ISIS sympathizers connect to the core message, not a core entity or structure. In this way, ISIS and similar terror groups are gaining traction in the states. 

“They do it in pretty interesting ways,” Mike says. “ISIS uses gaming servers and really goes after youth.” 

An example is Alexander Justin White of North Carolina, who used social media and encrypted messaging apps to grow ties with the group.

Courtesy of pixabay

“It’s not surprising that we’re seeing ISIS pop up in different areas of the world in Western countries because it’s really just part of their core ideology,” Mike says. 

That ideology is Sharia: rule by Islamic law. ISIS, Hamas, and the Taliban all push the global spread of Islam, and their adherents are willing to die toward that end. 

“But ISIS takes it to another level. It’s an eschatological, end times motivation because they believe that the black flags of Khurasan will rise up at the end and bring the Mahdi and all these different things. So they’re bringing end times to fruition,” Mike says. 

Success in Islam hinges on moral behavior, or the appearance of it. 

“If you don’t fit the Quran and Hadith and this moral code that Sharia sets, then they bring aggression and force you into submission,” Mike says. 

Despite its strict guidelines, Islam offers no assurance of salvation. The best Muslims can hope for is that their works are enough to earn them a place in heaven. 

“Allah never promises certain things,” Mike says. 

Global Catalytic Ministries works in the Middle East, including in ISIS camps, to spread the hope of Jesus among Muslims. Mike says making disciples in this context cannot assume a traditional evangelistic approach. Methods like preaching Jesus on the sidewalk, for example, are off the table.  

“Because you’ll be dead,” Mike says. “So it’s a very specific approach that we take to really help secure our teams.” 

Even with attention to security, Mike’s team knows dangers abound. They see it as part of Christ’s call.

“Jesus is asking us just to be massively uncomfortable and to lay our lives down as sheep among wolves,” he says. “Pick up our cross, drink of the blood: all these things are very sacrificial, very uncomfortable things.” 

It’s a stark contrast to our Western comfort. In some ways, Mike points out, the submission of Muslims to their belief system can serve as an example for Christians, who have a call to lay down our lives too. But there’s a key difference: we operate out of love rather than fear. 

“It’s a love-based motivation, and we only get that through the Holy Spirit; whereas Islam and a lot of religions are just a structural ideology,” Mike says. 

Please pray that Muslims across the globe would awake to the spiritual reality of Islamic darkness. Pray that the light of Christ would dawn in their hearts and that the love of Jesus would drown out fear. 

“We want more dreams, more visions, more opportunities, more access, more people willing to lay down their lives,” Mike says. “Not to prove or validate themselves, but because the Lord has moved them so much and they are so transformed that they are willing to rise up and lay their lives down for their brothers.”

Featured photo courtesy of Levi Meir Clancy via Unsplash

Extremist groups like Boko Haram and the Fulani herdsmen push for extremist Sharia – a fundamentalist version of Islam characterized by an unwavering demand to follow the Quran – to become the law of Nigeria. That would mean more than 200 million Nigerians would be forced to follow Sharia, even though Christians make up nearly half of the country’s population. 

In an interview with Greg Musselman of Voice of the Martyrs Canada, Mark Lipdo of Stefanos Foundation said “We the Christians have raised our voices against the demand for Sharia, and we have also called the international community to look at that.”

But even if they can’t get Sharia implemented across Nigeria, these militant groups will still leave their mark on Nigeria. According to some victims who have encountered these groups, “They come in successions. Some come in front [and] carry firearms, and they shoot sporadically, scaring people. They are followed by those who carry machetes, whoever they come across, they hunt them down. They make sure that they kill them brutally so that they scare people away from those communities.”

Nigerian believers pray for intervention (Photo courtesy of VOM Canada)

What’s devastating is that Christians who are now being hunted know these extremists. Many Christians have even invited them into their homes. Many of these groups started as wandering nomads who moved from place to place. In some communities, Christians provided these nomads with food or places to stay. “These people have enjoyed the hospitality of the Christians over the years,” Lipdo says. “All of a sudden, these people you have known as good people are supposed to be living with you in your favor, they’re now behaving like your masters, making demands, and attacking and killing you.”

What’s more, officials seem uninterested in intervening. “The government is not treating it as a threat to humanity,” Lipdo says. “We are expected to live with people that arise at any time and do such havoc. This is the plight of the Christians here.”

So what does a Christ-like reaction look like? According to Lipdo, the response needs to be one of love. “We continue to love even to our death, hoping that the government administration we depend on will somehow solve this problem,” Lipdo says. “We don’t have an option, but to love. As Christians, once you stop being a Christian, or stop loving somebody, you’re becoming worse than what you profess.”

Support Voice of the Martyrs Canada here.

Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.

Muslims interpret sharia based on the Quran and other writings attributed to the Prophet Muhammed. Muslims consider Muhammed’s life an example of how to live their lives.

The Taliban

But in Afghanistan, the Taliban recently mandated a harsh interpretation of sharia. Some crimes come with archaic punishments like amputation or public stoning.

Like most extremist groups, the Taliban leaders have little or no training to interpret sharia well.

Nehemiah with FMI says the laws in Afghanistan are some of the harshest in the world today. “When we look at Saudi Arabia, they have sharia law there, of course. But they don’t do public executions. They do executions, and they behead people, but not really in public. So it varies from country to country, people to people, and political party to political party.”

Under these laws, women cannot leave the house without a male companion, and they cannot attend school. The Taliban enforced these same laws when they ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.

The Taliban’s interpretation of sharia also views certain kinds of technology in a negative light. Nehemiah says, “Haibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban in Afghanistan, has not been filmed or photographed in public since the Taliban returned to power in August last year. Because according to sharia law, cameras, mobile phones, photographs, and films are banned.”

“You cannot take photos because they think it’s against sharia law.”

This harsh interpretation of sharia leaves no room for Christians. Yet pockets of believers live in Afghanistan. Ask God to give them wisdom and strength.

Pray the love of Jesus would soften the Taliban.

The header photo shows a member of the Taliban beating a woman publicly. (Photo courtesy of RAWA, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Since the ouster of long-time dictator Omar al-Bashir in April, military and civil leaders have discussed how to transition power into civilian hands. Read our coverage of developments here.

Voice of the Martyrs’ Todd Nettleton says the situation remains fluid. “There is a lot going on. And, certainly, there’s a lot going on behind the scenes,” he says. “People are still protesting. The military is saying, ‘Listen, we have compromised.’

“There [are] still a lot of decisions to be made, and certainly a need for us to pray for Sudan as it continues to go through this process.”

Whatever happened to Bashir?

(Photo Omar Hassan al-Bashir courtesy of Wikipedia)

Sudan is a nation in flux. Along with uncertainty surrounding top-level discussions and ongoing demonstrations in the streets, questions surround the fate of Sudan’s former ruler.

On Monday, Sudan’s public prosecutor announced charges against Bashir for his role in protestor deaths. Approximately 90 people were killed in demonstrations that began in December of 2018 and led to Bashir’s ouster last month.

Previously, Sudan’s military made it clear they would not send their former leader to the International Criminal Court, where he faces long-standing charges of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. More about that here.

Could the latest charges be an indication of change? Will Bashir finally be held accountable?

“That is a million-dollar question,” Nettleton says, explaining how different factors will contribute to the potential outcome. On one hand, a trial overseen by civilian rulers holds potential for justice.

“If his (Bashir’s) trial happens under civilian rule – particularly if it’s led by some of the same people who have led the protests against him over the last several months – it seems likely that he will face accountability.”

On the other hand, a Bashir trial under military rule is doubtful. “Many of the military leaders were put in place by Omar al Bashir,” Nettleton notes. “How fervent will they be in their desire to hold him accountable?

“There [are] a lot of decisions being made that will affect how his trial is handled. And, we won’t know the results of that for several weeks or months, and possibly even years.”

What does it mean for Christians?

It’s not likely that decisions about Bashir’s fate and Sudan’s new government will usher in a new era of freedom for Sudanese believers.

“This is still a majority Muslim country… [and] the military is still saying that any laws that are made – even by this new civilian government – need to be based on Sharia,” Nettleton says.

A family seeks shelter from bombings among the rocks.
(Photo, caption courtesy of VOM USA)

Bashir established Sharia throughout northern Sudan when he seized power in 1989. Encyclopedia Britannica defines Sharia as “the religious law of Islam.” Sharia poses a major threat to believers wherever it’s implemented, as Nettleton describes here in a 2014 interview.

“One of the things that we have heard from our Christian contacts inside Sudan is they are not necessarily expecting dramatic changes in how the Church is treated.”

Nonetheless, believers are still praying for their country. Will you join them?

“In the in the course of the protests, Christians gathered around the military headquarters… not to protest but to pray,” Nettleton says. “To pray for peace, to pray for God’s will to be done. Let’s pray that that spirit continues.”

You can also support persecuted Christians by sending physical aid. According to a VOM Special Report on Sudan, the ministry provides approximately $2 million in aid each year to Sudanese believers. Supplies include Bibles, medical care, blankets, and clean water.

Send aid to Sudanese Christians through VOM.

Header image: Shell casings litter the ground in the Nuba Mountains, one of the conflict areas targeted by Bashir’s military. Caption and photo courtesy of VOM USA.

Previously, any Mauritanian who committed blasphemy or left the Muslim faith had three days to repent before they were punished. Penalties included prison terms or a death sentence.

However, a new law was passed on April 27th by the Mauritanian National Assembly. Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs explains, “This new law sort of becomes more stringent — that three days to repent disappears. Everyone is going to be punished. Even if you do repent, you are still going to be punished. And in the case of blasphemous remarks or sacrilegious acts, according to the law, the death penalty is now mandatory.

Mauritania on the map. (Image courtesy of Open Doors USA)

“The other thing that was very fascinating to me is, in explaining this change in the law, the Minister of Defense said that ‘what we had before was actually in contradiction with official Sharia code, the official Sharia law. We want to be as close to the real Sharia law as possible, so we needed to eliminate that discrepancy between the two.’”

Mauritania is a Muslim nation and while no Christian has been given a death sentence yet, this law is especially concerning for new converts. A mandatory death sentence for apostasy could cause someone who is considering following Jesus to think twice.

Even though the CIA World Factbook reports that Mauritania is officially 100 percent Muslim, there is an underground Church presence. The Holy Spirit cannot be stopped at the Mauritania borders, and Mauritanian believers are living out their faith in secret. One of their biggest needs is fellowship.

“What often happens to someone who comes to faith in Christ is they are cut off. They are cut off from their Muslim friends. They are cut off even from their families. So having fellowship with other believers, having a way to be encouraged and to be discipled, those are challenging things in a country where there are so few Christians.”

There are a few things you can do to stand with our Christian brothers and sisters in Mauritania today.

First, Nettleton says, “People can call the Mauritania representatives in their home country and say, ‘We would like you to consider not having this apostasy law.’ The chances of that being effective are probably pretty slim, but it does send a message that the rest of the world is paying attention.”

And especially, you can pray. “Let’s pray that God’s Spirit will move. The Bible talks about God directing the hearts of kings, God directing governments, and so let’s pray that there is a change of heart and that Mauritanians would be free to choose their own religious path.”

Learn more about Voice of the Martyrs and how you can support their ministry!

(Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs)

At the end of last year, a long-term resident of Algeria was denied re-entry into the United States. This Christian worker, a French national, managed a private French-language school in-country. Middle East Concern believes these types of deportations are a tactic to ensure that outside groups are not able to work with Algerian Christians.

Around that same time, three Christians were arrested in Chlef and accused of luring Muslims into conversion through promises of travel and financial benefits. A local newspaper described the event as a “foiled evangelism attempt”.

Earlier this month, a pastor who was accused of evangelism had his prison sentence lengthened and was charged a hefty fine.

And the pressure isn’t just focused on individuals, either. There’s been a string of church closings as well. On March 2, another church was shut down– the fourth church to be closed in the past four months. More and more churches have been inspected and threatened with demands to meet safety regulations.

Why the increased pressure?

We spoke to Greg Musselman of the Voice of the Martyrs Canada regarding recent religious freedom issues in Algeria. He says there’s a very good reason why the opposition is increasing—to keep up with Church growth:

Cathedral of Algiers. (Photo courtesy of World Watch Monitor)

“You’ve had issues where there is a fear amongst the Islamic leaders there, and I guess even the population to some extent, of the way that Christianity is growing in that part of the world. So you have a situation where there is growth—we’ve seen that in other places around the world. And then what starts to happen is pressure is then applied on the government and those that are more militant in their Islam [faith] get very concerned about the growth of Christianity.”

And so, even though many of these churches have been registered, approved, and operating for years, the government is finding ways to shut them down. This also means no one has been allowed to plant new churches, Musselman says. So they gather in house churches to stay under the radar. But there’s pressure to shut these meetings down, too.

“Again you see these things happening because of the growth of the Gospel. That then causes you know, some … real soul-searching from the Christian leaders. Are they going to abide by what the government’s telling them, or are they going to continue to spread the Gospel?”

And yet, as Christians face adversity, they begin to grapple with questions about what it means to live out their faith and what it means to take up their cross to follow Jesus. This leads to a deepening of their faith.

Pressure from society

However, it’s not just the government who is giving Christians a hard time. Musselman explains that conversion from Islam to Christianity creates a lot of heat among families and communities.

“That becomes engrained within the culture. Again, you’re dealing with various levels of militancy when it comes to Islam. I mean, we know many Muslims that are very peaceful. They are fine with having Christians in their neighborhoods, and even churches. Where it does get a little bit tricky is when family members start to convert to Christianity.

“And all through the Muslim world, including Algeria, North Africa, the Middle East, and many Muslim nations, there has never been a time in history where more Muslims are converting to Christianity.”

He says there are many stories of Muslims having dreams or visions, or coming to Christ because of a message they heard on a radio or television broadcast. There are also cases of one-on-one evangelism and Bible distributions being the key to Muslims hearing about Jesus.

“Where it starts to get tense is when people are leaving Islam and becoming followers of Jesus. And again, that’s one of the issues that’s happening in Algeria which is why Islamists start to take note of this and say ‘Nope. This is a Muslim country.’”

Another reason why Christianity might be looked down upon from both a societal and governmental level is because it is often viewed as a Western religion. Musselman says that many within this nation want to see Sharia law upheld, and Christianity is a big threat to that.

Some Christians will have to leave their home in order to escape violence from their friends and family.

Prayers for Algeria

Voice of the Martyrs Canada supports persecuted believers by advocating for them to the government. They also surround believers and encourage them with truths from Scripture and provide for their needs.

Another way they help is to tell the stories of the persecuted to people like you, and ask you to pray. Musselman says we need to consider Hebrews 13:3 and 1 Corinthians 12:26 when we think of believers facing trials like this.

And while persecution in Algeria isn’t always violent in nature, it has potential to do great harm:

“The reality is is that when there’s this kind of pressure on, it intimidates the Church and it causes people to become more inward in their faith and not to share it. And again, we need to be wise. The Bible does tell us that. But on the other hand, we also want to be praying for our brothers and sisters that they would not be intimidated.”

Learn more about partnering with Voice of the Martyrs Canada, here.

(Photo Omar Hassan al-Bashir courtesy Wikipedia)

Sudan (ODM/MNN) — Sudan’s incumbent president Omar Hassan al-Bashir swept to a landslide 94.5% win in Monday’s elections.

Despite the triumphant headlines, it’s also noted that he was running basically unopposed by a field of unknowns. The election was also boycotted by the opposition.

Open Doors USA CEO David Curry says nobody was surprised by the results. “The president, Bashir, has been in control for almost three decades now. So, you go through the motions of an election, but I think most people don’t talk about the election because there wasn’t any sense of suspense as to who was going to win.”

(Photo courtesy Wikipedia)

In a press release, Open Doors noted that the African Union (AU) observer mission confirmed last week low voter turnout in the elections, saying it would not exceed 40%. The European Union, United States, Britain, and Norway all criticized the election, saying the lack of a promised national dialogue left Sudan without an inclusive political process.

Regardless of the criticism, the 71-year-old al-Bashir will take the oath of office on June 2. Open Doors documented his rise to power starting in 1989. At that time, he overthrew the elected Prime Minister Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi in a bloodless coup with the help of Hassan al-Turabi, the leader of the National Islamic Front. Following the coup, al-Bashir allied himself with Turabi, and with his backing began implementing Sharia law in Sudan. The overwhelming majority of the population in Sudan is Sunni Muslim, and Sharia law is the foundation of Sudan’s legal system. In 2008, the International Criminal Court accused al-Bashir of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Blasphemy laws are used country-wide to persecute and prosecute followers of Christ. “Christians are still in a very difficult situation, being attacked, losing all that they have. Culturally, they are under pressure, so Sudan is difficult, and it’s because of al-Bashir, in large measure,” says Curry.  A case in point: two evangelical pastors are being kept incommunicado in an unknown location by the country’s intelligence service.

(Image courtesy Wikipedia)

During al-Bashir’s administration, the persecution of Christians has been severe enough to earn a #6 ranking on their annual World Watch List, a ranking of the top 50 countries around the world where the persecution of Christians is the worst. According to the WWL, his regime is “authoritarian and wants to control the life of its citizens. Apostasy is criminalized, punishable by the death penalty, and it is very harsh, especially on non-Arabs.”

Plus, adds Curry, “There are just all the forms of cultural persecution there. You have a government that is insensitive to Christians, that doesn’t allow freedom of religious expression; you have them using their resources to separate Christians from the rest of the population.” Specifically, the people in the Nuba mountains have faced indiscriminate bombings in the government’s efforts to root out rebels. A large number of Christians reside in the Nuba area.

Curry says the more people know, the more they’ll have opportunity to respond. He’s asking you to consider advocating by sharing the stories of the Christians in Sudan. Pray that the Lord will strengthen His Church in Sudan to live out the gospel despite the dangers involved. “We’re trying to support the Christian church there in whatever way we can, speaking out for Christians in this part of the world. Be praying for freedom. Pray for your government, always. Pray for your persecutors. Pray that people come to see what’s happening for what it is.”

(Photo courtesy Kids Alive Sudan)

Sudan (MNN) — While ISIS’s Iraq purge may be the most brutal, their tactic isn’t new.

Islamists in Egypt have driven thousands of Coptic Christians from homes they’ve occupied for centuries. The same is true across the Muslim parts of Africa. Because they share ideologies about pure Islam, there are growing concerns that the Islamic State (IS) will find a home in these countries, as well.

A Sudanese Salafi group went public with their endorsement of the IS caliphate in the wake of northern Iraq’s fall. Kids Alive Sudan Field Coordinator Francis Tombe explains a little about the group’s struggle for dominance in Khartoum. “In 2012, the group showed themselves. They were [fighting] with the government in the center of Sudan.” He warns, “They are still underground, but as soon as they’re out, things will be ugly.”

The group is known as Al-Attasam belKetab wa al-Sunna, and in order to create a stricter Islamist movement, it broke from Sudan’s Muslim Brotherhood 23 years ago. While they don’t currently control the government, their influence is growing. “Now everything is getting tough in Sudan. Christians are facing a lot of persecution.”

(Photo courtesy Kids Alive International)

Sudan has been led for 25 years by President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, who came to power by a coup orchestrated by senior Muslim Brotherhood members. If Sharia already exists in Sudan, what do religious reforms mean for Christians there? Tombe says, “Sharia law…will put very strict laws for any organization that wants to work in that country, international or national. As long as you are Christian, they’ll put tough rules.”

Already, Kids Alive is coping with more restrictions. “Now, we are facing a lot of challenges. We can’t send money in. I can’t go in. They’re just making it hard. We know in the future, they will close us down.”

Tombe goes on to say a recent government edict adds to the pressure their staff is feeling. “I heard two weeks ago they’re not giving permission to build any new churches in Sudan. That’s very tough. They’re tearing down many of the churches.”

What it boils down to is a campaign that is squeezing the Church out of Sudan. Soon, Kids Alive will have to make a decision, adds Tombe. “They are pushing us into [a] corner to decide [if] we want to continue or not.”

(Photo courtesy Kids Alive Sudan)

The Kids Alive staff wants to stay. They’re committed, and they’re needed, Tombe says. “We are praying for all the Christians that are working in Sudan. We will try to do as much as we can. We want to be in Sudan.”

An estimated 10% of Sudan’s children are orphans, and many children live on the streets or in refugee camps. Street children are common. They are sometimes taken into camps where they are forcefully converted to Islam.

Kids Alive believes that the ministry of Jesus was holistic in nature, that He would be concerned about the empty stomachs of children as much as their empty hearts. The ministry of Kids Alive is focused on fulfilling the physical, emotional, AND spiritual needs of children through Christ-centered care, education, and ministry–and bringing them up to become faithful followers of Jesus and pillars of their community.

The Kids Alive Children’s Home in Sudan does exactly that, but things could change quickly. It’s the uncertainty that wears on the staff. Tombe says, “Pray for protection, that God will protect them, our kids, and all the Christians–even the churches. Soon there will be bombs in the churches. That will happen in the future.”

(Photo courtesy Open Doors USA)

Iraq (ODM/MNN) — Christians who sought refuge in the northern Iraqi city of Qaraqosh because of fighting in Mosul are on the run once again.

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a group extreme even by jihadi standards, tried to seize Qaraqosh Wednesday but were turned back by Kurdish troops. The city is located southeast of Mosul. Open Doors spokesman Jerry Dykstra explains, “It’s a Christian village. There were some bombings, and there were some Christians that were killed in those bombings. Many of those people have left town and found shelter in the northern part of Iraq.”

About 40 families have now arrived in Erbil and found shelter in Ankawa. Meanwhile, Mosul’s Christian population, which had declined from 30,000 to 3,000 in the years following the 2003 U.S. invasion, is now down to virtually nothing.

Dykstra says, “These attacks are becoming more and more frequent. Our field workers have contacts in this town and are providing people with vital supplies.”

The occupation of the Iraqi city of Mosul by the violent extremist Muslims of ISIS forced up to 3000 Christian families out of their houses. Most of them fled to the safer North.

(Photo courtesy Open Doors USA)

A few days later, Open Doors started supporting these refugees with humanitarian aid through local churches and partner organizations.

Dykstra observes that it’s a difficult situation, and it’s growing worse with every passing day. “Christians are being squeezed at every point by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), Shiites, Sunnis, the jihadists, especially in Syria, the Assad government, al-Qaeda.”

Dykstra goes on to explain that “the goal of ISIS is to make a Caliphate State. That really means that they want to put into effect an Islamic State with Sharia law.” The result: “Death; bodies on the street. Soldiers, policemen.” This was what one of the refugees saw walking the streets of Mosul in the evening of June 9, the day ISIS took over the city. “There were lots of families walking, everyone was moving, it was crowded in the streets in the middle of the night,” he explained to Open Doors.

The team of fieldworkers has been involved with persecution refugees from Mosul, Baghdad, and other areas. They are ready to respond, says Dykstra. “We have been working in the Kurdish area for many years mainly because most of the Christians from Baghdad and other areas have fled there. So we have many programs set up there for shelter, trauma counseling. When this happened, we were set up, ready to really stand in the gap.”

(Mosul photo courtesy World Watch Monitor)

They share, “The immediate needs were very obvious: water and food. Many of the refugees were placed in schools or empty buildings. They were sleeping on a piece of cardboard, so mattresses and pillows were needed, too. And with temperatures reaching 45 degrees during the day, a third need made itself known: air coolers, especially important for families with young children or elderly.”

Open Doors supports poor Christian villages and churches through local partner organizations with the finances they need in order to be able to continue to act in this charitable spirit. The ministry encourages the Christians to also be open to serve non-Christians trying to find refuge in their area. Dykstra notes, “When we say ‘be the light for all to show the love of Christ to their neighbors,’ they have done that.” Pray. “We need to take action. We cannot let them disappear from the Middle East. This would be a tragic situation.”

Through the extensive network, Open Doors will continue to support refugees like this family. Soon Open Doors hopes to be able to support 2,000 families in 21 villages, even the most remote ones. With reports of an increasing persecution in Mosul, local Christians don’t know if they’ll ever be able to return to their houses safely: “It might have been the last time that Christians fled Mosul, as I expect that soon all Christians will have fled the city” shares a fieldworker.

Christian Aid Mission, your link to indigenous missions, helps missionaries in this Islamic nation buy ducks. As they sell the eggs in the local market, doors open for conversations about Jesus Christ.

Village church planters with Yesus Kristus Mission often raise ducks to earn a living and become part of a community. A mere $20 USD can help a church planter launch a duck project with 100 ducklings.

Help indigenous missionaries start the venture here.

Missionaries also reach out to Indonesian women using sewing machines. Yesus Kristus Mission is giving 40 sewing machines to the wives of Gospel workers. This way, the women can sell or repair clothing to bring in additional income.

It also affords them an opportunity to speak with other women about the Lord. The machines are provided by gifts to Christian Aid’s Prayerline ministry.

Pray that thousands of villagers will hear about Christ’s salvation through these unique ministries. Pray that more doors are opened for Gospel growth in Indonesia.

Indonesia is an archipelago with 13,000 islands split into 33 provinces. Islam is the dominant religion, and indigenous missionaries struggle against radical sects who want to advance a strict interpretation, such as Sharia.

Open Doors USA puts Indonesia at #47 on their World Watch List, a ranking of 50 nations where persecution is the worst. Radical Muslims reportedly cause the most trouble for Christians, as they steer public opinion. Sometimes Muslim-background believers (MBBs) have to flee their homes, and they face physical abuse on a regular basis.

See how you can pray for Muslims during their holiest month, Ramadan, which begins tomorrow.