A Cuban farmer had a farm, and on the farm he had sheep.

Then the sheep were stolen.

The sheep story is real — Scott Clifton of FARMS International says one of their contacts experienced it firsthand. But the losses didn’t stop there.

For years, farmers plowed their fields with tractors. Then fuel costs climbed so high they could no longer afford to run them. So they adapted — switching to bulls to pull the plow. And then the bulls were stolen too.

The root of these repeated thefts is people’s desperation for food. Cuba is grappling with a severe food crisis, with widespread shortages, soaring prices, and rising hunger.

“We’ve just watched since COVID, the conditions get worse and worse and worse, starting with really high inflation and the rapid increase of the price of commodities,” Clifton adds.

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

And it creates a cycle that’s hard to break.

“That problem just is perpetuated then, because it’s hard to grow food, it’s too expensive to import food, and it’s just really difficult predicament,” says Clifton.

Some people leave the country in search of stability. Many others stay — rooted in their families, their communities, and the land they’ve always known.

“There’s a sense, from talking with our contacts in Cuba, that they’re running out of options,” he adds.

And in the middle of deepening hardship, the church is still growing!

“There is an incredible church in Cuba that has been growing over the past decade, has been growing dramatically, and so we want to thank and praise God for that,” says Clifton.

Pray for endurance for believers and families in Cuba — and for the country’s future.

“We need to pray that they would be encouraged in the work that God has called them to, in the location that God has called them to,” adds Clifton.

Visit FARMS International to learn more about the work they do in the places of need.

Header photo: Vinales, Cuba (Photo courtesy of Jennifer Chen via Unsplash).

As of Thursday, August 7, businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr is now the head of Haiti’s transitional presidential council. He is supposed to serve a three-month term before Haiti begins steps toward a 2026 general election.

Also last week, the U.S. announced a $93 million emergency food aid package. Supplies will go to Haiti and 12 African nations.

Medical clinic (Photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love)

The aid is desperately needed. According to a May-June 2025 report from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, half of the people in Haiti face high levels of acute food insecurity. Makenson Saint Fleur, an attorney with For Haiti with Love, takes it a step further. “Somewhere in Haiti, people eat the dirt.” 

Regarding government leadership, Saint Fleur says candidly that some officials actually work with gangs. “They do nothing for the people. They do nothing for peace, nothing for security,” he said. 

Although the team at For Haiti has a security guard, Saint Fleur says this means nothing in a country where gangs run rampant in many places and leaders can be assassinated like President Jovenel Moïse was in 2021. 

Still, For Haiti continues to operate a clinic and distribute aid in the name of Jesus. “We teach the people the gospel, the Bible, but they still just need food, need clothes, need something to survive,” said Saint Fleur. 

In these struggles, pray over Haiti and the ongoing gospel ministry of For Haiti With Love.

“Haiti need[s] prayer,” said Saint Fleur. “We need more [resources] to help the people. We need more [things] like clinic supplies, like food, like clothes.” 

Header photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love. 

The wail of sirens echoing through traffic-clogged roads has become a grim routine in Tehran. Other regions with strategic sites are experiencing the same reality, with people either fleeing or adjusting to life under the shadow of war.

Since the war between Israel and Iran erupted on June 13, 2025, the situation has rapidly escalated. The outcome remains unpredictable, but one thing is certain: the Iranian people need our prayers. Nazanin Baghestani from Heart4Iran offers four key points to help guide intercession.

A map showing the countries bordering Iran. (image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

1. This conflict is more than a war between nations.
“Regimes are clashing with young, popular or religious movements in a civilizational struggle,” says Baghestani. Iran is facing a power vacuum, and if events take a different turn, the country could spiral into civil war or fall into the hands of extremist groups.

Pray for God’s will to prevail, and for wisdom and unity among the Iranian people as they seek a new future.

2. Emotions are deeply mixed.
In a historically unique moment, many Iranians feel both fear and a strange sense of hope when foreign strikes target regime facilities. Baghestani explains, “Every time Israel strikes, it increases the people’s happiness while they’re concerned about the nation and land. Yet, they’re tired of this regime, and they become hopeful for its defeat.”

Pray that people find lasting peace in Christ, who never changes.

3. Daily life is becoming more difficult.
Casualties are rising, and vital resources like food, gas, and electricity are increasingly scarce. “The leaders are either fleeing or emptying their accounts, and they have no thought for the liberation of the people or their lives,” she adds.

Pray that communities will support one another and rebuild quickly with compassion and resilience.

4. This is a defining moment for the Church.
“Time is right for the church to both support the people and proclaim the message of salvation.” Baghestani adds, “The church should empathize with the oppressed, support the refugees, and stand against injustice — inviting people to pray for their enemies, not just for military victory.”

Don’t forget the Iranian believers who are navigating both the turmoil of war and the call of the Great Commission. Stand with them — in prayer and in action.

Find your place in the story! Visit Heart4Iran to learn more about the spiritual needs of the Iranian people and the ways you can help. Pray that Iranian believers and evangelists will be bold, wise, and filled with love as they share the hope of the Gospel — even under the wail of air raid sirens.

Header photo courtesy of Inimafoto A via Unsplash

But David Durance with TeachBeyond explains the trouble on the ground: “It’s not that there’s a shortage of food, but there’s a shortage of access to food. The problem is actually getting food to the right people and right moment.”

He explains, “One of the challenges is when the unrest really hits, it doesn’t matter if we’re offering free food at lunch, because we can’t get people — mostly our students — to the campus when things are really bad.”

(Photo courtesy TeachBeyond)

Durance says TeachBeyond receives weekly advisement from security groups that work with missions agencies. “It’s incredible to see the real-time information that we can get now.”

In many cases, Durance says, Haiti’s lack of infrastructure means there are no authorities in place to work with. TeachBeyond’s local partners then must determine when and where aid can be given. 

Serving with the local church

Thanks to lessons learned during COVID, TeachBeyond’s campus easily pivots between in-person and online classes depending on security concerns. Missionaries with TeachBeyond see gospel significance in how the local churches respond to the crisis.

“We really want to be active in walking alongside the local believing community and seeing how we can be a part of that,” Durance says of their mission.

“I know many of our missionaries present in these situations are thinking about that: ‘How do we walk alongside the believing church in these moments, knowing this is actually the critical opportunity where the church can be most visible and most itself, if you will, in a community?’”

Please pray for Haiti! 

“When we see these [crises] happen, we always are praying that the local church can step into the hole, step into the void, step into the chaos as the place that provides stability and care and, of course, eventually hope that is ultimately delivered through the Gospel,” says Durance.

“When I think of Haiti, it starts with the letter H — we want to pray for hope. We know there are so many people in this country that are waking up today without hope, and we need to pray that they have hope and that that is grounded in a reality that God delivers this nation from the turmoil that they’ve been living under.”

Another prayer point is “wisdom and deliverance for those that need to be making decisions here, both in country and those are trying to support out of country.”  

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Miguel Caret Serra via Pexels.

For over a year, Zimbabwe and some neighboring countries have endured a severe drought. Despite local and international efforts to address the water crisis, the situation continues to escalate, creating additional challenges. Melinda Kajilima from Trans World Radio describes the impact of the drought:

“There is this wild fruit that we find in bushes. Some people are now taking that to prepare, to cook. But our livestock, they feed on that. It’s now a competition between the people and the livestock.”

Eating livestock feed is just the tip of the iceberg. While both rural and urban areas are severely affected by the drought, farmers bear the greatest burden. Kajilima explains, “With the drought, severe food insecurity has been experienced.” Relying on subsistence farming for survival, rural Zimbabweans have been unable to grow enough crops, especially maize. Without these essential harvests, securing a proper meal becomes nearly impossible. As a result, over 7.7 million people in Zimbabwe face hunger, and an increasing number of children are being hospitalized due to severe malnutrition.

(Photo by Lil Artsy, courtesy of Pexels, https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photography-of-corn-3040710/)

With their resources depleted, many rural families placed their hope in relatives living in cities. However, the drought has also affected urban areas. “They are no longer able to [fend] for them, and that even makes it even worse for those in the rural areas,” Kajilima adds. In many regions, access to tap water is nonexistent, forcing people to travel long distances to find it. Across Zimbabwe, communities are on the brink of survival.

Neighboring countries like Zambia are also grappling with drought, compounding the crisis.

“The government realized the need and [has] taken it upon them to be able to partner with organizations, with churches, in providing immediate relief for those that are affected,” Kajilima says.

Local churches, the government, and international organizations are working together to find solutions. However, addressing one problem often reveals another, as the root cause — drought — remains unsolved and spans a wide geographical area.

The situation opens the door for God’s miracle. Join Zimbabwean churches in prayer for a lasting solution.

“Pray for the rains,” urges Kajilima, “that God will send the rains to replenish the land and yield a good harvest, providing food for the people. Pray for those affected by the drought, that they may find strength, resilience, and hope, and that their faith may sustain them through this difficult time.”

Join Kajilima and the TWR Africa team as they encourage Zimbabweans during this time of drought.

Header photo of Harare, Zimbabwe is a representative stock photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Sanctions have born little success so far in moving either of the warring parties to the negotiating table. An ongoing war between Sudan’s army and rebel forces backed by the United Arab Emirates has uprooted more than 10 million people since April 2023.

“They’re in the midst of their third civil war in the last 50 years,” Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says.

“When we hear ‘Sudan,’ we associate that with carnage, and what happens is [we] get apathetic. But we should care, as followers of Jesus, because Jesus called us to make disciples of all nations.”

Sudan is facing the worst levels of food insecurity in its history, with more than half of its population in acute hunger. Famine conditions were confirmed earlier this month in several displacement camps.

Believers bring relief supplies to Sudanese refugees in Chad.
(Photo courtesy of Unknown Nations)

“Children are dying every single day of starvation. That’s not a pleasant sight, and it’s happening by the dozens in both South Sudan and Sudan,” Kelley says.

Yet amid Sudan’s despair, hope remains. “People are open. They’ve lost every earthly possession, and they’re sitting in a tent in a country that’s not their own,” Kelley says.

“They are asking questions. When you’re in that position, and someone comes with the life-transforming message of the Gospel, that heart is ready to receive.”

Partner with Unknown Nations here to support this work in Sudan.

“We need to be praying for the Christian leaders because they share the Good News in the most difficult of environments. Pray that God would give them strength and courage.”

Header photo depicts Sudanese refugees being baptized in Chad. (Header and story images courtesy of Unknown Nations)

This led to a vote on Friday by the United Nations Security Council on a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza. But like several previous resolutions, this one failed to pass in the fifteen-member council.

Food isn’t the only thing scarce in Gaza. Darrel Templeton with MegaVoice says their audio Bibles ministry has had to stop, despite their many years of partnerships in the region.

(Photo of audio Bible unit courtesy of MegaVoice)

“Right now, even though the requests are coming in, we just have not been able to provide the audio Bibles that are requested — because of the war, because of the blockades, because nothing is getting in or out,” he says. 

“As soon as those doors open, we pray that we will have enough to be able to provide for the Palestinian believers and the Palestinian seekers.”

As the situation in Gaza becomes even more grim, you can do something that will touch all those suffering. 

“The Scripture teaches us to pray for the peace of Israel, and so that is first and foremost what we need to do is pray for the peace of the land,” Templeton says, referring to Psalm 122:6.

“Real and full peace only comes with the Prince of Peace. So that is the ultimate answer for the Palestinian people, as well as the Jewish people as well as anyone around the world.”

See last week’s two-part story on the war from the perspective of Christians in Palestine and Christians in Israel. 

Header photo: U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules conducts an airdrop of humanitarian assistance over Gaza, Mar. 2, 2024. Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Before the coup, Niger had over 3 million people in acute food insecurity. That number will undoubtedly go up as international sanctions hit the country and food aid is trapped at Niger’s borders with no way in.

Market prices in-country are already rising. The cost for one sack of rice has increased by at least one-third since the start of the military takeover.

(Photo courtesy of Alek Burley/Unsplash)

Greg Kelley with World Mission says, “The biggest, I would say, consequence of these things is the average person suffers.”

The United Nations is urging for humanitarian exemptions to border closures and sanctions.

Kelley says, “The US alone has put hundreds of millions of dollars in aid over the last 20 years into this country. So when you’re withdrawing that amount of resources, people will suffer. So we’re just mindful of that as we’re trying to get the Gospel in there.”

World Mission distributes their solar-powered audio Bible called the Treasure in countries and areas that desperately need to hear about Jesus Christ.

Along with Gospel hope, Kelley says in Niger, “We are going to be putting emphasis into getting food and water in to the people that are suffering the most.”

“It’s possible we’ll keep our eyes on any kind of a refugee crisis that might be triggered as people are fleeing. But again, it’s the little guy, the families that are the ones that are going to suffer the most.”

Ask the Lord to provide for the people of Niger, and pray encouragement for ministries like World Mission reaching Nigeriens with aid and Christ’s hope.

Header photo courtesy of Alek Burley/Unsplash.

The situation has gotten more critical since we brought the food crisis to your attention three months ago, when For Haiti With Love shared an opportunity to deliver emergency food to Haiti. Since then, Roseline DeHart says donors funded the shipment from Feed My Starving Children, and it successfully arrived to its destination.  DeHart says, “Thank you to our donors, and everybody that donated. That food is at the headquarters in Haiti, helping the hungry people in Haiti.”

Often when goods arrive to one of Haiti’s ports, the shipping containers get stuck at the dock customs or even held up by the local gangs. However, For Haiti With Love received the container of emergency food without any delays.

The food program is an addition to the burn clinic For Haiti With Love already operates at no charge. They don’t turn any patients away and even receive some referred from hospitals. In a typical month, the clinic will treat around 200 patients, and the supplies for each treatment cost on average five US dollars. Patients with severe burns have to revisit the clinic several times until they are completely healed. Without proper treatment, many of their patients would have died from infections.

The food program and clinic are saving the physical lives of Haitians. Both services also provide many opportunities for the staff to be witnesses for Christ. For example, the staff pray for the people who receive food.

DeHart says,

“We tell them that it’s all because of God that we are here to be able to feed them. And they always ask us about who God and who Jesus is.”

For Haiti With Love needs ongoing support to continue serving Haitians. Learn more about the ministry and how you can help.

“We are God’s hands and feet and we try as best as we can to help as many people as we can,” says DeHart.

Photos courtesy of For Haiti With Love.

“Sudan is very rich in natural resources so it should not be the case that people are starving. It all feels very sad,” Fadi Sharaiha with MENA Leadership Center says.

“We’re going to see people dying, whether it’s [from] starvation or lack of medicine, in addition to the war that’s happening.”

The Sudanese army and paramilitary forces are locked in a fierce battle that started on April 15 and shows no signs of stopping. The conflict displaced nearly a million people in one month; roughly 200,000 crossed into neighboring countries.

He can’t go into detail for security purposes, but Sharaiha says, “We do have participants, Christian leaders, from Sudan, and yes, they are affected” by the current turmoil.

Sudanese believers living abroad have “families living in Sudan, so they are also emotionally affected,” he adds.

(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

MENA Leadership Center trains Gospel workers so they can respond effectively to situations like these. More about that here.

“We are going to ask our partners about trauma healing courses and how to minister to refugees in a professional way, and if there is a need for other courses,” Sharaiha says.

“We love to serve our people in the (MENA) region, especially right now in Sudan.”

Pray fighting will end and peace will return to Sudan. “You can also partner with the MENA Leadership Center by giving scholarships to some of the participants and supporting courses that we’re doing for the people in Sudan,” Sharaiha says.

“If you have any questions or ideas, please connect with us.”

Header image is a 2019 photo depicting shell casings in the Nuba Mountains. (Photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA)