“Many of the deceased are being buried in unmarked, mass graves because they haven’t been identified for any family member,” says Annabel Torrealba, the International Director of Latin America and the Caribbean Hispanic Ministry for TWR. 

Torrealba says their local team, RTM Venezuela, is persevering despite power outages.

Venezuela earthquake damage (Photo courtesy of Gerson Hernandez, TWR listener)

“Most of the time, they have to use a generator to keep the computers and lights on. But it works with gasoline, and it’s hard to find gasoline, also,” she says. 

“We have sessions of two hours to record programs and do some interviews with people that are in those places. Because our goal is to let the audience know what is happening and how they can help.” 

The team even risks working in their damaged office on the eighth floor in order to keep recording special programs for Venezuelans.

“There isn’t any other way. You have to go and do something,” says Torrealba. “It seems some walls are damaged, and the roof has some damage also, but they don’t think that [they] can fall.” They are waiting for the authorities to officially inspect the building, but there is a long list of other buildings that need the same attention. 

Authorities say that more than 17,900 people lost their homes in the earthquakes. Torrealba says many of RTM Venezuela’s listeners come from an area where the quakes hit hard. These Christians are rallying to help others in need. The gospel is making an impact, she says.  

“We notice that many of the people that are helping in the area [and] from the area are believers,” she says. Meanwhile, “those that refused to believe before this tragedy, most of them are thanking God because they are alive. And all others are trying to look for ways to connect with God.”

People are asking for Bibles, which RTM Venezuela’s team does not have access to yet. 

“But we have devotional books. They are giving away those devotional books to different churches that are going to those shelters,” says Torrealba. 

The Church in Venezuela is actively responding to the needs. Torrealba says the team interviewed one leader over multiple churches in Venezuela

“He told us that the response of churches across Venezuela has been immense, with support pouring in from every corner of the country,” says Torrealba. “He emphasized that the primary focus right now is delivering vital spiritual and psychological support to survivors.”

Pastors ask for prayer for God to give them energy and strength as churches help with the emotionally taxing work of recovery.

“It’s hard to describe, and you are broken too because you are suffering just looking at the devastation there. They are asking for supernatural strength,” says Torrealba. 

“Pray for those working in the front lines, including helpers in hospitals, shelter volunteers, and those carrying out the heavy task of recovering bodies. Most of them are working with their own hands, trying to remove the rubble and trying to reach out to bodies, and without any protection.”

(Photo courtesy Radio Trans Mundial de Venezuela)

July 24 is normally a holiday in Venezuela, as they commemorate Simón Bolívar, the country’s liberator. 

“Nobody is thinking about those celebrations or [taking] time off or anything. They just want to get their family members out of the rubble,” says Torrealba. “Pray for them.”

Pray also for government authorities in Venezuela to make right decisions that help the people to rebuild the country.

Learn more about RTM Venezuela here. 

Header photo: Caracas, 2024 (Stock Photo courtesy of Bona Lee via Unsplash)

More than 17,000 people are homeless — living on the streets, parks, or in temporary shelters.

Annabel Torrealba with TWR says, “They need a place to live. So [on Monday] they say they will start to find options [for] trying to send people to different states outside the La Guaira area and Caracas.”

Venezuela earthquake damage (Photo courtesy of Gerson Hernandez, TWR listener)

Caracas and La Guaira were the worst-hit areas. Urgent needs include food, water, and healthcare.  Torrealba expects that it will take months to relocate families and years to rebuild. 

On the infrastructure side, the earthquakes damaged or destroyed more than 800 buildings. That’s only a preliminary count. 

On the human side, the death toll reached 3,342 on Sunday, with tens of thousands of people still missing. Torrealba says many rescue teams left on Sunday after detecting no further signs of life beneath the rubble. 

“They say they don’t have anything else to do, they can’t do anything else there,” she says.

Some survivors lost their entire families. One man told Torrealba that most people are still in shock.

“It’s hard to describe when you see their faces. It’s hard to describe the emotions that they are holding,” Torrealba says. “So keep praying for them. We need prayers.”

The team at RTM Venezuela, TWR’s local partner, is producing special programs that offer psychological and emotional support to survivors. They have WhatsApp groups for specific prayer requests.

“Also, we are partnering with a big group that works with churches in the country to raise support to buy some of the needs, like those water tanks that they need, Bibles also,” says Torrealba.

Local believers are distributing practical aid as the hands and feet of Christ.

“We know the Church is united, and they are going to places where the government is not giving aid yet. Basically, they are in these small villages bringing food and water,” says Torrealba.

Please continue praying for God’s comfort, mercy, and provision for the people of Venezuela. Pray that survivors will find hope in God. 

“July 5 was Independence Day for Venezuela, but nobody talked about it, because there is so much grief, there is so much suffering,” Torrealba says.

Venezuela earthquake aftermath (Photo courtesy of Gerson Hernandez, TWR listener)

Header photo of Venezuela earthquake damage (Photo courtesy of Gerson Hernandez, TWR listener)

(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

Earlier this month, a Mozambican bishop was shot and killed at his home. Bishop Osório Citora Afonso of the Diocese of Quelimane had been growing more vocal about Islamist violence in the region before he was murdered on June 6th. Christian leaders across Africa are calling for a full investigation.

Meanwhile, Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia’s Oromia region are mourning deadly attacks on churches. At least 37 Christians have been killed in the violence, and over 2,500 displaced. One church destroyed was the 101-year-old Telata St. Gabriel Church.

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says the situations are part of a larger pattern of unrest in East Africa.

“I think part of what has happened that has sort of raised the profile of these attacks is you have a number of people being killed in the attacks, but you also have a church being destroyed that was 101 years old. So this is not a church building that somebody put up on their property a year ago or five years ago.”

Believers in the Oromia region, a predominantly Muslim zone, have been the primary victims of these attacks.

(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

“It does appear that Orthodox Christians are being targeted based on their religious identity,” says Nettleton. “In these attacks, they’re not attacking mosques; they are attacking churches. So it does seem to have a religious element or a religious motivation to the attacks.

“You have different facets of the population fighting against each other, looking for control, looking to gain influence, to gain power, and so this is one part of that sort of broader picture.”

As believers learn about the challenges facing Christians in Ethiopia and Mozambique, Nettleton encourages prayer.

“I would especially pray that there would be revival and that people would come to faith in Christ, even amidst the conflict and amidst the upheaval that’s going on.”

Pray for comfort and protection for affected believers, and ask God to draw many people in East Africa to Himself.

Header photo courtesy of VOM USA.

The attack ignited a fire at the Dormition Cathedral, an 11th-century church in the monastery complex – and considered one of the spiritual centers of Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Slavic Gospel Association’s (SGA) Eric Mock says the monastery holds deep religious and cultural significance.

Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (Photo, caption courtesy of lifeinkyiv/Unsplash: https://bit.ly/4gwnavK)

“The church buildings in the monastery in Kyiv are classic. There’s an underground area where saints of old in the Orthodox tradition are entombed, and people will go. Visitors come from countries all around the world to see this monastery. It holds quite a great level of significance to the adherence of the Orthodox faith,” Mock explains.

“So when Russia chose to strike that monastery, it caught everyone by surprise. Of all the strategic sites to defend, no one thought you have to defend the monastery. Yet, that is exactly what happened.”

The attack comes amid an increasingly intense exchange of drone and missile strikes between Russia and Ukraine. Yet Mock says this strike felt different.

“The target had no military value, no strategic value, other than to be discouraging. So the targeting was clear to discourage the people and destroy what most consider part of their national identity.”

(Photo courtesy of SGA)

Even as historic monastery grounds suffer damage, Ukraine’s evangelical churches continue their ministry. And Ukrainian believers remain focused on eternal hope.

“Ukraine, in many regards, is considered the Bible Belt. As the war continues and you see an assault on history, the people of Ukraine – especially in the churches that we serve – continue to be resilient in declaring the Gospel, even in tragic times,” Mock says.

“We would ask everyone to pray for an end to this war, but we live in very chaotic days. So more than praying for an end to the war, we ask the believers to pray that many come to faith through difficult days.”

Ask God to comfort those affected by the latest attacks, strengthen Ukrainian believers, and draw many people to Christ amid ongoing hardship.

You can also support SGA’s ministry as it equips local churches serving communities across Ukraine. Learn more about SGA’s Gospel-focused work in Ukraine at their website.

Header photo: Kyiv’s Dormition Cathedral fire after Russian strikes, June 15, 2026. (Photo by Mincult.gov.ua, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=193921057)

Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing is visiting China this week on a state visit, receiving a formal welcome from President Xi Jinping.

The trip offers more than diplomatic pageantry. For the junta government in Myanmar – which still faces international pushback to its legitimacy – the optics matter.

Beijing skyline (Photo courtesy of zhang kaiyv/Unsplash)

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says, “The fact that the leader of this is now on a state visit to China and being welcomed with open arms, meeting with Xi Jinping really shows at least that the Chinese government is willing to accept the results of that election.”

Myanmar’s military seized power in 2021, overthrowing the country’s elected government. Although the junta later held elections, many countries rejected the results after opposition candidates were barred from participating.

Now, Nettleton says, “They (Chinese officials) are willing to do business with the [junta] military leaders, and that gives them a certain amount of legitimacy in the eyes of the world. I’m certainly fairly confident they will spend that at home as, ‘Look! We are the legitimate leaders. Even China recognizes it.’

“There [are] still a lot of questions about the election. There [are] still a lot of movements against the military leaders and against the current government.”

A street in Myanmar. (Photo courtesy of Ajay Karpur/Unsplash)

At home in Myanmar, people are feeling the pressure – especially Christians

“There’s a lot of difficulty in Myanmar economically, even [with] electricity,” says Nettleton. “There’s just so much challenge right now in the country, even living day to day.

“Then, when you add on, ‘Hey, I’m a follower of Jesus Christ,’ that can put a target on you as well. So it’s a difficult place to be a follower of Jesus, and the military junta is not making it easier. In fact, they’re trying to make it more difficult.”

As China strengthens ties with the junta, believers can stand with the Church in Myanmar through prayer.

Nettleton asks, “Pray for protection, especially for Christians [and] minority tribal peoples. I also think pray for the leaders of the Church. It’s difficult to be a pastor all the time, but then when you put it in a situation of persecution and…upheaval within a country, that adds layers of difficulty to the challenge, and so pray for the church leaders in Myanmar.”

Header photo: Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar’s junta leader. (Photo courtesy of Zawzawaungthwin – Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=188626057)

Eric Mock with Slavic Gospel Association was recently in Moldova with his wife, Kristi. Together, they led a conference to strengthen local pastors and their wives.

“These ladies are central to the body life of the church, central to investing in families, central to caring for the heart of these men as they serve and preach and teach in their churches,” says Mock. “Yet very often the men are getting together and meeting with others and [are] encouraged in different ways — in ways that these ladies don’t get a chance to be.”

Kristi Mock spoke with the women about how to keep their hearts centered on Christ amid changing seasons of life. 

“It was a wonderful opportunity to minister to these ladies to encourage their hearts, to strengthen them in the ministry that God has raised them up to do,” says Mock.

Children’s ministry in Moldova (Photo courtesy of SGA)

They met women like Natalia, who, with her husband, adopted eight children and serves in children’s and family ministry. Natalia says their family motto is “Together we are stronger, and with God before us, nothing is impossible.” 

“A lot of the pastors and ladies in Moldova are a part of churches that may only have 10 to 15 people. Many meet in homes rather than actual buildings,” says Mock. “They continue, in the middle of the poverty and the small nature of the church, to be encouraged and strengthened to care for their family as well as care for the church.”

Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Situated between Romania and Ukraine, it has a complex history of being part of Russia, “Greater Romania,” and the Soviet Union at different times before gaining independence in 1991. Mock describes the country’s spiritual climate as “confused.”

“There in the middle of Moldova, we have the modernism of technology, where many people are telecommuting. You have the history of the oppression over Soviet-enforced atheism. And then you also have these churches beginning to reach out with the gospel,” he says. “I would say even with the number of churches that are there, a broad number of the population is relatively much like Europe and not really searching for the gospel.”

Moldova also hosts many Ukrainian refugees and faces political uncertainty about the future. Pray for church leaders as they shepherd people through different thoughts and fears. Pray that churches will continue to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ with great clarity. You can visit SGA’s website here to see and support the work they do alongside Moldovan believers.

“We support them in training and equipping their pastors and leaders in biblical training, as well as supporting village pastors, and then helping them even with summer camps this summer,” says Mock. “[We’re] hoping to help them in a profound way.” 

Header photo: Natalia’s family (Photo courtesy of SGA).

The clashes first came between the chiefly Hindu Meiteis in political power and the primarily Christian Kuki-Zo people groups. But today, a third people group is also entangled: the Nagas. On May 13, for example, three Kuki-Zo church leaders were killed in an ambush. Later in the day, dozens of Nagas and Kukis were kidnapped, though the majority were soon released.

Tragically, some of the recent attacks are occurring between the Kuki-Zo and the Naga, although both are predominantly Christian. (More on Manipur State’s sobering history here.)

Raina Miller with Mission India says attacks like these mean more grief and fear for local families. Nearly 60,000 people remain displaced since May 2023.

Gaman (Photo courtesy of Mission India)

“They’ve kind of adjusted to a new norm. So now to have this new break of violence come up, their lives are being disrupted yet again,” says Miller. 

But there’s another side to the struggles, thankfully. Kids caught in Manipur’s unrest are still receiving hope through Mission India’s year-long children’s Bible clubs. 

One boy named Gaman was in first grade when the 2023 attacks took place. He missed months of school. 

“He was so young that he just forgot everything that he had learned. So, once school picked up again, and it was safe to go back, he was behind,” says Miller.

Then Gaman joined the local children’s Bible club, where a club leader worked with him. 

“Not only was he able to get homework help and catch up academically, he also just got to be a kid again,” says Miller. 

“Our Bible clubs offer games, Christ-centered action songs — just fun activities for kids to get to be kids. And it’s especially great for those who have been through such severe tragedies like Gaman had.”

Find your place in the story

Pray for Mission India partners in Manipur State and across India. 

“India is the 12th most-persecuted nation in the world,” says Miller. “Our partners don’t pray for the persecution to end; they just ask us to pray for the courage to continue doing their ministry, and that the gospel would continue to spread.”

Pray also for peace between the ethnic groups of Manipur State. Find other specific prayer resources from Mission India by visiting missionindia.org/pray. 

“One of those [resources] is a daily prayer prompt that you can opt into, where every day we send just a one- to two-sentence prayer prompt to your inbox,” says Miller. “It’s very simple and quick, and you are able to pray for specific needs taking place in India as they develop.”

Visit missionindia.org/pray to learn more. 

Header image courtesy of Mission India.

Who will blink first?

Lana Silk with Transform Iran says, “What we have here is an American side who wants to believe Iran is weakened enough militarily and economically to be more amenable to concessions, and an Iranian side who wants to believe they have enough leverage through their control of the Strait of Hormuz and the US resistance to full-scale war to come out of this with their pride and their objectives intact. But it’s a risky game on both sides.”

Tehran, Iran (Photo courtesy of Khashayar Kouchpeydeh/Unsplash)

Even with negotiations underway, the threat of escalation is still present.

“I believe the critical components of what the US wants from Iran – so stopping sponsoring regional militia, stopping enriching or stockpiling uranium – Iran will never be willing to give. Though it’s also quite possible Iran will say what she has to say in order to get what she wants.”

Silk explains, “We’re also dealing with a Middle Eastern culture here. Preserving honor is extremely important. It would be unthinkable for Iran’s leadership to surrender after such heavy losses internally without something to show for it.”

For Iranian Christians and others living under the ayatollah’s rule, the future feels deeply uncertain.

“From the perspective of the people of Iran and the Church in Iran, without regime change, none of this matters. And if Iran is left with this regime intact, albeit weakened, then we can expect much greater control and oppression internally in the years to come.”

Still, the Church presses on.

(Photo courtesy of Zahra Amiri/Unsplash)

“We keep doing what we have always done,” Silk says. “We pray in faith, we pray with authority, we pray for our leaders on all sides, and we remember that God is not surprised by any of this. He still has good plans for Iran and all the nations caught up in this. So we just do what we do. We share the Gospel courageously and uncompromisingly, [and] we disciple the many who are turning to Jesus.”

Pray for protection and boldness for Iranian believers as tensions continue. Ask God to use uncertainty in the region to draw many Iranians to Christ.

Learn more about Transform Iran at the ministry’s website.

Header image generated with AI.

The fuel blockade is part of the current US administration’s “maximum pressure” campaign regarding the Communist nation. US leaders claim national security concerns and a desire to see political and economic change in Cuba. But as usual, everyday people pay the heaviest price. 

Moisés Pérez Padrón is the director of RTM Cuba, Trans World Radio’s partner in Cuba. Padrón and his team record short-form Bible teachings that reach Cubans via radio or WhatsApp. But power outages have complicated the process.

“In Havana specifically, there have been weeks when outages have lasted more than 24 hours,” Padrón says. “In other parts of the country, we know that blackouts can last two or three days.”

Cuban farmer (Photo courtesy of Mehmet Turgut Kirkgoz via Pexels)

On top of power blackouts, Padrón says many Cubans are lacking food, medicine, water, and financial resources. 

“For food, we depend on what small private businesses can import, but many Cuban families cannot afford to buy these products because they do not earn a decent wage,” he says.

Believers in Christ don’t escape these realities, yet they persevere. “The Church in Cuba remains focused on helping those in need and the most vulnerable,” Padrón says. 

“The most affected are the elderly, who, in many cases, were left behind by their families who emigrated in search of a better life. But now they find themselves vulnerable, without sufficient resources, and with no one to care for them or look after them.” (More on the situation of older Cubans here.)

RTM Cuba’s team strives to point listeners to the hope found only in God. It’s not easy to work in broadcasting these days. 

“Without electricity, we have had to reorganize our work schedule many times, and on occasion delay recording times,” says Padrón. 

But they know their programs bring true biblical encouragement. Padrón shares a message from a listener named Alexis from Batabanó, Cuba: “He thanks the Lord for the messages of faith and hope, sharing with us that they have been very uplifting for his life.” 

Another listener, Lazarus, has been tuning in to RTM Cuba for 15 years. “He greatly enjoys the excellent Bible studies broadcast there, which he finds very edifying. He is also grateful for having received a new radio a year ago, which allows him to tune into the signal with much greater clarity,” Padrón says.

Please pray

Cuba’s situation is complex and will remain that way. So, how can you pray? Padrón shares these requests:

(Photo courtesy of TWR Bonaire)

“May the Lord sustain His work in Cuba, and the church keep preaching the gospel faithfully. We believe that the gospel is still the answer that Cuban people need,” he says.

“[Pray for] a change in our nation that allows better times in politics and the economy that facilitate the progress of the gospel.”

Pray also for families in need. Ask God to prepare the Cuban church for any changes ahead.

Finally, pray that RTM Cuba’s gospel-centered content will reach more people across Cuba. 

Header photo: “Wonders” in graffiti above a woman walking in Havana, Cuba (Photo courtesy of Emily Crawford via Unsplash)

Lana Silk with Transform Iran says the US-Iran ceasefire has been extremely helpful to the Iranian regime. “It’s given them an opportunity to catch their breath, to regroup, restrategize and strengthen themselves, really, for whatever rounds are coming next,” she notes. 

In the meantime, the people of Iran continue to be harassed and helpless under increasing economic and government pressures. Silk heard about a recent message delivered by a key Islamic leader in Iran:

(Stock photo courtesy of Javad Esmaeili via Unsplash)

“He was talking about donations for missiles and how there needs to be public participation in financing military costs because of this incredible ‘holy war’ that Iran is on,” she says. 

Pressures also come from international forces.

“We’ve had reports of Iraqi forces circling in Iran,” says Silk. “Sort of these caravans driving around in towns and cities on their motorcycles, shouting, ‘Haydar, haydar’ — or ‘War until victory,’ basically — and really just creating an atmosphere of fear and tension and the sort of Islamic objectives really pushed in people’s faces.” 

But Iraqi Muslim people aren’t the only ones traveling across Iran with a mission. 

“We have church members still traveling place to place, sharing the gospel,” says Silk. “We’ve had stories of salvations, people taking great risk, because they know that this bread of life that they carry is so much more important than regular bread that people are desperately seeking.”

Pray for God to speed and protect these believers as they bring the gospel of hope. 

“They’re desperate to share it with people and make sure that as many people as possible are brought into the kingdom of light while they still have time,” says Silk. “Pray for the church to continue courageously and be protected. Pray for the hope and the future that God has for our country.”

Learn more about Transform Iran’s mission and ministry to the people of Iran here. 

Header photo of Tehran, Iran (Stock photo courtesy of Seyed Amir Mohammad via Unsplash)