“In ten minutes, we had like 100 strikes,” says Nuna with Triumphant Mercy Lebanon, referring to a report from the Israeli military. “[The strikes] are so violent and strong.”

Nuna says the increased Israeli military response came because Israel can now focus on a single military front. 

“But also they have intelligence on where the people who are involved in any military activity against Israel are located,” she adds. “All these military people are trying to find refuge in places that have nothing to do with the conflict” — places such as civilian apartment buildings.

(Stock photo courtesy of Etienne Boulanger via Unsplash)

The fact that Hezbollah members are positioning themselves among civilians adds a challenging layer to Lebanon’s strife: It is dangerous for others to help the displaced. Many of the more than 1 million people displaced since Hezbollah fired on Israel on March 2 are Shia Muslims, the same branch of Islam that Hezbollah springs from. This causes others to fear that the family or individual at their door could be affiliated with Hezbollah and might put them at risk of collateral damage if Israel conducts a strike.

The Iran ceasefire has also started an exodus homeward. 

“Because of the ceasefire in Iran, we had so many trying to go back to the south, or to areas in the south,” says Nuna, describing traffic jams in Beirut on Wednesday. “Now with the strikes, it’s a very difficult time, because people are thinking of leaving. Some of them are on the road. Some of them have somebody in one of the regions that were targeted on the way back.”

Communication lines have also been disrupted. Yesterday, someone at a Triumphant Mercy Lebanon center said they could not reach their son and daughter by phone. 

“The emotional trauma is very high, especially when you’re not able to communicate,” says Nuna. 

What will it take for peace?

Any ceasefire for Lebanon must address the root issue of the conflict with Israel: the disarmament of Hezbollah. Otherwise, Nuna says,  “It will just lead to another round of hostilities in a few months, in a few years.”

“Let’s finish completely. Let’s remove the weapons of Hezbollah,” she says. “I don’t want people to die, but I want this dealt with so that Lebanon will be with one government, one police, one military, one just one entity, and not have all these militias inside that are another government within our own government.”

Please pray for Triumphant Mercy staff as they continue sharing the hope of Jesus while under heavy strain themselves.

(Photo courtesy of Triumphant Mercy Lebanon)

“Everybody’s on high alert. It’s like, ‘Do you want to close the center early? Do you want to let everybody go early?’ And at the same time, it’s not safe to let them go early because we don’t know, so [we should] keep them inside,” says Nuna. 

The hope of Jesus is the foundation of the work Triumphant Mercy Lebanon does. (More on that here.)

“How can we even give an encouraging word, or a word of hope of a future, if we didn’t have the gospel? Without the gospel, I can tell you, we are nothing,” says Nuna. 

Ask God to mercifully allow change to come to Lebanon quickly rather than through prolonged conflict. Nuna asks for this based on Jesus’ words in Matthew 24 and Mark 13. In those passages, Jesus teaches about the signs of the end of the world and the calamities that will occur in those times. 

“Pray that the time would be shortened, because otherwise nobody can sustain it,” she says. “This is what I’m praying, that what God wants to do in this country — the way God wants to cleanse the country, or revive the country — will be done quickly. The time and the extension of time is so tiring and draining and emotionally hard.”

Header photo of Beirut, Lebanon courtesy of Michael Starkie via Unsplash.

The Islamic State shot and killed one election candidate as he campaigned on Wednesday. It’s the second murder of its kind since January 10.

“It is a pivotal time in Pakistan because [of] an election that takes place next week on the eighth,” says Mark*, a Gospel worker serving with Global Catalytic Ministries.

“[It is] a very tense time; the country’s on edge.”

Several candidates’ houses and offices were also attacked in Baluchistan this week. Pakistan’s Election Commission summoned an emergency meeting with security officials yesterday to discuss the “deteriorating” law and order situation.

“There’s a lot of conflict on the border; there are multiple terrorist attacks against Pakistani government facilities and local nationals,” Mark says.

Pakistan flag (Photo courtesy of Abuzar Xheikh/Unsplash)

On January 18, Iran added another layer of uncertainty. Seemingly unprovoked missile attacks from Iran on Pakistani soil brought the neighboring nations close to open conflict. Foreign ministers met quickly to dial down tensions, but Iranian aggression left an indelible impression on Pakistan.

Officials are “saying, ‘Look, don’t mess with us. We have nukes.’ They’re literally saying that on the news in Pakistan,” Mark says.

“They’re not afraid to fight back. I think they’re just holding back till after the election.”

The Lord is moving despite chaos and uncertainty in Pakistan. Recently, “We were praying, and two Sunnis came to our house, gave their [lives] to the Lord, and were baptized,” Mark says.

“They were having visions of angels, and they felt called and directed by God to find us. They were under persecution from within their own faith, so they came in desperation. They said, ‘If I can have anything today, I just need Jesus,’” he continues.

“They gave their [lives] to the Lord, and we’re discipling them. We need to pray for an increase of this across the entire Middle East because it is a season of harvest. We’re going to make disciples amid the chaos.”

Learn more about GCM here, or download a free prayer guide to intercede for church planters working in dangerous places.

*Pseudonym

Header image is a representative stock photo depicting the Minar of a Masjid in Faisalabad, Pakistan. (Photo courtesy of Asfand Yar/Unsplash)

“Three months ago, there was an election, and [Sadr’s] group won. This is not aligned with what [Iran wants]; they are not trying to do what Iran tells them to do,” Fadi Sharaiha with MENA Leadership Center says.

“Iranians lost their seat in the parliament, and they (Iran’s leaders) did not take this lightly. They are challenging this in the courts and the streets.”

Attacks on various political institutions in Iraq fill the headlines continuously. Shooters attacked a Kurdish leader last week, days after twin explosions rocked Kurdish-owned banks in Baghdad.

“This is a clear impact of the proxy war in Iraq, as it is happening in Yemen, Lebanon, and in Libya, unfortunately,” Sharaiha says.

He adds that the battlefields change, but most of the conflict traces its roots to one issue.

“Sunnis and Shiites are fighting for control. The war is not only on land; the war is because of dogma, because of faith.”

Stay or go?

Yesterday, Iraq’s Supreme Court met to decide whether the results of a January 9 election are valid, a critical step in the process of government formation. Middle Eastern politics are complex; the Iraqi government formation process has taken three months so far. Previously, the timeline from elections to government was five months in 2018 and eight months in 2010.

Meanwhile, Islamic State militants are taking advantage of this transition period. On Friday, the terrorists killed 11 Iraqi soldiers in a night raid. Iraq declared victory over the Islamic State in late 2017, but remnants of the group have been carrying out a low-level insurgency.

Between political tensions and terrorist attacks, Iraq is full of instability. Often, the battle for control claims innocent victims.

Some believers leave Iraq and find a safer place to call home. Others sacrifice everything to serve the Lord.

“They are going through a lot. Last night, I talked to one of my friends over there; he is a leader at one of the big churches in Iraq. He was saying, ‘At this point, I feel that ministry needs me more than anything else,’” Sharaiha says.

(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)

By choosing to stay in Iraq, “he’s sacrificing a good future for his kids, meaning education,” Sharaiha continues.

“He’s sacrificing [personal safety]; he might be targeted by militias or killed because of his faith.”

Pray Iraqi believers won’t be discouraged by the chaos surrounding them. Pray they will understand and trust in God’s sovereignty. Learn how you can equip Iraqi church leaders through MENA Leadership Center.

“What an encouragement for us [who live] in the U.S. and Canada; wherever we are living our comfy lives. They are living in obedience to the Lord, and being blessed by that,” Sharaiha says.

“Let’s not pity them; let’s not feel bad for them. This is a great opportunity to be blessed by partnering with those leaders, by praying for them.”

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of 12019/Pixabay.

Government security forces clashed with Shiite supporters stirring fears of more political and economic turmoil. The situation is disconcerting for most. Pierre Houssney is Executive Director for Horizons International, based in Beirut. First, he notes that since the protests began October 17, “It has been almost supernatural how peaceful these protests have been.”

Anger over the government’s approach to the economic crisis sparked the protests, which lead to the resignation of Saad al-Hariri –a Sunni–as Prime Minister.  The problem is that Lebanon’s main parties aren’t in agreement on the formation of a new government since Hariri stepped down.

Security forces attempted to disperse protesters, and that’s where things took a turn for the worse three days ago.   Houssney described one attempt as “A lot of tear gas being administered to the crowds of protesters that were downtown. And you see on Twitter or the news, just clouds of tear gas just wafting over crowds of people.”

Turning a corner in Lebanon

Protests on Lebanon’s Independence Day November 25,2019 (Photo courtesy Horizons International)

As the effort to quell the mob intensified, a seemingly opposite reaction also emerged. “It was amazing just watching the protesters that were clashing with the forces, that when the forces got hurt, they were helping them.  It shows that from the beginning, the protesters have been very aware that they’re not protesting against the army. But the army has the unfortunate task of having to put down the protests on behalf of the corrupt politicians.”

Unity for Lebanon prevailed…until a video making the rounds inflamed sectarian divisions between Sunni and Shiite. In it, a man curses supporters of the Shiite Amal party, Hezbollah, and its leaders.  The fallout from the video is still unfolding.

Despite the turn of Lebanon’s protests, Houssney says there’s still a silver lining in the process: hope is born. “When people get shaken up out of their status quo, they often become more spiritually open. It’s the same as when God called Abraham out of his hometown. He pulled him out. He showed him new things, and that was a formative time in his life where he’s open to hearing God’s Word.”

(Photo courtesy Horizons International)

Plowing the field

Churches partnered with Horizons International say they’ve noticed a shift, too.  In the past five or six years, ministry involved Syrian refugees coming to the church for aid and finding Christ.  At the same time, “We (still saw) a hardness of heart in the Lebanese people, both traditional Christian backgrounds, and Muslim backgrounds. But now, we’ve seen openness ever since the status quo was shaken up.”

Planting the seed

As hope for change builds, Houssney says it needs investment somewhere. “Our prayer is that that’s going to be invested in Christ. We’re making Christ available for those people that are trying to find a new place to put their hope in because they’ve lost hope in the system.” Houssney also believes that wherever believers preach God’s Word, it will eventually bear fruit. Lebanon has long been praying for change.

A final thought: could it be that the winds of change are coming in on the clouds of tear gas? “It’s like the verse in Haggai (2:7) that says, ‘The Lord will shake the nations and then the desired of all nations will come forth.’ Well, that desire of the nations is Jesus, and so we’re just trying to proclaim that in this in this atmosphere of uncertainty.”

(Headline photo courtesy Horizons International)

Read more about Ashura traditions here and history here.

Since Shia Muslims observe Ashura as a day of mourning, their traditions include processions, mourning, and reenactments of the martyrdom. Sometimes, men use self-flagellation to recognize the suffering of Husayn ibn Ali.

Praying during Ashura

(Photo provided via Unsplash)

“It’s one of the key dates on the Shia Muslim calendar and I would love for us to pray for Shia Muslims today, especially as they remember and commemorate the day of Ashura,” says Jane* from Cry Out Now Ministries.

This time of mourning and focus on sacrifice can be a common thread between Shia Muslims and Christians, Jane says.

“The sacrifice of Jesus is something that they can understand. Because they do understand sacrifice and for us to pray that they will go beyond their own pain, but see his pain in this season,” Jane says.

She sees Ashura as the perfect time for Christ-followers to pray. “[Pray] that they (Muslims) will actually discover a God that experienced sacrifice and pain as well, that experienced suffering as well. A God that meets them in their pain and actually wants to bring in healing that they don’t need to stay in this place of historic pain and suffering, but that they can actually receive healing from one that understands sacrifice,” Jane asks.

“We want to pray specifically that they, in the midst of the mourning…when they reach the bottom of their pain, that they will actually discover God there.”

This understanding of sacrifice and suffering has already changed lives and deepened understanding.

How to pray

“They are searching for God, they are searching for understanding, they, are searching for comfort. So let’s pray that God will meet them in their searching,” Jane says.

Pray for believers living alongside Shia Muslims. That they will know how to connect and share their stories and not look away.

“Share stories of the love of Jesus, the forgiveness of Jesus, and the ultimate sacrifice that he has made for all of that. And that that is the sacrifice that we need to hold onto not the sacrifices of man.”

Learn more about the mission of Cry Out Now and join them in prayer here.

* – Name changed for security purposes.

Header image depicts the Arba’een Pilgrimage in Karbala, Iraq carried out at the end of the 40-day mourning period following Ashura provided by mostafa meraji via Unsplash

Two Sides, One Ramadan

For some, this means making the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. This seems to be how Ramadan is often depicted in the West. But to depict Ramadan Saudi style is to depict what is more than likely a Sunni Ramadan. In a country like Iran, which is made up of mostly Shiite Muslims,  does Ramadan look any different?

“The differences between Shiites and Sunnis goes back to the caliphates, and their selection process. Eventually, Iran became secluded from the rest of the Muslim world and they believe in the 12 Imams,” Heart4Iran’s Mike Ansari explains.

“But yet, those differences [have] not changed the nature of Ramadan that’s being observed in Iran. Much like the rest of the Muslim world, even in Saudi Arabia, it is a month of pondering, of thinking, of fasting, and understanding what God’s will is.”

Encountering Christ

During this time of spiritual reflection, things that may not equate to a proper Islamic faith are often purged. Entire communities and families come together with a focus on the spiritual aspect of what it means to be Muslim, to be alive, to exist. In general, they’re also more open to seeking spirituality outside the realm of Islam. And in their seeking, Christ is answering.

“Jesus is revealing himself to the Muslim faithful through dreams and visions, far more often than before, ever. And we’re realizing that that is an amazing time for us to be in prayer because, it’s not so much us going in there, chasing after Muslims, it’s Muslims reaching out to us saying, ‘Can you tell me about Jesus?’”

Heart4Iran is seeing this firsthand when people call them, asking to learn more about Jesus being the Son of God, His concept of love, and what it means to turn the other cheek. So please, as we approach Ramadan, let this important Islamic month be a prayer point.

Start by praying for God’s will to be done during Ramadan. Ask that Muslims seeking truth would encounter Jesus, and that through that process, their lives would be transformed. And finally, pray for an openness to the Gospel and for these same people to put their faith in Christ.

Find ways to come alongside those seeking Christ by teaming up with Heart4Iran here!

* Depending on the moon sightings and location, Ramadan runs from May 15th or 16th to June 14th or 16th.

Reuters said earlier this month that in late January, three Revolutionary guards were killed along the border in an attack by 21 ISIS militants from Iraq. Altogether, five of the ISIS fighters were killed in the clash. The news agency reports that just a few days prior to the attack, a massive weapons stash was discovered in the Iranian town of Marivan.

When the final strongholds of ISIS were cleared out in Syria and Iraq, many voices eagerly celebrated the group’s demise. However, there were plenty of cautionary voices in the mix as well, warning of the permeating mobility of an ideology like that of ISIS.

(Flag of ISIS, public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Todd Nettleton of the Voice of the Martyrs USA says along with the ideology, we have to consider the militants who are alive and well after escaping Syria and Iraq. They have to go somewhere, and Iran seems a likely place to go.

Iran is mostly made up of Shi’ite Muslims, a sect that the Sunni-identifying extremists believe is heretical. However, within Iran, there are the Kurds. This ethnic group, mostly Sunni Muslims, makes up about 10 percent of the population.

Nettleton says it might be ISIS’ tactic to infiltrate this population using the common ground of Sunni Islam.

“There is a large Kurdish population within the borders of Iran. And so it’s a country where they can get into, they can mingle, and fit in with the wider culture which maybe makes it easier to go in undetected.”

But despite this unique climate that ISIS might be taking advantage of, Nettleton says Iran is not alone in grappling with the ominous possibilities of where ISIS will go next.

“The issue that Iran is facing is the same issue that Egypt is facing. It’s the same issue that Libya is facing. It’s the same issue that some of the European countries are facing.

“What’s going to happen to all these ISIS fighters who have been fighting and training in Iraq and Syria, now that those battlefields have fallen? You know, we hear that ISIS has been defeated. Well, there are thousands of trained fighters who are now returning home—in some cases that’s Iran, like I say, in some cases that’s western European countries—what’s going to happen to them, or what damage are they going to do once they get home? That’s a question that many countries are asking right now, not just Iran.”

Open Doors USA’s 2018 World Watch List revealed that persecution against Christians is intensifying across the board. For the last few years, ISIS has played a part in the growth of persecution. But what’s ahead for this next year?

Nettleton says, “I think we will see religiously-motivated attacks, not only by trained ISIS fighters but by others as well. It does raise the possibility that we may see them in some places where we haven’t seen them previously as these fighters return home.”

These concerns raise a lot of questions for international leadership and the Church alike. Check back in with us later this week as we zoom out to look at persecution and how we can respond in faith and hope in the truths of the Gospel.

In the meantime, if you’d like to partner with Voice of the Martyrs, click here. 

(Photo courtesy FMI)

Pakistan (MNN) — The Shiite/Sunni battle in Yemen is drawing Pakistan in, and the implications are scary.

Bruce Allen of Forgotten Missionaries International says, “Iran is supporting these rebels who have been trying to oust the Yemen president…and Saudi Arabia’s coming to Yemen’s defense. So essentially it ends up being a battle between Saudi Arabia and Iran using Yemen as its turf.”

Pakistan caught in the middle

Pakistan has certain alliances with Saudi Arabia. For one, Allen explains, they have pledged to help Saudi Arabia keep its border integrity. Saudi Arabia is one of Pakistan’s main financial supports and also their source of oil.

However, who do you want to please most: your ally, or your neighbor? This is the problem.

“Pakistan shares a nearly 600 mile border with Iran. They don’t want to aggravate this neighbor,” Allen says. “Pakistan is in a tough spot.”

Pakistan’s Minister of Defense says they need to do what they can to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. According to Reuters and several other sources, Pakistan is trying to decide just how involved they will be while maintaining their support of Saudi Arabia.

What they decide to do could be critical to what happens with Pakistan itself.

Instability abroad and right at home

“They’re getting involved in broader regional conflicts at a time when the stability of their own government is in question,” Allen says of Pakistan.

Earlier this year, we talked about the soft coup that took place in Pakistan. The military took over, leaving leaders as puppets. Read about that here.

Along with these instabilities, Allen points out infrastructure and energy supply as other concerns in Pakistan, and worse yet, the threat of ISIS. What’s happening with Pakistan is eerily similar to the conditions of Syria.

“There [are] already so many major things that Pakistan needs to tackle as a society on its own turf, but now they’re getting drawn into a battle outside of their own borders. That could really cripple or least cause them to limp a whole lot, and make it such a situation that is rigpe for ISIS to step in and manipulate that situation just like they did in Syria in the middle of the civil war.”

Christians in danger

Allen points out that many Christians assume violence against Christians is Islam vs. Christianity when in reality, the situation is Sunni vs. Everybody Else, including Muslim minority groups.

Regardless of who the violence is directed towards, there is a lot of fear, a lot of danger, and a lot of hurt for many people.

Pray that no matter what happens with the situation in Yemen, that the Church would continue to grow and that more people would hear the Gospel and follow Jesus. Pray for church gatherings to proceed safely. Pray for the upcoming conference organized by FMI-supported pastors.

“Anything that’s attached to the Gospel, right now, is on high alert,” Allen says.

(Photo courtesy Open Doors)

Yemen (MNN) — Remember the saying: “If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it must be a duck”? It applies to what happened with the Houthi militia in Yemen.

Open Doors USA President and CEO David Curry explains, “This group which has taken over has slowly been ratcheting up the pressure. Finally then, just a couple weeks ago when we last talked, they took over the Presidential Palace. They said it wasn’t a coup, but of course, now they’re in charge.”

On 22 January, the Houthi militia dissolved parliament and put President Hadi and his Cabinet under house arrest. The group then announced plans to form its own government, causing Hadi and his ministers to resign in protest. So far, United Nations-mediated efforts to get the two sides talking have failed.

Meanwhile, the State Department confirmed it has closed the U.S. Embassy in Yemen and evacuated its staff due to security concerns. The crisis could get worse before it gets better. Aside from the fact that an elected government has been overthrown, it was propped up by Saudi Arabia. Now, “You’ve got Shiite and Sunnis within those regions that are having a tug-of-war,” says Curry. “You have Saudi Arabia, which is a direct neighbor of Yemen, which has one faith, and then you have Iran which has a different idea.”

Anarchy is the next step, notes Curry. “We make the argument that the persecution of Christians is a lead indicator of which regions and countries are going to tip into chaos.” It’s a recipe for disaster in an already unstable region. “You have all of the necessary ingredients: you have extremism, you have a power struggle, you have lack of a strong central government, and you have a lot of money flowing in, both from Saudi Arabia [and] from Iran.”

(Photo courtesy Open Doors)

Up until now, Yemen’s Constitution declares that Islam is the state religion and Sharia Law is the source of all legislation. Muslims are forbidden to convert to another religion. Yemenis who leave Islam may face the death penalty.

Christian converts from Islam face persecution to such a degree that they need to live in secret. That’s unlikely to change. Curry says having the Shiites in control instead of the Sunnis isn’t necessarily better for Christians in the region, adding that the Houthis are extremists in their own right. “You know what it’s really about? It’s [about] what do I believe? Do you have the right for yourself, in Yemen, to think for yourself? The answer is No.”

Yemen ranks 14th on the Open Doors World Watch List, a ranking of the world’s 50 worst countries known for the persecution of Christians. Despite the hostility toward Christ and those who follow him, Curry says there is a group of Christians, deep underground. “We’re trying to support the Church wherever it would be. In Yemen, the Church is small. We want people to have the freedom to worship Jesus, to read their Bibles, to convert to Christianity if they so choose.”

(Photo courtesy Open Doors)

The days ahead for Yemen are filled with uncertainty. Curry says what we can do from here is love the Arab world for Jesus. “We need to be praying for them. We need to be trying to reach out to the Muslim world around us, in our communities, befriending people. But there are also practical things that we can do: projects and ministries that we can support, to be praying in very practical ways.”

(Photo courtesy Flickr/CC/Brian Harr)

Yemen (MNN) — The Yemeni government say Shiite Houthi rebels stormed the Presidential Palace and attacked the Prime Minister’s residence yesterday in a coup.

The rebels deny that, claiming they have not removed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi from office, although they maintained a guard over his home on Wednesday.

If they’re not seizing power, what do they want? David Curry, President and CEO of Open Doors USA, says the Houthi want equal rights. “They’ve been escalating their attacks. They seem reasonable in what they’re asking because they have been oppressed, being a minority group.”

The rebel leader went public with demands yesterday for constitutional changes that would increase Houthi influence in the management of Yemen.

Yemen is the poorest Arab country with about a tenth of the wealth belonging to neighboring Oman and Saudi Arabia. Widespread corruption, unemployment, poverty, and violence are blamed for the mismanagement. Right now, nearly half of the population lives below the poverty line.

The Houthi finally had enough. The trouble with their uprising is that it taps right into one of the oldest feuds in the world: Shia v. Sunni Islam.

Curry says, “There’s no doubt that the extremist Shiite group has gained some leverage. I think that through that, you could say that Iran, which is a part of this–they seem to be, at least tangentially, playing a supporting role to this group–has gained some leverage in it all.” Add a weak government in, and the balance of power could tilt explosively. “It seems to be playing out similar to Tunisia and Egypt where you have these weak governments that have been propped up for all the wrong reasons.” Curry goes on to add that, “Really, you have two extremist groups here that are battling for control of the country,” and Christians are caught in the middle of the whole thing.

Yemen is #14 on the 2015 Open Doors World Watch List, a ranking of the world’s 50 worst countries known for the persecution of Christians.

The Constitution of Yemen declares Islam as the State religion, and Sharia–the Islamic law–as the source of all legislation. The government forbids conversion from Islam and proselytizing of Muslims.

When a Muslim becomes a Christian, he or she often faces persecution from family and the government. That there are Muslim-Background Believers at all implies that the story of Jesus is still being shared. However, many MBB remain quiet about their faith and are very cautious about expressing it at all.

Open Doors helps partners in the region. “Are there people who want to own a Bible in Yemen? Yes. Are there people who want to read a Bible? Yes. Are there people who want to believe and follow Jesus? Yes. Do they do so under tremendous pressure in secret? Yes.”

While practical support to the church is important, strategically, helping the church grow and mature is vital. Local believers need good role-models and Christians with the capacity to disciple believers and help them follow Jesus.

Another need would be strong fellowship among local believers. The risk of being betrayed or exposed by other Yemenis is a real one and cannot be overlooked. This may hinder the growth of trust and strong fellowships.

With Yemen’s unpredictable future, please keep praying. “Pray for the Yemeni Christians, that they would have Bibles, that they would come to faith, that they would be protected. Just lift them up in prayer, and then, support projects in these regions–if you possibly can–that will help the church to grow and flourish and be a place of salt and light in this community.”