Tragically, those who often pay the price in these conflicts are ordinary people. At least 67 people have been killed in U.S. airstrikes, according to casualty numbers released by the Houthis.

Hope is already hard to find in Yemen. The past decade of civil war between the government and Houthis has created one of the worst humanitarian crises today. More than half of the people in Yemen need urgent aid; more than 80% live under the poverty line.

“The people in Yemen are noble people. Their heritage, their history, is so rich — yet they have had the misfortune of dealing with certain crisis over the years, famine and other challenges. So the level of hopelessness, again, has been on the rise,” says Mike Ansari with Heart4Iran.

(Children in Yemen courtesy of Irwan Zahuri via Pexels)

Yet God is building His Church in Yemen. 

“That deep-seated hopelessness results in your heart being more open, and that openness [it] is creating is allowing them to be able to see the light of Jesus,” says Ansari. 

“Within the Middle East, people are having dreams and visions, or somebody is telling them, ‘Look, I had this experience. I had an encounter with Jesus. My life is richer. Would you like to try it?’ That’s how we’re seeing people of Yemen, within certain communities, gravitate more towards Christianity.”

Ansari calls Yemen’s growing underground church “a promising beacon within the Arab world.” They are no strangers to persecution — believers there have reached out to ministries like Heart4Iran; they say they look up to Iran’s underground church in Iran.

Discipleship is a pressing need. In both Iran and Yemen, discipleship “takes place, first of all, through God’s grace, and second of all, through face to face, trusted communication,” says Ansari.

Then, because of lack of physical and community resources, “Many of them (persecuted believers across the world) are resorting to connecting on social media, on following satellite TV programs and/or try[ing] to download Bibles and connect with people outside of these regions that could basically mentor them.”

Find your place in the story

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

Gospel ministries in Yemen and across the Middle East, North Africa need your support in this work. That’s why Ansari invites you to prayerfully research and partner with one of them. 

“We do have a bit of legwork that we [each] need to do to validate from these ministries and organizations the ones that we feel represent our heart goal,” Ansari says. “But we do need to be more missional in America to understand that God is still on the move.”

He continues, “Jesus is on the move. We need to open up our eyes and see that He’s calling us to partner with Him and go across the world to the different regions, and baptize people in the name of Jesus. That is the Great Commission that every single one of us [was] called to take part in.

“So let us come together, explore amazing opportunities in difficult regions in [the] Middle East, partner with other organizations and spread the gospel.”

You can start by learning more about Heart4Iran here.

Header image is a representative stock photo of a boy in Yemen courtesy of Nazar Alareqe via Pexels.

In tensions like these, Lana Silk with Transform Iran says, “In terms of how we think about countries—particularly countries that we would consider enemies of our state—as Christians, we have a responsibility to see things from the filter of a ‘God lens.’ You know, God loves these people.”

“As Christians, we have a responsibility to see things from the filter of a ‘God lens.’” (Photo courtesy of Paul Skorupskas via Unsplash)

Part of using that lens is remembering these are spiritual battles, as Ephesians 6:12 says.

“Our enemy is never people, even the worst people,” Silk says. “Our enemy is a spiritual darkness — a real spiritual enemy, the devil — who is poisoning minds, deceiving minds, and is out to steal, kill, and destroy. He is using people for [his] evil agenda.

“For sure, no one’s condoning the behavior of the worst perpetrators,” she clarifies, “but as Christians, our duty is to pray. I mean, isn’t that the direct commandment to love those who persecute us and pray for our enemies? The more we are tempted to fear and hate people, those are the very people we should be driven to our knees to be praying for.”

Praying for gospel change in Iran is logical, not only spiritual. Silk says on a practical level, Iran is one of the most powerful players in the world today, with far-reaching impact across countries in the Middle East and beyond, such as Sudan and Russia among others.

“Iran is very strategic and careful in making alliances with countries who also have issues or grudges against Western powers,” Silk says. “If and when God really intervenes and changes the course of Iran, all of this is affected — and right down to the price of our eggs, it changes our everyday life.”

She says it’s essential the West sees the bigger picture of what God is doing in Iran.

(Graphic courtesy of Transform Iran)

“From the Western perspective, I’m concerned about [us] not knowing all the facts, and as a result, not engaging, lack of empathy, lack of prayer, lack of financial support in what is happening in countries like Iran,” Silk says.

As one step to stay engaged, Silk invites you to sign up for Transform Iran’s monthly email newsletter. 

“Then you can really pray informed, because you’ll get into the weeds with us. We’ll tell you what the different areas of [our] ministry are battling, what the specific needs are,” she says.

Learn more about Transform Iran’s work here.

Header photo of Tehran, Iran courtesy of Amir Housseini/Unsplash.

What’s going on outside of Iran?

“Iran is at the cross-junction of deciding whether they want to continue their relationship with the West or become closer to Russia and China,” says Mike Ansari with Heart4Iran.

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

He says Iran’s financial situation today is dire. “There are still embargoes, and we anticipate that under President Trump’s administration there will be more pressure on Iran and the Iranian government.”

Case in point: On March 14, Iranian, Russian and Chinese foreign ministers met in Beijing. They called for a lifting of U.S. sanctions on Iran for its disputed nuclear program, and for diplomatic dialogue to resume over the issue. 

A week later, the U.S. imposed a new round of sanctions, this time including a Chinese refinery purchasing Iranian crude oil. 

“The Supreme Leader  has basically state[d] his position that he does not envision Iran getting closer to America,” Ansari says. “[Yet] there are people in his government that are pushing for a closer relationship with China, because that would release a lot of financial pressure on Iran and Iranian people.”

However, Ansari notes, others know that aligning with China may not be to the best interests of Iranian people long-term. 

What’s going on inside Iran?

In the midst of these geopolitical rumblings, the people of Iran long for freedom and stability but are getting neither.

(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)

“The challenge that potentially may take place is the discontent within the Iranian communities and society may reach a [climax] again, which may lead to some kind of uprising among its citizens,” Ansari says.

“[The] Iranian government is going to deal with an iron fist if that happens, because that’s exactly what they did during the last uprising. Countless number[s] of people were executed. There was no accountability [from the international community].”

But whenever a community is in crisis and faced with hopelessness, Ansari says, there is an innate desire in people to seek hope. Iranians are finding it in the gospel. Yet in a closed country like Iran it’s hard to know how much the church is growing. 

“[Heart4Iran call center members] are still getting phone calls from inside Iran, people who are responding to the gospel, and many of them are praying and asking to receive Jesus,” Ansari says. 

“We feel that the gospel is still spreading inside Iran, but [we’re] not hearing much about it, because people are genuinely afraid of retaliations from the government.”

Find your place in the story

It’s easy to consider Iran in a negative light especially after the past year plus of wars in the Middle East. But Ansari urges us not to accept the rhetoric that mainstream media gives. Instead, pray full of compassion and hope for what God can do in Iran.

(Photo courtesy of Denis Oliveira/Heart4Iran)

“The reality of the matter is that Jesus left ninety-nine to attend to one. People of Iran are very noble. They are coming to Christ. They are fed up. They’re highly persecuted, and it is important for us to know that they’re not a lost cause,” says Ansari. “It is spiritual warfare at the end of the day.”

Finally, please pray for the maturity and strength of Christians in Iran under persecution.

“A lot of Iranians that decide to convert from Islam to Christianity are realizing that it is hopeless to stay in Iran and continue to be persecuted. Many of them are choosing to leave Iran, but that is creating a crisis where the church, as fast as this is growing in Iran, is dealing with a lack of depth,” Ansari says. 

“Should there be any kind of a change in the governments or in the fabrics of [the] Iranian political system, the church does need solid believers to stand on his feet if he wants to survive.” 

Header image courtesy from a user named Pavellllllll on Pixabay. 

According to a February article from The Christian Post, 12 of India’s 28 states have anti-conversion laws in place. This is an ongoing battle in 2025. While one Indian state was able to move toward scrapping its anti-conversion law (Karnataka, 2023), another state has moved to strengthen it (Rajasthan, 2025).

(Photo courtesy of Parij Borgohain/Pixabay)

“This (an anti-conversion law) has been, of course, the way that the pro-Hindu forces have been able to stay within the Constitution of India, which guarantees freedom of religion. [They will] say it’s fine if you are whatever religion you are, but you can’t convert from one to another,” John Pudaite with Bibles For the World explains.

Minority Christians especially feel the brunt, Pudaite says. The language of anti-conversion laws is open to broad interpretation. Under them, worship services or even stating what you believe about eternal reward (or another point of doctrine) can be restricted. The challenges will only continue as more and more people in India come to accept Christ. 

Hinduism, on the other hand, has political support. Millions in India are currently celebrating a multi-week Hindu festival called Kumbh Mela. “It has been attended by all the politicians and celebrities and everything,” Pudaite says. “It is really quite an event.”

Contrast that with sobering statistics about 2024, where “somewhere nearing 800 incidences of violence, attacks on churches, arrests on false conversion charges, tax on pastors and their families and on congregations [were done] — now averaging more than two events per day in the country,” says Pudaite. 

Ask God to work justice in the legal system in India. Please pray that India’s religious freedom concerns will not be sidelined for political advantages. Pray believers will endure these persecutions, and pray that people who don’t know Christ yet will have their eyes opened to see Him.

Header image: President Donald Trump hosts a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, Thursday, February 13, 2025, in the Oval Office.(Official Photo by Molly Riley – Photo courtesy of The White House – Public Domain)

The death toll stands at 224 men, women and children. On Sunday night, at least 1,400 people were living in shelters across affected states. As of Tuesday, more than 5,200 households were still without power in North Carolina. Others such as residents of Asheville, North Carolina are under boil advisories or have no running water at all.

Photo of Asheville, North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, October 2024 (Photo courtesy of NCDOTcommunications – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ncdot/54057568976/, CC BY 2.0)

The exhaustion and discouragement of trying to put homes and lives back together have led to a growing call for hope — met and answered by ministries sending God’s Word.

John Pudaite with Bibles For The World says they are excited to be partnering with international organizations active in relief, recovery and rebuilding work among hurricane survivors.

“They had just reached out to us and said, ‘We need some scriptures that would go along with the relief efforts that we are doing,’” Pudaite says.

Samaritan’s Purse and Water Mission are two of these partner organizations. Bibles For The World has sent one of their own team members to serve in the rebuilding efforts along with the Scripture distribution in North Carolina. 

“It is a small drop in the bucket, but there are so many needs. You mentioned the physical needs, or the needs for electricity, for water, for food, for shelter, but at the same time, we want to be there providing God’s Word,” Pudaite says. 

“His Word is the only thing that really can provide the recovery, the relief, the comfort, and the hope — eternal hope — that these people need, after many of them have lost everything that they have.”

The need is active, and this is a gospel opportunity. You can get involved in it through prayer and through giving to send more Bibles.

(Graphic courtesy of Bibles For The World)

“Continue to pray for those relief teams that are out there working,” Pudaite says.

“Be praying that God can speak through this tragedy and transform lives, even as they start to rebuild their lives. If we can provide God’s Word to give them fresh hope and comfort and strength during this time of loss, we’re doing everything we can to do that.”

To make a gift for more Bibles for hurricane survivors, designate “hurricane Bibles” in the Gift Detail Note box on Bibles For The World’s donation page here.

Header photo of military personnel in Asheville, North Carolina after Helene courtesy of Bill McMannis via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

The summit addressed critical topics such as disease control, technology, and security. However, religious freedom appears absent from Prime Minister Modi and President Biden’s conversations. Press releases on U.S.-India dialogue over clean energy and partnership make no mention of it, and according to a related report from Reuters, one U.S. official declined to say whether the two leaders discussed human rights issues.

President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi pose for a family photo at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Delaware, Saturday, September 21, 2024, before their quadrilateral meeting. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz via Wikimedia Commons)

Although the summit was primarily aimed only at building relationships, religious freedom remains a critical but sensitive topic. For years, entities like USCIRF have voiced concerns over realities in India such as the anti-conversion laws in 12 of India’s 28 states. However, the U.S. Department of State has not included India on its Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) list.

“As far as a national anti-conversion law, [I] haven’t heard too much lately,” says John Pudaite with Bibles for the World. “But you know that it’s on [the BJP’s] agenda, that they’re going to try to slip this in as soon as they can when they feel the time is right.”

Modi has been India’s prime minister since 2014 and is credited with strengthening Hindu nationalism within India. India’s 2024 general election confirmed Modi’s for his third five-year term. However, his party, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), does not hold the same majority it once enjoyed. 

“It’s been interesting as we see the BJP grow stronger in some states and weaker in others,” Pudaite says. “We’ve actually seen one state, Karnataka, repeal its anti-conversion law in the last year. We see that as a big win for the body of Christ and for the country of India as a whole, to ensure freedom of religion, which is their constitutional right.”

India is number 11 on the World Watch List. This tool from Open Doors evaluates where it is most difficult to follow Christ in the world today. Read more here about what many Christians in India face.

Join in praying for India’s leaders, and ask God to use Bibles For The World as the hands and feet of Christ in India.

“Pray that the Holy Spirit can break through this and bring truth, shed truth, into their hearts and minds, on [the] leadership over the people of India,” Pudaite says.

Header photo: President Joe Biden meets with Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, Saturday, September 21, 2024, at his home in Wilmington, Delaware. (Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz via Wikimedia Commons)

The attack left two students and two teachers dead. Nine others at the school were wounded. It’s the 45th school shooting this year in the U.S., according to a CNN analysis. It’s a sobering reality for families in the back-to-school season.

“You can’t say, ‘Okay, I won’t be afraid anymore for my kids.’ That’s not real,” says Ron Hutchcraft with Hutchcraft Ministries. “But we can deny [fear] the driver’s seat. It doesn’t have to be the source of our decisions that we make with our children, of our attitude, of our conversations.”

Hutchcraft says children today face cruelty from fellow students, lies that are taught in the classroom as truth, and pervasive cultural pressures from media. It’s tempting for parents to respond by trying to control everything for their children, but that’s exactly what we shouldn’t do.

Children today face pervasive cultural pressures from media. (Photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash)

“If I’m afraid as a parent, then I will probably react by pushing harder on my child because I’m afraid. So I’ve got to keep preaching to them and trying to protect them — and in so doing, I’m probably pushing them away,” Hutchcraft says. “I’m going to overreact to things. I’m going to sow fear in my child. There’s no wonder that God says ‘fear not.’”

He points to 2 Timothy 1:7 as a special encouragement for parents and grandparents.

“It says God has not given us the spirit of fear, but he’s given us power, love, and a sound mind. I think that’s the ability to think straight,” Hutchcraft explains. “Fear distorts reality. It makes the problems and dangers bigger and shrinks our faith.” 

Instead, parents can help their kids look to Jesus as they deal with challenges at school. It could be as tangible as praying together in a living room chair.

(Photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Laura Ohlman/Unsplash)

“If we can establish in our home a sense of the realness, the closeness of Jesus that they can take with them when they walk out that door, it makes them make different choices, and it’s a tremendous antidote to fear,” Hutchcraft says. 

Ask for God’s mercy for the families touched in the Apalachee High School shooting. Pray that God gives Christian parents courage and trust in Him to stand against fear.

5 key scriptures for courageous faith

If you’re a parent looking for a practical next step, Hutchcraft shares five Scriptures to walk through with your child.  

1. You are the light of the world. Matthew 5:14–16
2. Cast all your care on God. 1 Peter 5:7
3. Take your stand. Ephesians 6:10
4. Guard your heart. Proverbs 4:23
5. You are God’s masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10

“If they can go armed with those five truths, those are five powerful fear-fighters and [make-a-difference] battle cries,” Hutchcraft says. 

Header photo is a representative stock photo courtesy of Taylor Flowe/Unsplash

According to the American Bible Society, Scripture engagement in the U. S. dropped ten percent in the last four years. It’s a trend that Christian families especially need to watch out for.

(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries)

“How many times have we said, ‘I don’t have time’? And yet, we make time for taking our kids to soccer practice, to have a cup of coffee, watching TV. There are so many things that we can be distracted by,” says Greg Yoder with Keys for Kids Ministries. “The question that I have for everyone is, ‘What’s most important?’”

Christian parents have a precious calling to teach their kids to know God. Time in God’s Word together is essential, and it’s an invitation to deep goodness! Just look at Psalm 19:7-11 which describes God’s law as “perfect,” “giving light,” “giving joy,” “sweeter than honey,” and more.

Yet, “Biblical illiteracy is high in the United States, even though there are many Christian families,” Yoder says.

“When someone says to me, ‘I don’t have time,’ my response back is, ‘How can you afford not to make time?’ Because our kids need Jesus.”

Keys for Kids offers many ways for families to engage with the Bible together. A quarterly print devotional, daily podcasts, and livestream digital radio shows for children to enjoy are just a few of the resources they provide.

(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries)

“You have something every day already prepared. All you gotta do is either read it or listen to it, bring it up on the app, and then just guide the conversation,” Yoder says to parents.

“What we find is that as kids spend time reading the devotionals with their families and then trying to select what is the key thought of the day… Those are the moments that become very precious, and then kids begin asking for it.”

Whether your family devotions are thriving or if they are nonexistent, take the next step today. 

“You might not have all the answers, and that’s okay,” says Yoder. “You can look them up together and dive into God’s Word.”

Connect with Keys for Kids resources here and help your family or the children in your life know God’s Word better today than they did yesterday. 

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Ben White/Unsplash.

Allen Decker with MegaVoice says, “Friends of ours at Torch Trust in the UK, they’ve done a lot of significant studies that show whether you know it or not most congregations have about 10 to 20% of somebody that has some form of visual impairment.” 

To help bring God’s Word to everyone, MegaVoice creates handheld audio players loaded with many kinds of Bible resources. 

Image courtesy of MegaVoice.

“We make it simple on purpose so that that it can be used by everyone. With the tactile keypads on our devices, [a person] can, with either low vision or no vision at all, be able to feel the buttons and navigate through their Bible and Bible teachings,” Decker says.

These audio players are meeting a critical need in the U.S. and around the world. 

“A lot of people have this misunderstanding that people have access to those books in other formats like Braille. Unfortunately, with a lot of the groups that we work with, a major demographic is 65 years and older,” Decker says. “They’ve lost their sight later in life, due to medical conditions, and never had the opportunity to learn Braille, or some of the other formats that, that are available.” 

Awareness is the first step. Now that you know, what can you do to better know and serve brothers and sisters in your church? (Read what one woman, Maureen, shares about this.)

If you’re looking for more resources to grow, Decker points to ministries such as Joni and Friends and Torch Trust. 

“[Joni and Friends has] a focus of helping churches understand and welcome people with various disabilities. [Torch Trust has] a ministry designed to work with churches more closely, and understanding various disabilities and the resources that are available,” says Decker. 

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

Denise Godwin with International Media Ministries (IMM) tells us, “(Children are) being bombarded by mixed messages about who they are, what the world is made of, even what is good and what is evil.”

IMM uses media to bring the hope of Christ to Europe, Eurasia, Africa, and the Middle East. They recently surveyed media organizations and churches in those regions, asking what needs they had.

The answer they kept hearing was “discipleship for children.”

Representative photo courtesy of Erika Girard/Unsplash

Godwin says there is a greater need than people in the U.S. may realize for “pieces that either can be incorporated into other shows, or programs for children in-person or in a refugee camp, and give them values and Bible verses and things to build their character.”

IMM has begun a 3D animation project on a three-year creation timeline. 

“In the meantime, we realized we have an opportunity in-house to do some smaller pieces in 2D, and start giving extra tools to meet the needs of children in the Middle East, North Africa, and, interestingly, Europe, where the values are really changing,” Godwin says. Those projects should be completed by the end of 2024. 

“They’re always going to have that in their heart, that Bible verse they memorized when they were six. They’re going to have a crisis when they’re 26, and it’s going to come back. So we are building the church of tomorrow. We are building faith in the future,” Godwin says. 

“It may be 20 years, it may be 25 years. You may not realize how much that pays off. But it’s essential to do that, for the future of the church for the future of faith.”

IMM needs your support in prayer as they prepare to impact the next generation for Jesus, which the enemy does not want to happen. Pray for the 3D project as the team develops the storyline, imagery, and technical skills needed for the process.

“It’s an important time to pray over the younger children, over the media that’s going into their lives, over their education, and different contexts,” Godwin says.

“We need to pray for wisdom for the parents as well, because they’re also bombarded. I think we’re in a pretty intense time in history right now.”

Header photo courtesy of Alexander Dummer/Unsplash.