Drought, Famine Threatens Millions of Lives in Africa
Millions of people in Africa are on the verge of starvation and death as five failed rainy seasons have resulted in the worst drought in 40 years, killing livestock and decimating crops. The global food shortage, inflation, and a locust infestation that wiped out harvests across eastern Africa have made a dire situation even more desperate.
Evangelists in Laos Brave Persecution
Languishing in prison after being arrested for his faith, a native Christian worker in Laos feared he would die of starvation. “Samyoung* said everyone in the prison relieved themselves on the floor, and he saw people die of starvation,” a native ministry leader said. “If no family member came to retrieve the body, they were wrapped in plastic and just thrown away. It was a terrifying experience, but he kept praying and thinking about the ministry’s radio messages of encouragement.”
Miracles amid Fear in the Middle East
A young nurse had visited the worship service of a Middle Eastern country after traveling from her home 50 miles away. She told the pastor that she had studied other religions online for more than half a year, drawing warnings from friends that leaving Islam was among the worst sins. The pastor asked her what she had concluded about Jesus Christ.
Gospel Finds Good Soil and Hard Ground in Brazil
A woman in a remote jungle village of Brazil learned half of the gospel by habitually partying and getting drunk. Camila* didn’t need anyone to tell her that sin led to despair and spiritual death, because she had lived it by pursuing empty pleasures, a native Christian leader said. “She said that it no longer gave her joy,” he said. “She was very sad and with great despair for the future of life, especially when she thought about man’s eternity.”
Faith of Persecuted Worker in Africa Is Rewarded
A native missionary in a Muslim-majority country in sub-Saharan Africa could have guessed what persecution awaited him when he put his faith in Christ, but he never imagined what would follow. In the years since Ibrahim Kabore* received Christ’s salvation as a newly married young man, he helped plant 13 churches. The initial cost of accepting Christ was steep. “My wife and everything I had was taken away from me,” Kabore said. “I was forced to flee to save my life.”
Muslim Refugee’s Pain Puts Her on Path to God
As native ministry workers in Greece began building trust with a Muslim refugee from a country in the Middle East, she told them how she had married at 14 and that her husband had physically abused her. She had divorced her husband, but they were living together again for the sake of the children – though he continued to verbally abuse her. The refugee mother of four had obtained replacement documents with help from the workers, but she continued to come to the ministry office for no apparent reason.
The Gospel Makes Surprising Inroads in Burma
When a local Christian worker in Burma (Myanmar) visiting homes knocked on one door in the country devastated by a military coup, he didn’t realize a military family lived there. Area residents were resentful and/or terrified of the family since the February 2021 coup unleashed havoc in the country – protests, crackdowns and sheer random violence left many areas paralyzed. “This family had the feeling that they were isolated, because military personnel were hated by all the people,” the leader of a native ministry said.
Persecuted Christians in Jordan Persevere
A refugee in Jordan was supporting himself and his two children by working at a restaurant after his wife left him for accepting Christ. Recently a deep sense of loss struck him as he worked, and he sought out a secluded place to pray. “He did not notice that there were cameras in the room, and he made a cross sign while praying,” the leader of a native ministry said.
God’s Power Seen in Possessed Refugee Girl in Lebanon
The Muslim uncle of a 17-year-old girl under demonic influence was visibly irritated when local missionaries showed up at the door of their home in a refugee camp. The Muslim parents of the girl had requested they come to their home at the camp in Lebanon for Syrian refugees, but her uncle did not approve, especially as it was the Islamic month of Ramadan and the girl had already driven out a Muslim cleric who tried to help her. “The cleric had been met by the young woman’s screams and her aggressively pushing him away from the home,” said the leader of the local ministry. “As he began to leave, their daughter encouraged his quick movement from the property as she picked up stones and began throwing them his way. He left promptly and did not return nor seek out her parents.”
Deeper Discipleship Transforms Lives in Indonesia
The wife and children of a new Christian in Indonesia still refuse to live with him, even though he has turned from his prior life of taking drugs and robbing people to support his former habit. By the time Dimas Sinurat accepted Christ, workers at the native ministry had discovered that discipling new Christians by simply scheduling times of Bible study and prayer was impractical and largely ineffective. With Sinurat and others, they have adopted an entirely new approach that is forming more committed believers.
