Storytellers packaged and ready for distribution in Albania.
(Photo, caption courtesy Keys for Kids Ministries)

Keys for Kids Ministries needed help raising funds in March to send 500 Storytellers to Albania. Believers didn’t know the Lord would use those devices mightily in May.

After communicating the need, Keys for Kids’ Greg Yoder says, “God just blessed. He used people to come forward and not only hit the goal, but we also went past it, which we needed.”

The Lord had a plan for these Storytellers. First, a short-term missions team from West Michigan went to Albania in May to help distribute them. The Storyteller devices were ordered, produced, and delivered well in advance.

“They (the Storytellers) actually beat the team that was heading there,” Yoder says.

However, believers then encountered an unexpected hiccup. “Customs said, ‘No, now you’re going to have to pay a tariff,’ and it was not cheap, it was in the thousands of dollars,” Yoder continues.

Thankfully, “God saw fit to raise more than enough money for the 500 [Storytellers], and so we had money in the bank to pay the tariff to get them out of customs so that they could be used.”

Storytellers reach Albanian families

Hundreds of Albanian Storytellers have been distributed, and more than 30 children have come to Jesus so far.

“What they’re hearing is that families are sitting down and listening” to the Storytellers, Yoder says.

“Now, in Albania, they’re predominantly Muslim in their faith, so for them to listen to Christian stories and to hear the Gospel – this is a game-changer for them.”

The blessings don’t end there. After the Storytellers arrived in Albania, a different young woman contacted Keys for Kids Ministries to order an Albanian Storyteller for her mission trip.

130 kids receive Storytellers at an event in Albania.
(Photo, caption courtesy Keys for Kids Ministries)

“They were all gone, and so I told her, ‘The only way that you could possibly get it is if you were in Albania in a week.’ She said, ‘We’re actually going to be there in a week,’” Yoder recounts.

“We arranged for her to pick that up; she was able to take it to an orphanage, and it was amazing what God was able to do.”

More Storytellers needed

Keys for Kids’ partners have big plans for future orders of Albanian Storytellers. They “have opportunities to go into a lot of different areas. Not just Albania, but Montenegro and other places where there are Albanian refugees, [such as] Kosovo, northern Macedonia,” Yoder says.

If the Lord has given you a passion for Albania, reach out to Keys for Kids Ministries.

“We’re building an Albanian fund now. We want to make sure that we are able to be responsive to any needs that they have there,” Yoder says.

Learn more about Keys for Kids’ Storytellers ministry here. Pray that the Lord will continue to use Albanian Storytellers to reach entire families for Christ.

Header and story images courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries. 

Pastor Kostia Tsivin with Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod, Israel says he’s not surprised by the report.

(Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-boy-wearing-traditional-headwear-6114279/)

“We see how many Jewish people who go just as tourists to Europe or live there, they have big problems and they live in real fear. They are scared for their lives, for the lives of their kids.

“I think we will see more and more Jewish people who will come to Israel from Europe in upcoming months and years because antisemitism will continue to rise.”

Antisemitism has been increasing globally in recent years, with a sharp rise in incidents following the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel. Across Europe, Jewish communities have reported heightened threats, harassment, and violence.

Pastor Tsivin says when he travels to Europe now, he exercises greater caution as a Jewish pastor from Israel.

“When you’re somewhere in…public places, of course, you just use another language. Usually, you don’t speak Hebrew loudly because…if you can, it’s better to use any other language. No attention to yourself, because you understand that these attacks and this hate to Jewish people is real.

(Photo courtesy of DAVIDSON L U N A via Unsplash)

“For example, I know Russian. It’s my first language. I’m Jewish from Russia originally; I was born there. So if I’m somewhere in Europe, especially in the cities where I know that antisemitism is on a high level, I use Russian or English.”

Even amid rising tensions, Messianic Jewish believers continue to share the Gospel and meet practical needs.

“War is a time when people are more open because when you are in fear…you start to think about God [and] something bigger than your life,” says Tsivin. “It’s a time when people are ready to hear; they are ready to receive. So pray that we can reach more people with the Gospel.”

Pray also for Jewish people to know their God-given value and find hope in Christ.

“Every prayer is really important now, and we feel all the prayers. It’s so touching when you know thousands and thousands of people are praying for Israel, for the Church, and of course for our church, especially.”

Learn more about Beit Hallel’s ministry at beithallel-israel.org.

Header photo: EU flag (Photo courtesy of Alexey Larionov/Unsplash)

Keys for Kids Ministries had Albanian material sitting in storage for a long time, waiting for an opportunity.

“The Albanian Storytellers are one of our oldest Storytellers,” Executive Director Greg Yoder says.

“It was translated by a radio station in Albania [when] they needed children’s programming. We thought, ‘Well, we’ll just put what they record on the Storyteller,’ but we didn’t really have a solid partner on the ground [to] use them.”

Fast-forward to 2026, when an Albanian pastor in West Michigan contacted Keys for Kids Ministries. His brother, a pastor in Albania, needed resources for an outreach program this summer.

Located just north of Greece, Albania is home to nearly three million people. Most of them adhere to Islam, while roughly a third follow Christian tradition. Less than one percent of the Christian population holds evangelical views, according to Joshua Project.

(Photo courtesy Abdiel Meija/Unsplash)

The believers who connected with Keys for Kids Ministries “work in a lot of the mountain regions of Albania where they don’t have internet connection,” Yoder says.

“They’re anticipating that these Storytellers will be just what they need to help facilitate not just evangelism, but discipleship among Christians in Albania.”

Next steps

Now that you know, what will you do with this information? First, praise God for His faithfulness. “This has been an almost 10-year answer to prayer, that God is providing someone to use these Storytellers, so we’re very, very excited,” Yoder says.

“A significant number of people will hear the Good News of Jesus once they’re all distributed.”

Second, consider giving to support this work. Keys for Kids Ministries needs your help to produce Albanian Storytellers in bulk. They had some prepared, but not enough to meet the demand for 500 units.

If Keys for Kids Ministries can meet the need and partners distribute all 500 units, approximately 75,000 people will encounter the Gospel!

During a listening party led by Keys for Kids Ministries partners, “On average, about 150 people will listen to one Storyteller,” Yoder says. “You listen to the Keys for Kids story, then you listen to Scripture, and then you ask questions.”

Third, pray alongside Keys for Kids Ministries.

“We’re praying that the Holy Spirit will open hearts, and that these pastors and lay leaders within Albania will get the training they need [to] utilize them to the best of their ability,” Yoder says.

Header image depicts a city in Albania with mountains in the background. Photo courtesy Adventure Albania/Unsplash.

WEF is an annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, that has been held since 1971 (with a few exceptions). Although participants come with a variety of agendas, WEF — also called Davos — aims to foster dialogue on global issues. 

Joe Handley serves with A3, a leader development group. He says that despite criticism of Davos as being elitist, “They’re meeting at a pivotal moment in history. When I look at the world, what was the post-World War II kind of global order is completely being reshaped these days.”

Conversations at Davos can have global ripple effects. Handley is watching closely for implications for the Ukraine-Russia war, tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, and ongoing religious freedom concerns worldwide. 

“The Davos meeting reminds us that the world is seeking coordination to solve global problems,” he says. “But we know that the Word of God teaches us that no system can heal the human heart or human condition. We need character-formed leaders, and this is where the church serves the world best.”

That conviction has driven A3’s work for decades, equipping Christian leaders to serve differently. 

“Our theory is that the world doesn’t necessarily need better policies — although good policies are helpful — it needs a different kind of leader. That’s why A3 does what it does, to form Christ-like leaders who can serve, not dominate, and really be the light and hope of Jesus in the world today,” says Handley. 

“The world doesn’t suffer from a shortage of smart people, but it suffers from a shortage of Christ-like character.”

Find your place in the world’s events through prayer.

“Leaders, all of us, are in a uniquely dangerous position, because power can corrupt, and we tend to get isolated from people and from the truth when we fall into those positions of authority,” says Handley.

“Scripture warns us that this can be dangerous, and leadership can be tempted to replace what should be dependence on God [with dependence] on ourselves.”

In keeping with 1 Timothy 2:1-2, pray for world leaders this week and beyond. Pray for godliness, wisdom, justice, and compassion among them, especially during the World Economic Forum, January 19-23, 2026.

Header photo: By UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) – The World Economic Forum in Davos, CC BY-SA 4.0. 

Anita Jovanovic is on the leadership team of LIFE International’s Europe hub, facilitating prayer across the network. She says Choose Life Croatia helps young women avoid abortions.

The nongovernment organization, or NGO, primarily works with “young women who don’t have support. They were forced, because of circumstances, to consider abortion,” Jovanovic says.

“Those we met didn’t want to abort.”

Approximately 49 percent of all pregnancies were unintended in Croatia between 2015 and 2019, and half of them ended in abortion. Abortion in Croatia is legal on request, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

(Photo courtesy of Muhamad Harun Rabiyudin/Unsplash)

Through biblical counseling, Choose Life Croatia introduces women in crisis pregnancies to God and the value He places on preborn life. Women who are pregnant yet cannot afford a third or fourth child also benefit from counseling and practical support.

Hear from women helped by Choose Life Croatia.

Meeting women at a point of crisis segues beautifully to conversations about Christ and His love.

“Sharing the Gospel is very easy for us right now,” Jovanovic says. “Because of the desperation [women face in crisis pregnancies,] you come to the spot where you don’t have anything to say except ‘okay, I know [someone] who can help. This is Jesus Christ.”

These conversations soften hardened hearts. “Those clients usually begin to pray or read the Bible; [they] begin to speak about Jesus as their Savior and Helper in their lives,” Jovanovic says.

Learn how LIFE International comes alongside local partners to protect preborn life.

Along with prevention, Choose Life Croatia offers support to women who have lost their babies through abortion or sexual trauma.

“One of our clients became the director of a secular safe house. She invited us to have [counseling] groups with wounded women who escaped for their lives,” Jovanovic says.

“There is a lot of abuse in our countries, in the Balkans. A man will often kill a woman because he’s jealous or something. This is terrible, but it’s still happening too much in our countries.”

Pray the Lord will provide Choose Life Croatia with the financial support it needs. Donating to support NGOs is not a common practice in Croatia. “People think that if you work for God, your payment is in heaven,” Jovanovic says.

Right now, “People are working in secular jobs to gain money for life, and then they are volunteering [at Choose Life Croatia.] It would be so much easier if we could, instead of working our secular jobs, work in ministry and have more time to serve.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Tim Kraaijvanger/Unsplash.

“Initially, when the attacks took place from Israel bombing Iranian military sites, there was a lot of enthusiasm from among the general public,” says Mike Ansari, the CEO of Heart4Iran. 

“The bit of information that did find its way out to our call center and other friends outside of Iran indicated a general sense of anticipation for a new season to be brewed — potentially even a change of regime, as most Iranians were hoping to see.”

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

But political change isn’t simple. Ansari says that as Israel-Iran tensions escalated, Iranians realized that there is a leadership gap among the opposition. 

“Therefore, the question that was raised is, ‘Well, what happens if there’s a regime change? Who will take over? What would be the outcome?’” he says.

Outside of Iran, Iran’s exiled prince is calling for support for a new Iran. Within Iran, men and women desire peace — with both Israel and America. 

“In fact, when you go on the streets and you talk to most people, they’re saying that the war that [the] Iranian government has waged is not their war,” says Ansari. 

Yet, Iranians remain under a chokehold. Ansari says banks are shut down and surveillance is at an all-time high. “In the last 10 days, the number of arrests is on [the] rise. Over 20 people have been rounded up, and it appears two people have been executed under the guise of being agents of Israel.”

The next few weeks and months will be especially dangerous for Iran’s growing church. 

“Remember, historically, anytime that Iran has gone through a crisis, the demographic of the underground church leaders and members have seen a rise in house raids, arrests, and confiscation of their homes or their belongings,” says Ansari.

Meanwhile, the internet in Iran is down, but satellite feeds remain active. That’s how Heart4Iran continues broadcasting the gospel. 

“[There] are a lot of Iranians that are glued to their TV trying to figure out what’s going on, and most of them are hopeless. So we have a unique opportunity to bring the gospel, the message of hope of Christ, to these masses that are hopeless,” says Ansari.

Heart4Iran provides satellite TV to connect Christians to the teaching and fellowship of other believers. (Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran on Facebook)

Pray for both Iran and Israel, that people will recognize the true freedom and life found only in Jesus.

“As we are dealing with Iran and Iranians, and the threat of imminent danger of American targets across Europe and America, please understand that the average Iranians that are in our neighborhood, they are noble people. These are peaceful people. They’re loving people,” says Ansari. “Just because the Iranian government is in a hostile situation, it does not mean that average Iranians are.”

Header photo: An Iranian woman stands at an overlook with a panoramic view of Tehran, Iran. Tehran is the capital of Iran and its largest city, with the greater metro area hosting a population of 15 million. (Photo, caption courtesy of IMB, CC 4.0)

Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts have reached a standstill. US President Donald Trump says Russian President Vladimir Putin believes he is winning and is not ready to end the conflict.

Partners tell Keys for Kids’ Greg Yoder about extensive suffering in Ukraine. “What we’re hearing on the ground is that kids, teens, and families are all in crisis trauma right now. They don’t know what the next day will bring,” Yoder says.

One in five children has lost a close relative or friend since the war began three years ago.

Since 2022, “we’ve sent in over 600,000 Keys for Kids and Unlocked devotionals; they’re gone. The resources are empty,” Yoder says.

“The spiritual need is amazingly high right now. There are so many kids looking for some hope.”

Ukrainian teens receive copies of the Unlocked devotional in their language.
(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids)

Keys for Kids is working on a special edition to address trauma in kids and teens.

“We’ve had stories about conflict, war, and tragedy in some of our devotionals before; we call them ‘tough topics,’” Yoder says. “This will be a compilation of those intermixed with the hope we have in Jesus.”

Every day, families in Ukraine face questions like how to “cope with having missing fathers, uncles, and brothers? How do you deal with that kind of trauma when you have death in families or near-death experiences?” Yoder says.

“Those are some of the issues that we want to talk about, and hopefully, God will use, through His Spirit, to bring many families to Himself.”

Connect with Keys for Kids here to help this project get off the ground.

“We’re going to need some significant funding, I would say between $25- and $50,000 to make this happen,” Yoder says.

Most importantly, pray. “Be praying for the situation right now in Ukraine and Russia,” Yoder requests.

“We just want people to stop dying and to have an open heart to hearing the liberating power of the Gospel.”

Header and story images courtesy of Keys for Kids.

In Pakistan, for example, Christians know one wrong step could lead to a charge of blasphemy against Islam. Such accusations result in mob violence, imprisonment, long legal battles or worse, with little protection. Just last month, four people were sentenced to death under these laws. 

“It’s a huge challenge for our partners in places like Iran and Mauritania, Afghanistan [and] Pakistan, because the punishment of blasphemy in those countries is death,” says Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations.

Pakistan courts have issued many death sentences for blasphemy, even when evidence is scanty. But so far it has never carried one out. Often, vigilante justice from Pakistan’s majority Muslim population keeps things out of the courts entirely. Kelley says minority Christian villages can quickly become targets. 

“In one case, recently, over 20 churches were burnt down, houses destroyed, people’s vehicles and motorcycles torched, police standing by allowing it to happen,” he says. 

Yet Christ stands with His people in every injustice. He even saves others through their witness.

“One of the main differences between Islam and Christianity is Jesus said, ‘The world’s going to hate you, but be encouraged because they hated Me before they hated you — and furthermore, love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you,’” says Kelley. (See John 15:18–19 and Luke 6:27–28.)

“That’s the the Christian message, and that softens the heart — the Holy Spirit uses that to soften the heart of the most radical.”

Now that you know more, please pray for gospel advance where blasphemy laws rule. Pray the Christians will faithfully endure through terrible circumstances. Then, learn more.

“As the body of Christ, we need to be praying. We need to understand these issues. We need to educate ourselves about what’s going on in these countries [where] if you share the gospel that we take so freely here in the US, you literally could be killed,” says Kelley.

To understand more and pray for persecuted Christians around the world, connect with coverage by Morning Star News ands persecution.org.

Finally, pray also for resources to build up the local churches. Kelley says, “Training is critical in [these] parts of the world, especially the leaders, to give them opportunities to grow and strengthen in their faith.”

Learn more here about how Unknown Nations comes alongside believers under fire. 

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Abyan Athif/Unsplash.

“They’re getting booklets into Ukraine, which we can’t do any other way,” says Williams.

The Romanian mission has also offered help delivering Scripture booklets to a Bulgarian ministry. WMP has the materials but shipping to Bulgaria is expensive.

Williams says, “When we were in Romania, they said, ‘Well, we’ve got people that go into Bulgaria, drive trucks back and forth. We can deliver it free of charge.’”

WMP has agreed to send them a shipping container full of Gospel literature. The Romanian mission will then distribute the literature across Southeastern Europe.

“We also made plans to translate several of our Bible studies and a couple more of our newer pieces in Romanian” says Williams.

The new materials will be especially helpful to reach more children and youth with the Gospel. In the meantime, Williams asks for prayers. She says,

“We need to pray for the missionaries and for the believers there to be encouraged.”

Learn more about the work of WMP on their website www.wmpress.org. You can give to support Gospel outreach in Romania and its neighbors by making a donation here.

Header photo of Brașov, Romania, by Dan Novac on Unsplash.

WMP’s distribution contact in Finland had gotten quite old, and they weren’t sure who would replace him. Then, the Lord provided.

The new contact is just what WMP needed. “She is a go-getter; she sends inventories [and] reports; she’s really into this,” WMP’s Helen Williams says.

“She’s willing to go and cover Sweden and Norway, all the way across Scandinavia.”

This young woman is website and social media savvy, opening a new avenue for Scripture booklet distribution.

“She’s done a lot more promo stuff to make it known that the material is available in Finland in all of these languages, and I think we’ll see a greater influence there,” Williams says.

A Polish police officer holds a baby girl as Ukraine refugees flood across the border.
(Wikimedia Commons/梁柏堅 Pakkin Leung)

Refugees from war-torn countries have increasingly traveled north in recent years, making new homes in the Scandinavian Peninsula from places like Iraq, Somalia, and Ukraine. WMP’s new contact will make it much easier to get Gospel resources into the hands of these populations.

“She sent me a note and said, ‘I can send them from Finland into Sweden and Norway’ for a lot less than what we would mail them. This has been a prayer of mine for a long time,” Williams says.

“One of the things that we want to do is have centralized distribution in as many countries as possible, saving us a lot of money on mailing boxes. One of our small boxes with 500 booklets will cost us over $50 to ship, so the more we can do within a country, [the better.]”

Praise the Lord for His provision and perfect timing. Pray that WMP’s new contact will receive the help she needs.

“We’ve got two containers on the way to her. There’s going to be a lot to do, and she’s going to need some help on the ground,” Williams says.

“When she gets two containers [with] five or six million pieces, she will have her hands full.”

Header image depicts a street scene in Helinski, Finland. Refugees from war-torn countries have increasingly traveled north in recent years, making new homes in the Scandinavian Peninsula from places like Iraq, Somalia, and Ukraine. (Photo courtesy of Tapio Haaja/Unsplash)