Open Doors South Africa

Imagine going to jail simply because you follow Jesus.

That’s what happened to Ahcene (pictured here) and his wife, who were prosecuted for practicing a religion other than Islam without authorization.

Ahcene was leading a church and was holding services without authorization. The couple eventually closed the church under
pressure, but that didn’t stop the prosecution, and they were sentenced to a year in prison.

But now, praise God, the couple has been acquitted! Now comes the long road of healing. Pray they will be encouraged. And pray for other believers in Algeria who are persecuted for their
faith.

Maha and Abdo* are a Christian couple in Tunisia. Anyone who converts from Islam in the country can experience significant persecution—and this couple knows that truth firsthand.

They were rejected by their family when their faith was found out, and even threatened with a police report. Praise God, the couple continues to follow Jesus—and have been strengthened by their Christian community in Tunisia.

Pray that God would heal their wounds and thank Him for the couples’ courage!

*Representative photo

Around 25 young people recently gathered in a small room, somewhere in Asia. It’s so dangerous to be a follower of Jesus in this place that we can’t tell you where it is. But these young people came together to learn about Jesus and grow in their faith.

And it’s all thanks to your gifts and prayers! Open Doors local partners were able to help answer questions about Jesus and offer guidance about how to be salt and light. Praise God for
the future of this secret church!

“We … call on the international Christian community to remain in prayer over this devastating situation.” That’s what Open Doors spokesperson for our work in Africa said in response to a
new report that shows the level of violence in Benue State, Nigeria.

And it’s a reminder to all of us to pray for our brothers and sisters in Nigeria. Newhouse continued: “Pray for an end to the impunity as government at all levels diligently, impartially and transparently address the violence and its effects. Pray for provision for the
Church as she seeks to bring physical and spiritual assistance to the affected.”

Please lift up these requests—share your prayer in the comments!

The international community has condemned the death sentence for Ehsan Masih. He was accused of sharing an image of a damaged Quran during the attacks that took place in Jaranwala, Pakistan last year.

Masih’s lawyer says they will appeal. Pray for this young man
accused of blasphemy. Ask that his sentence will overturned and that Christians across Pakistan can worship freely without fear of false accusations.

* Representative photo

Dammar* believed in Jesus when his son was miraculously healed, and felt compelled to share his faith … and it cost him his job.

In this Central Asian country, most people are Muslims—and sharing your faith can be risky. But Dammar hasn’t let this discrimination stop him from sharing the hope of Jesus!

Pray with this brother as he continues to a witness, no matter what.

*Representative photo used*

A senior United Nation official recently warned that the violent instability in Niger, Burkina Faso and Mali is at risk of “becoming a problem for the world.”

But Christians in sub-Saharan Africa already know the problem firsthand. These believers are more violently persecuted than anywhere else in the world. 16.2 million Christians have been forced to flee their homes because of violence and conflict.

Pray the world’s eyes will be opened to what is happening—and that God will be close to His suffering people in Africa.

In Cameroon’s Far North region, Christians like Fadi Zara (pictured with her youngest daughter Esther) live under threat of attack from Islamic extremist group Boko Haram.

Many times Fadi and her family have been displaced from their home. She is one of hundreds of Cameroonian Christians that our local partners have supported with visits and practical relief.

Thank you for all you do to equip our partners to minister to believers who suffer for their faith because they were born and live in this vulnerable region.

These are the words of Li*, our partner in ChIna. Recently, she visited a small church
community in central China who was fined approximately $13 000 (R236 914.60) after local authorities raided their summer camp. They are not able to settle the fine due to financial difficulty.

While Li was with them, she discovered that the church leader was regularly asked for “tea meetings” (interrogations at the police station) ever since he set up church groups in the area. For security reasons, the leader has relocated temporarily to avoid putting other members at risk.

This is what churches contend with in parts of China. Li asks us to pray for this community and for her as she continues to travel to churches to bring encouragement.

Meet your sister Malu* from Guinea. Four years ago, her father, a pastor, was killed when unrest broke out between Christians and Muslim extremists in their neighbourhood.

Malu's father was beaten to death when he tried to stop the angry crowd from destroying the church.

Today, Malu and her family are still in hiding, fearful that those who behind the attack will come after the rest of the family.

As she stares out over the city, she asks us to pray for her and her family's safety. They have all separated and are constantly on the move to avoid detection.

Pray for the nation of Haiti. Gangs have taken over the city capital Port-au-Prince.

Pray for the loved ones of three American missionaries, Jude Montis and Natalie and Davy Lloyd, who were kidnapped in Port-au-Prince after leaving church and killed that night.

Pray that God will free the streets of Port-au-Prince and other parts of Haiti from the influence of gangs and the violence plaguing the country.

Pray for the churches, pastors and missionaries who are working in Haiti and who put their lives at risk on a daily basis. Pray for wisdom and peace.

This call to pray for Ukraine has imprisoned a pastor in Belarus.

Pastor Alyaksandar Zaretsky, who leads a Christian church in the country’s northeastern region of Vitsebsk, was found guilty of calling his church members to pray for Ukraine.

Pray for this pastor and church leaders around the world today whose words put them at risk.

Pray with us this week for our Indian sisters and brothers.

Pray with us today for the youngest victims of violence.

Marcos Lara, a missionary in an area largely controlled by cartels in Mexico, told Open Doors that at the beginning of this year, he repeatedly saw luxury vans with tinted windows driving around his church while he was teaching children.

Pray specifically for the future of the church in vulnerable regions.

He’s imprisoned in Iran, 1000 miles away from his family. And Pastor Abdolreza Ali Haghnejad (known as Matthias) has recently received more difficult news by Iranian authorities.

He will no longer be allowed to return home for monthly visits. Article 18 reports that since January 2022, Matthias has served a six-year sentence for his faith and earlier this year was told he could visit his family monthly over the remainder of his sentence.

But for reasons unclear to him, last month Matthias was told his monthly visits were canceled. Pray with us for Matthias’ heart as he faces even more injustice. Leave your prayer below…

Urgent prayer! We have reports that in the Democratic Republic of Congo (eastern region), militants aligned with the extremist group ADF have kidnapped a pastor and his wife.

Reportedly, Pastor Paluku Katahilindwa Claude, 45, and his wife Katungu Vyahasa (pictured) were abducted on the way home from their farm. An area pastor shared that during the search, they found Pastor Paluku’s service card and his Bible on the road.

Around the time they went missing, the ADF was active in the area, reportedly carrying out attacks in several nearby villages, killing 17 Christians. As of June 14, the couple’s church and family had not found them or received ransom requests.

They are praying and hoping there’s still a chance they are alive. The couple has 9 children. Area Pastor Kakule Kowa asks us to pray with them:

“Let us unite our prayers together, that God will bring [them] back to peace. Again, our request is that all Christians in the world hold
hands while praying together with us. May peace return to our communities. Where we do the Lord’s work.”

This month marks 10 years since Islamic State group occupied Mosul and took control of Iraq’s second-largest city. Pray with us this week for our family who still suffers and struggles.

“God, we pray for our family in Iraq. We can't imagine what it's like to try to recover from the horrors of the Islamic State group—and we ask that Your healing Spirit remain in the midst of Your people. Bring refreshment and hope to Your people in Iraq and throughout the Nineveh Plain. Amen.”

Pray for Syria today and the church there. Ask God to heal and restore through the Centers of Hope that Open Doors supports.

At these Centers (often a local church), people can come to get food, clothes, medical care, tutoring and discipleship.

Pray with us for protection over this ministry and that more churches
will step up to host a center. We continue to see their impact.

Because of Pastor Joy Sen's (pictured) faith and his ministry, he recently discovered the high cost of faith. He woke to hear that his shop—his livelihood—had been looted and destroyed by locals who don’t welcome his ministry.

Because of your support, Open Doors’ local partners were able to respond immediately and help him open a new shop.

“Please pray that God will protect me and my family.”

After India’s elections, Prime Minister Modi remains in power—he can continue his campaign for a Hindu nationalist agenda.

But Open Doors partners in India say they see signs of hope from this year’s election. Swipe for three things they tell us we can be thankful for!

An Armenian Christian has been condemned to 10 years in prison in Iran while away from his home country.

His “crime”? Article 18 reports he was carrying seven New Testaments and had visited a house church in Iran.

35-year-old Hakop Gochumyan has been jailed in Iran since his arrest last summer. The conviction—“engaging in deviant proselytizing activity that contradicts the sacred law of
Islam”—and sentence just came in.

Remember your brother Hakop today—and all those who follow Jesus at such great risk …

Leave your prayer below.

Pray for rescue! Our field recently told us about a young college student and believer in Algeria whose Muslim parents discovered her Christian faith. They have placed Meryem under house arrest. She can’t even go to school.

Meryem’s mother told her that conversion is a mental illness to be treated with medication. She is being medically sedated.
Pray that God would make a way for Meryem and the millions of Christians who live under house arrest because they made the costly decision to follow Jesus.

Leave your prayer for Meryem below…

On Colombia’s Pacific coast, the church is under fire. Church leaders are targeted and pressured by guerilla groups that control the region.

Our teams recently visited the area and went to the country’s most isolated church where we met with Pastor Salomón (pictured).
Fearing for their lives, many people have left the area. Salomón said his church has lost many members, and he lost his job.

But he remains joyful and hopeful, thankful for a new income -generating project he’s beginning with the help of our local partners.
Pray for Pastor Salomón and his church today.