At the time of writing, presidential and legislative elections are due to be held in Zimbabwe in early August, though the precise date has yet to be confirmed. Once regarded as the bread basket of southern Africa, this Christian-majority nation has endured desperate hunger, with an estimated 60% of the population believed to be in “acute food insecurity”. Whoever takes power in this month’s elections, pray that they will receive discernment and knowledge (Proverbs 28:2) from God in ruling well and working to meet the urgent needs of the Zimbabwean people.
More than 11,700 Christians living in poor and hunger-afflicted areas of Zimbabwe were reached through our latest ePap rollout. Our food.gives project delivered 48,000 kg of the nutritious porridge to 131 churches in April 2023 – providing more than one million servings. Our distribution partners said the relief and joy of the congregations receiving the ePap was overwhelming. Give thanks to God that the ePap arrived safely at each church, and pray that He will continue to meet the needs of His people. Ask that the long drought affecting Zimbabwe and other African countries will be broken soon.
At least 133 Christians were killed in March and April 2023 as anti-Christian violence raged across northern and Middle Belt Nigeria – the total figure could be even higher. Among the dead were 33 killed in a night-time attack in the Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State on 15 April. Many of the victims were asleep and died when the attackers set fire to more than 40 homes. Nine others had been killed just three days earlier in the Christian-majority Atyap Kingdom, also in Zangon Kataf. Pray for all who mourn and ask that they will be assured that their loved ones have received the Crown of Life (James 1:12). Ask that the men of violence will have a life-changing encounter with the Prince of Peace.
Pastor John Joseph Hayab, chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria in Kaduna State, called on the government to do more to stop the killing and kidnapping of Christians. He spoke following the killing of Pastor Musa Mairimi, shot dead when gunmen stormed into his home in Kajuru Local Government Area, abducting Pastor Mairimi’s wife. Pastor Hayab added that 100 people abducted in Kaduna remained in captivity more than six months after they were seized. Pray for those mourning the loss of Pastor Mairimi, for the safety and release of Mrs Mairimi, and for an end to the killing and abduction of Christians in Kaduna.
An estimated 130 people were killed as Fulani Muslim extremists launched attacks on Christian-majority villages in Plateau State, Nigeria, between 16 and 23 May. The terrorists burned hundreds of homes, displacing thousands of residents. Less than a week earlier, in neighbouring Nasarawa State, a pastor was among 38 victims of a similar Fulani extremist attack. Archbishop Benjamin Kwashi called on the authorities to act, asking, “Can they not see the tears and sufferings of the homeless, the orphans and those who survive? Shall we continue as a people for slaughter at will of killers?” Give thanks for the faithful endurance of Nigeria’s Christians, asking that the Lord will act to protect His people and restrain the wicked, even if earthly authorities cannot.
Our Father, we give You thanks for the wonderful transfiguration of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, upon the mountain before His chosen witnesses. We are grateful that even at this moment of being glorified before Peter, John, James, Moses and Elijah, our Lord was speaking of His death in Jerusalem on behalf of sinners. Thank You that one day we and all His people will see Him glorified, and alive forever and ever. We pray that meditating upon these truths will strengthen us, and our suffering brothers and sisters around the world, for we ask in our Saviour’s precious and holy Name. (Matthew 17:1-3; Luke 9:28-31; Revelation 1:18)
Christians are among the religious groups in Vietnam who face increased hostility, with several reports over the last 18 months of local authorities disrupting worship services or pressuring Christian converts to give up their faith. Christians in Vietnam are around 7% of the population. More than half of these are from ethnic minorities, such as the Montagnard and Hmong people. While Vietnam’s constitution allows religious freedom, in practice religion is treated with suspicion, especially Christianity, which is perceived as “Western”. Pray that the Lord’s people in Vietnam will endure, even if opposition and persecution increase.
Three people were killed and six wounded as the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) attacked several villages in Myanmar’s predominantly Christian Kayah State on 23 March. Thousands of Kayah State residents fled their homes in the weeks leading up to those attacks, including 700 who sought refuge in two church buildings. Ask that the Lord will bring peace to the bereaved, heal those injured and enable those dispersed to return to their homes safely. Continue to pray for an end to such attacks on Christian communities in Myanmar.
Residents of Mae Ka Nae village in Myanmar’s Christian-majority Karen State were forced to flee from their homes after Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) attacks that began on 11 April. On the first day of the attack, a 500 lb (227 kg) bomb was used to destroy the village church. Soldiers subsequently occupied Mae Ka Nae, burning down 12 houses that had survived the bombardment. Pray for the villagers, including the pastor of the church, who have been left homeless.
The impoverished Santal Christian community of Bangladesh is among those suffering from a global economic downturn. This year the Santal community – who are mostly farmers – lost around 30% of rice yields. The loss came largely as a result of inflationary pressures making irrigation of rice fields unaffordable for many Santal farmers. To lose nearly a third of the rice crop is a devastating blow in a region of the world where rice is the staple food. Intercede for our brothers and sisters, and all those in Bangladesh suffering hunger and poverty, asking that the Lord will open His hands and provide much-needed food (Psalm 145:15-16).
The gift of hay from Barnabas was an answer to prayer for Kuban, a poor Kyrgyz Christian. The price of forage had risen by 100% and Kuban had nothing to feed his cattle. Other Christian converts living in impoverished rural areas were struggling too because of higher prices for food and coal. Barnabas sent a grant to provide food, coal or hay for 298 poor Christian families (around 700 people). “This help was a blessing from the Lord,” said grateful Nazira, a Christian grandmother. Pray that God will continue to provide for the needs of His people in Kyrgyzstan, and ask that our brothers and sisters will be greatly encouraged by support from believers in other countries.
“Through this course, I gained a lot of clarity and guidance in my ministry among my neighbours.” These were the words of a pastor in South Asia who recently completed a short course run by The Shepherd’s Academy (TSA). TSA is a branch of Barnabas Academia, and works to provide learning opportunities to grassroots Church leaders across the Global South who have had little or no opportunity for training. Pray for the 418 TSA students across 16 countries, that their study will make them more useful in their service to the Lord. Ask that our Father will continue to bless the work of Barnabas Academia.
Heavenly Father, we remember those called to leadership of Your church in lands of poverty and persecution. We intercede for these faithful pastors and evangelists, asking that they will be helped to exercise their God-given gifts in the cause of Your Kingdom. We ask that You will grant them perseverance in times of trial. Empower them to handle Your Word accurately so that Your people grow in faith. We ask this in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 2:15)
African church leaders called for prayer as violence engulfed Sudan earlier this year. At the time of writing, more than 600 people have been killed in armed clashes between the Sudanese military and a rival paramilitary group. “We pray for peace to be restored in Sudan, for the safety and protection of all its citizens, and for the conflicting parties to pursue peaceful solutions to the ongoing crisis,” read a statement from the Association of Evangelicals in Africa. “We also pray for comfort and healing for those who have lost loved ones and for the injured to receive the medical care they need.” Christians are a small and vulnerable minority in Sudan (estimated at 3% of the population), and have often suffered persecution. Join with our brothers and sisters in praying for peace and healing.
Churchgoers are among those to suffer from the ongoing violence in Sudan, with several worshippers injured in an attack on a church service in the city of Omdurman on Sunday 14 May. Until 2019 Christians in Sudan had suffered decades of Islamist rule. Many have now joined those fleeing the country, escaping across the border into Egypt or South Sudan, often leaving behind most of their possessions. Pray for these Christian refugees, asking that the Lord will continue to provide for them, as He provided for His people in the wilderness (Exodus 16:4, 35).
At least 17 people were killed in Islamist attacks in southern Chad in early May as anti-Christian violence continued in the central African nation. Fulani Muslim extremists launched several armed assaults on Christian communities in the Logone Oriental (Eastern) region. Among the dead were a pastor, Doumro Tadingao Gaston, and 12 other worshippers who were attending a prayer meeting in the village of Don. Around 20 villages in the region were burned down, with several thousand people displaced by the violence. Pray that the Lord will comfort His mourning and traumatised people. Ask that He will restrain the hand of extremists across western and central Africa, and bring peace.
Jihadi group Islamic State in the Greater Sahara (ISGS) has claimed more territory in northern Mali, according to a report published by the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism in April. ISGS fighters have captured two towns near the city of Ménaka in north-eastern Mali – near the border with Niger – with observers fearing that they will take control of the city itself. The safety of Christians, a tiny minority in northern Mali, is particularly threatened by Islamic State occupation. Pray that our brothers and sisters will find safety and refuge in the LORD, the Most High (Psalm 91:9).
Praise the Lord for the release of a missionary doctor from Australia, who has been held by a Burkina Faso jihadi group affiliated to al Qaeda since January 2016. Dr Ken Elliott, 88, was freed in May, more than seven years after he was abducted. Dr Elliott, who has lived in Burkina Faso since 1972, is known as the “Doctor of the Poor” for providing free medical care to patients at his clinic in Djibo, a town near the country’s borders with Niger and Mali. A statement from his family read, “We wish to express our thanks to God and all who have continued to pray for us.” Join with the Elliott family in giving thanks. Pray that Dr Elliot will recover from his ordeal, and ask the Lord to bring peace to this troubled region of West Africa.
“I am so grateful to those who helped us to have this programme,” said 16-year-old Anne. She was among 300 Christian children displaced by the jihadi insurgency in Burkina Faso who benefitted from attending an emergency Christian school part-funded by Barnabas. Lessons led by Christian teachers for 12 weeks in a safe setting enabled children to catch up on their learning that has been disrupted by conflict. Some, like Anne, were refused permission to join other schools because of their Christian faith. Thanks to the teaching Anne received, she was able to sit her high school exams. Lift up Anne and her schoolmates to the Lord, and ask for His protection over them.
Heavenly Father, we lift before You impoverished Christians around the world striving to earn a living and provide for their families in contexts where they regularly experience discrimination. Please grant them perseverance to maximise their skills and creativity, and wisdom to manage Your resources profitably for Your Kingdom. Enable Christian children to develop these qualities throughout their schooling with eyes fixed on You whatever opposition they encounter. We pray that You will bless and prosper those who walk in obedience to You in any new employment ventures they undertake, for we ask in Jesus’ Name. (Psalm 128:1-2)
Give thanks to the Lord that Barnabas has freed another 100 Christian families from the yoke of debt and bonded labour in Pakistan’s brick kilns. It brings to 1,575 the number of impoverished brick-kiln families whose loans – taken out at times of crisis – have been paid by gifts from our supporters since 2017. Naveed is just one believer who had to take a loan from his employer to meet his wife’s medical bills, and his two young sons had to labour alongside him to help meet the interest payments. Now Barnabas has paid the debt and the boys go to school. “We are extremely happy and thank our Lord Jesus Christ for paying off our loan through Barnabas,” said Naveed. “Now we are getting full wages after making bricks – no more deductions.” Pray that, with the Lord’s provision, we can release many more families.
“God answered my prayers,” said Ramson, a poor Pakistani Christian farm labourer. Ramson, his wife Anbo, and their daughter Aneeta lost their family home in the devastating floods that afflicted Pakistan a year ago. Now, thanks to your generous donations, they are among the Christian families to receive a new home in a Barnabas-funded building project. “My whole family is happy and thanks Barnabas Aid for their wonderful effort, which led us towards a happier life,” added Ramson. Join with our brother in giving thanks to God. Ask that the Lord will continue to bless this work on behalf of our suffering Christian family.
Tasmania has become the latest Australian state to recognise formally the Armenian, Assyrian, Syriac and Greek Genocide of 1893-1923. The killing of around 3.75 million Christians in the Ottoman Empire is also recognised as genocide by New South Wales and South Australia. In a motion passed on 11 May, the Tasmanian House of Assembly condemned what it termed “the first genocide of the 20th century”. “Today’s recognition is not simply about remembering the Armenian Genocide,” said Michael Kolokossian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee, “but preventing genocides from happening again.” Pray that increased recognition of this crime against humanity will indeed help prevent similar atrocities from occurring again.
A blockade of the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh that began in December 2022 shows, at the time of writing, no sign of being ended. Nagorno-Karabakh is a region populated by Armenian Christians, but which lies within the territory of Muslim-majority Azerbaijan. The ongoing blockade of the Lachin Corridor – the only land route between Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia – has left the population of around 120,000 desperately short of food, medicine and fuel. Give thanks that Barnabas has been able to send around 180 tonnes of food and other aid into the region. Pray for the success of our continued efforts to meet the desperate needs of our brothers and sisters, and pray that the blockade will be brought to an end.
Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was elected for another term of office in a hard-fought contest that required two rounds of voting in May. Erdoğan has a track record of promoting Islamist policies, and Christians in Muslim-majority Turkey often face harassment and persecution from extremists within society. Pray that Erdoğan will govern wisely at a time when Turkey faces a deepening economic crisis while rebuilding after the terrible earthquake that struck in February. Ask also that he will enact policies that will allow our brothers and sisters to live “peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).
“We are so grateful for the supporters for their act of love and solidarity, which made us feel that we are not a forgotten people.” These were the words of a Syrian Christian among an estimated two million people in Syria affected by the catastrophic earthquake that struck in February 2023. Thanks to your generous giving, we were able to provide food, health kits, blankets and tents for Christians in Syria and in Turkey, which was also devastated. Continue to pray for all those who remain in need, especially our brothers and sisters.
Sovereign Lord, we pray for Your people and all those have been rendered homeless by extreme weather events. We pray for Your comfort for Christians suffering the effects of floods in Chad, Cameroon and Pakistan, for those in southern Africa affected by Cyclone Freddy and others whose lives have been devastated by Cyclone Mocha in Bangladesh and Myanmar. We pray that You will direct the channelling of aid to all those in need, for we ask in the Name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
A worshipper was killed and a pastor kidnapped along with three members of his congregation during an attack on a church in Benue State, Nigeria, in the early hours of Palm Sunday. Five people were also wounded by suspected Fulani Muslim extremists who stormed into the church while a prayer vigil was taking place. Seven others were abducted when returning home from a Sunday service, also in Benue, two weeks later. Pray that our Saviour will be close to the bereaved and to the families of the Christians kidnapped during the attacks. Ask that the wounded will be healed and the captives released.
Forty worshippers were seized by gunmen from Bege Baptist Church in Kaduna State, Nigeria, on Sunday 7 May. Fifteen people quickly escaped, and 11 others were freed in the days that followed. The terrorists “abandoned or freed those they found difficult to manage because of health problems, fatigue or their age”, said Pastor John Joseph Hayab, head of the Kaduna branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria. Among those abandoned were a woman and her baby who were left for dead by the Islamists, but who managed to reach their home village. Give thanks for those who are now free, and pray that the 14 who, at the time of writing, are still being held will be released safe and unharmed.
Cry out to the Lord on behalf of a Christian girl in Kaduna State, Nigeria, who was abducted by Muslims on 5 April and, at the time of writing, is still being held captive. Esther Duniya was staying with her aunt when she was kidnapped and taken to a nearby village where she was forcibly converted to Islam. Both the Muslim village head and district head refused to return Esther to her family, instead threatening her aunt and her parents, while local police have refused to act. It is feared Esther will be forced to marry a Muslim man. Pray for God’s protection over Esther and her family at this time, asking that she will be released safe and unharmed. Ask that our God will continue to sustain her in her faith, remembering that none can snatch the Lord’s people out of His hands (John 10:28-9).
Praise God that two more of the 276 “Chibok girls” abducted by Boko Haram Islamist terrorists in April 2014 were rescued by the Nigerian military on 21 April 2023. Hauwa Maltha and Esther Marcus, both 26, were each forced to marry Boko Haram fighters three times during their captivity. Hauwa has four children – she was eight months pregnant with the fourth at the time she was found, and he has since been safely delivered. Esther had a one-year old baby with her when she was found. Give thanks for the rescue of Hauwa and Esther. Pray that both of these young women will recover from their lengthy and traumatic ordeal, asking also for the Lord’s blessing upon their young children. Pray also for around 100 “Chibok girls” who still have not returned home.
