women are often abused. Their legal status and employment are tied to a local sponsor.
  5380.  
  5381. “[That means] the employer has full authority over their ability to change jobs or leave the country,” Akiki explains.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5382.  
  5383. The past year of conflict in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah has made migrant workers even more vulnerable. Hunter Williamson with Thimar says they have heard <b>stories of workers being locked inside houses in southern Lebanon as their employers fled bombings.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  5384.  
  5385. “Who knows how many migrant workers were killed because of this?” he says. “Here in Beirut, where Thimar is based, there were migrant workers who were sort of deserted by their employers and by the families that they work for. <strong>These workers ended up on the beaches and along the seafronts, with nothing, just the clothes that they had.”</strong>
  5386. <h2>Meet Hayat</h2>
  5387. <p style="text-align: left;">The team at MERATH, one of Thimar-LSESD’s ministries, recently encountered one such migrant worker. MERATH focuses on relief work so they can demonstrate the Gospel, not just proclaim it. <strong>Through one of their partner ministries, they met a young Ethiopian woman we’ll call Hayat, who shared her story.</strong></p>
  5388. Akiki says, “[Hayat] bore harsh mistreatment for three years, but eventually, when she felt like a prisoner, deprived of every right, she decided freedom over slavery, putting herself in a bigger danger and the inability to travel back home because her passport remained with her employer."<img class="size-medium wp-image-207328 alignleft" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Thimar-LSESD-wheel-V40-e1709831549709-300x300.png" alt="" width="300" height="300" />
  5389.  
  5390. Undocumented and without work for most of the war, Hayat has still pressed forward with her life and faith in God. She’s part of a local church. Though she doesn’t know what’s next for her, she trusts God. <strong>Read a beautiful glimpse of Hayat’s story <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.thimar.org/caught-in-lebanons-modern-day-slavery-system-her-only-hope-was-jesus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></span>.</strong>
  5391.  
  5392. For now, please <strong>pray for Hayat and other migrant workers like her</strong>. Hayat recently wrote a book of Christian devotionals to encourage others, borrowing money to pay for the publishing costs. <strong>Ask God to help her find work so she can repay that debt.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  5393.  
  5394. Then, <strong>pray for God’s grace upon the ministry of MERATH</strong> as they share practical help and the eternal hope of the gospel. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thimar.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about their work here.</a></strong></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  5395.  
  5396. &nbsp;
  5397.  
  5398. &nbsp;
  5399.  
  5400. <em>Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Samuel Tsegaye via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  5401. </description>
  5402. <pubDate>Wed, 12 Mar 2025 05:00:37 -0400</pubDate>
  5403. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-for-those-trapped-by-lebanons-kafala-system/</guid>
  5404. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/samuel-tsegaye-AHNasmh5c9c-unsplash-scaled-e1741703760509-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5405. </item>
  5406. <item>
  5407. <title>Biblical training helps entrepreneurs thrive in Zambia</title>
  5408. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/biblical-training-helps-entrepreneurs-thrive-in-zambia/</link>
  5409. <description>
  5410. <![CDATA[
  5411. Zambia (MNN) -- Entrepreneurship is a valuable skill in Zambia, one of the world’s poorest countries. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/e4c7b209-b224-4b0a-9b1d-264e67f4a89f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Over 64 percent</a></strong></span> of the population lives on less than two dollars a day, and competition is stiff in the traditional job market.
  5412.  
  5413. Entrepreneurs like Mary benefit significantly from a partnership between The Full Circle and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/farms-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FARMS International.</a></strong></span>
  5414.  
  5415. Tim Landis with FARMS says, “Mary had a salon business and went through The Full Circle <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://thefullcircle.org/our-work#edb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Entrepreneur Development Box</a></strong></span>, and it allowed her to think creatively about how she could change up her business.”
  5416.  
  5417. <div id="attachment_213487" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/FARMS_Mary2-scaled.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213487" class="size-medium wp-image-213487" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/FARMS_Mary2-300x224.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="224" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213487" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of FARMS International)</p></div>
  5418.  
  5419. Inspired by the training she received and empowered by a FARMS loan, Mary sought ways to make her salon more attractive to a niche market: kids.
  5420.  
  5421. “She painted things in different colors, made her salon more vibrant, and made it more inviting for kids to come in. So now, it’s a go-to destination,” Landis says.
  5422.  
  5423. Mary’s income rose fivefold due to the changes, and she had to hire two employees to help her meet the demand. Mary’s church is benefiting, too.
  5424.  
  5425. “We promote giving back to the local church, so that’s built into some of our FARMS loans,” Landis says.
  5426. <blockquote>
  5427. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We want to see them giving back to their local church so they can support their pastor or church growth or evangelism.”</strong></p>
  5428. </blockquote>
  5429. If you live in the US, you can hear more stories like Mary’s and get the full scope of FARMS’ approach next week. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.farmsinternational.com/gala.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save your spot here.</a></strong></span>
  5430.  
  5431. “On March 22, FARMS is having its first-ever gala fundraising event in Pennsylvania, and the theme is ‘Building legacy rooted in faith, growing in hope, empowering generations,” Landis says.
  5432.  
  5433. “We’d love to see any of you there, so please come out.”
  5434.  
  5435. &nbsp;
  5436.  
  5437. &nbsp;
  5438.  
  5439. <em>Header and story images courtesy of FARMS International.</em>]]>
  5440. </description>
  5441. <pubDate>Wed, 12 Mar 2025 05:00:48 -0400</pubDate>
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  5447.  

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