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  4. <title>Mission Network News Headlines</title>
  5. <link>http://www.mnnonline.org/news/?input_4=Worldwide&#038;input_6=09/15/2025&#038;input_5=Specific+Date</link>
  6. <language>en</language>
  7. <description>News Worth Listening To</description>
  8. <item>
  9. <title>Conditions worsen for Rohingya in India</title>
  10. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/conditions-worsen-for-rohingya-in-india/</link>
  11. <description>
  12. <![CDATA[
  13. India (MNN) — Refugees or illegal immigrants? India’s Supreme Court <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.scobserver.in/cases/mohammad-salimullah-v-union-of-india-rohingya-deportation-case-background/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">will soon rule</a></strong></span> on which category the Rohingya of Myanmar fall into.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  14.  
  15. An estimated 40,000 Rohingya live in India. They fled Myanmar’s civil war, but face persecution in India too.
  16.  
  17. Philip is a pastor who used to serve with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a3/">A3</a></strong></span>. He says the suffering of the Rohingya in India is “even worse than in Myanmar.”
  18.  
  19. <strong>The trouble for Rohingyas in India started in 2017.</strong> That's when militants with the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army in Myanmar killed more than 100 Hindus in Arakan State.
  20.  
  21. "Immediately <b>after the killing, [the] Indian government treated the Rohingya refugees as illegal migrants," Philip said. </b> "Since then, the Rohingyas faced certain difficulties, such as [a] lack of legal recognition, poor living conditions, inadequate healthcare, and so on."
  22.  
  23. <div id="attachment_216947" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216947" class="size-medium wp-image-216947" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-khoshnejad-33628609-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216947" class="wp-caption-text">Portrait of a Rohingya woman in Teknaf Camp (Photo courtesy of Mehdi Khoshnejad via Pexels)</p></div>
  24.  
  25. Indian landlords and shopkeepers have faced pressure not to rent or sell to Rohingya. Companies are forbidden to hire them.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  26.  
  27. "Under the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-immigration-and-foreigners-bill-2025">Immigration Act</a></strong></span>, the CID (Criminal Investigation Department) and police can arrest anyone at any time and send them to jail or detention centers. <b>Even UNHCR cannot do anything to save them,” Pastor Philip said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  28.  
  29. “Since they are not allowed to rent houses or apartments, many Rohingyas sleep at railway stations and roadsides at night, and search [for] their daily food in the daytime.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  30.  
  31. <strong>The <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/india-mourns-kashmir-casualties/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">terrorist attack</a></span> in India-administered Kashmir this April made things even worse.</strong> Pastor Philip says Indian authorities <b>suspected Rohingya Muslims of being involved with Pakistani terrorists. </b>Since then, reports of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/28/india-scores-of-rohingya-refugees-expelled" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arbitrary detentions and deportations of Rohingya</a></strong></span> have surged.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  32.  
  33. For example, 40 Rohingya in India were <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4g0p0522zeo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">allegedly rounded up</a></strong></span> in May and flown to the Andaman and Nicobar islands off the coast of Myanmar. They were then forced off an Indian naval ship to swim to the mainland.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  34.  
  35. “Out of 40, 15 of them were Christians. This is how they are suffering now," says Pastor Philip.
  36.  
  37. International <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/06/india-stop-unlawful-deportations-and-protect-rohingya-refugees/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outcry</a></strong></span> on behalf of the Rohingya has been present for years and is growing. <strong>Please ask God not only for justice on their behalf but also for their salvation.</strong> Pastor Philip says only around 350-400 Rohingya Christians live in India.
  38.  
  39. But the fact that there are any Christians among the Rohingya is an answer to prayer. Years ago in Myanmar, A3 (formerly Asian Access) was involved in training leaders among the Rohingya and other peoples.
  40.  
  41. <div id="attachment_215897" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215897" class="size-medium wp-image-215897" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Displaced_Rohingya_people_in_Rakhine_State_8280610831_cropped-300x214.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="214" /><p id="caption-attachment-215897" class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of English: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  42.  
  43. <b>"It would not be wrong if we say the Rohingya Christians of Myanmar were the [result] of Asian Access Myanmar. </b>The Rohingya believers increased rapidly [from] the year 2008 to 2012," said Pastor Philip.
  44.  
  45. But then, the civil war dispersed the Rohingya church, and the work in Myanmar ended. Today, Rohingya live all over Southeast Asia.
  46.  
  47. <strong>"P</strong><b>ray for all the Rohingya in India, including Christians who are suffering from severe persecution and expulsion from the government and the neighbouring Hindus.</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Let's pray for them that they may get their daily food, shelter and other help needs," Pastor Philip said.
  48.  
  49. "Pray for the Rohingya Christians in New Delhi. In number, they are 34 families. They want to move to Bangalore to escape from persecution. <b>Let's pray that they may get the needed money [to] move to Bangalore to </b>escape all the persecution and<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>expulsions."
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  51. <span class="Apple-converted-space">    </span>
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  55. <em>Header photo: Noor is a Rohingya refugee in Bangladesh. (Photo by DFID - UK Department for International Development - via Flickr and Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.)</em>]]>
  56. </description>
  57. <pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 05:00:11 -0400</pubDate>
  58. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/conditions-worsen-for-rohingya-in-india/</guid>
  59. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1617px-Noor_30_lost_one_of_her_daughters_when_they_fled_their_village_in_Myanmar-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  60. </item>
  61. <item>
  62. <title>How Indonesians discover the Prince of Peace amid protests</title>
  63. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-indonesians-discover-the-prince-of-peace-amid-protests/</link>
  64. <description>
  65. <![CDATA[
  66. Indonesia (MNN) — All eyes in Southeast Asia and beyond are on Indonesia as a new wave of <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/violence-sweeps-across-indonesia-amid-protests-over-worsening-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>protests</strong> </a>sweeps the country.
  67.  
  68. Indonesia is a vast nation of striking contrasts. Some regions face significant persecution of believers, and reports have emerged of extremists — like ISIS — setting up camps and training there. Yet <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-biblical-mindset-that-helps-indonesian-believers-overcome-opposition/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>ministries</strong> </a>based in the country continue to see openness and success in sharing the Gospel, even amid the <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/violent-anti-government-protests-erupt-across-indonesian-islands/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>protests</strong></a>.
  69.  
  70. John Pudaite from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bibles For The World</strong></a> says, “These protests are being led by students primarily across the country, who feel that this current government is becoming rather repressive and also quite corrupt, and is passing laws and bills that are benefiting them.”
  71.  
  72. <div id="attachment_216965" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216965" class="size-medium wp-image-216965" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/putri-nabila-V3NC4xG_CA0-unsplash-300x300.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216965" class="wp-caption-text">Map of Indonesia (photo courtesy of Putri Nabila via Unsplash)</p></div>
  73.  
  74. The main demands include <strong>economic reforms to help the middle class</strong> have financial stability, <strong>more job opportunities</strong> with fair salaries for young professionals and graduates, and <strong>freedom for opposition</strong> voices.
  75.  
  76. The protests also reveal the nation’s deeper need for hope.
  77. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“You could just feel such a poverty for Scripture there in that country, that they haven't had access to it, and they really want to know what's written in God's Word,”</strong> explains Pudaite.</p>
  78. Christians responded to this need by going out to share the Good News with protestors.
  79.  
  80. “The most recent wave of protests and violence we had a wonderful window to provide 80,000 Gospels of John and 15,000 New Testaments for the new believers,” he says.
  81.  
  82. The Gospel is so refreshing that people often stop in their tracks!
  83.  
  84. “So often we saw them just kind of step off to the side, side and start reading God's word immediately,” he shares.
  85.  
  86. Pray for lasting peace and economic breakthrough across the country. Pray also for the Gospel to fill the deep void of hope.
  87. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We continue to pray into this situation, that the Prince of Peace may prevail, that these — especially the violent protests — may subside, and that the people will, in the process, come to know that Jesus Christ is truly the only way to everlasting peace and hope,” says Pudaite.</strong></p>
  88. Visit <a href="https://www.biblesfortheworld.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Bibles For The World</strong></a> to see how Scripture transforms lives!
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  98. <em>Header photo: 2025 Indonesian student protests in Central Jakarta (photo courtesy of David Wadie Fisher-Freberg via Wikimedia Commons).</em>]]>
  99. </description>
  100. <pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate>
  101. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-indonesians-discover-the-prince-of-peace-amid-protests/</guid>
  102. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/IndonesiaGelap_protests_1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  103. </item>
  104. <item>
  105. <title>Transform Iran launches secure VPN to protect online privacy for Iranian believers</title>
  106. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/transform-iran-launches-secure-vpn-to-protect-online-privacy-for-iranian-believers/</link>
  107. <description>
  108. <![CDATA[
  109. Iran (MNN) — In Iran, people are expected to publicly show loyalty to Islam. Yet, even <em>private</em> Internet searches are not safe. But now, help is at hand!
  110.  
  111. The Internet is a great tool to learn more about the situation in the world, deepen one’s knowledge of a certain topic, or find an answer to a burning question. But under Iranian laws, some innocent searches can land a person in jail.
  112.  
  113. Lana Silk of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transform Iran</strong></a> says,
  114. <blockquote>
  115. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“People are monitored and they're brought in if their online activities are considered to be in violation of these requirements, these laws of the country. And there are all sorts of punishments, from questioning them, interrogating them, to imprisoning them, torturing them, taking away livelihoods.”</strong></p>
  116. </blockquote>
  117. Despite the risks, Iranians search for news, popular movies and songs, and truth beyond Islam. They often turn to local VPNs — tools meant to hide their identity online. However, these are often unsafe.
  118.  
  119. “The problem is that VPNs in Iran are notoriously unreliable,” explains Silk. “They can be very expensive, and they can introduce malware.”
  120.  
  121. <div id="attachment_182289" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-182289" class="size-medium wp-image-182289" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/photo-of-woman-using-mobile-phone-3367850-300x231.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="231" /><p id="caption-attachment-182289" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy mikoto.raw via Pexels)</p></div>
  122.  
  123. Moreover, <strong>many local VPNs are run by the government to leak personal data</strong>. Whether it is a question about the divinity of Jesus or a desire to check the news from government-disapproved websites, a quick search may lead to years of trouble.
  124.  
  125. <strong>Transform Iran responded by offering a free VPN!</strong>
  126.  
  127. “It is high speed, it's reliable, it's secure, but also our users can be confident to know that their data truly is secure and won't be sold out to the government,” says Silk.
  128.  
  129. Most importantly, the Iranian church benefits from it!
  130.  
  131. “Now our church network, and all churches, all Christians in Iran, can use a VPN that they really can bank on as being safe for them to communicate with their other churches and with pastors and mentors from outside the country,” she adds.
  132.  
  133. But what about advertising? The free version carries ads, which the ministry uses to introduce people to Christian content, apologetics, and more.
  134.  
  135. Visit <a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transform Iran</strong></a> to learn of the practical ways you can support the Iranian church.
  136. <blockquote>
  137. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Let's pray that as far as the technology goes, it's protected from interference from the governmen,” urges Silk.</strong></p>
  138. </blockquote>
  139. Pray also that news of this opportunity spreads from person to person, reaching more believers as well as seekers who might learn about Jesus by following the ad link.
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  148.  
  149. <em>Header photo courtesy of Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels.</em>]]>
  150. </description>
  151. <pubDate>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 05:00:24 -0400</pubDate>
  152. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/transform-iran-launches-secure-vpn-to-protect-online-privacy-for-iranian-believers/</guid>
  153. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-olly-775091-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  154. </item>
  155. <item>
  156. <title>The death of Charlie Kirk, and what it means to be a young Christian in the marketplace of ideas</title>
  157. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-death-of-charlie-kirk-and-what-it-means-to-be-a-young-christian-in-the-marketplace-of-ideas/</link>
  158. <description>
  159. <![CDATA[
  160. USA (MNN) — Charlie Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Wednesday while speaking at a public event on Utah Valley University's campus.
  161.  
  162. He was holding not a gun, not a knife, but a microphone.
  163. <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Kirk was a prominent political figure in America who consistently emphasized his faith in Christ and the biblical values that shaped his worldview and debates.</p>
  164. <strong>Greg Yoder, Executive Director of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Keys for Kids Ministries</span></a>, reflects on Kirk's impact: "He had the uncanny ability, kind of like the Apostle Paul, of taking Scripture and proving Scripture to be absolutely true, but then infusing it into everyday culture and helping young people understand it. I think this is why he was targeted.</strong>
  165. <blockquote>
  166. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"He was actually convincing many of these young people that the ways of Jesus are the right ways of life."</strong></p>
  167. </blockquote>
  168. <div id="attachment_216932" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216932" class="size-medium wp-image-216932" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/56b7a46e-61cd-438b-bf89-092a5371c247_1600x1200-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-216932" class="wp-caption-text">College students met around the country to pray for Charlie’s family and our nation. (GVSU - Photo: Joe Moss)</p></div>
  169. <p dir="ltr" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">Kirk was known for practicing civil discourse and championing free speech on college campuses. His conservative convictions centered on faith, family, the sanctity of marriage, pro-life values, patriotism, justice, and individual freedom.</p>
  170. <p dir="ltr" data-pm-slice="1 1 []">He willingly engaged with both supporters and critics, inviting students who disagreed with him to come talk at his table first.</p>
  171. <p dir="ltr" data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong>Yet, even amidst differences of opinion, Kirk pointed young people to the Gospel. In an X post on September 6, just days before his assassination, Kirk wrote, <em>“Jesus defeated death so you can live.”</em></strong></p>
  172. Yoder says, "What I'm always amazed at is how he was depicted as some kind of monster and a hateful person, bigoted, etc. Clearly, they never watched any of his interactions with college students because he loved them. I mean, even those that criticized him and called him horrible names. He just smiled and said, 'Well, you know, you have the right to say that. I love you. Jesus died for you.'"
  173. <p dir="ltr" data-pm-slice="1 1 []"><strong>American Christians are largely unfamiliar with physical persecution. Kirk’s assassination serves as a stark reminder that anyone who is a loud voice for biblical values may become a target for physical violence.</strong></p>
  174. <strong>Yoder points to the truth of <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%206:12&amp;version=KJV" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ephesians 6:12</span></a>: Our wrestle is not against flesh and blood.</strong>
  175.  
  176. "This is a time to mourn — not just for Charlie Kirk, but our culture, which is dying without Jesus," Yoder says. "If the culture can lie and be convincing enough to tell someone they don't know what gender they are, or that what's evil is good and what's good is evil, we know that this is the spiritual battle that Scripture is so clear about talking about."
  177.  
  178. According to <a href="https://www.barna.com/research/young-adults-lead-resurgence-in-church-attendance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Barna Research</span></strong></a>, Generation Z is experiencing a spiritual revival. American churches are seeing young people coming back in droves, seeking out spiritual truth and answers to life's questions.
  179. <blockquote>
  180. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>At this pivotal cultural moment, young believers are asking, "How am I going to use my voice for truth for Christ?"</strong></p>
  181. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>It looks like picking up the microphone and engaging in hard spiritual conversations — as Yoder puts it, "sharing your faith boldly and lovingly in this marketplace of ideas."</strong></p>
  182. </blockquote>
  183. <div id="attachment_216934" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216934" class="wp-image-216934 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Charlie_Kirk_54670961811_cropped-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216934" class="wp-caption-text">Charlie Kirk (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  184.  
  185. He asks, "Now the question is, who's next? Who will join Charlie in declaring the liberating power of the Gospel, and using that to help form a political guide? We as Christians still live in this world. Are we to be influencers in the world? I think we are."
  186.  
  187. If you want more biblical resources to encourage young people, check out the <a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/devotional/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Keys for Kids devotionals</span></strong></a> and <a href="https://unlocked.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Unlocked devotions for teens.</span></strong></a>
  188.  
  189. Yoder also urges, "Obviously, we need to be praying for Charlie's family, his wife Erika, his two kids, his friends, his close family, and those shaken by the event. There were so many young people there that saw this, and they're not going to ever forget it.
  190.  
  191. <strong>"We need to be praying for ourselves, praying for our churches, and praying for those that are going to be responding in light of all of this that's happened — and being reminded of the fact that God is still on the throne."</strong>
  192.  
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  198.  
  199. Header photo: Charlie Kirk speaking with attendees at the 2022 AmericaFest at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Caption, photo courtesy Gage Skidmore/Flickr: https://tinyurl.com/4z9jey33)]]>
  200. </description>
  201. <pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 05:00:39 -0400</pubDate>
  202. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-death-of-charlie-kirk-and-what-it-means-to-be-a-young-christian-in-the-marketplace-of-ideas/</guid>
  203. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/52588159491_6b6379f28e_o-e1757652280496-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
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  206. <title>Israeli strike on Hamas heats up Middle East, but gospel openness remains</title>
  207. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israeli-strike-on-hamas-heats-up-middle-east-but-gospel-openness-remains/</link>
  208. <description>
  209. <![CDATA[
  210. Middle East (MNN) — International <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/10/analysis-will-attack-in-qatar-lead-to-international-isolation-of-israel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backlash</a></strong></span> continues after an Israeli strike killed five Hamas leaders and one security guard in Qatar on Tuesday.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  211.  
  212. The airstrike came one day after <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-866707" target="_blank" rel="noopener">terrorists</a></strong></span> killed six people and wounded more than 20 in Jerusalem. Hamas <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-866895" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a></strong></span> responsibility for that attack.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  213.  
  214. “This has shown the world that Israel is not messing around. They want to get Hamas out of Gaza,” says Tom Doyle with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries</a></strong></span>. “But then, on the other hand, you look at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/qatar-israel-attack-hamas-un-gaza-hostages-16a8e9c4a9757eadeec9ef520c0a1e30" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israeli hostages</a></strong></span> that are still trapped. What's going to happen to them? Will there be a retaliation?”
  215.  
  216. <div id="attachment_212901" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-212901" class="size-medium wp-image-212901" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/man-7456080_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-212901" class="wp-caption-text">Palestinian man. Image courtesy of hosnysalah via Pixabay.</p></div>
  217.  
  218. <b>The situation is incredibly complex.</b> But Doyle shares that Palestinian Christians have strong opinions about Hamas.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  219.  
  220. “As [the strikes] happened, we were getting texts from former Muslims in Gaza that were thrilled that, as they said, ‘The people who have made our lives miserable in Gaza — Hamas — are slowly going. So many of the leaders are gone now.’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  221.  
  222. Behind the headlines, Doyle says, believers in both Gaza and Israel are seeing greater openness to the gospel.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  223.  
  224. “In the midst of the war, there are Muslim background believers with joy on their face," says Doyle. "They’ve had times where they were struggling to get food without getting shot at or robbed, yet now they have the fruit of the Spirit on their face.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  225.  
  226. <strong>Their joy is leading fellow Palestinians to ask them why, leading to a chance to share about Christ.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  227.  
  228. In Israel, Doyle says that one man who survived the Holocaust recently passed away. He had resisted the gospel for decades, believing that Nazis were Christians. But another Christian prayed for him for more than 20 years. At age 98, the man received Jesus as his Savior.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  229.  
  230. “He became someone [who] just started sharing with his Jewish friends about Jesus,” Doyle said. “He would say this: ‘I don't have a lot of time left in life, so I may not get to ever talk with you again. So please listen to what I say.’”
  231.  
  232. <div id="attachment_190885" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-190885" class="size-medium wp-image-190885" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/IMG_4029-300x239.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="239" /><p id="caption-attachment-190885" class="wp-caption-text">A Palestinian believer and Jewish believer pray together at the Gaza fence.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Uncharted Ministries)</p></div>
  233.  
  234. <strong>This man passed away recently. At the funeral, his son accepted Christ. </strong>
  235. <h2><b>Find your place in the story</b></h2>
  236. Pray for people to come to know Christ all across the Middle East.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  237.  
  238. “[Lasting peace] won't happen through government or the UN or any one country. Only Jesus can bring peace in their hearts, to where people won't hate each other and the war won't just keep going on and on and on,” Doyle says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  239.  
  240. <b>“What we're praying right now is for peace and for a great awakening in the Middle East, where millions are turning to Jesus as Savior.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  241.  
  242. &nbsp;
  243.  
  244. &nbsp;
  245.  
  246. <em>Header photo courtesy of Kyle Glenn via Unsplash. </em>]]>
  247. </description>
  248. <pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate>
  249. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israeli-strike-on-hamas-heats-up-middle-east-but-gospel-openness-remains/</guid>
  250. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/kyle-glenn-nXt5HtLmlgE-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  251. </item>
  252. <item>
  253. <title>WMP update from Nigeria: a heartwarming story</title>
  254. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wmp-update-from-nigeria-a-heartwarming-story/</link>
  255. <description>
  256. <![CDATA[
  257. Nigeria (MNN) -- When’s the last time God’s Word changed your life? Charles, a man from southern Nigeria, was never the same after reading a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Missionary Press</a></strong></span> Scripture booklet.
  258.  
  259. “He had that one booklet, and that is what he held onto, our booklet <em>Help From Above</em>,” WMP’s Helen Williams says. “It's always just God speaking to one heart through the booklets.”
  260.  
  261. Williams first became acquainted with Charles through email earlier this summer. “He said, 'I grew up in a village in Kogi State, Nigeria, in the early 1970s,’” she recalls.
  262.  
  263. “‘I'm presently in the United States, and there are two things on my mind: number one, I want to visit your office before I leave this world. And number two, I will be glad if you can send me a copy of your booklet, <em>Help From Above</em>.’”
  264.  
  265. In recent weeks, Charles met Williams and dozens of her coworkers during a tour of the Indiana-based WMP plant. “He sat here in my office and said over and over, ‘I'm here to thank you,’” Williams says.
  266. <blockquote>
  267. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“‘I have wanted all these years to come and thank you. Everybody in our village got your booklet, and it changed my life.'”</strong></p>
  268. </blockquote>
  269. <div id="attachment_216926" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Hausa-Help-From-Above.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216926" class="size-medium wp-image-216926" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Hausa-Help-From-Above-300x190.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="190" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216926" class="wp-caption-text">Cover art of <em>Help From Above</em> in Hausa, one of Nigeria’s top spoken languages.<br />(Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press)</p></div>
  270.  
  271. Even though southern Nigeria is overwhelmingly Christian, biblical resources are few and far between, making WMP Scripture booklets extremely valuable.
  272.  
  273. “One (Scripture) booklet can reach a whole village,” Williams says. “One person will get a booklet, and they'll go back to their village, pass it around, or they'll get two or three and share them. Everybody gets to read them.”
  274.  
  275. World Missionary Press produces 10 million Scripture booklets each month, sending material to partners in over 200 countries. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about WMP’s mission here.</a></strong></span>
  276.  
  277. “We provide it free of charge, and so not only can the pastors and missionaries do more, but the individual who gets it,” Williams says. “To have the booklet in their hand to read over and over and for the Spirit, then, to do the work – that's why there's such a demand.”
  278.  
  279. Help WMP put life-changing resources in the hands of people like Charles <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">by donating here.</a></strong></span>
  280.  
  281. &nbsp;
  282.  
  283. &nbsp;
  284.  
  285. &nbsp;
  286.  
  287. <em>Header and story images courtesy of World Missionary Press. </em>]]>
  288. </description>
  289. <pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 05:00:36 -0400</pubDate>
  290. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wmp-update-from-nigeria-a-heartwarming-story/</guid>
  291. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/WMP-Nigeria-shipment-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  292. </item>
  293. <item>
  294. <title>Curfew enforced as Nepal protesters and military start talks</title>
  295. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/curfew-enforced-as-nepal-protesters-and-military-start-talks/</link>
  296. <description>
  297. <![CDATA[
  298. Nepal (MNN) — Nepal’s Gen Z protests on Monday and Tuesday left many government buildings in the capital in shambles. At least <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/10/nepal-gen-z-protests-corruption" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>22 people lost their lives</b></a></span> in the protests, with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjd1ndmrej0o" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>two police officers</b></a></span> killed and hundreds injured.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  299.  
  300. Some Gen Z groups claim the demonstrations were meant to be nonviolent but that <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjd1ndmrej0o" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>opportunists “hijacked” them</b></a></span>. Regardless, the military enforced the curfew on Wednesday, restoring some order to Kathmandu.
  301.  
  302. “There have been protests in some of the farther flung areas, major towns and cities across the country. So it’s definitely a nation in flames right now,” said John Pudaite with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles For The World</a></strong></span>.
  303.  
  304. <strong>According to a report from The New York Times, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/09/10/world/nepal-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">conversations</a></span> between military officials and young protest leaders have begun.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  305.  
  306. The protests were triggered by a government ban on social media last Thursday.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  307.  
  308. “We're very surprised [by] the extreme reaction that we saw from the youth. <strong>But beneath the surface, this had been brewing for some time</strong>, because there [have] been a lot of protests about the corruption in the current Nepali government,” Pudaite said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  309.  
  310. <strong>“These are the youth of the country that are struggling, trying to figure out how far can they go with education? What kind of job will they have? And they're seeing the resources [of] the country being eaten up by a corrupt government.”</strong>
  311.  
  312. <div id="attachment_203440" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203440" class="size-medium wp-image-203440" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BFTW_Nepal-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-203440" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Bibles For The World)</p></div>
  313.  
  314. In years past, Bibles For The World has sent millions of Scripture resources for people in Nepal. Pudaite says they have gradually had to stop this activity after tightened restrictions following the COVID-19 pandemic. Recently, the ministry has begun to prayerfully consider ways to renew its gospel work in the nation.
  315.  
  316. “Even under the current laws and under the current regime, how can we continue to equip the Body of Christ with God's Word?” Pudaite said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  317.  
  318. <strong>Please pray that Nepal’s young generation today will discover the true life that God offers.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  319.  
  320. “Pray that this political crisis will bring spiritual unity among the believers in Nepal,” Pudaite said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  321. <blockquote><strong>One Bibles For The World partner shared this prayer: <em>“Let us cry out to our Lord for peace and stability in Nepal. Now is the time for us to come together in unity and lift our voices in prayer to our Almighty God. May He heal Nepal's land, comfort the grieving and bring justice and hope to the people of Nepal.”</em></strong></blockquote>
  322. &nbsp;
  323.  
  324. &nbsp;
  325.  
  326. <em>Header photo: Nepalese Gen Z protesters in front of Bharatpur city corporation office, September 2025 (Courtesy of हिमाल सुवेदी via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)</em>]]>
  327. </description>
  328. <pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 2025 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate>
  329. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/curfew-enforced-as-nepal-protesters-and-military-start-talks/</guid>
  330. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1080px-2025_Nepalese_Gen_Z_protesters_infront_of_Bharatpur_mahanagarpalika_office-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  331. </item>
  332. <item>
  333. <title>Ministry continues in the face of child involvement in Haitian gangs</title>
  334. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ministry-continues-in-the-face-of-child-involvement-in-haitian-gangs/</link>
  335. <description>
  336. <![CDATA[
  337. <span style="font-weight: 400">Haiti (MNN)—</span>According to a recent UN report, <strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/28/united-nations-says-children-make-up-50-percent-of-gang-members-in-haiti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">children now make up about half of the members of gangs in Haiti</a></strong>, being used as couriers, lookouts, and porters, as well as being exploited for domestic labor and even forced into combat roles. Greg Yoder of <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian World Outreach</a></strong> says, while he doesn’t personally know of any cases, he’s not surprised.
  338.  
  339. “I can see where, if a gang is willing to help take care of children, maybe even giving them food, that kind of thing, that would be a draw for them to join a gang,” said Yoder. “I don't think of young children. I think of young teenage boys, especially, that I know in Port-au-Prince that I've got a concern about, just because that could be a draw, being able to help themselves or help their families by joining the gang.”
  340.  
  341. <span style="font-weight: 400"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/28/united-nations-says-children-make-up-50-percent-of-gang-members-in-haiti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As much as 90 percent of Port-au-Prince is under gang influence,</a></strong> according to previous UN reports, resulting in blocked roads, limited public services, rapidly increasing costs for essential supplies, as well as many Haitians fleeing their homes.</span>
  342.  
  343. <span style="font-weight: 400">Amidst the unrest and economic insecurity, <strong><a href="https://cwomissions.org/haiti/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CWO works with in-country leadership and staff to understand and address the emotional, spiritual, and educational needs of Haitians.</a></strong> Their main purpose is reaching families with the gospel, says Yoder.</span>
  344.  
  345. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We just pray that God will speak to these children and their families as they go through this difficult time, and that the gospel takes hold with people. We're seeing ministry continue on, not in every place where we've been in the past, because people have completely left one of the towns where we had a feminine training center, but in Port-au-Prince, in other places, we're seeing ministry go on with our churches and the feminine training center and the feeding program.”</span>
  346.  
  347. <span style="font-weight: 400">Yoder asks fellow Christians to pray for CWO’s staff and ministry, as well as for divine intervention.</span>
  348.  
  349. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Just pray that somehow God will intervene and things will change in Haiti to where people can be reached for the gospel. Pray for safety of our staff as they continue on their continuing ministry, despite the difficult situation they're in. And if they want to give, it would be great to have new donors join in and support the ministry as we continue on.”</span>
  350.  
  351. &nbsp;
  352.  
  353. &nbsp;
  354.  
  355. <i><span style="font-weight: 400">Header photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach.</span></i>]]>
  356. </description>
  357. <pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 2025 05:00:19 -0400</pubDate>
  358. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/ministry-continues-in-the-face-of-child-involvement-in-haitian-gangs/</guid>
  359. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/unnamed-47-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  360. </item>
  361. <item>
  362. <title>“War or Peace, Win or Lose” TV satellite program in Iran started its encouraging work</title>
  363. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-or-peace-win-or-lose-tv-satellite-program-in-iran-started-its-encouraging-work/</link>
  364. <description>
  365. <![CDATA[
  366. Iran (MNN) — When a team of Christians produces the TV program, their first audience is believers — thirsty for good news and solid teaching. But another audience tunes in as well: Islamic teachers and government officials, eager to protect the nation’s attention.
  367.  
  368. <em>That might even be how some of them discover Jesus!</em>
  369.  
  370. Earlier we covered a new project of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transform Iran</strong></a>: a satellite program called <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-reaches-iranian-homes-through-satellite-tv-find-out-how/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>“War or Peace, Win or Lose”</strong></a>, created to meet the spiritual needs of Iranian believers safely through satellite TV. You can read more about it here. Since then, they’ve already released several episodes.
  371.  
  372. “<strong>So [there is] a lot of practical advice, a lot of prayer, a lot of biblical teaching to strengthen, encourage and resource the Church</strong>,” says Silk. Among the topics they cover are war, preparing for possible escalation, coping with shortages in the country, sharing the Gospel safely, and more.
  373.  
  374. <div id="attachment_207983" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-207983" class="size-medium wp-image-207983" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/khashayar-kouchpeydeh-eSOST-WeOqo-unsplash-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-207983" class="wp-caption-text">Tehran, Iran (Photo courtesy of Khashayar Kouchpeydeh/Unsplash)</p></div>
  375.  
  376. “There were episodes in there that directly addressed the leadership of Iran, talking about how they run the country, the curses that they have spoken over Israel for 46 years now, and warning them,” she adds.
  377.  
  378. The team noticed that shortly after an episode on Israel’s curse aired, one Iranian cleric went public to teach about cursing Israel — proving that the government is watching. But that’s not always bad news!
  379.  
  380. “<strong>Let's pray because they are watching</strong>,” says Silk. “<strong>They are hearing the Gospel. They are hearing the truth. You know, the Word of God talks about this veil that is blinding people to the truth. Let's pray that this veil will be lifted, that they will be able to see the truth and respond to it</strong>.”
  381.  
  382. Iranians can watch the program safely from home because, as Silk says, “No one can stop what is being broadcast on satellite TV, and no one can see what people are watching. And millions can benefit from these programs.”
  383.  
  384. The series began airing in early August, with enough content to run through the end of September, three times a week. To keep it fresh, more episodes are needed to cover the rest of the year.
  385.  
  386. <strong>The media Gospel is vital for the throbbing heart of the Iranian Church!</strong>
  387.  
  388. “There is a funding gap now, and I would really urge the listeners to get behind it. Normally, for a half-hour program, we can produce material for about $450 for 30 minutes,” says Silk.
  389.  
  390. Consider partnering with <a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transform Iran</strong></a> to help sponsor one of these episodes! Pray also that believers are encouraged by these programs, and that those opposing the Gospel will have their hearts softened and transformed.
  391.  
  392. &nbsp;
  393.  
  394. &nbsp;
  395.  
  396. &nbsp;
  397.  
  398. <em>Header photo courtesy of Karolina Grabowska via Pexels</em>]]>
  399. </description>
  400. <pubDate>Thu, 11 Sep 2025 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate>
  401. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-or-peace-win-or-lose-tv-satellite-program-in-iran-started-its-encouraging-work/</guid>
  402. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-karolina-grabowska-5202954-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  403. </item>
  404. <item>
  405. <title>Gen Z continues anti-government protests in Nepal</title>
  406. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gen-z-continues-anti-government-protests-in-nepal/</link>
  407. <description>
  408. <![CDATA[
  409. Nepal (MNN) —<b> </b>Nepal’s Gen Z continues to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/live/c741n80ndlxt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rock the nation</a></strong></span> with protests against government corruption.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  410.  
  411. Demonstrations broke out after the Nepali government blocked several social media platforms. The platforms had allegedly <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/snapshot-look-nepals-anti-corruption-protests-that-prompted-pms-resignation-2025-09-09/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed to register</a></strong></span> with the government.
  412.  
  413. “Gen Z [is] just frustrated with corruption. It started with an anti-corruption movement,” Joe Handley with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong></span> says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Their main means of communication with each other and with the world is social media. So they're protesting against [corruption], but you add to it that their communication channels are shut down. So the tension rises within them.”
  414.  
  415. Clashes on Monday between protesters and police killed <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/9/9/nineteen-killed-in-nepal-protests-against-corruption-and-internet-bans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least 19 people</a></strong></span>. <strong>On Monday night, the government lifted the social media ban, but that did not stop the riots.</strong>
  416.  
  417. <div id="attachment_216883" style="width: 257px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216883" class=" wp-image-216883" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/aayush-lama-tamang-KoH8C-wkMNU-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="247" height="371" /><p id="caption-attachment-216883" class="wp-caption-text">Photo in the Ason Bazar, Kathmandu, Nepal (Photo courtesy of Aayush Lama Tamang via Unsplash)</p></div>
  418.  
  419. “This is the generation, at least there in Nepal, [that is] looking for a better future. They feel like this government has not provided that for them,” says Handley.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  420.  
  421. Nepal’s Prime Minister <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/political-survivor-nepals-oli-felled-by-fury-protest-deaths-2025-09-09/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">K.P. Sharma Oli resigned</a> </strong></span>on Tuesday over the unrest, but young demonstrators still set the parliament building and other structures in Kathmandu on fire.
  422.  
  423. Handley says that after the ban lifted on Monday, reports from their partners began to increase. “If you're on social media, you’re seeing smoke rising in Kathmandu, all over different parts of the town.” (See a collection of pictures <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/nepal-protest-social-media-ban-deadly-30955f1120f415b6787e1980ed2bd299" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  424.  
  425. <b>The government is calling for restraint and dialogue. A3’s network of alumni is calling for prayer.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  426.  
  427. “They're trying to be agents of peace in the midst of the chaos — and having to be careful too, because there [are] guns being shot and fire billowing in the capital,” Handley says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  428.  
  429. “My colleagues are begging the global Church to pray for peace, to pray that they could be agents of hope and good news, and that the gospel would shine."
  430.  
  431. &nbsp;
  432.  
  433. &nbsp;
  434.  
  435. <em>Header photo courtesy of Samrat Khadka via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  436. </description>
  437. <pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate>
  438. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gen-z-continues-anti-government-protests-in-nepal/</guid>
  439. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/samrat-khadka-VaeXuio0rn0-unsplash-e1757451048172-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  440. </item>
  441. <item>
  442. <title>Schools remain shuttered as tensions continue in Lebanon</title>
  443. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/schools-remain-shuttered-as-tensions-continue-in-lebanon/</link>
  444. <description>
  445. <![CDATA[
  446. Lebanon (MNN) -- The Lebanese army redeploys to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/lebanese-army-deploys-to-over-120-sites-in-southern-regions-un-mission/3681612" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 120 sites</a></strong></span> across southern Lebanon as Hezbollah refuses to lay down its arms. Israel says it won’t withdraw from strongholds in the region until Hezbollah is disarmed.
  447.  
  448. Meanwhile, the people wait in limbo. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong></span>’s Camille Melki says, “The majority of those (people) are living now in makeshift homes still in southern Lebanon, waiting for their towns and villages to be rebuilt.”
  449.  
  450. Lebanon’s Next Generation is especially at risk. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.savethechildren.net/news/education-disrupted-sixth-year-15-million-children-lebanon-half-public-schools-used-shelters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roughly half</a></strong></span> of Lebanon’s public schools were converted into shelters at the end of 2024 due to the war between Hezbollah and Israel.
  451.  
  452. “A lot of children count on ministries to provide aid to survive the hardship or education, and Heart for Lebanon provides both,” Melki says.
  453.  
  454. “We provide fun activities and educational material, and we help children deal with trauma, fears, and challenges.”
  455.  
  456. <em><strong>Heart for Lebanon’s holistic approach to education turns despair into hope.</strong></em> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/h-o-p-e-bekaa-elie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about that here.</a></strong></span>
  457.  
  458. “We offer counseling support, spiritual support, and we are always ready to answer this ‘Why?’ question: Why do you care? Why do you provide this aid for us? Why are you still working in southern Lebanon, where most agencies have left?” Melki says.
  459. <blockquote>
  460. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The answer is always, ‘We are here to show you the love of Jesus Christ in meaningful and tangible ways.’”</strong></p>
  461. </blockquote>
  462. <div id="attachment_216877" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/h4l-story-march26-2024-1170x725-1.jpeg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216877" class="size-medium wp-image-216877" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/h4l-story-march26-2024-1170x725-1-300x186.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="186" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216877" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
  463.  
  464. Classroom lessons, chapel sessions, and afternoon Bible studies point to Christ, while the playground provides opportunities for children to live out what they’ve learned.
  465.  
  466. “We build biblical stories into our curriculum to address many character traits that we find in Scripture, such as forgiveness, encouragement, generosity, fairness, and equality,” Melki says.
  467.  
  468. “We also have fun activities geared toward using games and fun in a way that honors Christ,” he continues, “so even as children are playing in the playground or participating in a sports activity, we use the character traits to emphasize proper behaviors, like attitude towards others, winning or losing, and to play fair and have fun.”
  469.  
  470. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find out how you can partner with Heart for Lebanon here.</a></strong></span>
  471.  
  472. “Pray for the students we serve. Pray for their families, because the challenges are huge and prayers are essential for us,” Melki says.
  473.  
  474. “Also, you can sponsor a student and help provide financial support to our schools in southern Lebanon and the Bekaa, or our scholarship program.”
  475.  
  476. &nbsp;
  477.  
  478. &nbsp;
  479.  
  480. &nbsp;
  481.  
  482. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Heart for Lebanon.</em>]]>
  483. </description>
  484. <pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate>
  485. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/schools-remain-shuttered-as-tensions-continue-in-lebanon/</guid>
  486. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HFL_classroom-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  487. </item>
  488. <item>
  489. <title>God&#8217;s sovereignty seen in shipping containers</title>
  490. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gods-sovereignty-seen-in-shipping-containers/</link>
  491. <description>
  492. <![CDATA[
  493. <p data-start="93" data-end="400">Liberia (MNN) – After receiving a first order, one of <strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/">World Missionary Press’ (WMP</a></strong>) distributors placed another order in September 2023, which he just recently received. This order included two 40-foot containers of literature, one in English with materials for Liberia and one in French with materials for Côte d'Ivoire.</p>
  494. <p data-start="402" data-end="619"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/">WMP</a></strong> printed and shipped the two containers in September 2024, and the containers arrived at the port in Liberia in November. However, up until a few weeks ago, the materials were still being detained by customs.</p>
  495. <p data-start="621" data-end="963">“We provided all the paperwork, and all the paperwork was pretty much the same as before,” Helen Williams with WMP said. “We have certain designations for our materials for customs. It's a designation that they are free literature, it's written literature, it's not being sold, and we use that sending designation around the world.”</p>
  496. <p data-start="965" data-end="1256">When the containers came to customs, customs said that the designation was wrong, which resulted in the designation being changed. Suddenly, the containers were being held, and WMP’s contact in Liberia was given a large bill, above the regular importation fees that WMP had sent money for.</p>
  497. <p data-start="1258" data-end="1482">They began the process of appealing this up the governmental ladder, one after another. They would get a hearing, and then they wouldn't hear anything in response. Meanwhile, these containers were sitting there.</p>
  498. <p data-start="1484" data-end="1625">After doing everything they could, WMP and their contacts worried that the containers would be sold or destroyed.</p>
  499. <p data-start="1699" data-end="1879">Just a few weeks ago, WMP's original shipper reached out, aware that the containers were still in port, and directed WMP to a contact in Liberia who imports all the time and is well known at the port.</p>
  500.  
  501.  
  502. <div id="attachment_211396" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-211396" class="size-medium wp-image-211396" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/WMP_Booklets-300x169.jpg" alt="Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press via Facebook." width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-211396" class="wp-caption-text">God is working through the booklets WMP supplies. The booklets in Liberia and Côte d'Ivoire will touch new lives with the gospel. Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press.</p></div>
  503. <p data-start="1881" data-end="2035">Around the same time, WMP got another call, this time from a ministry partner, Feed the Hungry, who ended up having the same contact as the shipper.</p>
  504. <p data-start="2037" data-end="2105">Williams says that the contact, a bishop from the area, was “very successful" in helping WMP.</p>
  505. <p data-start="2107" data-end="2206">“We had to reconcile the shipments to Feed the Hungry so that he could negotiate,” says Williams.</p>
  506. <p data-start="2208" data-end="2310">He got the $60,000 demurrage bill lowered to $20,000, which WMP was able to send to Feed the Hungry.</p>
  507. <p data-start="2312" data-end="2393">Three days after the bishop went to the port, the two containers were released.</p>
  508. <p data-start="2395" data-end="2801">After all this time, Williams lost contact with the original consignee. However, within the last couple of weeks, she got an email from the original requester who said, “I want to thank you for all your patience and your prayers, and your support. I've been working with this bishop, and they're going to be cleared, and I'm going to make sure that those containers get to their destination.”</p>
  509. <p data-start="2803" data-end="2877">After two years, the containers are both at their original destinations.</p>
  510.  
  511. <blockquote>
  512. <p style="text-align: center" data-start="2879" data-end="3147"><strong>“I just can't praise the Lord enough for His sovereignty in these things,” says Williams. “We've learned just to wait on the Lord, and He brings the people, and He brings the opportunities, and He goes before, and this one has been a long, long problem on our desk.”</strong></p>
  513. </blockquote>
  514. <p data-start="3149" data-end="3304">Please pray for WMP as they work to fulfill the many requests for materials they receive and praise God with them as they celebrate what He has done.</p>
  515. <p data-start="3306" data-end="3385">Please pray also for the safety of the production staff around the machinery.</p>
  516. <p data-start="3387" data-end="3559">For those who wish to donate to WMP, they can use the website or call in and support the work of sending booklets internationally as well as in the United States.</p>
  517. <p data-start="3387" data-end="3559"><em>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@guibolduc?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Guillaume Bolduc</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/stack-of-cargo-trailer-uBe2mknURG4?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a></em></p>]]>
  518. </description>
  519. <pubDate>Wed, 10 Sep 2025 05:00:20 -0400</pubDate>
  520. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gods-sovereignty-seen-in-shipping-containers/</guid>
  521. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/guillaume-bolduc-uBe2mknURG4-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  522. </item>
  523. <item>
  524. <title>Deadly shooting in Jerusalem underscores turmoil</title>
  525. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deadly-shooting-in-jerusalem-underscores-turmoil/</link>
  526. <description>
  527. <![CDATA[
  528. Israel (MNN) -- <strong>At least six people are dead and more than a dozen injured after a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-gunmen-kill-six-jerusalem-bus-stop-shooting-2025-09-08/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">terrorist attack</span></a> in northern Jerusalem.</strong> Monday morning, two Palestinian gunmen opened fire at a bus stop in a busy intersection. Civilians and local police shot and killed the attackers on the scene.
  529.  
  530. It was the deadliest attack in Israel’s capital in years.
  531.  
  532. <div id="attachment_216868" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216868" class="size-medium wp-image-216868" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mike-labrum-fvl4b1gjpbk-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216868" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Mike Labrum/Unsplash)</p></div>
  533.  
  534. Against the backdrop of war, the nation has seen an increase in attacks targeting civilians. Pastor Israel Pochtar with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/beit-hallel-congregation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Beit Hallel Congregation</span></strong></a> says that amid tragedy, Israeli Christians are offering the comfort of Christ.
  535. <blockquote>
  536. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"The Gospel is the only hope for Israel," he says.</strong></p>
  537. </blockquote>
  538. Beit Hallel Congregation is committed to advancing the Gospel in tangible ways -- and with a sense of urgency.
  539.  
  540. <strong>In a few months, the church will open its new Evangelism and Discipleship Center in Ashdod, about an hour from Jerusalem.</strong>
  541.  
  542. "We have more and more people getting saved, coming to the Lord, and discovering Jesus," says Pochtar. "But the building we use is built in a way that, besides a weekend service, we cannot do different activities.
  543. <blockquote>
  544. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"This new Evangelism and Discipleship facility allows us to reach out to people and, when they come to us, share the Gospel...and also discipleship. We needed a venue for Bible school, for trainings -- for leadership training, for pastors' training, for youth."</strong></p>
  545. </blockquote>
  546. <div id="attachment_216867" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216867" class="size-medium wp-image-216867" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Screenshot-2025-09-08-160817-300x170.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="170" /><p id="caption-attachment-216867" class="wp-caption-text">Beit Hallel Congregation's new Evangelism and Discipleship Center in Ashdod. (Screenshot courtesy of Beit Hallel Congregation)</p></div>
  547.  
  548. Pochtar asks, "Pray for our team, to encourage and build us up. Pray for more leaders and evangelists."
  549.  
  550. As Beit Hallel Congregation commissions the new Evangelism and Discipleship Center, pray that God will use it to grow His Kingdom.
  551.  
  552. Pray for Israel to know the peace and hope of Christ.
  553.  
  554. &nbsp;
  555.  
  556. &nbsp;
  557.  
  558. &nbsp;
  559.  
  560. &nbsp;
  561.  
  562. Header photo: Jerusalem, Israel. (Photo courtesy of Dariusz Kanclerz/Unsplash)]]>
  563. </description>
  564. <pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:00:13 -0400</pubDate>
  565. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deadly-shooting-in-jerusalem-underscores-turmoil/</guid>
  566. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/dariusz-kanclerz-MTj3H5EwiBg-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  567. </item>
  568. <item>
  569. <title>Suffering ahead for the Church in the midst of ISIS</title>
  570. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/suffering-ahead-for-the-church-in-the-midst-of-isis/</link>
  571. <description>
  572. <![CDATA[
  573. Syria (MNN) —<b> </b>Last week, Iraq’s intelligence service announced that it has <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iraq/010920251" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dismantled</a></span></strong> an Islamic State financial network. The network supported ISIS terrorism in Europe and abroad.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  574.  
  575. That’s good news, but for Christians in places like <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/20/us-led-coalition-captures-a-senior-isil-isis-member-in-syria-state-media">Syria</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://wng.org/sift/islamic-state-group-a-threat-especially-in-africa-un-says-1755798292" target="_blank" rel="noopener">West Africa</a></strong></span>, ISIS still presents a daily threat.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  576.  
  577. Samuel* with Redemptive Stories explained, “An interpretation of Islam creates the scenario for ISIS to exist. It is one strict interpretation that is not held by many. Maybe 10 percent of all Muslims would think that this is a legitimate interpretation.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  578.  
  579. <strong>But those who do hold this interpretation often embrace it violently.</strong> Because it’s an ideology, Samuel believes ISIS will keep resurfacing worldwide even when networks are dismantled.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  580.  
  581. “Anytime those power vacuums exist and chaos reigns, it gives a license and opportunity for organizations like [ISIS] to, again, grow,” he said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  582.  
  583. There's a misconception that military action will stem terrorism. But military action won’t change a person's beliefs.
  584.  
  585. “There are other forms of transformation that are required for someone to be willing to step out of that understanding of Islam into something else," Samuel said.
  586.  
  587. Transformation comes through the gospel! <b>That’s why it’s so important to pray for believers in West Africa and Syria.</b> They are the witnesses for Christ in the midst of chaos today.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  588.  
  589. “For the gospel to go forth in our part of the world and across Africa, I think we are going to be walking a path of suffering,” Samuel said. "I think Jesus told us that as much in His farewell discourse to us, and was very clear that 'what they did to me, they will also do to you.'"
  590.  
  591. <strong>Suffering is</strong> <strong>a hard road to choose.</strong> Syrian believers desire stability just like most people in the world.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  592.  
  593. “I was talking to a Syrian brother who said, ‘If they opened up the pathway for Christians in Syria to go to Canada, 70 percent of them would go, and I would be one of them that would be on the plane, ready to go right away,’” Samuel said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  594.  
  595. <strong>“May we just be in prayer for them and stand with them by being generous, by being encouraging, by sharing their story with others.”</strong>
  596.  
  597. &nbsp;
  598.  
  599. <i>*Pseudonym</i>
  600.  
  601. &nbsp;
  602.  
  603. &nbsp;
  604.  
  605. <em>Header photo: A minaret and a church steeple side-by-side in Syria. (Stock photo courtesy of Ali Wassouf/Unsplash)</em>]]>
  606. </description>
  607. <pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:00:57 -0400</pubDate>
  608. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/suffering-ahead-for-the-church-in-the-midst-of-isis/</guid>
  609. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ali-wassouf-_iWdvouR8LQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  610. </item>
  611. <item>
  612. <title>Syria opens to global trade and the Gospel</title>
  613. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/syria-opens-to-global-trade-and-the-gospel/</link>
  614. <description>
  615. <![CDATA[
  616. Syria (MNN) -- Syria <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2025/09/02/syria-makes-first-official-crude-export-in-14-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">re-enters the global energy market</a></strong></span> with its first official crude export in 14 years. Earlier this year, the U.S. lifted sanctions, sparking renewed interest in Syria’s energy sector and foreign investment.
  617.  
  618. <em><strong>But there’s more than economic opportunity at play.</strong></em> In a similar way, spiritual doors are opening for Gospel work. “Syria has opened up,” Marc with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/global-catalytic-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Catalytic Ministries</a></strong></span> says.
  619. <blockquote>
  620. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Because it’s now accessible for the first time in decades, we are starting work in Damascus.”</strong></p>
  621. </blockquote>
  622. Working through a network of Syrian Christians, Marc says, “We’re going to be spreading to the north and south, building disciple-making communities, starting to see house churches formed, starting to see baptisms happen.”
  623.  
  624. Global Catalytic Ministries is known for equipping Muslim-background believers in underground churches across the Middle East. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://catalyticministries.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> These believers, once hesitant, are now eager to bring others to Christ.
  625.  
  626. “When our people come into contact, they’re already ready; the harvest is truly ready. We have a disciple maker sitting in Syria about to baptize a new believer tonight,” Marc says.
  627.  
  628. <div id="attachment_209126" style="width: 392px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/VCM_syria-prayer-request.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-209126" class="wp-image-209126" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/VCM_syria-prayer-request-300x157.jpg" alt="" width="382" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-209126" class="wp-caption-text">(Graphic courtesy of VOM Canada)</p></div>
  629.  
  630. Still, eagerness doesn’t always come with experience. Many Christians from Muslim backgrounds long to share the Gospel but lack practical training.
  631.  
  632. “We’re seeing this massive hunger for disciples to be made,” Marc says.
  633.  
  634. “I sat in a room with 25 locals yesterday, pouring into them for about five hours on disciple-making strategies, and they’re like, ‘Tomorrow, more. Friday, more. We need more,’ because they’ve never had this before.”
  635.  
  636. This hunger offers hope in a region where traditional churches often struggle to grow.
  637.  
  638. “In this region, not many people are coming to the Lord because the churches are content with the status quo. They’re just moving Christian-background believers from church to church,” Marc says.
  639.  
  640. As Syria opens to new opportunities, believers see a rare chance to plant seeds of faith that could flourish for generations. Pray for training to take root, for leaders to rise up, and for the Gospel to spread like wildfire across the country.
  641.  
  642. &nbsp;
  643.  
  644. &nbsp;
  645.  
  646. &nbsp;
  647.  
  648. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo depicting a market in Damascus courtesy of </em><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-large-group-of-people-walking-through-a-market-yM5eqzbmH0E" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Mahmoud Sulaiman/Unsplash.</em></a>]]>
  649. </description>
  650. <pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  651. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/syria-opens-to-global-trade-and-the-gospel/</guid>
  652. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mahmoud-sulaiman-yM5eqzbmH0E-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  653. </item>
  654. <item>
  655. <title>Taliban restrictions drive women in Afghanistan desperate for hope</title>
  656. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/taliban-restrictions-drive-women-in-afghanistan-desperate-for-hope/</link>
  657. <description>
  658. <![CDATA[
  659. Afghanistan (MNN) — Eastern Afghanistan has continued to reel with aftershocks since a 6.0-magnitude quake struck August 31. The death toll <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/4/afghanistan-earthquake-death-toll-rises-to-2200" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpassed 2,200</a></strong></span> last week and is expected to rise as recovery work continues.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  660.  
  661. <b>But for local women, the quake is only one crisis among many. </b>Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/global-catalytic-ministries-keeps-afghan-christians-alive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four years ago</a></strong></span>, the militant group has tightened restrictions on women’s travel, education, employment, and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/world/asia-pacific/2024/08/26/taliban-ban-on-hearing-womens-voices-gives-distressing-vision-for-afghanistan-says-un-official/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">even the use of their voices</a></strong></span>. The UN <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unwomen.org/en/news-stories/press-release/2025/08/afghanistan-ten-facts-about-the-worlds-most-severe-womens-rights-crisis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a></strong></span> that these abuses of women’s rights are being normalized.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  662.  
  663. Recently, Nehemiah* with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong></span> heard directly from Afghan pastors about the social boycott women are enduring: “Many women feel trapped, silenced and powerless. This isolation has further increased levels of depression, anxiety and hopelessness among women, while also placing immense <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/aug/30/taliban-crackdown-afghanistan-secret-beauty-salons-women-gender-apartheid" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pressure</a></strong></span> [on] families who relied on women’s income.”
  664.  
  665. <div id="attachment_192538" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-192538" class="size-medium wp-image-192538" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/afghan-burqas-01-300x237.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="237" /><p id="caption-attachment-192538" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of FMI)</p></div>
  666.  
  667. <strong>Yet in places of despair, the light of the gospel shines.</strong> <b>It just has to be shared carefully</b>. In Afghanistan and similar cultures, a man may only speak with a woman if they are related.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  668.  
  669. “In many cases, FMI’s pastors, their wives are the ones who go and talk to these deprived women who [do not find] hope in [the] Taliban system, but they find hope in Jesus Christ,” says Nehemiah. “This is the only channel we have at the moment where women feel connected and encouraged.”
  670.  
  671. Recently, one pastor’s wife showed the Jesus Film to a dozen women. <b>Pray that many more will know the hope of Christ!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  672.  
  673. “Pray for FMI partners in Afghanistan and their wives, who are really struggling and [who] put their life on [the] line every day,” says Nehemiah.
  674.  
  675. “Pray for their safety, their wisdom. [Ask] God [to] open avenues and doors for these pastors and their wives so they can connect with other Afghan families, women, children, so they can do ministry.”
  676.  
  677. Learn more about the work of FMI <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  678.  
  679. &nbsp;
  680.  
  681. &nbsp;
  682.  
  683. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Farid Ershad via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  684. </description>
  685. <pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2025 05:00:12 -0400</pubDate>
  686. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/taliban-restrictions-drive-women-in-afghanistan-desperate-for-hope/</guid>
  687. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/farid-ershad-bUm5zws3vzQ-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  688. </item>
  689. <item>
  690. <title>Keys for Kids: Redefining hope for children who’ve lost it during war</title>
  691. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/redefining-hope-for-children-whove-lost-it-during-war/</link>
  692. <description>
  693. <![CDATA[
  694. Ukraine (MNN) — When toys lie in rubble and nights are shattered by explosions, Ukrainian children need hope beyond this world. <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Keys for Kids Ministries</strong></a> works to bring that hope to Ukrainian children — this time with a goal of one million copies!
  695.  
  696. Greg Yoder says, “Since our partnership with Mission Eurasia, we've been actually able to distribute 600,000 copies of Keys for Kids and Unlocked into war-torn regions, not only Ukraine, but surrounding countries as well.”
  697.  
  698. Yet, the need is immense.
  699.  
  700. Children endure severe trauma, facing the war while growing up and coping with fear and loss. This brings existential questions that need help answering.
  701. <blockquote>
  702. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“How do I express my feelings? How do I express the fact that I've lost every family member? How do I express in my heart that I don't have any hope, and that there is no hope and I don't know where to turn?” says Yoder.</strong></p>
  703. </blockquote>
  704. <div id="attachment_216839" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216839" class="size-medium wp-image-216839" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/kelly-sikkema-mDMngG2yjqI-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216839" class="wp-caption-text">Representative photo of Kelly Sikkema via Unsplash</p></div>
  705.  
  706. He recalls a story of a young, orphaned girl who wouldn’t speak. As she drew pictures, it became clear why.
  707.  
  708. “<strong>Little girl drew a picture of a dad figure, a mom figure, a couple of siblings, a house, an animal, and then one by one began crossing them off, because all of them had died</strong>.”
  709.  
  710. “That's what they're dealing with right now,” concludes Yoder, “and it's on all phases of the spectrum, from young children all the way to adults, because even some of the adults don't know how to express what they've seen, the trauma that they've experienced in this horrible tragedy of war.”
  711.  
  712. With stories like these piling up, the need for the Gospel is urgent. Keys for Kids materials are designed to meet that need!
  713.  
  714. Yoder describes, “<strong>What Keys for Kids Ministries does through our devotionals is it points kids to that they need a Savior to save them from their sins, and they can have a relationship with Jesus Christ</strong>.”
  715.  
  716. It gives them Someone and something to hope in, because their hope is not in this world — it’s in Christ, in Him rescuing them, saving, and drawing into relationship with Him.
  717.  
  718. <a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Keys for Kids Ministrie</strong></a><a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>s</strong></a>' partners in Ukraine have requested one million devotionals to share God’s Word! Join them in this goal.
  719.  
  720. Pray also for sustainable peace in Ukraine, and for provision in the years of restoration — physical, spiritual, emotional, and psychological.
  721.  
  722. &nbsp;
  723.  
  724. &nbsp;
  725.  
  726. &nbsp;
  727.  
  728. &nbsp;
  729.  
  730. <em>Header photo courtesy of Hans via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  731. </description>
  732. <pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  733. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/redefining-hope-for-children-whove-lost-it-during-war/</guid>
  734. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/hans-PyXnBd4x_2Y-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  735. </item>
  736. <item>
  737. <title>Heart for Lebanon meets schooling needs in the country</title>
  738. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart-for-lebanon-meets-schooling-needs-in-the-country/</link>
  739. <description>
  740. <![CDATA[
  741. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Lebanon (MNN) -- It’s a challenging year ahead in Lebanese schools.</span>
  742.  
  743. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Lebanon’s Minister of Education recently announced that, instead of a standard five days of school a week,<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/08/22/lebanon-shorter-school-days-childcare-costs/"><strong> government schools will be open four days a week.</strong></a></span>
  744.  
  745. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead of raising salaries for teachers, teachers in the country are now supposed to <strong><a href="https://www.newarab.com/news/lebanon-shorten-school-week-four-days-public-schools">teach only four days</a></strong> so that they can find another part-time job on Fridays.</span>
  746.  
  747. <span style="font-weight: 400;">As private schools continue to teach five days a week, there is a deficiency in the education of students in public schools.</span>
  748.  
  749. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In southern Lebanon, the war that Hezbollah started with Israel is wreaking havoc. The six months of severe shelling that occurred last year have left villages destroyed and cities wiped out.</span>
  750.  
  751. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Many schools, both private and government, remain demolished, meaning that many in the south will go without opportunities for education for the second year in a row.</span>
  752.  
  753. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Camille Melki with <strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMpeBxleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXeGs1b3JxbWkxZVFNTWFDAR6g6Wqfmqra2onvyyEBK_PnjTZnBwmCnnsQ85r1zOWJxPCSA8zMrJRiTPcYyQ_aem_G0L8xEtsA4WldxLSvPJzHA">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong> says that private schools are now carrying the brunt of the work because government schools are not operating properly. However, because of the economy, private schools have been forced to raise their tuition costs by 30 to 60 percent compared to last year.</span>
  754.  
  755. <span style="font-weight: 400;">This economic crisis affects not only Lebanese nationals but also Syrian refugees living in the country.</span>
  756. <blockquote>
  757. <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Most international donor agencies stopped providing aid in June,” says Melki. “(They) have said there will be no medical support </span><b>or</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> educational support for refugees who are living in Lebanon anymore. The little aid that the UN and large government agencies were providing to the refugees has stopped.”</span></p>
  758. </blockquote>
  759. <span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong> will provide education support to 1,300 families this school year.</span>
  760.  
  761. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Six hundred of these students will study in one of Heart for Lebanon’s two schools in the Bekaa Valley or in southern Lebanon, receiving free education. These are students who would not otherwise have an opportunity to study anywhere else.</span>
  762.  
  763. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The other 700 students will receive scholarship support to attend other schools in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. These are partner Christian schools for families that can afford some, but not all, tuition expenses.</span>
  764.  
  765. <div id="attachment_204917" style="width: 288px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-204917" class=" wp-image-204917" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/HFL_education-header-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="278" height="185" /><p id="caption-attachment-204917" class="wp-caption-text">600 students will attend one of Heart for Lebanon's schools this year. (Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
  766. <blockquote>
  767. <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It's our opportunity at Heart for Lebanon to stand in the gap, provide the proper academic education that students need, but also provide a holistic approach to a child’s spiritual, social, and emotional upbringing,” says Melki.</span></p>
  768. </blockquote>
  769. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Between the death and destruction in Syria and Lebanon, most of the children that Heart for Lebanon provides education for have experienced trauma.</span>
  770.  
  771. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’re providing a safe environment where teachers are loving and caring for, supporting, and encouraging students; providing social care, and emotional care, but first and foremost, also providing spiritual care to the students and to their families,” says Melki.</span>
  772.  
  773. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for the education system in Lebanon and for the students who will be ministered to through these schools this year.</span>
  774.  
  775. &nbsp;
  776.  
  777. <em>(Header photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon) </em>]]>
  778. </description>
  779. <pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2025 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate>
  780. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/heart-for-lebanon-meets-schooling-needs-in-the-country/</guid>
  781. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/HFL_summer-of-hope1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  782. </item>
  783. <item>
  784. <title>Kidnapped Irish missionary and others released in Haiti</title>
  785. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kidnapped-irish-missionary-and-others-released-in-haiti/</link>
  786. <description>
  787. <![CDATA[
  788. Haiti (MNN) — After a month in captivity, an Irish missionary and *seven others kidnapped from an orphanage compound in Port-au-Prince, Haiti have been <a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-kidnapping-orphanage-irish-missionary-7b34a27503bbd929d9ab83d331d72524" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">released</span></strong></a>. Among the group was a three-year-old child. They were taken by armed gang members who stormed the compound in the early morning hours.
  789. <blockquote>
  790. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Christian World Outreach’s</span></a> (CWO) Greg Yoder says, “First of all, we thank God that these people that were kidnapped have been released, and [we are] just grateful that their lives were spared – others have not been.”</strong></p>
  791. </blockquote>
  792. Their safe return brings relief, but it also highlights the ongoing instability gripping the nation, fueled by gang violence and targeted kidnappings.
  793.  
  794. <div id="attachment_216821" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216821" class="size-medium wp-image-216821" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/unnamed-47-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216821" class="wp-caption-text">Children's feeding program by CWO in Haiti. (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)</p></div>
  795.  
  796. <strong>Around 1.3 million Haitians have fled their homes and are now <a href="https://www.iom.int/news/haiti-sees-record-displacement-13-million-flee-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">internally displaced</span></a> — a 24% increase since the end of 2024.</strong>
  797.  
  798. “We have seen or heard reports of some of the towns, especially in the north where people have been displaced to. The way it was described — it being one of the cities — it’s like ants," says Yoder.
  799.  
  800. "You just add more people, which probably adds food insecurity in those areas. That’s how it affects ministries like Christian World Outreach.”
  801.  
  802. <strong>CWO is seeing the impact of displacement firsthand through its children’s feeding program. “We’re just seeing an increase," says Yoder. "Eighty children gathered in one of our places where we have a feeding program, which is a little bit higher than the norm.”</strong>
  803.  
  804. Pray for an end to the violence and instability permeating Haitian life, and for people to turn to Jesus for hope. Ask the Lord to sustain CWO's ministry with supporters and spiritual encouragement.
  805.  
  806. Yoder also urges prayer for the newly freed captives: “Emotionally, that God would heal there. I’m not sure what all they went through, but I’m sure that emotionally it was a draining month. [Pray] that God will work in their lives and they can get back to somewhat of a normal life that they had at that center.”
  807.  
  808. &nbsp;
  809.  
  810. &nbsp;
  811.  
  812. <em>*<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr4e23w2dlko" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Some reports</span></strong></a> say nine people total were kidnapped from the compound.</em>
  813.  
  814. Header photo from 2020 of a suburb of Port-au-Prince. (Photo courtesy of Reynaldo Mirault/Unsplash)]]>
  815. </description>
  816. <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 05:00:53 -0400</pubDate>
  817. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/kidnapped-irish-missionary-and-others-released-in-haiti/</guid>
  818. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/reynaldo-mirault-U3Sdt2phkmA-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  819. </item>
  820. <item>
  821. <title>Christians may be among casualties of Sudan landslide</title>
  822. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-may-be-among-casualties-of-sudan-landslide/</link>
  823. <description>
  824. <![CDATA[
  825. Sudan (MNN) -- Sudan <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/plea-help-after-landslide-wipes-out-sudan-village-killing-1000-2025-09-01/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calls for international help</a></strong></span> following Sunday’s massive landslide in western Darfur. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/sudan-darfur-landslide-rain-village-0ff996583d79ecb97c912d0dc44ec018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Local footage</a></strong></span> of the disaster zone shows a flattened area between mountain ranges where an entire village used to be.
  826.  
  827. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/09/1165758" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Days of heavy rain</a></strong></span> triggered landslides in the Marrah Mountains, reportedly leaving only one survivor. The scale of the debris and the disaster’s remote location <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/09/1165777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">limit information.</a></strong></span> Civil war, raging between rival militaries since 2023, further complicates recovery efforts.
  828.  
  829. “The area hit by the landslides is also a hub for displaced families fleeing the fighting,” says John, a Gospel worker focused on Sudan.
  830.  
  831. “They were trying to escape that (fighting) in El Fasher. They went up to this area, and now [there is] a landslide.”
  832.  
  833. Authorities say <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg2wlppnreo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">between 300 and 1,000 people</a></strong></span> were killed, but the actual death toll could be higher.
  834.  
  835. John’s partners fear the worst as attempts to reach their friends go unanswered. “Even though it’s an Islamic area, there are house churches that have been planted over the years,” John says.
  836. <blockquote>
  837. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We know there are some Christians among [the affected people.]”</strong></p>
  838. </blockquote>
  839. Pray for wisdom and discernment as church planters determine how they will respond to this disaster. John’s organization supports frontline Sudanese church planters throughout the Islamic nation.
  840.  
  841. “We’re not a relief organization, but because of the network of believers on the ground, getting $200 someplace has a huge effect,” John says. “We’ve done targeted relief in many, many places.”
  842.  
  843. <div id="attachment_208600" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/spokenworldwideprayforsudan.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-208600" class="size-medium wp-image-208600" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/spokenworldwideprayforsudan-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-208600" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Spoken Worldwide)</p></div>
  844.  
  845. Pray that Sudanese Muslims will find truth, comfort, and peace in Jesus Christ.
  846.  
  847. “I have met so many Muslims that, in their desperation of finding inner peace and hope, had God meet them in a dream. So many Muslims have come to Christ without someone leading them,” John says.
  848.  
  849. Frustration with Islam leaves many Sudanese open to the Gospel, he adds.
  850.  
  851. “The whole nation is in trauma, and that trauma cuts to the core,” John says.
  852.  
  853. “These are non-Arabs, but they’re still Muslims, so they’re trying to deal with the fact that ‘The Koran says we’re brothers, and yet, here’s my brother trying to kill me, take my land, drive me from my land, because I’m not Arab.’”
  854.  
  855. &nbsp;
  856.  
  857. &nbsp;
  858.  
  859. &nbsp;
  860.  
  861. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/rubble-an-water-in-a-village-14000733/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Franklin Peña Gutierrez/Pexels.</em></a>]]>
  862. </description>
  863. <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 05:00:36 -0400</pubDate>
  864. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-may-be-among-casualties-of-sudan-landslide/</guid>
  865. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-franklin-pena-gutierrez-337911674-14000733-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  866. </item>
  867. <item>
  868. <title>When the hope of Jesus wins the battle</title>
  869. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-the-hope-of-jesus-wins-the-battle/</link>
  870. <description>
  871. <![CDATA[
  872. United States (MNN) — When the hope of Christ collides with despair, only one of them ever gives way.
  873.  
  874. On Eagles’ Wings is a division of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Hutchcraft Ministries</b></a></span> that equips Native American believers to reach their peers for Jesus. The team saw the power of God again and again during their Summer of Hope outreaches this past year.
  875.  
  876. <b>In one urban Native community, a homicide had taken place just days before their visit.</b> Ron Hutchcraft said local Native believers spoke about the obvious despair at the first night’s gathering. “There was a confusion and a chaotic feel in the audience that usually is not there.”
  877.  
  878. One team member shared their hope story of how Jesus had changed their life. But then a mysterious bang went off, scattering the crowd. It was followed by a severe thunderstorm that finished the night.
  879.  
  880. David, the Native host for the On Eagles' Wings team, told them privately: “There’s a blanket of darkness over this community.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Life here is traumatizing.” <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  881.  
  882. <b>The On Eagles’ Wings team immediately sent out a request for prayer. </b>
  883.  
  884. The darkness did not deter them — it made these Native young people more determined to share the hope and freedom Jesus offers. Then prayer was answered with the darkness kicked out, and hope and victory entering the park!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  885.  
  886. People listened to different Native young people speak about Christ. When the invitation came to publicly accept Christ, key men from the community stepped forward.
  887.  
  888. “In fact, the response was all [men] that night. I don't remember ever seeing that,” Hutchcraft remarked.
  889.  
  890. <b>Find your place in the story through continued prayer.</b> It’s been more than a month since the summer outreaches ended, but follow-up ministry plans were already in place with local Native leaders. Pray for discipleship to be effective with new believers.
  891.  
  892. Pray for the young people whose lives were changed by the summer yet who face tough daily realities back home.
  893.  
  894. Pray for the applicants to the leadership development program with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>On Eagles’ Wings</b></a></span>. Hutchcraft says, “We're praying that they will be exactly the people that God wants, and that they will be transformed by this year of intensive discipleship." (Read about the 2025 graduating class of leaders <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/on-eagles-wings-class-of-2025-prepares-for-full-time-ministry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>here</b></a></span><b>!)</b>
  895.  
  896. <div id="attachment_216494" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216494" class=" wp-image-216494" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/oew2025teamphoto-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="407" height="229" /><p id="caption-attachment-216494" class="wp-caption-text">2025 team photo (Photo courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries)</p></div>
  897.  
  898. &nbsp;
  899.  
  900. <em>Header photo courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries. </em>]]>
  901. </description>
  902. <pubDate>Fri, 05 Sep 2025 05:00:13 -0400</pubDate>
  903. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/when-the-hope-of-jesus-wins-the-battle/</guid>
  904. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/rhm-on-eagles-wings-shirt-sun-facebook-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  905. </item>
  906. <item>
  907. <title>Violent anti-government protests erupt across Indonesian islands</title>
  908. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/violent-anti-government-protests-erupt-across-indonesian-islands/</link>
  909. <description>
  910. <![CDATA[
  911. Indonesia (MNN) — Indonesia is experiencing its most violent wave of <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-protests-continue-despite-crackdown-and-deaths/a-73833183" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">protests</span></strong></a> in over two decades.
  912.  
  913. Ten people have been killed and at least 1,042 were <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c7vlv2gpvvzo" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">taken to hospitals,</span></strong></a> according to the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation.
  914. <blockquote>
  915. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">FMI’s</span></a> Bruce Allen explains, "Anti-government protests in recent days have spread to 32 of the country's 38 provinces. Across major cities on multiple islands, government buildings [and] police stations have been attacked and burned – some in locations where our FMI-supported church planters serve."</strong></p>
  916. </blockquote>
  917. Protestors are angry with lavish government spending and police abuse. But the protests turned violent after a police vehicle ran over a young motorcycle taxi driver who was not part of the demonstrations.
  918.  
  919. "Overall, the public feels betrayed and that the government officials and police are being very callous toward them," says Allen. “The heavy-handed response of the authorities has only really served to incite further backlash from the public.”
  920.  
  921. <div id="attachment_216793" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216793" class="size-medium wp-image-216793" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/image-3-300x272.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="272" /><p id="caption-attachment-216793" class="wp-caption-text">Pastor Bakti of Sumatra, Indonesia, expounds the Scriptures to a congregation of about 80 people. (Photo, caption courtesy of Bruce Allen/FMI)</p></div>
  922.  
  923. Some pastors fear the unrest could revive the authoritarian policies of the late 1990s, when churches were systematically targeted and destroyed.
  924.  
  925. Allen says, “In speaking with some of our ministry leaders in recent days because of these protests, they're sensing that there's a real possibility that martial law could be imposed within the next few weeks.”
  926.  
  927. <em><strong>Yet, Indonesian churches are setting an example of peace through prayer.</strong></em>
  928.  
  929. One regency had recently passed restrictions on Christian worship. But when local pastors were invited to government headquarters to pray for peace, they agreed.
  930.  
  931. Allen says, "The video of that prayer meeting brought me to tears this morning as I watched. I'm sure that was a very refreshing moment for the church leaders of that regency as well. So prayer is a major point."
  932. <blockquote>
  933. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>You can link arms with Indonesian believers who are seeking to be a Gospel light. Allen asks, "Pray that the Christian community is a visible demonstration of Christ's compassion."</strong></p>
  934. </blockquote>
  935. &nbsp;
  936.  
  937. &nbsp;
  938.  
  939. &nbsp;
  940.  
  941. Header photo: Graffiti from anti-government protests in Indonesia earlier this year, March 2025. (Photo by Rafael Christopher and Vanesh De Gabze, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=162786473)]]>
  942. </description>
  943. <pubDate>Thu, 04 Sep 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  944. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/violent-anti-government-protests-erupt-across-indonesian-islands/</guid>
  945. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Unjuk_Rasa_di_gedung_DPRD_Provinsi_Daerah_Istimewa_Yogyakarta_20_Maret_2025-e1756955882784-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  946. </item>
  947. <item>
  948. <title>Truth needed for the next generation in China</title>
  949. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/truth-needed-for-the-next-generation-in-china/</link>
  950. <description>
  951. <![CDATA[
  952. China (MNN) — Who will win the hearts and minds of Chinese kids? The next generation has become a battleground.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  953.  
  954. Kurt Rovenstine with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span> explains, “Proselytizing kids in China is against regulations and policies, and it's pretty closely monitored.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  955.  
  956. Whether you’re a Christian or a Chinese Communist Party member, it’s clear why kids are so important: “You affect kids, you change a generation,” says Rovenstine.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  957.  
  958. Christians want the next generation to know Jesus personally. The Chinese government has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/churches-respond-to-chinese-communist-party-ban-on-religious-activities-for-children/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">different goals</a></strong></span>. This summer, officials in Shanghai <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ucanews.com/news/china-using-children-to-vilify-illegal-religious-groups/110145" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trained</a></strong></span> kids to reject the religious groups the government has deemed illegal or<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://english.religion.info/2018/12/20/china-heterodox-teachings-and-proscription-of-religious-groups-interview-with-edward-irons/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em> xie jiao </em></a></strong></span><span class="Apple-converted-space">("evil cults").</span>
  959.  
  960. <div id="attachment_187836" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-187836" class="size-medium wp-image-187836" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/jerry-wang-jqMz_PmgmnA-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="girl, China, unsplash" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-187836" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Jerry Wang via Unsplash)</p></div>
  961.  
  962. Bibles for China works legally in China, without opposing the government. But Rovenstine says the situation calls for prayer and action.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  963.  
  964. “Anytime there's a challenge, God equips His people with creativity, opens doors and creates avenues for the gospel to move forward in spite of what is inhibiting it,” Rovenstine says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  965.  
  966. Today, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://biblesforchina.org/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span> is printing children’s Bibles in Mandarin outside the country, plus other resources. These can be carried into China by hand.
  967.  
  968. “I had an email [recently] from the gentleman that took some of our children's Bibles. He’s been sharing them with people that are headed back to China, and they're taking them back two and three at a time,” Rovenstine says. This method isn’t a problem because the Chinese government “is just trying to make sure they're not being printed and distributed in mass.”
  969.  
  970. <strong>Pray that every Bible and resource reaches the right family and child at the right time with the good news of Christ!</strong>
  971.  
  972. <strong>Pray that God will open the eyes of kids being taught false things about God. Pray that they will look for truth and find it in Scripture.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  973.  
  974. &nbsp;
  975.  
  976. &nbsp;
  977.  
  978. <em>Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Note Thanun/Unsplash. </em>]]>
  979. </description>
  980. <pubDate>Thu, 04 Sep 2025 05:00:33 -0400</pubDate>
  981. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/truth-needed-for-the-next-generation-in-china/</guid>
  982. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/note-thanun-CYlPykF-qAM-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  983. </item>
  984. <item>
  985. <title>Three ways technology boosts Bible translation</title>
  986. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/three-ways-technology-boosts-bible-translation/</link>
  987. <description>
  988. <![CDATA[
  989. Southeast Asia (MNN) -- Technology can be a great thing. For example, it’s helping Christians in Southeast Asia translate the Bible into minority languages in three key ways.
  990.  
  991. First, technology enables believers to complete work they would otherwise struggle to do.
  992.  
  993. “They’ve taken technology tools that our folks created, most notably the one called translationCore, and they have turbocharged it,” Dane with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unfoldingWord</a></strong></span> says. “It serves as a checking tool, which is essential in Bible translation, [and] an initial drafting tool as well.”
  994.  
  995. Secondly, tech tools from unfoldingWord help believers work efficiently, completing more work in less time. “They’ve translated the New Testament faster than anybody we’ve partnered with,” Dane says.
  996.  
  997. “They have completed 10 New Testaments, text versions. They have completed one New Testament in audio, and two more audio New Testaments are underway for 2025. They also have 10 Old Testaments underway; those would be text versions.”
  998.  
  999. <div id="attachment_216782" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UW_quote-woman.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216782" class="size-medium wp-image-216782" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UW_quote-woman-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216782" class="wp-caption-text">When God's Word speaks your language, it speaks to your heart. This is why unfoldingWord equips local believers to translate the Bible into the languages they know best.<br />(Photo courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div>
  1000.  
  1001. Finally, technology fosters key connections. Team members collaborate on projects using digital means, and some believers discover the Lord’s leading through technology.
  1002.  
  1003. “One of the brothers, a key leader, shared how God called him into ministry, not through a pulpit,” Dane says.
  1004. <blockquote>
  1005. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Pastors preach sermons, and God calls people to ministry in a church. This guy came to his call to ministry through technology.”</strong></p>
  1006. </blockquote>
  1007. However, the authorities are also highly skilled with technology, so pray for believers to have wisdom and discernment.
  1008.  
  1009. The government’s “surveillance apparatus is really powerful,” Dane notes. “They are concerned that the translation of the Bible and the truths that it teaches might foment a rebellion.”
  1010.  
  1011. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://unfoldingword.org/portfolio/asia/southeastasia1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Help unreached people groups receive Scripture in their heart languages here.</a></strong></span>
  1012.  
  1013. “We’re equipping our partners and aiding them in any way we can so they can translate the Bible into all of the languages represented there, especially the ones that are unreached,” Dane says.
  1014.  
  1015. “This country has [several dozen] unreached people groups out of a total of 119, so that is over 9 million people.”
  1016.  
  1017. &nbsp;
  1018.  
  1019. &nbsp;
  1020.  
  1021. &nbsp;
  1022.  
  1023. <em>Header image is a representative photo courtesy of <a href="https://pixabay.com/photos/hands-ipad-tablet-technology-820272/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fancycrave1/Pixabay.</a></em>]]>
  1024. </description>
  1025. <pubDate>Thu, 04 Sep 2025 05:00:25 -0400</pubDate>
  1026. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/three-ways-technology-boosts-bible-translation/</guid>
  1027. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/hands-820272_1280-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1028. </item>
  1029. <item>
  1030. <title>Multiple earthquakes devastate part of Afghanistan</title>
  1031. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/multiple-earthquakes-devastate-part-of-afghanistan/</link>
  1032. <description>
  1033. <![CDATA[
  1034. Afghanistan (MNN) — A magnitude 6.0 earthquake <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/2/rescuers-focus-on-remote-mountainous-regions-after-afghanistan-earthquake" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devastated</a></strong></span> parts of eastern Afghanistan late Sunday. As of Tuesday, the death toll has passed 1,410 people, with thousands more injured and over 5,400 homes destroyed. Almost all of the deaths were <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://abcnews.go.com/International/afghanistan-earthquake-death-toll-rises/story?id=125172025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in Kunar Province</a></strong></span>, Afghan officials said Monday.
  1035.  
  1036. <div id="attachment_216755" style="width: 249px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216755" class="size-medium wp-image-216755" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/2025-08-31_Asadabad_Afghanistan_M6_earthquake_shakemap_USGS-239x300.jpg" alt="" width="239" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216755" class="wp-caption-text">Shakemap from USGS for the magnitude 6.0 earthquake in Afghanistan August 31, 2025. (Courtesy of United States Geological Survey, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.)</p></div>
  1037.  
  1038. Among other aftershocks, a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpqvqeg3nz5o" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5.2-magnitude quake</a></strong></span> struck in the same region on Tuesday.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1039.  
  1040. Road damage and landslides have hindered rescue efforts. Nehemiah with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong></span> shared a report from a local partner: “Nearly half of the villagers remain trapped under the rubble, and survivors are desperately trying to dig them out with their bare hands.
  1041.  
  1042. "There is nobody who would come and help them, so villagers or survivors are helping themselves."
  1043.  
  1044. Houses made of wood and mud-bricks were nothing against the first quake. It struck around midnight Sunday when most people were asleep and vulnerable to structural collapse.
  1045.  
  1046. “This disaster is especially devastating because it is human-made," said Nehemiah. "In a sense, the fragile building practices driven by poverty and limited infrastructure have turned a national event into a disastrous tragedy.”
  1047.  
  1048. <strong>Nehemiah said FMI church planters stand in the gap to serve isolated villages at this time.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>“They are distributing food, organizing emergency shelters and offering prayers, even risking their own lives and own safety.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1049.  
  1050. Other powers are in motion to help. The Taliban government has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/sep/02/afghanistan-earthquake-taliban-appeals-for-international-aid-as-rescue-teams-search-for-survivors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appealed</a></strong></span> for international aid. India has already sent food and tents for immediate relief. The UN and United Kingdom have also <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/9/2/afghanistan-earthquake-live-search-for-survivors-on-after-800-killed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a></strong></span> emergency aid. <strong>But what FMI partners are asking for is your prayers!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  1051.  
  1052. <strong>“Pray for safe delivery of aid into accessible areas. Pray for wisdom, protection and spiritual strength for our church planters on the ground,” Nehemiah said. </strong>
  1053. <blockquote>
  1054. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Pray that in the darkest moments, the light of Christ will shine and bring hope to those who have lost so much.”</strong></p>
  1055. </blockquote>
  1056. <div id="attachment_216758" style="width: 627px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216758" class=" wp-image-216758" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/mustafa-TQ5TDoaThEk-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="617" height="411" /><p id="caption-attachment-216758" class="wp-caption-text">An example of a house in eastern Afghanistan, Nuristan Province (Photo courtesy of Mustafa via Unsplash)</p></div>
  1057.  
  1058. &nbsp;
  1059.  
  1060. <em>Header photo courtesy of Joel Heard/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  1061. </description>
  1062. <pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:04 -0400</pubDate>
  1063. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/multiple-earthquakes-devastate-part-of-afghanistan/</guid>
  1064. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/joel-heard-h7wEYf-LUCk-unsplash-e1756841491188-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1065. </item>
  1066. <item>
  1067. <title>Amid loss and war, Ukrainian girl discovers Jesus at summer camp</title>
  1068. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amid-loss-and-war-ukrainian-girl-discovers-jesus-at-summer-camp/</link>
  1069. <description>
  1070. <![CDATA[
  1071. Ukraine (MNN) — Fourteen-year-old Aneliya lives in Mykolaivka, a small coastal town in Ukraine. Like many teens, she was looking for a place to belong this summer. When she heard about a youth camp hosted by a local church, she asked to join.
  1072. <p data-start="513" data-end="553"><em>What she found there changed her life.</em></p>
  1073.  
  1074.  
  1075. <div id="attachment_216771" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216771" class="wp-image-216771 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/photo_2025-07-29_14-52-42-1-300x236.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="236" /><p id="caption-attachment-216771" class="wp-caption-text">Aneliya at summer camp. (Photo courtesy of Valentin Lupashko/Slavic Gospel Association)</p></div>
  1076. <p data-start="555" data-end="739">One evening during worship, Aneliya came forward in tears. She prayed, and believed in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Later, she shared her story with a pastor — a story marked by pain and abandonment.</p>
  1077. <p data-start="741" data-end="1030">Aneliya’s father was drafted to the front lines of Ukraine. Not long after, her mother found another man and left the family, walking away from her two children. Aneliya and her younger brother now live with their elderly grandmother, trying to process trauma far too heavy for their young shoulders.</p>
  1078.  
  1079. <blockquote>
  1080. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="1032" data-end="1152"><strong>“She told me that this camp saved her,” the pastor reported. “She experienced spiritual renewal and found hope again.”</strong></p>
  1081. </blockquote>
  1082. <p data-start="1154" data-end="1546"><strong>According to Eric Mock with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)</span></a>, Aneliya’s story represents the hope many young people found in Christ this summer.</strong></p>
  1083. <p data-start="1154" data-end="1546">“These stories are of young kids saying they did not know of the love of God. They did not know they could go to heaven. They did not know of the grace of God. They were angry and confused, and now they walk away with hope,” Mock says.</p>
  1084. <p data-start="1548" data-end="2000">But this ministry took place against a backdrop of war. “The war zone of Ukraine is getting more violent…. The nights are getting worse, the missiles and the drones are constantly coming in and harassing families,” Mock says. “In fact, we were told by one family that when they go to bed at night, they know that they'll be awakened at 1:30, at 2:00 in the morning, often for four to five hours, and the sirens are blaring [while] they're in shelters.”</p>
  1085. <p data-start="2002" data-end="2300">For churches in Ukraine, the response may seem surprising. “What would you do if missiles and rockets were raining down every night?” Mock asks. “And their answer is this: 'Well, what we're going to do right now is we're going to hold a summer camp.'”</p>
  1086.  
  1087.  
  1088. <div id="attachment_209429" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-209429" class="size-medium wp-image-209429" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/SGA_aid-campaign-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-209429" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association)</p></div>
  1089. <p data-start="2302" data-end="2651">That commitment to Gospel service and encouragement is exactly what SGA exists to support. “The joy that we have is to serve the churches in these embattled countries who are faithfully ministering in their community."</p>
  1090. <p data-start="2653" data-end="2957">As summer camps wind down, local congregations are already preparing for the next outreach.</p>
  1091.  
  1092. <blockquote>
  1093. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="2653" data-end="2957"><strong>“We might think we're done with summer camp. We can relax,” Mock says. “They're already thinking of Christmas outreach. They never stop planning and prepping and ministering to the people in their communities.”</strong></p>
  1094. </blockquote>
  1095. <p data-start="2959" data-end="3215">Pray for Aneliya as she begins attending church, and for many more young people across Ukraine who need the peace only Jesus can bring. Ask God to strengthen local churches as they continue year-round discipleship in the face of exhaustion, loss, and war.</p>
  1096. <p data-start="2959" data-end="3215"><em>Header photo courtesy of Valentin Lupashko/Slavic Gospel Association.</em></p>]]>
  1097. </description>
  1098. <pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate>
  1099. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/amid-loss-and-war-ukrainian-girl-discovers-jesus-at-summer-camp/</guid>
  1100. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/photo_2025-07-29_14-53-23-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1101. </item>
  1102. <item>
  1103. <title>God&#8217;s big list and our big call</title>
  1104. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/216735/</link>
  1105. <description>
  1106. <![CDATA[
  1107. <span style="font-weight: 400">United States (MNN) — Do you make lists? God does. </span>
  1108.  
  1109. <span style="font-weight: 400">In Genesis 46, He lists the members of Jacob’s family relocating to Egypt. In Ezra 2, He lists the number of exiles returning to Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity. In both the Old and New testaments, He keeps careful genealogies. And since before the world began, He has had another list, the biggest and best of all. It’s a list of the Lord’s redeemed. </span>
  1110.  
  1111. <span style="font-weight: 400">Revelation mentions this record when it describes kings entering the heavenly city of New Jerusalem. </span>
  1112.  
  1113. <em><span style="font-weight: 400">“</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400"><em>They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false,</em> </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400">but only those who are written in the Lamb's book of life.</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400">”</span><span style="font-weight: 400">1</span>
  1114.  
  1115. <div id="attachment_216736" style="width: 453px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216736" class=" wp-image-216736" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-tara-winstead-8850706-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="443" height="295" /><p id="caption-attachment-216736" class="wp-caption-text">Courtesy of Tara Winstead via Pexels.</p></div>
  1116.  
  1117. <b>Believers are a loved people. They are a redeemed people. And they are a counted people. </b>
  1118.  
  1119. <span style="font-weight: 400">Yet, not all those counted in the flock have come to dwell within it. Before ascending to the Father, Jesus gave his disciples the task of going out to bring these home. </span>
  1120.  
  1121. <em><span style="font-weight: 400">“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” </span><span style="font-weight: 400">2</span></em>
  1122. <h1><span style="font-weight: 400">The Task</span></h1>
  1123. <span style="font-weight: 400">2000 years after the Great Commission, Director of the <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a-third-of-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alliance for the Unreached</a></strong> David Begosian emphasizes the reality of the unfinished work.  </span>
  1124.  
  1125. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We have, still, places where the Gospel has never gone: places like Somalia, places like Northern India, places like Southern China,” he says. </span>
  1126.  
  1127. <b>Begosian says we are more resourced than ever regarding the unfinished task. And one thing that’s helping the cause? Lists. </b>
  1128.  
  1129. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We never had, twenty or thirty years ago, the lists of places and people groups that have never heard like we have now today,” he says. “Missionaries are going out, they’re discovering these places, and the Gospel is moving.” </span>
  1130.  
  1131. <span style="font-weight: 400">Begosian points out that there are movements today among Muslims like we’ve never seen before, and God is waking up His church to be involved. </span>
  1132. <h1><span style="font-weight: 400">The Need</span></h1>
  1133. <span style="font-weight: 400">Still, many American Christians are unaware of the scale of the remaining work. One in three people around the world has yet to hear the message of hope in Christ. As Western believers drenched in Living Water, are we forgetting a third of the world who is parched? </span>
  1134.  
  1135. <b>Take heart and start small. Remember those people group lists? Begosian has an idea. </b>
  1136.  
  1137. <span style="font-weight: 400">“One of the things that we’re encouraging people to do is to take a piece of the action and say, ‘We’re going to focus on this area of the world or on this people group,’” Begosian says. “We’re going to adopt them and we’re going to stick with them until there is a church: until the Gospel has gone and is well established among that people group.” </span>
  1138.  
  1139. <span style="font-weight: 400">Meanwhile, organizations like the Alliance for the Unreached are focusing on unity and clarity: how do we simplify the message while understanding the complexity of the remaining work? </span>
  1140.  
  1141. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Reaching people from Muslim background or a Hindu or Buddhist background is not easy, and yet God can do the impossible,” Begosian says. </span>
  1142.  
  1143. <b>From wars to diseases and political conflict, barriers to the unreached abound. But God is a multi-directional people mover.</b>
  1144.  
  1145. <span style="font-weight: 400">“If you’re in a major city, God has brought people of the ends of the earth to us,” Begosian says. “We may not be aware of it, but we need to go look for it. And that’s one of the things that’s so important about missions: <em>missions requires intentionality</em>.” </span>
  1146.  
  1147. <span style="font-weight: 400">Intentionality starts with questions: Who are the unreached? Where are they? How can we reach them where they are? </span>
  1148.  
  1149. <span style="font-weight: 400">As the newly appointed director of the Alliance for the Unreached, which has recently come under the umbrella of MissioNexus, Begosian feels a pull toward partnerships in the Global South. He says organizations can link arms strategically as we work towards fulfillment of the Great Commission. </span>
  1150.  
  1151. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The landscape has changed a little bit for us from America. God is calling us more and more to partner with what God is already doing in those places. So even though there are very few believers in places like North Africa and Northern India, the fact is there are believers now, and that’s exciting.”</span>
  1152. <h1><span style="font-weight: 400">The Call</span></h1>
  1153. <span style="font-weight: 400">What does this mean for you? Here are two starting points:</span>
  1154. <ol>
  1155. <li style="list-style-type: none">
  1156. <ol>
  1157. <li style="font-weight: 400"><b>Get informed.</b><span style="font-weight: 400"> Learn more about the unreached at websites like </span><strong><a href="http://joshuaproject.net" target="_blank" rel="noopener">joshuaproject.net</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> and </span><strong><a href="http://peoplegroups.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">peoplegroups.org</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. Alliance for the Unreached has a plethora of resources available </span><strong><a href="https://alliancefortheunreached.org/resources/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. </span></li>
  1158. <li style="font-weight: 400"><b>Get involved.</b></li>
  1159. </ol>
  1160. </li>
  1161. </ol>
  1162. <ol>
  1163. <li style="list-style-type: none">
  1164. <ol>
  1165. <li style="list-style-type: none">
  1166. <ul>
  1167. <li style="font-weight: 400"><strong><a href="https://prayercast.com/prayer-plans/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pray for the unreached</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">, perhaps by working your way through a list of people groups or adopting a single group. </span></li>
  1168. <li style="font-weight: 400"><span style="font-weight: 400">Inform believing friends, perhaps by participating in the annual “</span><strong><a href="https://athirdofus.com/idu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Day for the Unreached</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">.” </span></li>
  1169. <li style="font-weight: 400"><span style="font-weight: 400">Go into all the world with the hope of Jesus, whether God is calling you across the ocean or across the street.</span></li>
  1170. </ul>
  1171. </li>
  1172. </ol>
  1173. </li>
  1174. </ol>
  1175. <div id="attachment_216737" style="width: 605px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216737" class=" wp-image-216737" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-jens-johnsson-14223-66100-300x260.jpg" alt="" width="595" height="516" /><p id="caption-attachment-216737" class="wp-caption-text">Above photo courtesy of Jens Johnsson via Pexels. Featured photo courtesy of Lara Jameson via Pexels.</p></div>
  1176. <h6><em>1 Revelation 21: 24 - 27</em></h6>
  1177. <h6><strong><em>2 Matthew 28:16 - 20 </em></strong></h6>]]>
  1178. </description>
  1179. <pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:00:40 -0400</pubDate>
  1180. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/216735/</guid>
  1181. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-lara-jameson-8828605-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1182. </item>
  1183. <item>
  1184. <title>How a “Freedom of Religion” bill spells trouble for India’s believers </title>
  1185. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-a-freedom-of-religion-bill-spells-trouble-for-indias-believers/</link>
  1186. <description>
  1187. <![CDATA[
  1188. <span style="font-weight: 400">India (MNN) </span><span style="font-weight: 400">— Christians </span><span style="font-weight: 400">in India’s Uttarakhand State expect increased punishment for breaking anti-conversion laws, as legislation to expand existing penalties awaits final assent from the region’s governor. Carefully yet deceptively worded, the proposed amendment purports to protect religious minorities while licensing their maltreatment. </span>
  1189.  
  1190. <span style="font-weight: 400">First introduced in 2018, </span><span style="font-weight: 400">Uttarakhand’s </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“Freedom of Religion Bill” prohibits religious conversion through misrepresentation, force, coercion, or any fraudulent means. The latest amendment increases penalties to a fine of 1 million Indian Rupees (more than $11,000 USD) and possible life imprisonment. </span>
  1191.  
  1192. <span style="font-weight: 400">On one hand, these measures could be viewed as protection for Christians, as the bill’s title suggests. Notably, in neighboring Pakistan, reports of </span><strong><a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/trapped-in-hell-christian-girl-kidnapped-raped-by-muslim-men.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">forced conversions to Islam</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> are increasing; and India’s new restrictions are at best a prophylactic move for the country’s own religious minorities.</span>
  1193.  
  1194. <span style="font-weight: 400">On the other hand, the situation could be much more grim: with the law now firmly behind them, persecutors of believers could heavily target Christian evangelistic activity in Uttarakhand. Already, reports from local believers indicate this is the primary scenario unfolding in their region.</span>
  1195.  
  1196. <div id="attachment_216684" style="width: 442px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216684" class=" wp-image-216684" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/swastik-arora-leIPv5OnnNQ-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="432" height="288" /><p id="caption-attachment-216684" class="wp-caption-text"><em>Courtesy of Unsplash</em></p></div>
  1197.  
  1198. <span style="font-weight: 400">Mike Grandy with </span><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> recently spoke with a Christian brother there, who explained that homes are now being targeted. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  1199. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  1200. </span><span style="font-weight: 400">“If believers are gathering within a home, they’re considering that conversion; and so they’re actually targeting homes where believers are gathering,” Grandy says. </span>
  1201.  
  1202. <span style="font-weight: 400">Governmental tactics to break up church communities in this way are not new.</span>
  1203.  
  1204. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They want to preserve the power, the strength of the ruling party. When you look at those who are in control politically and in charge of the largest businesses, it all really comes down to the same things: control, power, and money,” he points out. </span>
  1205.  
  1206. <span style="font-weight: 400">The latest amendment goes as far as to criminalize propaganda on social or digital media, a vague clause that could enable sweeping indictments. In this way, individual Christians become pinpointable targets, and “forceful conversion” becomes anything from sharing a Christian social media post to handing out Bibles on the street. </span>
  1207.  
  1208. <span style="font-weight: 400">But where vague terminology is weaponized, seasoned speech prevails.</span>
  1209.  
  1210. <div id="attachment_216683" style="width: 444px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216683" class=" wp-image-216683" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/melissa-di-rocco-UmXdkeKjqe4-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="434" height="289" /><p id="caption-attachment-216683" class="wp-caption-text"><strong>Colossians 4:6 (ESV) states: "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."</strong><br /><em>Image courtesy of Unsplash.</em></p></div>
  1211.  
  1212. <span style="font-weight: 400">Grandy tells the story of one church community whose pastor was recently imprisoned when officials attributed church growth to his preaching. In the prison cell, he and some friends began singing, worshipping, and praying. </span>
  1213.  
  1214. <span style="font-weight: 400">The guards were uncomfortable. They asked the prisoners if friends and family had bail money to procure their release. When the pastor responded, “No,” and continued to sing, the guards were spiritually disarmed. </span>
  1215.  
  1216. <span style="font-weight: 400">“'We’re going to just let you go,' they said. 'We can’t have you in here singing and worshipping,'” Grandy relates. </span>
  1217.  
  1218. <span style="font-weight: 400">While prison release is not a guaranteed outcome for persecuted believers, believers understand the persecution itself to be a given. Grandy recently spoke with one Christian brother who described his experience of being “slapped around” while preaching the Gospel in public. </span>
  1219.  
  1220. <span style="font-weight: 400">“But that’s not really persecution,” he said. “That just comes with the territory. That’s what we do when we’re called to Christ.” </span>
  1221.  
  1222. <span style="font-weight: 400">Grandy calls on worldwide believers to support the persecuted church in prayer. </span>
  1223.  
  1224. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Pray that the message of the Gospel would take root. Pray for our brave brothers and sisters who are sharing the Gospel: that they would continue, that they’d have boldness and discernment of the Holy Spirit.” </span>
  1225.  
  1226. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray also that regardless of what is enacted politically, the Gospel would remain unhindered as Christ’s people in Uttarakhand go forth in faith. </span>
  1227.  
  1228. <span style="font-weight: 400">Learn more about how the ministry of Unknown Nations supports this work </span><strong><a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">.</span>
  1229.  
  1230. <em>Featured image: Believers in West Bengal, India. Courtesy of Pexels. </em>]]>
  1231. </description>
  1232. <pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2025 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate>
  1233. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-a-freedom-of-religion-bill-spells-trouble-for-indias-believers/</guid>
  1234. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-ranit-das-2154541727-33572731-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1235. </item>
  1236. <item>
  1237. <title>Radio remains best way to share Gospel in North Korea</title>
  1238. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/radio-remains-best-way-to-share-gospel-in-north-korea/</link>
  1239. <description>
  1240. <![CDATA[
  1241. North Korea (MNN) – As technology continues to race ahead, Eric Foley with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Voice of the Martyrs Korea</strong></span></a> says radio is still the best way to share the Gospel in North Korea. However, even radio has its challenges for the Korean church.
  1242.  
  1243. “Listening to shortwave radio broadcasting, listening to any foreign radio broadcasting is illegal and highly punishable,” Foley says.
  1244.  
  1245. However, he shares that this doesn’t mean radio is obsolete. “Twenty percent of North Koreans are estimated to possess radios where they can listen to shortwave broadcasts. That's a much higher percentage than any other means of reaching people for the Gospel,” Foley states. “North Koreans are very private. When they hear those things, they don't share them with many people. But when something is heard by North Koreans on the radio that really impacts them, there is that opportunity that they may share with other family members.”
  1246.  
  1247. <div id="attachment_216704" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216704" class="size-medium wp-image-216704" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/radio-5045924_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216704" class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of mon18marti via pixabay)</p></div>
  1248. <h2>Likely Increase in Jamming</h2>
  1249. Unfortunately, dwindling government broadcasts into North Korea likely mean some of the jamming efforts previously focused on the US and South Korean governments will now be turned to Christian radio broadcasts. The threat is real, but Foley says they are making preparations.
  1250.  
  1251. “Outlets in the US have erroneously reported that already the jamming has occurred, or that Christian radio broadcasts have been stopped. And that's simply not true. That's not an accurate statement. Instead, what's accurate is that Christian broadcasters are really aware of it, and we're taking all of the steps we can in order to prepare for the possibility that North Korea may repurpose some of that electricity that they used to use against the US and South Korean government broadcasts to jam ours.”
  1252. <h2>Continuing to Share the Gospel</h2>
  1253. Despite the challenges, Foley states that VOM Korea is adding another radio broadcast to their daily schedule. Like their other programs, this broadcast will feature sermons from early Korean Christians as well as continuous reading of the Bible. They try to make these broadcasts as practical as possible.
  1254.  
  1255. <div id="attachment_212215" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-212215" class="size-medium wp-image-212215" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/yosi-prihantoro-mY0pCBLhfeo-unsplash-300x169.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-212215" class="wp-caption-text">Man reading Bible (Photo courtesy by Unsplash)</p></div>
  1256.  
  1257. “We started using North Korean announcers, and from the beginning, our broadcast has only had North Korean announcers. And then we found that these sermons from the early Korean Christians really spoke to the hearts of North Korean people today, because their situation is so identical. The South Korean church has changed a lot, as South Korea has become a much more modernized, westernized country. But for North Korea, you can draw a straight line from the early Korean Christians of the 1880s, which is when Protestant Christianity came to the Korean peninsula. Today, North Korean Christians haven't changed. So the sermons from these great beginning first, early Korean Christians really speak to their hearts.”
  1258.  
  1259. Foley asks that the Church pray for North Korean Christians. Any Church activity is dangerous, but listening to radio broadcasts can be conducted in a great degree of secrecy. Please pray that any efforts to jam Christian broadcast signals would be thwarted. If you want to learn more about North Korea’s radio broadcasts, <a href="https://vomkorea.com/project/northkorea/radio-broadcasts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a>.
  1260.  
  1261. &nbsp;
  1262.  
  1263. <em>Header photo courtesy of Roman Harak of Flickr</em>]]>
  1264. </description>
  1265. <pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2025 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate>
  1266. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/radio-remains-best-way-to-share-gospel-in-north-korea/</guid>
  1267. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/5015877798_fe20a2ac6f_z-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1268. </item>
  1269. <item>
  1270. <title>How do you measure what truly matters in ministry?</title>
  1271. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-do-you-measure-what-truly-matters-in-ministry/</link>
  1272. <description>
  1273. <![CDATA[
  1274. MENA (MNN) — Measuring the impact of ministry is never easy. Many factors come into play, but not all carry the same weight. What guiding principles should shape how we assess our work in God’s field?
  1275.  
  1276. The Gospel work is an exciting journey of watching God’s will transform lives from emptiness to purpose. Personal and community change follows! Yet the process is sensitive and often hard to measure.
  1277.  
  1278. Fadi Sharaiha from the <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mena-leadership-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MENA Leadership Center</strong></a> says, “We're not used to measure the impact. And the reason why is because sometimes we are afraid to see that we were not successful in that. It's tricky how to measure and what to measure. How to measure spiritual growth, or if people’s lives have been changed?”
  1279.  
  1280. When it comes to measuring impact, purpose matters. “Many organizations measure to approve, not to learn, and there's a difference in that,” explains Sharaiha.
  1281.  
  1282. <div id="attachment_216730" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216730" class="size-medium wp-image-216730" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/rodrigo-gonzalez-M8zCQTJZFbU-unsplash-300x190.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="190" /><p id="caption-attachment-216730" class="wp-caption-text">How do you measure the impact of the Gospel on a person’s life? (representative photo courtesy of Rodrigo Gonzalez via Unsplash)</p></div>
  1283.  
  1284. “<strong>Measuring impact shifts focus from the activity</strong>, — he continues, — <strong>what we do or what we did — to an outcomes and even transformation to what really changed</strong>.”
  1285.  
  1286. You can compare the process to working in a lab! “You work with the controlled environment or conditions, and then you change some factors.”
  1287.  
  1288. The ability to observe and measure impact guides strategy, fosters learning from past mistakes or successes, and creates a culture of continuous improvement.
  1289.  
  1290. “Basically, it would demonstrate really faithful stewardship, because it enables the ministries to show the donor, the stakeholder and the communities they live with that resources are being used wisely and effectively,” says Sharaiha.
  1291.  
  1292. This, in turn, builds trust and credibility among workers in God’s harvest field.
  1293.  
  1294. In a few weeks, the MENA Leadership Center will host a <a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/courses/measuring-what-matters-a-practical-introduction-to-impact-assessment-for-ministry-leaders/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>course on measuring ministry impact</strong></a>. Attendees from the Middle East and North Africa, Pakistan, their diaspora, North America, and beyond will gather to strengthen their work.
  1295.  
  1296. “<strong>People will be exposed to the different tools and frameworks for measuring impact</strong>,” says Sharaiha.
  1297.  
  1298. The topics include, but are not limited to, the importance of measuring impact, how to define ministry goals, learning how to work with data, developing good communication with stakeholders, and pursuing ongoing improvement.
  1299.  
  1300. Many pastors and Christian leaders who will attend the course live in war zones or areas of political unrest. Pray that they will be able to join and benefit from the program. Pray also for the lecturers.
  1301.  
  1302. Visit <a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MENA Leadership Center</strong></a> to learn more.
  1303.  
  1304. &nbsp;
  1305.  
  1306. &nbsp;
  1307.  
  1308. &nbsp;
  1309.  
  1310. &nbsp;
  1311.  
  1312. <em>Header photo courtesy of Atlantic Ambience via Pexels.</em>]]>
  1313. </description>
  1314. <pubDate>Tue, 02 Sep 2025 05:00:19 -0400</pubDate>
  1315. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-do-you-measure-what-truly-matters-in-ministry/</guid>
  1316. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pexels-freestockpro-12932264-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1317. </item>
  1318. <item>
  1319. <title>Hardship and discipleship meet in the Afghan church</title>
  1320. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hardship-and-discipleship-meet-in-the-afghan-church/</link>
  1321. <description>
  1322. <![CDATA[
  1323. Afghanistan (MNN) — Tragedy struck dozens of Afghan families last month when a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-herat-bus-crash-iran-refugees-6877cd0151f7d8d6e7caa71cfdf05272" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motorbike, truck, and bus crashed</a></strong></span> in northwestern Afghanistan. The accident and ensuing fire killed at least 79 people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1324.  
  1325. Greg Kelley with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></strong></span> says that three of the victims were missionaries discipled for gospel ministry.
  1326.  
  1327. “Unknown Nations has been training many Afghans who are inside of Iran who have come to know Jesus, recognizing it's a tremendous opportunity [to launch] these people back into [Afghanistan] equipped [and] trained by seasoned missionaries there,” he says.
  1328.  
  1329. <div id="attachment_193415" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-193415" class="size-medium wp-image-193415" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/isaak-alexandre-karslian-oBfOjcoSVY-unsplash-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-193415" class="wp-caption-text">A girl looks on among Afghan women lining up to receive relief assistance during the holy month of Ramadan in Jalalabad, Afghanistan.<br />(Photo by IsaaK Alexandre KaRslian/Unsplash)</p></div>
  1330.  
  1331. The bus was on its way back from Iran, which has expelled <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/29/nx-s1-5468459/afghan-iran-deportations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 1 million Afghan refugees</a></strong></span> in the past year. The chaotic deportations have left many Afghans with little to nothing.
  1332.  
  1333. “We've sent them some resources just to help them get by, but it's going to be a very difficult journey ahead for them, especially in a place like Afghanistan,” says Kelley. “Single moms don't tend to do very well at all. They’re looked down upon.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1334.  
  1335. Afghan expatriates describe their home country this way: <strong>“There's nothing there for us. We don't have work. We don't have jobs. The Taliban make life incredibly difficult.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  1336.  
  1337. Yet God uses suffering to draw people to the true hope of Christ.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1338.  
  1339. “It causes everybody to look at their worldview and to consider what they believe, and that's where the opportunity is to share the gospel,” says Kelley. “That is why Afghanistan is one of the fastest-growing countries in the world as far as receiving the gospel.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1340.  
  1341. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></strong></span> has trained more than 200 disciple-makers now living inside Afghanistan. <strong>Pray for more Afghans to hear and accept the hope of Christ. Ask God for peace and provision for the families of the three missionaries in this loss.</strong>
  1342.  
  1343. “We just keep our eyes and focus in the midst of the carnage on disciples who make disciples who make disciples. [We focus on] how do you encourage them and stand alongside of them?” says Kelley.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1344.  
  1345. &nbsp;
  1346.  
  1347. &nbsp;
  1348.  
  1349. <em>Header photo of street scene in Kabul, Afghanistan courtesy of Farid Ershad/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  1350. </description>
  1351. <pubDate>Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:00:52 -0400</pubDate>
  1352. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hardship-and-discipleship-meet-in-the-afghan-church/</guid>
  1353. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/farid-ershad-DqukRY4Gdts-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1354. </item>
  1355. <item>
  1356. <title>Work against abuse in Guatemala bears fruit</title>
  1357. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/work-against-abuse-in-guatemala-bears-fruit/</link>
  1358. <description>
  1359. <![CDATA[
  1360. <span style="font-weight: 400">Guatemala (MNN) – Sexual violence against children in Guatemala is rampant, but<strong> <a href="https://www.amginternational.org/">AMG International</a></strong> is working to change this cultural norm and bring restoration for hurting children.</span>
  1361.  
  1362. <span style="font-weight: 400"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/"><strong>AMG</strong></a> will soon celebrate 50 years of work in Guatemala. AMG has built schools, medical projects, clinics, and hospitals, responding to others’ needs. Today, it works with a large network of churches and schools in the country.</span>
  1363.  
  1364. <span style="font-weight: 400">Over the last ten years, one of the biggest focuses within </span><span style="font-weight: 400">the country has been combating the <strong><a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-country-reports-on-human-rights-practices/guatemala/">widespread abuse</a>,</strong> neglect, and trauma in the lives of children.</span>
  1365.  
  1366. <span style="font-weight: 400">Even more alarming are the numbers of children, both girls and boys, suffering at the hands of sexual violence in desperate situations.</span>
  1367.  
  1368. <span style="font-weight: 400">The local statistics show that on average <strong><a href="https://www.unicef.org/guatemala/en/stories/if-it-werent-help-i-received-i-wouldnt-be-alive">17 reports of child abuse</a></strong> are filed daily, and numbers are much higher than this because so much goes unreported.</span>
  1369.  
  1370. <span style="font-weight: 400">Brian Dennett with AMG says, “Much of the abuse is happening very close to home, with seven out of 10 aggressors being family members.”</span>
  1371.  
  1372. <span style="font-weight: 400">Over 10 years ago, AMG partnered with <strong><a href="https://www.ijm.org/">International Justice Mission (IJM)</a></strong> from Washington, DC, to open a child protection facility that works to rescue children, prosecute abusers, and provide Christ-centered counseling for children and their families.</span>
  1373.  
  1374. <span style="font-weight: 400">AMG also provides legal support for families by working to put abusers behind bars. </span>
  1375.  
  1376. <span style="font-weight: 400">To be a part of restoration and transformation and really focusing on their dignity and hope for them is such a blessing. </span>
  1377.  
  1378. <div id="attachment_216716" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216716" class="size-medium wp-image-216716" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/juan-carlos-pavon-dBsYvS1kFDQ-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216716" class="wp-caption-text">Abuse is especially common in areas of Guatemala City.<em> (Photo by Juan Carlos Pavon via Unsplash)</em></p></div>
  1379.  
  1380. <span style="font-weight: 400">Dennett says that the organization has seen great results from their work in Guatemala City, and has become a model or test site in how they will combat these issues in other countries as well.</span>
  1381.  
  1382. <span style="font-weight: 400">AMG and IJM are also both working to create systemic change within the government.</span>
  1383.  
  1384. “Together with IJM,” says Dennett, “We've co-written a groundbreaking law that speeds up the process of child abuse cases and avoids re-victimization of those kids. The law was actually passed by the Guatemalan government, by Congress, and has been a major victory for children's rights.”
  1385. <blockquote>
  1386. <p style="text-align: center"><strong>“Our vision to restore these children and build a culture where abuse is not tolerated has been just one of the greatest endeavors that we have undertaken,” says Dennett.</strong></p>
  1387. </blockquote>
  1388. <span style="font-weight: 400">As AMG seeks to provide the healing of Christ, their work is seeing fruit.</span>
  1389.  
  1390. <span style="font-weight: 400">At just 10 years old Camille was being abused by her grandfather. Her world collapsing, her teachers and the AMG team noticed her complete lack of joy.</span>
  1391.  
  1392. <span style="font-weight: 400">“She had lost her happiness, her voice, any hope," says Dennett. “But through our child protection program and our team there, she found healing, including her family. She received counsel, legal protection, spiritual care, and really just a lot of love surrounding her.”</span>
  1393.  
  1394. Today, Camille is smiling again. She has hope and is dreaming of a future, possibly even helping other girls like her.
  1395. <blockquote>
  1396. <p style="text-align: center"><strong>“Her story really represents a lot of children in Guatemala and other countries, where we're able to rescue, heal, and really provide a new life, all wrapped in the joy of the Lord, coming to know Jesus, and who they are in Jesus. And of course, like everything we do, the gospel is at the heart of our work. The love we have for and from Jesus motivates us.”</strong></p>
  1397. </blockquote>
  1398. <span style="font-weight: 400">Restoration is beyond emotion and the organization uses a spiritually motivated methodology with a child's identity being rooted in Christ.</span>
  1399. <blockquote>
  1400. <p style="text-align: center"><strong>“Every child we work with is hearing the truth about who they are and who Jesus is, and that they are loved, they are valuable, and that they are just beautiful masterpieces created by the Lord and never forgotten,” says Dennett.</strong></p>
  1401. </blockquote>
  1402. <span style="font-weight: 400">AMG is trying to raise around $50,000 to expand its program in Guatemala to provide safe environments, counseling, individual and group therapy, and spiritual formation for children, bringing relief and restoration.</span>
  1403.  
  1404. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please join AMG in prayer and advocacy for these victims of abuse and give if led to break the silence and bring hope and justice.</span>
  1405.  
  1406. &nbsp;
  1407.  
  1408. &nbsp;
  1409.  
  1410. <em>Header Image by Kaufdex from Pixabay</em>]]>
  1411. </description>
  1412. <pubDate>Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate>
  1413. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/work-against-abuse-in-guatemala-bears-fruit/</guid>
  1414. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/guatemala-2697419_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1415. </item>
  1416. <item>
  1417. <title>Nigerian Christians encounter hope and healing</title>
  1418. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nigerian-christians-encounter-hope-and-healing/</link>
  1419. <description>
  1420. <![CDATA[
  1421. Nigeria (MNN) -- Few places see more Christian deaths each year than Nigeria. Terrorists killed <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/report-shows-thousands-of-christians-killed-in-nigeria-this-year/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 7,000 believers</a></strong></span> in the first seven months of this year alone.
  1422.  
  1423. “Nigerian Christians are currently suffering in ways that we can’t even fathom [or] understand,” says Jason Taylor, head of Set Free Global, a division of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Set Free Ministries.</a></strong></span>
  1424.  
  1425. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/tag/nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See our complete coverage of Nigeria here.</a></strong></span>
  1426.  
  1427. Survivors often carry deep trauma, but hope is coming. In partnership with Neil Anderson, Set Free developed “freedom appointments,” a ministry tool that helps believers walk in healing through Christ. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://setfreemin.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  1428.  
  1429. In Nigeria, “Denominational church leaders are inviting us to come in and train them so they can train their people and walk their own people through the freedom steps,” Taylor says.
  1430. <blockquote>
  1431. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Set Free Global has served East Africa for two decades. This year, they’re breaking new ground in Nigeria.</strong></p>
  1432. </blockquote>
  1433. This month, “We’re completing what I’ll call the ‘first round’ of freedom appointments with seven pastors, and now we’re asking each one to choose a partner, really a disciple of theirs, to also go through the freedom appointment,” Taylor says.
  1434.  
  1435. “Once they go through that training, we’ll have two individuals in each church that can start doing freedom appointments with their congregants.”
  1436.  
  1437. After establishing the program, Taylor envisions believers taking a new cohort of seven individuals through the freedom appointment process every other month.
  1438.  
  1439. Nigeria has the second-largest Christian population in Africa, and the potential impact is enormous. Pray that believers will be empowered to serve Christ boldly, once freed from past traumas. Ask the Lord to bless the work of Set Free Global and its partners, especially Reverend Andaman.
  1440.  
  1441. &nbsp;
  1442.  
  1443. &nbsp;
  1444.  
  1445. &nbsp;
  1446.  
  1447. <em>Header image is a representative photo courtesy of TWR. </em>]]>
  1448. </description>
  1449. <pubDate>Mon, 01 Sep 2025 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate>
  1450. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nigerian-christians-encounter-hope-and-healing/</guid>
  1451. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/TWR_Nigeria-180x180.png" type="" length="" />
  1452. </item>
  1453. <item>
  1454. <title>Christians meet for encouragement as Afghanistan anniversary approaches</title>
  1455. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-meet-for-encouragement-as-afghanistan-anniversary-approaches/</link>
  1456. <description>
  1457. <![CDATA[
  1458. Afghanistan (MNN) -- Tomorrow marks four years since Afghanistan shifted to Taliban control following the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/global-catalytic-ministries-keeps-afghan-christians-alive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chaotic withdrawal</a></strong></span> of U.S. troops.
  1459.  
  1460. Despite international scrutiny, Islamist rule remains entrenched as the Taliban enforces strict Islamic laws, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/news-room/releases-statements/religious-freedom-eradicated-afghanistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">erases religious freedom</a></strong></span>, and shows little intent to ease restrictions. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/report/afghanistan/afghanistan-cost-inaction-november-2024#:~:text=THE%20HUMANITARIAN%20SITUATION%20IN%20AFGHANISTAN,in%20need%20of%20humanitarian%20assistance." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nearly half</a></strong></span> of Afghanistan’s population — around 23 million people — now require humanitarian aid to survive, with widespread food insecurity, poverty, and insufficient resources.
  1461.  
  1462. Nehemiah with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong></span> says, “Over the last few years, since the Taliban have been in power, the situation has gotten worse in Afghanistan. The situation has fallen apart dramatically.”
  1463.  
  1464. FMI receives continual reports from partnering indigenous pastors and Gospel workers in Afghanistan and Pakistan. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  1465.  
  1466. Believers expected more persecution under Taliban rule, but surprisingly, “Taliban are not going after Christian workers in Afghanistan,” Nehemiah reports.
  1467. <blockquote>
  1468. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Instead, “they are hunting down other religious (groups) or sects within Islam. So even Shias are being severely persecuted.”</strong></p>
  1469. </blockquote>
  1470. However, Gospel workers did confirm that women face severe pressure. “Women are restricted from most employment,” Nehemiah says.
  1471.  
  1472. “The girls are banned from secondary schools and universities, depriving them of the opportunity to pursue knowledge and a future career. For many families, this has extinguished hope for generational progress.”
  1473.  
  1474. <div id="attachment_209180" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/afghanistan-60641_1280.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-209180" class="size-medium wp-image-209180" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/afghanistan-60641_1280-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-209180" class="wp-caption-text">Photo is a representative stock image courtesy of ArmyAmber via Pixabay.</p></div>
  1475. <h2>Afghan Christians persevere</h2>
  1476. Though they work in secret, FMI walks in lockstep with Afghan pastors. “We support (workers) financially, and we provide them with Bibles in their language, Pashto and Dari Bibles,” Nehemiah says.
  1477.  
  1478. “We collaborate with other missionary organizations and [send our partners] evangelistic tools.”
  1479.  
  1480. Ten Afghan leaders gathered recently with FMI for updates and fellowship. “It was a wonderful time,” Nehemiah says.
  1481.  
  1482. “We spent a few days together, and we [reviewed] the situation, what happened previously, and they named this conference, [the ‘Reemergence] of Ministry in Afghanistan,” he continues.
  1483. <blockquote>
  1484. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They are re-emerging in Afghanistan, and we have very, very high hopes. We believe that God is going to do a lot of miracles, spiritual miracles.”</strong></p>
  1485. </blockquote>
  1486. <em><strong>Keep Afghanistan in your prayers.</strong></em> “I would request our listeners to please pray for the Taliban that they find hope and salvation in Jesus Christ, because the only solution for Afghanistan is in Jesus Christ,” Nehemiah says.
  1487.  
  1488. “Pray for the leadership of [FMI’s] Afghan team and the people who work there, that they can lead their pastors and the ministry in a very positive way.”
  1489.  
  1490. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/donate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Help Afghan Christians through FMI here.</a></strong></span>
  1491.  
  1492. &nbsp;
  1493.  
  1494. &nbsp;
  1495.  
  1496. &nbsp;
  1497.  
  1498. <em>Header image depicts Afghan Christians who escaped to Pakistan with help from FMI in 2021. (Photo courtesy of FMI)</em>]]>
  1499. </description>
  1500. <pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 05:00:47 -0400</pubDate>
  1501. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-meet-for-encouragement-as-afghanistan-anniversary-approaches/</guid>
  1502. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/image-2-180x180.png" type="" length="" />
  1503. </item>
  1504. <item>
  1505. <title>Israeli church giving immigrant kids a solid start to the school year</title>
  1506. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israeli-church-giving-immigrant-kids-a-solid-start-to-the-school-year/</link>
  1507. <description>
  1508. <![CDATA[
  1509. <p data-start="206" data-end="451">Israel (MNN) -- If you’re a parent, you know the back-to-school season comes with long shopping lists, new shoes, and the excitement (or nerves) of a fresh year.</p>
  1510. <p data-start="206" data-end="451"><strong>Now imagine sending your child to school for the first time in a brand-new country — in the middle of a war.</strong></p>
  1511.  
  1512.  
  1513. <div id="attachment_216697" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216697" class="size-medium wp-image-216697" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-28-212303-300x161.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="161" /><p id="caption-attachment-216697" class="wp-caption-text">Beit Hallel Congregation's Back to School Project (Screenshot courtesy of Beit Hallel Congregation)</p></div>
  1514. <p data-start="206" data-end="451">That’s the reality for thousands of Jewish immigrant families in Israel this fall.</p>
  1515. <p data-start="453" data-end="600"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/beit-hallel-congregation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod</span></a> recently ran its annual <em data-start="519" data-end="543">Back to School Project,</em> which helps immigrants and low-income families who are struggling to afford the basics.</strong></p>
  1516. <p data-start="602" data-end="1049">Pastor Israel Pochtar with Beit Hallel Congregation says, “For those who are new in Israel and not well established...they struggle financially to send their kids to school. The needs are bigger than in a normal year when there’s peace.”</p>
  1517. <p data-start="1051" data-end="1459"><strong>The church distributed backpacks and school supplies, turning the project into a celebration. Pochtar says, “We had an opportunity to tell every family and every kid that the help comes from Christians. You’re not alone in this world, but you have Christian friends. You have people who pray for you, stand with you, [and] give.</strong></p>
  1518.  
  1519. <blockquote>
  1520. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="1051" data-end="1459"><strong>"This practical help, it’s such an expression of the love of God, and love of Christians who help you in the name of God and the name of Jesus.”</strong></p>
  1521. </blockquote>
  1522. <div id="attachment_216699" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216699" class="size-medium wp-image-216699" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-28-212541-300x160.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="160" /><p id="caption-attachment-216699" class="wp-caption-text">Beit Hallel Congregation's Back to School Project (Screenshot courtesy of Beit Hallel Congregation)</p></div>
  1523. <p data-start="1461" data-end="1837">Nearly all the families who benefit are Jewish immigrants from countries such as Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Ethiopia.</p>
  1524. <p data-start="1461" data-end="1837">“They are not Christians; they’re Jewish. But they hear about us, they hear about our organization and our congregation. They know we are helping people unconditionally, and they come to receive help, and they’re grateful to learn more about that.”</p>
  1525. <p data-start="1839" data-end="2140">Beyond physical needs, Beit Hallel Congregation seeks to calm fears and encourage children.</p>
  1526.  
  1527. <blockquote>
  1528. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="1839" data-end="2140"><strong>“We see kids are nervous. Kids are under stress. So we’re talking to them, encouraging them, telling them stories of others who’ve been in the same situation. It really encourages them and makes it easier for them," says Pochtar.</strong></p>
  1529. </blockquote>
  1530. <p data-start="2142" data-end="2380">Although the main distribution is complete, the project continues in smaller ways as new immigrant families arrive daily. Neighboring cities like Ashkelon and Beersheba have even asked for help after seeing Beit Hallel Congregation’s efforts online.</p>
  1531.  
  1532.  
  1533. <div id="attachment_216698" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216698" class="size-medium wp-image-216698" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-28-212330-300x161.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="161" /><p id="caption-attachment-216698" class="wp-caption-text">Beit Hallel Congregation's Back to School Project (Screenshot courtesy of Beit Hallel Congregation)</p></div>
  1534. <p data-start="2382" data-end="2493">“If there are friends who want to help, they are welcome to join,” Pochtar says. “There’s still opportunity!”</p>
  1535. <p data-start="2382" data-end="2493"><a href="https://www.beithallel-israel.org/our-projects/back-to-school-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Donate to Beit Hallel Congregation's <em>Back to School Project.</em></span></strong></a></p>
  1536. <p data-start="2495" data-end="2848">Above all, he asks for prayer. “Pray for us. Pray for Israel. Pray for Jewish people and our team in Israel who are working hard to be a blessing and a light.”</p>
  1537. <p data-start="2495" data-end="2848"></p>
  1538. <p data-start="2495" data-end="2848"></p>
  1539. <p data-start="2850" data-end="3019">Header photo: Beit Hallel Congregation's Back to School Project (Screenshot courtesy of Beit Hallel Congregation)</p>]]>
  1540. </description>
  1541. <pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate>
  1542. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israeli-church-giving-immigrant-kids-a-solid-start-to-the-school-year/</guid>
  1543. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-28-212231-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1544. </item>
  1545. <item>
  1546. <title>In a broken world, Jesus’ family stands united</title>
  1547. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-a-broken-world-jesus-family-stands-united/</link>
  1548. <description>
  1549. <![CDATA[
  1550. <span style="font-weight: 400">Iran (MNN)—In a world where conflict between nations is the norm, how are we as Christians to respond?  Tom Doyle of <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries</a></strong> recently shared a story from ten years ago, involving his friend Amir from Iran, that can help answer that question. </span>
  1551.  
  1552. <span style="font-weight: 400">Doyle's friendship with Amir first began when Amir reached out to him online.</span><span style="font-weight: 400"> </span>
  1553.  
  1554. <span style="font-weight: 400">"I started sharing the gospel with him, and gloriously over the internet, he came to faith in Christ. It was beautiful,” says Doyle. “And he was reading some of the books that I've been privileged to write, and asking questions, and grew up Muslim, but just so drawn to Jesus.”</span>
  1555.  
  1556. <span style="font-weight: 400">While about to go on stage and preach at a Jewish Messianic church in Tel Aviv, Israel, Doyle received a text from Amir.</span>
  1557.  
  1558. <span style="font-weight: 400">“He's calling me from Iran,” says Doyle, “and I said, ‘Amir, I have to go up and preach right now. But would you like to say something to the people in Israel?' I'm going up to a live microphone. ‘What do you think?’ I'm whispering it to him. He said, ‘I would love to.’ I went up and said to the congregation, ‘We don't normally start this way, but I have on the phone Amir from Iran. He loves Jesus, and he has a message for you.’”</span>
  1559.  
  1560. <span style="font-weight: 400">Amir proceeded to remind Doyle, and the congregation he was preaching to, of an important truth—that no matter where we’re from, all Christ followers are united as brothers and sisters in the family of God.</span>
  1561.  
  1562. <span style="font-weight: 400">“He said, ‘Brothers and sisters, we want you to know the majority of Iranians don't hate you. It's exactly the opposite. We love you. And for me, as a believer in Jesus, I want you to know I'm praying for you. Please pray for us here. And one day we're going to get together, Iranian believers in Jesus and Jewish believers in Jesus, and we're going to worship together. Maybe it'll be in Jerusalem, maybe it'll be in Tehran together, but we look forward to that because we both love Jesus, and that's what keeps us together.’” </span>
  1563.  
  1564. <span style="font-weight: 400">According to Doyle, “The people were stunned—and then, it just broke into this standing ovation. I mean, where are you going to hear that message?</span>
  1565.  
  1566. <span style="font-weight: 400">“It just reinforces that's the answer to all this," continues Doyle. "Jesus has no boundaries. Jesus has no borders. Jesus’ family is of all nations. He's the one that brings peace and reconciliation between people. War won't do it. United Nations won't do it. Government won't. Only Jesus can.”</span>
  1567.  
  1568. &nbsp;
  1569.  
  1570. <i><span style="font-weight: 400">Header photo courtesy of Uncharted Ministries.</span></i>]]>
  1571. </description>
  1572. <pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate>
  1573. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-a-broken-world-jesus-family-stands-united/</guid>
  1574. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/unmin_icons-02-300x300-1-180x180.png" type="" length="" />
  1575. </item>
  1576. <item>
  1577. <title>Guerilla warfare and Gospel hope in the Israel-Hamas conflict</title>
  1578. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/guerilla-warfare-and-gospel-hope-in-the-israel-hamas-conflict/</link>
  1579. <description>
  1580. <![CDATA[
  1581. Israel/Gaza (MNN) -- Israel has launched its ground incursion into Gaza City, calling up 60,000 reservists to join the fight against Hamas.
  1582.  
  1583. Already, Palestinians are anticipating a new civil administration after the dust settles. The Center for Peace Communications and the We Want to Live movement report that Gazans -- including teachers, lawyers, and activists -- are leading a <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/grassroots-push-for-freedom-grows-in-gaza-as-hamas-tightens-its-deadly-grip/ar-AA1KGmZU" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">grassroots resistance</span></strong></a> to Hamas influence.
  1584.  
  1585. But for now, Pastor Israel Pochtar with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/beit-hallel-congregation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod</span></strong></a> says there are significant challenges.
  1586. <blockquote>
  1587. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"It's Israel getting into guerrilla war. When we study history, the guerrilla war is the most challenging one. Even big countries struggle with the guerrilla war and the fighters -- in our case, terrorists -- hiding among civilians. You never know who is the soldier and who is just a peaceful person. It's very complicated."</strong></p>
  1588. </blockquote>
  1589. <div id="attachment_208670" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-208670" class="size-medium wp-image-208670" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/unnamed-36-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-208670" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Pastor Konstantin Tsivin/Beit Hallel Congregation)</p></div>
  1590.  
  1591. Beit Hallel Congregation sees the toll this war has taken, particularly on soldiers and their families.
  1592.  
  1593. “There is a lot of PTSD for soldiers," says Pochtar. "When they go out of Gaza, they come to just normal life. The coffee places are open, the restaurants are open. Israel learned how to live peacefully even in the midst of the war, when war is just around the corner. But for soldiers who come out and see that, see kids and family -- and then go back to fire, to danger and friends dying and waiting for hostages to be released, it is very difficult.”
  1594. <p data-start="1859" data-end="2074">In moments like this, Scripture brings encouragement. “So the words of the Bible, when it says, 'Comfort, comfort, my people says the Lord,' it really makes sense now even more, because the nation really needs comfort.”</p>
  1595. <p data-start="2076" data-end="2570">Pochtar urges believers worldwide to pray for both sides of the conflict. "I want to ask all the friends to pray for Gaza -- not only for peace, but also for freedom for the Gospel.... And praise the Lord, we have many friends who are waiting for this day and ready to go, ready to bless, help, but also preach the Gospel."</p>
  1596. Ultimately, the conflict is pushing people in Israel and Gaza to search for hope beyond politics.
  1597. <blockquote>
  1598. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Now it's the time to comfort and to preach Jesus because He's the only solution for Israel. He's the only solution for Gaza. It's the only hope. There are no political solutions. At least, I believe there's no political solutions during this situation. Only God can change and do miracles."</strong></p>
  1599. </blockquote>
  1600. &nbsp;
  1601.  
  1602. &nbsp;
  1603.  
  1604. &nbsp;
  1605.  
  1606. Header photo: The fighters of the Multi-Dimensional Unit maneuver on the ground in the Gaza Strip in the Iron Swords War.
  1607. (<a class="extiw" title="w:en:IDF Spokesperson's Unit" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:IDF_Spokesperson%27s_Unit"><span title="Israeli military unit">IDF Spokesperson's Unit</span></a>/Wikimedia Commons)]]>
  1608. </description>
  1609. <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:00:26 -0400</pubDate>
  1610. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/guerilla-warfare-and-gospel-hope-in-the-israel-hamas-conflict/</guid>
  1611. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Iron_swords-Multidimensional_Unit-003-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1612. </item>
  1613. <item>
  1614. <title>Armenians celebrate trilateral agreement but look beyond for peace</title>
  1615. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/armenians-celebrate-trilateral-agreement-but-look-beyond-for-peace/</link>
  1616. <description>
  1617. <![CDATA[
  1618. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Armenia (MNN) — Armenian pastors have met for a conference this week. Eric Mock with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slavic Gospel Association</a></strong> says the focus is on exhorting one another to preach the hope of the Gospel in unpredictable days. </span>
  1619.  
  1620. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“These pastors are gathering together to be encouraged and refreshed,” Mock says. “Together we see that the best we can do in our world today is declare the eternal hope that we have in God, which has been afforded to us through Jesus Christ.” </span>
  1621.  
  1622. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The conference comes as Armenia and Azerbaijan sign a </span><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/armenia-azerbaijan-peace-deal-187833bead280ee0c9ace5ea1fa246a2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US-brokered peace deal</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> aimed at resolving conflict rooted in a regional dispute ongoing since the collapse of the Soviet Union. </span>
  1623.  
  1624. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Historically Armenian but </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">officially recognized as part of Azerbaijan, the mountainous region of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nagorno-</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Karabakh has been fought for and ruled by ethnic Armenian forces for decades. Azerbaijan regained full control of the area in a 2023 offensive. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since then, Mock says SGA has been supporting Armenian churches as they minister to refugees fleeing </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nagorno-Karabakh. </span>
  1625.  
  1626. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have seen a constant tension: the fear of sending young men to war, the fear of losing men, the fear of losing more cities and towns and villages,” he says.</span>
  1627.  
  1628. <div id="attachment_216611" style="width: 441px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216611" class=" wp-image-216611" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/vaghinak-vardanyan-Norf1w4T3-k-unsplash-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="431" height="323" /><p id="caption-attachment-216611" class="wp-caption-text">Mountains in Nagorno-Karabakh. Courtesy of Unsplash.</p></div>
  1629.  
  1630. <span style="font-weight: 400;">For this reason, the peace agreement has brought easier breathing to many families on both sides of the conflict. The 99-year lease involves a </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">27-mile stretch of land within Nagorno-Karabakh, known as the Zangezur Corridor, which will be developed as a trade route for </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">oil, natural gas, and commodities. </span>
  1631.  
  1632. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“What is established now is a roadmap for commerce and prosperity for both nations,” Mock says. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What you have is a situation where now everyone is a winner, including Europe, as they are now securing access to oil, natural gas, and commodities coming through Central Asia and Asia itself."</span>
  1633.  
  1634. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Relief from decades of fighting, however, does not dissolve centuries of ethnic and religious tensions. The conflict in this region dates back to the fourth century, when Armenia recognized Christianity as its national religion.  </span>
  1635.  
  1636. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“As Islam grew and Armenians were seen as dissidents, the war of religious differences grew,” Mock says. During </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">WWI, the Ottoman Empire carried out a mass genocide of Armenians. Armenia was then ruled by the Soviet Union until</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> gaining independence at its collapse. </span>
  1637.  
  1638. <span style="font-weight: 400;">All the while, Mock says churches have continued declaring hope to the hopeless in the form of salvation through grace alone.</span>
  1639.  
  1640. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Whether there is a war going or there is a ceasefire, they continue to do the work that God has raised them up to do," Mock says. “And so there is the political scene: there is the tragic reality of both the genocide and the pressure that exists between these nations, but in the middle of it there is the freedom that we have in Christ.” </span>
  1641.  
  1642. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Praise the Lord for the cessation of fighting, and please pray for the continued work of the church in Armenia. Pray for pastors as they remind their congregations of the brevity of life and the assurance of a savior, and pray for believers as they hold grow in the knowledge and grace of their savior, Jesus Christ. </span>
  1643.  
  1644. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Beyond historical losses and present gains, Mock points out: “Our hope is in Jesus.” </span>
  1645.  
  1646. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Read more about Armenia’s history </span><strong><a href="https://dornsife.usc.edu/armenian/initiatives/resources-on-karabakh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span>
  1647.  
  1648. <div id="attachment_216610" style="width: 546px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216610" class=" wp-image-216610" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/2014_Prowincja_Tawusz_Dilidzan_Minibus_na_przystanku_przy_drodze_M-4-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="536" height="357" /><p id="caption-attachment-216610" class="wp-caption-text">Bus stop in Armenia. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.</p></div>
  1649.  
  1650. <em>Featured image: President Trump brokers peace deal with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister </em>
  1651. <em>Nikol Pashinyan. Screenshot courtesy of the White House.</em>]]>
  1652. </description>
  1653. <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:00:21 -0400</pubDate>
  1654. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/armenians-celebrate-trilateral-agreement-but-look-beyond-for-peace/</guid>
  1655. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Screenshot-2025-08-26-041516-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1656. </item>
  1657. <item>
  1658. <title>&#8220;Three open&#8221; prayers: a key to effective evangelism</title>
  1659. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/three-open-prayers-a-key-to-effective-evangelism/</link>
  1660. <description>
  1661. <![CDATA[
  1662. International (MNN) — Are you feeling discouraged because your prayers for loved ones seem to go unanswered? This is where Ron Hutchcraft with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hutchcraft Ministries</strong></a> shares his "three open" prayer approach.
  1663.  
  1664. The "<strong>three open" prayer</strong> is inspired by Paul’s request to God in Colossians 4:3-4:
  1665. <p style="text-align: center;">“And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.”</p>
  1666. There are three doors that can be opened before a person receives the good news of Jesus Christ:
  1667.  
  1668. <strong>1. Lord, open a door of opportunity.</strong> "That's a natural opportunity for me to bring up my relationship with Jesus," explains Hutchcraft. "So, Lord, open the door. He'll do that."
  1669. <strong>2. Open their heart.</strong> "If You're putting them on my heart to talk to them, would You get their heart ready for when I do? Open their heart."
  1670. <strong>3. Open my mouth.</strong> "Give me the courage. Give me the words when it's the time. Give me the tone."
  1671.  
  1672. <div id="attachment_216654" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216654" class="size-medium wp-image-216654" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-harrisonhaines-2869565-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216654" class="wp-caption-text">Open door (photo courtesy of Harrison Haines via Pexels)</p></div>
  1673.  
  1674. When those three doors open, it is a time to share your testimony with honesty and vulnerability. Authenticity is key, as it helps to break down defenses and opens hearts.
  1675.  
  1676. If you doubt whether your testimony is interesting enough, Hutchcraft recommends writing a few thoughts on this subject: <em>If it weren't for Jesus, _____</em>.
  1677.  
  1678. <strong>"Tell me about your lonely times, with no Jesus. Tell me about your depressing times, and there's no Jesus. Your world's falling apart, a relationship is broken. Tell me about bad news from the doctor, and there's no Jesus, and there's how about the funeral, and there's no Jesus</strong>," he says.
  1679.  
  1680. "Just begin to think: If it weren’t for Jesus, what difference is He making in your everyday life? That’s your story. That is your hope story!"
  1681.  
  1682. Once you’ve shared your testimony, you’re leading your friend or family to the One who changed you — Jesus! It’s His love in dying for your sins and His power in rising from the grave to transform your life.
  1683.  
  1684. But what if they aren’t moved? Hutchcraft says it’s not your burden to persuade, but to pray and share truth. God alone leads the rescue from beginning to end. Hutchcraft compares our teamwork with God to a glove:
  1685. <blockquote>
  1686. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"You are just the glove. He is the hand! Gloves can't do anything unless they have a hand in them, and He will put His hand into the glove of your life, and your relationship, and your personality and deliver the good news of Jesus through you!"</strong></p>
  1687. </blockquote>
  1688. To learn more about reaching out to others, visit <a href="https://hutchcraft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hutchcraft Ministries</strong></a>.
  1689.  
  1690. &nbsp;
  1691.  
  1692. &nbsp;
  1693.  
  1694. &nbsp;
  1695.  
  1696. <em>Girl holding an "Open" sign (Photo courtesy od Ketut Subiyanto via Pexels)</em>
  1697.  
  1698. &nbsp;]]>
  1699. </description>
  1700. <pubDate>Thu, 28 Aug 2025 05:00:39 -0400</pubDate>
  1701. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/three-open-prayers-a-key-to-effective-evangelism/</guid>
  1702. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-4473096-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1703. </item>
  1704. <item>
  1705. <title>Palestinian Christian advocates appeal to US believers</title>
  1706. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/palestinian-christian-advocates-appeal-to-us-believers/</link>
  1707. <description>
  1708. <![CDATA[
  1709. Gaza (MNN) -- More Palestinian families <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/families-leave-gaza-city-after-night-bombardment-israelis-protest-2025-08-26/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flee Gaza City</a></strong></span> as Israel prepares to launch a new offensive, targeting what it describes as Hamas’s last stronghold.
  1710.  
  1711. Israel <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20250826_17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced international pushback</a></strong></span> earlier this week for its military attack on a Gaza hospital. Known as a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-08-26-2025-0f1be1b4e3231e0cbec54ce837cc6af9?utm_source=onesignal&amp;utm_medium=push&amp;utm_campaign=2025-08-26-Breaking+News" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“double tap”</a></strong></span> for its back-to-back strikes, the attack killed more than 20 people, including several journalists.
  1712.  
  1713. Protests took place in Israel yesterday as the families of hostages still held by Hamas <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/israel/israeli-protesters-hold-day-disruption-demand-gaza-ceasefire-hostage-d-rcna227171" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded their release</a></strong></span> and called for an end to the war. Vowing to eradicate Hamas’s stronghold in Gaza, Israel is moving forward with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/thousands-demonstrate-block-roads-at-start-of-nationwide-day-of-protests-for-hostages/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plans to conquer Gaza City.</a></strong></span>
  1714.  
  1715. <div id="attachment_216627" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/BBC_mass-at-Saint-Porphyrios-Orthodox-Church.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216627" class="size-medium wp-image-216627" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/BBC_mass-at-Saint-Porphyrios-Orthodox-Church-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216627" class="wp-caption-text">A recent photograph taken during a mass at Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Bethlehem Bible College)</p></div>
  1716.  
  1717. Meanwhile, clergy and nuns from the Greek Orthodox and Catholic churches in Gaza City <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/residents-flee-as-palestinians-report-overnight-idf-shelling-of-gaza-city-outskirts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have made a bold decision</a></strong></span>: they will stay within their church compounds, refusing to evacuate ahead of the looming offensive. Their mission is clear — to stand alongside and care for those who cannot escape.
  1718.  
  1719. <strong>Hundreds of Palestinian Christians are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/qa-with-a-christian-still-in-gaza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">still sheltering in churches</a></span> they fled to at the start of the war in Gaza; it’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/stories/dont-forget-pray-christians-gaza/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">too difficult and dangerous</a></span> to leave.</strong> Advocates will soon speak on their behalf, and for Palestinian Christians in general, at an Illinois event organized by <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bethlehem-bible-college/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bethlehem Bible College.</a></strong></span>
  1720.  
  1721. Pastor and professor Munther Isaac says these advocates will talk to U.S. believers.
  1722.  
  1723. “We want to challenge them, ‘Do you care to listen to Palestinian Christians [about] our plights, our suffering, our perspective?’ This is our beginning point,” Isaac says.
  1724. <blockquote>
  1725. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Listen to Palestinian Christians because you’re talking about our livelihood.”</strong></p>
  1726. </blockquote>
  1727. The college is moving its annual conference from Bethlehem to the U.S. because of the war in Gaza. Typically, the event is called “Christ at the Checkpoint,” but this year’s shift in location and audience has it labeled <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://churchatthecrossroads.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Church at the Crossroads.”</a></strong></span>
  1728.  
  1729. Staff at Bethlehem Bible College – located just an hour’s drive from Gaza – have <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://bethbc.edu/blog/2024/09/27/gazas-christians-in-the-face-of-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">firsthand connections</a></strong></span> with Christians in the warzone.
  1730.  
  1731. “Bethlehem Bible College is a Palestinian Christian higher education theological institute that specializes in training leaders for ministry in the Palestinian context,” Isaac says.
  1732.  
  1733. “We believe this is an important role of our calling as an institution in Palestine, in Bethlehem, to advocate for justice and to challenge the approach of many Christians in the West about the land, about Palestinians, about Gaza, about Israel.”
  1734.  
  1735. <div id="attachment_216630" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/BethBC.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216630" class="size-medium wp-image-216630" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/BethBC-300x183.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="183" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216630" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Bethlehem Bible College)</p></div>
  1736.  
  1737. “Church at the Crossroads” will be held September 11-13 at Parkview Community Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://churchatthecrossroads.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more and register here.</a></strong></span>
  1738.  
  1739. “I hope we have a good and honest conversation at that conference because the situation is urgent in Palestine,” Isaac says. “More importantly, we need to have an appropriate, urgent response to the crisis that is unfolding.”
  1740.  
  1741. &nbsp;
  1742.  
  1743. &nbsp;
  1744.  
  1745. &nbsp;
  1746.  
  1747. <em>Header image depicts a photo from the Gaza Strip courtesy Jaber Jehad Badwan via Wikimedia Commons. </em><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forced_Displacement_of_Gaza_Strip_Residents_During_the_Gaza-Israel_War_23-25.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>(CC BY-SA 4.0)</em></a>]]>
  1748. </description>
  1749. <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 05:00:13 -0400</pubDate>
  1750. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/palestinian-christian-advocates-appeal-to-us-believers/</guid>
  1751. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1280px-Forced_Displacement_of_Gaza_Strip_Residents_During_the_Gaza-Israel_War_23-25-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1752. </item>
  1753. <item>
  1754. <title>Gospel reaches Iranian homes through satellite TV – find out how!</title>
  1755. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-reaches-iranian-homes-through-satellite-tv-find-out-how/</link>
  1756. <description>
  1757. <![CDATA[
  1758. Iran (MNN) — Despite government restrictions on media, Sama TV continues to broadcast in Iran.
  1759.  
  1760. State-run television in Iran has long been a tool of the government. Channels are filled with both open and subtle messages — Islamic future is the best for Iran, obey your leaders, and fear foreign influence. Yet amid the propaganda, a thin, bubbling stream of clean water flows: Christian satellite TV, offering the hope of the Gospel.
  1761.  
  1762. <div id="attachment_216645" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216645" class="size-medium wp-image-216645" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-ron-lach-9807277-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216645" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Ron Lach via Pexels</p></div>
  1763.  
  1764. Lana Silk from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transform Iran</strong></a> says, “<strong>The only tool that seems to circumvent all these difficulties, and has done so for years, is satellite TV — a sure way to communicate uninterrupted with the masses in Iran, allowing people to access it without the government being able to stop them in any way</strong>.”
  1765.  
  1766. Sama TV has served as a media voice in Iran <a href="https://transformiran.com/our-work/media/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>since 2001</strong></a>, producing over 5,000 programs broadcast daily via Mohabat TV on Hotbird 13A and E7B satellites. More than 16 million people are estimated to be watching. Click <a href="https://sama.tv/tag/%da%a9%d8%b4%db%8c%d8%b4-%d9%85%da%af%db%8c-%db%8c%d9%82%d9%86%d8%b8%d8%b1/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>here</strong> </a>to visit the Sama TV website!
  1767.  
  1768. The team also hopes to reach people in positions of power: “We put out some programs earlier this year that really challenged the government and said, ‘Look, the path that you are on is going to lead to this kind of war,’” explains Silk.
  1769.  
  1770. As Iranians face increasing persecution, Sama TV’s new program meets the people’s current spiritual needs. Silk says, “<strong>They're called ‘War or Peace, Win or Lose,’ and they really talk about what it looks like to be a Christian living in a wartime environment</strong>.”
  1771.  
  1772. “We identified that Iranians have many questions right now and a strong need for encouragement, guidance, and solid biblical teaching on how to navigate their current situation,” adds Silk.
  1773.  
  1774. The program addresses pressing questions: How should believers think and pray about their leaders and country? How can they face urgent needs while responding biblically to enemies, peace, and peacemaking? In a complex situation, they seek to discern what it means to live in a godly way.
  1775.  
  1776. Pray for the listeners and team — or sponsor a program! Visit <a href="https://transformiran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Transform Iran</strong></a> to learn how.
  1777. <blockquote>
  1778. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The story is unfolding right before our eyes. And as Christians, we are called in the Word of God to be discerning of the times, to understand what God is doing, and to jump on board!” says Silk.</strong></p>
  1779. </blockquote>
  1780. &nbsp;
  1781.  
  1782. &nbsp;
  1783.  
  1784. &nbsp;
  1785.  
  1786. <em>Header representative photo (courtesy of cottonbro studio via Pexels)</em>]]>
  1787. </description>
  1788. <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 05:00:28 -0400</pubDate>
  1789. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-reaches-iranian-homes-through-satellite-tv-find-out-how/</guid>
  1790. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-cottonbro-6557538-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1791. </item>
  1792. <item>
  1793. <title>Church planter chooses 100% Muslim mission field</title>
  1794. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-planter-chooses-100-muslim-mission-field/</link>
  1795. <description>
  1796. <![CDATA[
  1797. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Indonesia (MNN) — Who has God called </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">you</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to bring the news of Jesus to? </span>
  1798.  
  1799. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Church planters in Muslim-majority Indonesia have their work cut out for them. This is especially true in Aceh Province, located in northern Sumatra. <strong>The region is nearly 100% Muslim and has been governed under Sharia law for decades.</strong></span>
  1800.  
  1801. <span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>But right where it’s hardest to live for Christ is right where one Christian and his family have gone.</strong> Brian Dennett with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>AMG International</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> shares the story of a man we’ll call Dodi.</span>
  1802.  
  1803. <div id="attachment_102414" style="width: 211px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-102414" class=" wp-image-102414" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/amgindonesiaNWsharingScriptures%5B1%5D.jpg" alt="" width="201" height="280" /><p id="caption-attachment-102414" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy AMG International)</p></div>
  1804.  
  1805. <b>“</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dodi is not from Aceh. He’s from a different province, and he was blessed to be born into a Christian family. But prior to really coming to the Lord himself, he ran off to the big city of Jakarta,” Dennett says.</span>
  1806.  
  1807. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Through many disappointments and really coming to recognize a profound emptiness in his life, he eventually fully accepted Jesus as his Savior, started going to church, and now has a passion for reaching his people with the gospel — eliminating that same emptiness that he had.”</span>
  1808.  
  1809. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Through his church, Dodi learned about AMG and a Bible school that they operate in Indonesia. He went through that Bible training and has been sent out along with his wife and family. </span>
  1810. <blockquote>
  1811. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“He chose <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10144/ID" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Aceh people</a></span> because of that distinction of being so devoutly Muslim and [having] so few Christians. That became a burning challenge and passion for him,” says Dennett.</strong></p>
  1812. </blockquote>
  1813. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Dodi and his wife have dedicated themselves to this mission. "They're planning and praying to open a house church in every village of the province of Aceh.”</span>
  1814.  
  1815. <span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s no small task. Aceh has a population of 5 million, Dennett says. <strong>Would you pray for more gospel workers like Dodi to go among the Aceh? Then pray about supporting gospel workers like them with AMG. </strong></span>
  1816.  
  1817. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Not all church planters in the region come from a Christian background like Dodi. But that can be a strength! “The effectiveness of using Muslim-background, local Christians to reach their own people just cannot be underestimated," says Dennett. "This works, and when approached with love and humility, many are open to hearing about Jesus.”</span>
  1818.  
  1819. <strong>Find out the difference your gift can make in AMG’s Church Planting 2025 initiative <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://amginternational.org/project/church-planting-0725" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></span>. </strong>
  1820.  
  1821. &nbsp;
  1822.  
  1823. <em>Header photo courtesy of AMG International. </em>]]>
  1824. </description>
  1825. <pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 05:00:01 -0400</pubDate>
  1826. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-planter-chooses-100-muslim-mission-field/</guid>
  1827. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/AMG-indonesia-180x180.png" type="" length="" />
  1828. </item>
  1829. <item>
  1830. <title>Voice of the Martyrs Korea to add fifth daily broadcast to North Korea</title>
  1831. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/voice-of-the-martyrs-korea-to-add-fifth-daily-broadcast-to-north-korea/</link>
  1832. <description>
  1833. <![CDATA[
  1834. North Korea (VOMK) -- Voice of the Martyrs Korea announced that it is adding a fifth daily 30-minute broadcast to North Korea. That move comes as most government-sponsored broadcasts into the country by the United States and South Korea have been discontinued. Voice of the Martyrs Korea says that the new broadcast will consist of the sermons of early Korean Christians and an uninterrupted reading of the Bible.
  1835.  
  1836. Details about the new broadcast’s time, radio frequency, and launch date are being withheld for security reasons.
  1837.  
  1838. Voice of the Martyrs Korea CEO, Pastor Eric Foley, says that listening to Christian radio broadcasts is the most common religious activity among North Korean Christians.
  1839.  
  1840. “Based on our own religious experiences, we often assume that the most common religious activities of North Korean Christians would be things like gathering together for underground worship services or reading the Bible privately or praying,” said Pastor Foley. “But these kinds of activities are easily detectable by onlookers, because they are distinctly Christian activities. Even prayer is typically done in a certain posture, where the person sits a certain way, holds their hands a certain way, moves a certain way, and concentrates and whispers. On the other hand, listening to foreign radio broadcasts is also illegal, but it’s a far more common activity which is less obviously ‘Christian’ to onlookers, including other family members who may not be Christian.”
  1841.  
  1842. <div id="attachment_216584" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Volunteer-2-768x1024-1.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216584" class="wp-image-216584" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Volunteer-2-768x1024-1-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="400" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216584" class="wp-caption-text">NK defectors and South Korean volunteers record our shortwave radio broadcasts.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of VOM Korea)</p></div>
  1843.  
  1844. According to Pastor Foley, between 14 and 20 percent of North Koreans listen to foreign broadcasts through headphone radios purchased on the gray and black markets. He explains that because listening to such broadcasts can be done overnight in the dark in silence, it remains the primary way that North Koreans are able to access Christian content.
  1845.  
  1846. “Each time we meet North Koreans who are new to South Korea, about 30 percent of them have had some previous exposure to Christianity. The primary two means of that exposure cited by North Koreans are Christian radio broadcasts and Christian content sent by balloon,” says Pastor Foley. Foley says that meeting Christian workers during defection is also frequently cited as a source of Christian contact, but it is often less favorably regarded by North Koreans. “Often that kind of contact does not happen by choice but by necessity,” says Pastor Foley. “A North Korean may need a place to stay while trying to make money in China or may need help defecting. They meet a Christian broker or discipleship base leader, and they are then required to participate in certain religious activities in exchange for receiving the help they need. It’s very different than choosing to tune in a Christian radio broadcast or choosing to keep a Bible they find on the ground from a balloon launch.”
  1847.  
  1848. Pastor Foley says that when he and his wife, Voice of the Martyrs Korea Representative Dr Hyun Sook Foley, began their ministry 20 years ago, North Korean underground Christians made two requests of the couple.
  1849.  
  1850. “They asked us, ‘Please send Bibles by balloon, and please broadcast programs that help North Korean Christians understand Christian persecution biblically,” says Pastor Foley. He notes that balloons and radio have typically been used to send political messages or general news and information rather than content tailored for North Korean underground Christians.
  1851.  
  1852. “North Korean underground Christians expressed concern to us that much of the Christian radio broadcasting into North Korea is either the re-broadcasting of the regular preaching of South Korean pastors, which is difficult for them to understand both linguistically and conceptually, or it is content that says they are being persecuted because they have not repented of the idolatry of their ancestors,” says Pastor Foley.
  1853.  
  1854. He says that is why the ministry decided to broadcast the sermons of early Korean Christians, as recorded by Voice of the Martyrs Korea volunteers and students of its North Korean “Underground University” missionary training program for North Korean defectors.
  1855.  
  1856. “The life of the early Korean Christians is very similar to the life of underground North Korean Christians today,” says Pastor Foley. “The sermons of the early Korean Christians explain biblically that persecution is the result of faithful witness, not punishment for the actions of ancestors.”
  1857.  
  1858. <div id="attachment_216585" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/radio.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216585" class="size-medium wp-image-216585" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/radio-300x186.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="186" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216585" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of VOM Korea)</p></div>
  1859.  
  1860. Pastor Foley says the sermons are broadcast Monday through Thursday, and the weekend broadcasts are readings of the whole Bible. “This enables North Korean Christians to make their own copies of the Bible by writing down what they hear, or simply to have a way to regularly hear the Bible. Very few broadcasts into North Korea contain only Bible reading, uninterrupted by sermons or teaching or other content.”
  1861.  
  1862. Pastor Foley says he believes the cessation of the government broadcasts to North Korea shows the difference in motivation of government and Christian broadcasters.
  1863.  
  1864. “For governments, sending information into countries changes as their strategic interests change,” says Foley. “Information is sometimes seen as a political tool for regime change or for applying pressure on human rights issues. For Christian broadcasters, the motivation is what the Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 4:2: ‘Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season’. Voice of the Martyrs Korea never broadcasts news, information, or politics. We simply preach the word. The cancellation of the government broadcasts means that more North Koreans than ever are likely to be exposed to the gospel, as fewer other options are now available for listening. That is why we are adding a fifth broadcast.”
  1865.  
  1866. Pastor Foley says his organization formerly aired five daily broadcasts but was forced to cut one due to a decrease in sponsorship. “Voice of the Martyrs Korea neither receives or accepts funds from governments or government-funded sources, but a drop in sponsorship a year ago led us to have to cancel one of our broadcasts,” says Pastor Foley. “We believe the time is right to add the broadcast back in, and we are trusting the Lord to continue to provide the funding resources.”
  1867.  
  1868. Individuals interested in hearing the Voice of the Martyrs Korea daily radio broadcasts into North Korea can <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.podbbang.com/ch/1768188" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listen online here.</a></strong></span> More information about Voice of the Martyrs Korea’s North Korea radio broadcasts is available <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.vomkorea.com/radio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a></strong></span>
  1869.  
  1870. &nbsp;
  1871.  
  1872. &nbsp;
  1873.  
  1874. &nbsp;
  1875.  
  1876. <em>Header and story images courtesy of VOM Korea. </em>]]>
  1877. </description>
  1878. <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 05:00:40 -0400</pubDate>
  1879. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/voice-of-the-martyrs-korea-to-add-fifth-daily-broadcast-to-north-korea/</guid>
  1880. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/VOMK-radio-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1881. </item>
  1882. <item>
  1883. <title>Clashes between protesters and police grip Serbia, derail academic year</title>
  1884. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/clashes-between-protesters-and-police-grip-serbia-derail-academic-year/</link>
  1885. <description>
  1886. <![CDATA[
  1887. Serbia (MNN) — Clashes between protesters and police<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/serbia-protest-clashes-students-vucic-dacic-8efecd3866357f9a86bc1cb43f46cb78" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> continue to rock</a></strong></span> the eastern European country of Serbia. Nationwide protests started last November after a subway roof collapsed in the city of Novi Sad, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2025/03/21/death-toll-from-serbia-s-station-roof-collapse-in-november-rises-to-16_6739387_4.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killing 16 people</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1888.  
  1889. Andre Marotto is the national director at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/teachbeyond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeachBeyond Serbia</a></strong></span>. <b>He says the subway tragedy ignited a backlog of frustration over increasing government control.</b>
  1890.  
  1891. “Being a former socialist [country], the majority of telecommunication institutions, TV channels, have been still kind of controlled by the state,” he said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“The government has worked at length to secure their sphere of influence within major state-owned companies. The level of dissatisfaction, especially among business people, [with] the way the government has been working had been growing for many years.”
  1892.  
  1893. <div id="attachment_216596" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216596" class="size-medium wp-image-216596" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1620px-Protest_walk_in_Cacak_54322025116-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216596" class="wp-caption-text">February 2025 protest walk in Čačak, Serbia (Photo courtesy of Dejan Krsmanovic via Wikimedia Commons, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY 2.0</a></strong></span>)</p></div>
  1894.  
  1895. At first, demonstrations were politically neutral and peaceful. Marotto says that out of almost 200 cities in Serbia, 80 to 90% of the cities have joined those protests.
  1896.  
  1897. "We had probably the largest protest in Serbia in March, with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2g8v32q30o">about 350,000 people</a></strong></span>," Marotto said. Now in August, the number of daily protesters has decreased, "but it's still sizeable," he said.
  1898.  
  1899. “So many of the kind of good tricks in the ‘school book’ of how governments should handle protests have been tried and used,” Marotto explained. “In the last couple of months, the government has been more active in terms of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.dw.com/en/serbia-violent-anti-government-clashes-belgrade/a-73686153" target="_blank" rel="noopener">repressing</a></strong></span> with some level of brutality, trying to dissuade people from coming to the streets.”
  1900.  
  1901. Students continue to protest at a high personal cost.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Marotto explained that</span> universities and schools have been on strike since November last year, since most of the protests are led by students. <b>“Thousands of students have missed a whole or at least half of an academic year," he said.</b>
  1902.  
  1903. <b>Since Serbia’s constitution does not allow for religious schools, TeachBeyond Serbia can offer Christ-centered education only through informal projects. </b>These projects might involve English camps or other activities connected to language learning, working alongside local partners.
  1904.  
  1905. “We've had a few partners that we have been working [with] faithfully. That's just good to see that God is opening doors for us to serve the local Christian community,” said Marotto.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1906.  
  1907. <b>In the protests, pray for peaceful political change, but most importantly pray for revival!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  1908.  
  1909. “We are also within a particular context, which is southeastern Europe and eastern Europe. [In] the whole European context, Christianity has been largely on decline in this continent,” Marotto said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1910.  
  1911. Learn more about TeachBeyond <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://teachbeyond.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  1912.  
  1913. &nbsp;
  1914.  
  1915. &nbsp;
  1916.  
  1917. <em>Header photo: Belgrade on the eve of the March 15, 2025 protest (Photo courtesy of Emilija Knezevic via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0)</em>]]>
  1918. </description>
  1919. <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate>
  1920. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/clashes-between-protesters-and-police-grip-serbia-derail-academic-year/</guid>
  1921. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Belgrade_2025-03-14_The_eve_of_the_15.03._protest_-_07-1-e1756153261675-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1922. </item>
  1923. <item>
  1924. <title>Deaf Christians equipped to reach Deaf communities</title>
  1925. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deaf-christians-equipped-to-reach-deaf-communities/</link>
  1926. <description>
  1927. <![CDATA[
  1928. International (MNN) -- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deaf-educators-reverse-controversial-1880-decision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yesterday’s report</a></strong></span> highlighted the Milan Congress of 1880 and its harmful impact on Deaf education. Decisions made at Milan removed access to sign language, which stopped Deaf students from learning.
  1929.  
  1930. “Deaf friends of mine have talked about the experiences they had in Deaf schools where their hands were tied behind their backs, and their hands were beaten so that the children were not allowed to sign in class,” Rob Myers of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/door-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOOR International</a></strong></span> says.
  1931.  
  1932. “Thankfully, that’s changed significantly, but the (Deaf) community is still reaping the repercussions of over 100 years of that happening within their community.”
  1933.  
  1934. Similarly, Deaf communities today are cut off from the Gospel because it’s not available in the language they understand best.
  1935.  
  1936. “Access to sign language means access to information,” Myers explains.
  1937. <blockquote>
  1938. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“You have to have access to information in order to have access to the Gospel and to understand who Jesus is.”</strong></p>
  1939. </blockquote>
  1940. DOOR International meets this need by training Deaf missionaries and translating Scripture into sign languages. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://doorinternational.org/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> As a Deaf-led organization, DOOR creates Gospel access by the Deaf, for the Deaf.
  1941.  
  1942. “DOOR has about 230 staff globally, and 85 percent of our staff are Deaf,” Myers says.
  1943.  
  1944. <div id="attachment_216590" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Burundi-teaching.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216590" class="size-medium wp-image-216590" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Burundi-teaching-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216590" class="wp-caption-text">A Deaf Gospel worker and Deaf students in Burundi.<br />(Photo courtesy of DOOR International)</p></div>
  1945.  
  1946. Instead of imposing methods that work best in a hearing context, Deaf leaders at DOOR International teach other Deaf Christians how to share the Gospel in a Deaf way.
  1947.  
  1948. “We as hearing people have thought that Deaf people, because they can see, can read easily. Therefore, we just need to give them a written Bible for them to have access,” Myers says.
  1949.  
  1950. “[Instead,] they need access to God’s Word in their heart language, in sign language. They need somebody who is Deaf, who is trained to share the Gospel in a way that meets their language, culture, and context perfectly.”
  1951.  
  1952. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://doorinternational.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Visit DOOR’s website</a></strong></span> to learn more about the needs of the global Deaf community, and consider partnering with DOOR International.
  1953.  
  1954. “There’s some great information from Deaf leaders in the field about how to effectively share the Gospel with Deaf people. There’s access to Scripture that’s been translated in case you run across a Deaf person and want to allow them to see Scripture in their own heart language,” Myers says.
  1955.  
  1956. “Deaf leaders across our organization would love for you to come alongside and partner with them in this amazing, effective work that they’re doing in over 30 countries.”
  1957.  
  1958. &nbsp;
  1959.  
  1960. &nbsp;
  1961.  
  1962. &nbsp;
  1963.  
  1964. <em>Header and story images courtesy of DOOR International. </em>]]>
  1965. </description>
  1966. <pubDate>Tue, 26 Aug 2025 05:00:25 -0400</pubDate>
  1967. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deaf-christians-equipped-to-reach-deaf-communities/</guid>
  1968. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Burundi-teaching-Deaf-children-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  1969. </item>
  1970. <item>
  1971. <title>34 years of independence of Ukraine and its religious freedom</title>
  1972. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/34-years-of-independence-of-ukraine-and-its-religious-freedom/</link>
  1973. <description>
  1974. <![CDATA[
  1975. Ukraine (MNN) — Once called “opium for the people” by Soviets, Christianity became the strength that helped independent Ukraine endure.
  1976.  
  1977. On August 24, Ukraine marked 34 years of independence. These years have been a gradual rebuilding of national identity, language, and culture. Freedom came not only politically, but also spiritually, as the church — long persecuted under the USSR — was finally free. Vladimir Lenin’s famous line, “Religion is opium for the people,” had been the guiding philosophy behind decades of oppression.
  1978.  
  1979. When the Iron Curtain fell in 1991, the church could finally spread its wings.
  1980.  
  1981. Eric Mock from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></a> says, “<strong>Ukraine, for the most part, was the Bible Belt of all the former Soviet Union countries [after 1991]. So, they were not only growing in their own country, but they were sending missionaries all over the world. And so, the church was thriving</strong>.”
  1982.  
  1983. <div id="attachment_216574" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216574" class="size-medium wp-image-216574" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-zvolskiy-11805519-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216574" class="wp-caption-text">Ukrainian couple reunites during war (photo courtesy of Dmitry Zvolskiy via Pexels)</p></div>
  1984.  
  1985. The Ukrainian church, like the nation itself, entered a season of transformation. The collective trauma of persecution took time to heal, but the spread of the Gospel and sound teaching brought freedom to individuals and communities alike.
  1986.  
  1987. When war struck — first in 2014, then in 2022 — the churches reshaped their ministry to meet the need. “<strong>They did not flee</strong>,” says Mock, “<strong>but actually pushed towards the battle lines because people were needing hope</strong>.”
  1988.  
  1989. Slavic Gospel Association stood alongside Ukrainian Baptist churches. “[SGA] helped equip them with resources so they could minister to the people who had all hope ripped away from them, refugees or internally displaced people,” adds Mock.
  1990.  
  1991. Through practical aid and immediate relief, churches also shared the news that overshadowed every piece of bad news people could hear that day: the Gospel.
  1992. <blockquote>
  1993. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“So in the midst of fighting for their independence, people were finding their independence in Christ,” he adds.</strong></p>
  1994. </blockquote>
  1995. <div id="attachment_205769" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205769" class="size-medium wp-image-205769" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/221227-SGA-Ukraine-War-Stories-12_17-Social-Post-1-WordPress-Preview-v1-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-205769" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association)</p></div>
  1996.  
  1997. Mock recalls asking one pastor in Chernihiv why he stayed. The pastor replied, “<strong>My people are here, therefore I will not go</strong>.” This kind of courage reflects biblical "love to one's neighbor", that shaped the role of many Ukrainian churches both before and after acquiring independence. Visit the <a href="https://www.sga.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></a> to learn more stories like this!
  1998.  
  1999. "As the Ukrainian people celebrate their Independence Day, Ukrainian believers — and all believers — can celebrate their independence from the shackles of this world, looking forward with hope and being united in the hardest of times by the hope we have in Jesus, knowing the best is yet to come," he adds.
  2000.  
  2001. Pray for the churches to find their place in Ukraine’s modern history and to be a beacon of hope for those desperate for good news.
  2002.  
  2003. &nbsp;
  2004.  
  2005. &nbsp;
  2006.  
  2007. <em>Photo courtesy of Anastasiia Krutota via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  2008. </description>
  2009. <pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2025 05:00:38 -0400</pubDate>
  2010. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/34-years-of-independence-of-ukraine-and-its-religious-freedom/</guid>
  2011. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/anastasiia-krutota-Eq8zUgP_L94-unsplash-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2012. </item>
  2013. <item>
  2014. <title>Battling for the true gospel in South Africa</title>
  2015. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/battling-for-the-true-gospel-in-south-africa/</link>
  2016. <description>
  2017. <![CDATA[
  2018. <span style="font-weight: 400;">South Africa (MNN) — Countries just like people have reputations. But whether they’re known for good or bad, </span><b>there’s always hope </b><span style="font-weight: 400;">because God is always doing something behind the scenes. </span>
  2019.  
  2020. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Take South Africa. In early 2025 it had </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/top-10-african-countries-with-the-highest-crime-index-at-the-start-of-2025/92pzmft" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>the highest crime index</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in all of Africa. Amid economic and poverty issues, </span><b>the church is also battling the prosperity gospel, says Unathi Sithole with </b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans World Radio</a></strong></span><b> Global.</b>
  2021.  
  2022. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It doesn't teach the joy of, the privilege of, perhaps even sometimes the difficulties of suffering that we </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">will</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> experience in Christ Jesus,” she says.</span>
  2023.  
  2024. <div id="attachment_215238" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215238" class="size-medium wp-image-215238" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/m66team-300x225.jpg" alt="TWR, Trans World Radio, John-Paul Davies, Unathi Sithole" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-215238" class="wp-caption-text">The Mission 66 team (Photo courtesy of TWR)</p></div>
  2025.  
  2026. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“People then come into contact with suffering. Suddenly, ‘Life isn't as I thought it would be. I don't have health, I don't have wealth, I don't have prosperity, I don't have all these things that I was told I was going to have because I've given my life to Jesus.’" </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Sometimes these people will turn away from following Christ.</strong> </span>
  2027.  
  2028. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Yet there are churches in South Africa actively preaching the pure gospel, Sithole says. “We need to understand the gospel from the right perspective, and not just from the perspective of getting something from God, but that it also comes with offering up our lives to Him.”</span>
  2029.  
  2030. <b>In addition to faith-filled churches, God is using a new radio program called Mission 66 to spread His Word in South Africa.</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> This conversational, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/meet-mission-66-a-new-bible-study-radio-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chapter-by-chapter Bible study</a></strong></span> is co-hosted by Sithole.</span>
  2031.  
  2032. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We want people to really see that the Word of God is our source. It's our daily bread. It transforms our hearts through the power of the Holy Spirit," she says. </span>
  2033. <h2><b>Find your place in the story</b></h2>
  2034. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for believers and seekers in South Africa </span><b>that the truth of the Word of God would prevail</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Pray that people </span><b>will not be led astray</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> after promises of physical prosperity. </span>
  2035.  
  2036. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pray for listeners of Mission 66 to be drawn to the program and </span><b>discover the TRUE eternal prosperity of knowing Christ</b><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Ask God to prepare their hearts. </span>
  2037.  
  2038. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“[I pray that] wherever they are in their lives, regardless of what they believe in at this time… [that] they would be able to hear the message of hope through the gospel,” says Sithole, “and that they’d be changed, that they would leave their old ways and come to know Jesus Christ, because He does have good plans for them.”</span>
  2039.  
  2040. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://twr.org/programs/mission-66-global" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Tune in here to listen to Mission 66 for yourself</b></a></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span>
  2041.  
  2042. &nbsp;
  2043.  
  2044. &nbsp;
  2045.  
  2046. <em>Header photo: The Regina Mundi Church in Soweto, South Africa (Photo courtesy of Asher Pardey via Unsplash)</em>]]>
  2047. </description>
  2048. <pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2025 05:00:55 -0400</pubDate>
  2049. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/battling-for-the-true-gospel-in-south-africa/</guid>
  2050. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/asher-pardey-x3sb7m4zS4Q-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2051. </item>
  2052. <item>
  2053. <title>Deaf educators reverse controversial 1880 decision</title>
  2054. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deaf-educators-reverse-controversial-1880-decision/</link>
  2055. <description>
  2056. <![CDATA[
  2057. International (MNN) -- Orchestrated by the International Congress on the Education of the Deaf (ICED), the Milan Congress of 1880 caused massive damage to the global Deaf community.
  2058.  
  2059. Instead of using the sign language that was most natural to them, Deaf children were forced to learn using oral methods.
  2060.  
  2061. “Oral education is the idea of using lip reading and speech therapy rather than sign language,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/door-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOOR International</a></strong></span>’s Rob Myers explains,
  2062.  
  2063. “There were only one or two Deaf people out of hundreds of delegates in the room. The [Congress] decided that sign language education needed to be stopped and oral-only education needed to be emphasized. That destroyed the access to language and information for Deaf people,” he continues.
  2064.  
  2065. “Over about 40 years, from 1880 to 1920, about 80 percent of Deaf schools shifted from having sign language and oral education to just oral education only.”
  2066.  
  2067. <strong>The decision paralyzed Deaf education for generations.</strong> Think of gaining knowledge like a chain reaction, where one event sets off a sequence of similar events, much like how tipping over the first domino in a line causes all the others to fall.
  2068.  
  2069. <div id="attachment_216545" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bradyn-trollip-pxVOztBa6mY-unsplash.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216545" class="size-medium wp-image-216545" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/bradyn-trollip-pxVOztBa6mY-unsplash-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216545" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Bradyn Trollip/Unsplash)</p></div>
  2070.  
  2071. “In order to know anything, you need access to information. And in order to get access to information, you need access to language. That language domino for Deaf people comes from a Deaf school; it doesn’t come from their families,” Myers says.
  2072. <blockquote>
  2073. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Education in sign language is the key domino.”</strong></p>
  2074. </blockquote>
  2075. Because the Milan Congress removed the sign language domino, none of the other dominoes could fall. Deaf students couldn’t learn because they couldn’t get access to information.
  2076.  
  2077. <em><strong>Thankfully, teachers met this summer in Rome to reverse the 1880 decision</strong></em>. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://wfdeaf.org/24th-international-congress-on-the-education-of-the-deaf-iced/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> It was a “very, very different meeting with many, many Deaf people present,” Myers says.
  2078.  
  2079. “Their emphasis was ‘We need to stop oral-only education, and recognize – as the United Nations has done, and as over 40 percent of the world’s countries have done – that sign language is the language of Deaf people, and they need access to it to have access to information.’”
  2080.  
  2081. We’ll explain the connection to Gospel work in tomorrow’s report.
  2082.  
  2083. “Many of us, as hearing people, want to see the Gospel come to everyone. We can make some great plans, thinking that we understand the needs of a community, when, in fact, we’re missing some of the basic needs. That’s unfortunately been true for the Deaf community for thousands of years,” Myers says.
  2084.  
  2085. &nbsp;
  2086.  
  2087. &nbsp;
  2088.  
  2089. &nbsp;
  2090.  
  2091. <em>Header image is a representative photo courtesy of DOOR International.</em>]]>
  2092. </description>
  2093. <pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2025 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate>
  2094. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deaf-educators-reverse-controversial-1880-decision/</guid>
  2095. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/IMG_20201106_160720_605-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2096. </item>
  2097. <item>
  2098. <title>Report shows thousands of Christians killed in Nigeria this year</title>
  2099. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/report-shows-thousands-of-christians-killed-in-nigeria-this-year/</link>
  2100. <description>
  2101. <![CDATA[
  2102. Nigeria (MNN) -- A new <a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/over-7k-christians-killed-in-nigeria-so-far-in-2025-watchdog.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">report</span></strong></a> reveals over 7,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed by Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen Islamists in the first 220 days of 2025.
  2103.  
  2104. The report was released by The Anambra-based International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), led by Christian criminologist Emeka Umeagbalasi. It also estimated "no fewer than 7,800 others were violently seized and abducted for being Christians."
  2105.  
  2106. <div id="attachment_172420" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-172420" class="size-medium wp-image-172420" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/vomTEENVICTIMSINNIGERIA-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-172420" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Voice of the Martyrs USA)</p></div>
  2107.  
  2108. <strong><a href="https://cfaithinstitute.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Christian Faith Ministries</span></a> serves in Benue, a state in North Central Nigeria. In early July, four of their members were tragically killed in an attack.</strong>
  2109.  
  2110. Ruth Hodge, who co-founded Christian Faith Ministries with her husband Kent, discussed the persecution facing Nigerian believers in a podcast interview with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-canada/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Voice of the Martyrs Canada’s</span></strong></a> Greg Musselman.
  2111.  
  2112. Ruth explains that many Christian villagers in Northern Nigeria have fled their homes and sought refuge in an old IDP (internally displaced people) camp. "That camp is occupied...but there's no aid going there. Mostly, the men are staying in the villages to protect them, to try to drive out the Fulani when they attack, and to try to continue farming."
  2113.  
  2114. Benue State is known as the food basket of Nigeria. "It's the most fertile state of the whole nation," says Ruth. "A lot of food is produced in Benue every year."
  2115. <blockquote>
  2116. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>However, violence and instability have devastated food production. "At the moment, nothing is coming out of Benue State. Very little food is coming out. The roads aren't safe. People are being kidnapped on the roads. Trucks -- if they're going out with the produce -- they're looted, they're stolen. The Fulani are well armed, full of ammunition, and the military is doing very little."</strong></p>
  2117. </blockquote>
  2118. <div id="attachment_171910" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-171910" class="size-medium wp-image-171910" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/vomnigeria-300x257.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="257" /><p id="caption-attachment-171910" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Voice of the Martyrs USA)</p></div>
  2119.  
  2120. Even in the face of persecution, Nigerian Christians long for their attackers to hear the Gospel -- that even those who kill them might find salvation in Jesus Christ.
  2121.  
  2122. The provost of Christian Faith Ministries’ Bible school is ethnically Fulani, and Ruth notes, "We have about 50 Fulani students in our Bible school -- that's the ones I can think of immediately."
  2123.  
  2124. <strong>These Fulani believers are reaching their own people with the Good News of Jesus.</strong>
  2125.  
  2126. Please pray with them for Fulani Muslims to turn from violence to the forgiveness and joy of Christ. Ask God to give persecuted believers in Northern Nigeria wisdom and protection as they care for their villages and families. Pray for the Church to be a bold witness of faith in the fire.
  2127.  
  2128. &nbsp;
  2129.  
  2130. &nbsp;
  2131.  
  2132. &nbsp;
  2133.  
  2134. &nbsp;
  2135.  
  2136. Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs Canada.]]>
  2137. </description>
  2138. <pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2025 05:00:33 -0400</pubDate>
  2139. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/report-shows-thousands-of-christians-killed-in-nigeria-this-year/</guid>
  2140. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/hero-nigeria-vomc-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2141. </item>
  2142. <item>
  2143. <title>Mentorship modeled by Christ shapes the next generation of leaders in the MENA</title>
  2144. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mentorship-modeled-by-christ-shapes-the-next-generation-of-leaders-in-the-mena/</link>
  2145. <description>
  2146. <![CDATA[
  2147. Middle East/North Africa (MNN) —<b> </b>According to studies done of Fortune 500 companies over the years, the majority of the most successful US businesses <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescommunicationscouncil/2022/05/19/does-mentoring-still-matter-for-fortune-500-companies/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>have mentorship programs.</b></a></span> <b>Mentorship is baked into God’s success plan for the Church, too.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  2148.  
  2149. Fadi Sharaiha serves with the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mena-leadership-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>MENA Leadership Center</b></a></span>. This fall, their Emerging Leaders Program has made strong mentor-mentee pairings for Christians from the Middle East and North Africa seeking to grow.
  2150.  
  2151. “[A] mentor is someone who has been in the field for some time with a track record of spiritual maturity, achievement, and professional conduct,” Sharaiha said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2152.  
  2153. One such match is for an Arabic-speaking church plant in Europe.
  2154.  
  2155. <div id="attachment_198937" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-198937" class="size-medium wp-image-198937" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/MLC_header-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-198937" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of MENA Leadership Center)</p></div>
  2156.  
  2157. <b>“</b>They are trying to figure out what to do, what’s next for them, how to conduct the ministry in different levels,” Sharaiha said. “For them, we have someone who has been a pastor [and] who took care of pastors in Europe as well.”
  2158.  
  2159. <b>Mentorship isn’t just for leaders. </b>Jesus modeled personal discipleship in His earthly ministry, choosing twelve men and then three even more personally. That means investing spiritually in others is a call for every Christian, in big or small ways.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2160.  
  2161. “It's an open invitation from God Himself to us as people of the Church to be more aligned with His purposes and to be more aligned with His heart,” said Sharaiha.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2162.  
  2163. <b>Sharaiha invites you to dive into both giving and receiving mentorship as part of the Body of Christ!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  2164.  
  2165. “How are you using your time, gifts, and the history, the experience that you have? Are you using it for the glory of God — through mentorship as an example?” Sharaiha said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“The reason I think that the Lord created the whole Church as one body is that we help each other. We are there for each other.”
  2166.  
  2167. <strong>Interested to take discipleship a step further?</strong> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/partner-with-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reach out</a></strong></span> to the MENA Leadership Center if you might be able to offer mentorship to a leader in the Middle East and North Africa. Or consider partnering with this ministry financially to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/partner-with-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sponsor</a></strong></span> a life-giving mentorship already taking place.
  2168.  
  2169. &nbsp;
  2170.  
  2171. &nbsp;
  2172.  
  2173. &nbsp;
  2174.  
  2175. <em>Header photo courtesy of HIVAN ARVIZU @soyhivan/Unsplash.</em>]]>
  2176. </description>
  2177. <pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2025 05:00:38 -0400</pubDate>
  2178. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mentorship-modeled-by-christ-shapes-the-next-generation-of-leaders-in-the-mena/</guid>
  2179. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/MLC_header-image-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2180. </item>
  2181. <item>
  2182. <title>New initiative trains teachers in life skills</title>
  2183. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-initiative-trains-teachers-in-life-skills/</link>
  2184. <description>
  2185. <![CDATA[
  2186. <p data-start="122" data-end="293">International (MNN) — <a href="https://setfreemin.org/">Set Free Global’s</a> ministries are growing. Over the next two weeks, a new initiative will take regenerative farming and use it as a tool for prosperity and gospel service.</p>
  2187. <p data-start="295" data-end="454">The organization currently oversees 11 different schools in an East African country, attended by 5,000 students, many of whom have been orphaned in some way.</p>
  2188. <p data-start="456" data-end="610">Jason Taylor, the new director at <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/">Set Free Global,</a> says, “We want to basically train the teachers and the staff on how to build a sustainable ministry.”</p>
  2189. <p data-start="612" data-end="751">Working in the Kabakyala area, the new Kabakyala Farming Initiative will give teachers and students the skills to provide for themselves.</p>
  2190. <p data-start="753" data-end="923">Set Free is sending two experts, Carl and Gene from Michigan and Colorado, to join two National experts, Martin and Julius, in leading a two-week conference for teachers.</p>
  2191.  
  2192.  
  2193. <div id="attachment_216558" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216558" class="wp-image-216558 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/m-abnodey-yli2L4uoiV8-unsplash-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-216558" class="wp-caption-text">Teachers in East Africa will learn about regenerative farming. <em>Photo by M abnodey on Unsplash.</em></p></div>
  2194. <p data-start="925" data-end="1028">All four have decades of experience in regenerative farming and will teach from a biblical worldview.</p>
  2195. <p data-start="1030" data-end="1212">The teachers will learn to grow plants and food, creating a year-round supply to keep ministry costs down. The main reason, however, is to empower students to provide for themselves.</p>
  2196. <p data-start="1214" data-end="1566">“We're training the teachers so that they can pass it down to the students that they are responsible for,” says Taylor. “That way, as our students go through our schools, say they graduate from our vocational high school, when they leave that school, they will at least have the basic training on how to live an independent life and feed themselves.”</p>
  2197. <p data-start="1568" data-end="1659">“We're building less dependency on the United States and organizations, " says Taylor.</p>
  2198. <p data-start="1661" data-end="1767">Though ministries will continue to support the work, they want people to be able to care for themselves.</p>
  2199. <p data-start="1769" data-end="1994">“In this case,” says Taylor, “Teach them how to grow plants and food that will feed them and keep them physically healthy and ultimately spiritually healthy as they learn the biblical principles behind why we're doing this.</p>
  2200. <p data-start="1996" data-end="2253">Please pray for the four men leading this training for safe flights and that the Lord would use their words to teach clearly. Pray that this new initiative will be a blessing for school staff in the short term and will bless the children in the long term.</p>
  2201. <p data-start="1996" data-end="2253"><em>(Photo courtesy of Set Free) </em></p>]]>
  2202. </description>
  2203. <pubDate>Fri, 22 Aug 2025 05:00:57 -0400</pubDate>
  2204. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-initiative-trains-teachers-in-life-skills/</guid>
  2205. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SFM_east-africa-school-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2206. </item>
  2207. <item>
  2208. <title>Attacks leave Druze, Christian minorities vulnerable in Syria</title>
  2209. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/attacks-leave-druze-christian-minorities-vulnerable-in-syria/</link>
  2210. <description>
  2211. <![CDATA[
  2212. Syria (MNN) -- Tensions in Syria are rising, and the Druze – one of the country’s smallest minorities – are caught in the middle.
  2213.  
  2214. The Druze are both an ethnic people group and a religious offshoot of Islam. There are also ethnically Druze Christians.
  2215.  
  2216. Reports say about 1,000 Druze were <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/26/world-news/terrified-druze-christians-speak-out-after-deadly-violence-in-syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">massacred</span></strong></a> recently. But Pierre Houssney with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Horizons International</span></strong></a> says, according to his local Druze sources, "It was really more like 3,000 people that were killed in clashes between the extremist factions that claim to be government and the Arab Bedouins and the Druze.
  2217. <blockquote>
  2218. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"There's a lot of ethnic tension right now, and definitely minorities throughout Syria are feeling very vulnerable."</strong></p>
  2219. </blockquote>
  2220. Why now? Houssney says a lot of the tension comes in the wake of the latest government transition after former President Bashar al-Assad's ouster. In the chaos, extremist groups see an opportunity for power through violence.
  2221.  
  2222. <div id="attachment_216533" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216533" class="size-medium wp-image-216533" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/mahmoud-sulaiman-3N3O8YBdYKs-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216533" class="wp-caption-text">A gathering of the people and residents of Daraa city in Al-Karama and Al-Hurriya Square after the fall of Bashar al-Assad. (Caption, photo courtesy of Mahmoud Sulaiman/Unsplash)</p></div>
  2223.  
  2224. Houssney shares from Druze Christians, "They are not confident that this new leader of Syria is actually walking the walk that he's talking. So he's saying that Syria is for everyone [and] Syrian Christians should be protected and all of that, and all the minority groups will be just fine. But at the same time, he's not protecting them."
  2225.  
  2226. The Druze militia has taken a defensive stance against their attackers, and there are even talks of seeking independence.
  2227.  
  2228. <strong>Houssney says, "The Druze are currently arming themselves, organizing themselves, and bracing to repel any attack or encroachment. One Druze leader that I'm in touch with actually said that there's no way that the Druze community is going to accept being part of the new Syria that emerges after all this."</strong>
  2229.  
  2230. Please pray for an end to the violence, and for Druze and Syrian Christians to be faithful witnesses of the Gospel amidst unrest. Pray for believers to point the Druze people ultimately to spiritual freedom in Christ.
  2231.  
  2232. "My hope is to share those personal connections and what I'm hearing from Druze people on the ground, especially the believers, and just pass that on to the world, because news that you can trust these days is very difficult to find." Houssney adds, "That's part of why I appreciate Mission Network News."
  2233.  
  2234. &nbsp;
  2235.  
  2236. &nbsp;
  2237.  
  2238. Header photo: Ein Al-Asad, a Druze locality on a hillside. (Photo courtesy of Levi Meir Clancy/Unsplash)]]>
  2239. </description>
  2240. <pubDate>Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:40 -0400</pubDate>
  2241. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/attacks-leave-druze-christian-minorities-vulnerable-in-syria/</guid>
  2242. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/levi-meir-clancy-TwcRNU43v8A-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2243. </item>
  2244. <item>
  2245. <title>A translated Bible that led an Iranian Kurdish man to Christ</title>
  2246. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-translated-bible-that-led-an-iranian-kurdish-man-to-christ/</link>
  2247. <description>
  2248. <![CDATA[
  2249. Iran (MNN) — Kurds make up to <a href="https://minorityrights.org/communities/kurds-4/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>10 per cent</strong></a> of Iran’s population, which means there’s a good chance you’ll meet a Kurd in ten strangers on the street. Yet, despite this vibrant culture, the regime treats them as unwanted.
  2250.  
  2251. Nazanin Baghestani from <a href="https://www.heart4iran.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Heart4Iran</strong></a> highlights the stark contrast between the way Persians and the government treat Kurds. “<strong>The people are so welcoming. You know, the Persians welcome all ethnicities, but the government is really against the Kurds, because some are Sunnis,</strong>” she explains, noting that the government is Shia.
  2252.  
  2253. <div id="attachment_216520" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216520" class="size-medium wp-image-216520" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-peyvandpezeshki-28375099-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216520" class="wp-caption-text">Kurdistan Province, Iran (photo courtesy of Peyvand Pezeshki via Pexels)</p></div>
  2254.  
  2255. Consequently, Kurds face systematic abuse. “There's so much poverty among them, unemployment and even lack of services, lack of health insurances and they have to suffer through all this,” she adds.
  2256.  
  2257. Christian Kurds face a double threat: both for their ethnicity and their conversion from Islam. Baghestani recalls tragic events affecting some believers: “<strong>The ones who smuggled Bibles through the border inside the country get shot by the secret police</strong>.”
  2258.  
  2259. Yet, there is a plentiful harvest among Kurds.
  2260.  
  2261. Heart4Iran provides a way for Iranians to contact them and ask burning questions. Nazanin says that out of 3,000–4,000 calls, 100 are from Kurds. Of those, 70 per cent give their heart to Christ!
  2262.  
  2263. Their testimonies help shape outreach events, tailored to the needs of Kurds living in a stateless, rights-deprived environment. But <strong>the surest way to capture a Kurd’s attention from the first word is to speak in their language.</strong>
  2264.  
  2265. Take this man, for example:
  2266. <blockquote>
  2267. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“He came to Christ because he read a Kurdish Gospel, and he was so surprised that the Gospel was translated to Kurdish language, and he felt at home.” </strong></p>
  2268. </blockquote>
  2269. He felt important, cared for, and valued — because someone had taken the time to translate the Gospel into his language.
  2270.  
  2271. “It was heartwarming to see how happy he was to read the Gospel in his own language,” Baghestani adds.
  2272.  
  2273. As Heart4Iran engages with many Iranians, you can support them by visiting their <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>website</strong> </a>or reading their news to know how to pray.
  2274.  
  2275. One of Baghestani’s biggest requests is for more local workers: <strong>“Pray for those Pauls and Peters to come out of the Kurdish people, and they will go and preach the Gospel to their own people.”</strong>
  2276.  
  2277. &nbsp;
  2278.  
  2279. &nbsp;
  2280.  
  2281. &nbsp;
  2282.  
  2283. &nbsp;
  2284.  
  2285. <em>Representative header photo of a Kurd courtesy of Dastan Khdir via Pexels.</em>]]>
  2286. </description>
  2287. <pubDate>Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:31 -0400</pubDate>
  2288. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-translated-bible-that-led-an-iranian-kurdish-man-to-christ/</guid>
  2289. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-dastan-3942918-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2290. </item>
  2291. <item>
  2292. <title>Wanted: Disciple-makers within and outside of prisons</title>
  2293. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wanted-disciple-makers-within-and-outside-of-prisons/</link>
  2294. <description>
  2295. <![CDATA[
  2296. United States (MNN) — A disciple-making movement is underway in one eastern Washington State prison facility. <strong>Its leaders are not volunteers but inmates!</strong>
  2297.  
  2298. Kathleen Retan with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/prisoners-for-christ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Prisoners for Christ</a> </strong></span>(PFC) says that a few years ago, <b>an inmate named Darryl</b> was receiving discipleship from multiple ministries, including PFC. He decided it was time to take responsibility for gospel ministry in his facility.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2299.  
  2300. Today, Darryl and a group of fellow believers call themselves Table Time Ministries. The name is a riff on a well-known prison reality in which s the tables in shared spaces are staked out by different people.
  2301.  
  2302. <div id="attachment_212792" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-212792" class="size-medium wp-image-212792" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250112_213244-200x300.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-212792" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Ivan Samkov via Pexels)</p></div>
  2303.  
  2304. “Their emphasis is very much on being models within the prison, models of the way Jesus Christ would want them to act and to live,” said Retan. “This is not just to other inmates, but specifically for staff to see that too.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2305.  
  2306. The men in Table Time meet for three hours on Saturdays, sponsored by PFC. Volunteers with PFC lead one hour, but a full two hours are for Table Time's cell-to-cell outreach planning, Bible study, community, and more.
  2307. <blockquote>
  2308. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“When you have the inmate-initiated discipleship, you're able to tap into a passion for other inmates as well as a shared cultural experience that volunteers can’t match either,” said Retan. “That gives me a lot of hope for what the Holy Spirit's going to do in this work.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  2309. </blockquote>
  2310. <b>This good news is a call to action! </b>Inmates around the world need discipleship before they can become disciplers themselves. That often means a fellow Christian must come to serve them first.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2311.  
  2312. “So many of us think of the work of the church [as if] it should be done by the pastors and the elders, the deacons, and we sit in the pews,” said Retan. “Well, the inmates can be the same way. They need to have it awakened to them that they need to be the ‘inside church’ themselves and not leave ministry up to the organizations, the volunteers alone.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2313.  
  2314. <b>Think God might be calling you to prison ministry? </b>Prisoners for Christ is dedicated to taking the gospel into jails, prisons, and juvenile institutions in more than 30 countries worldwide, including the US. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.prisonersforchrist.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Contact PFC</a></strong></span> today to learn more and find resources about this work wherever you are.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2315.  
  2316. &nbsp;
  2317.  
  2318. &nbsp;
  2319.  
  2320. <em>The header photo is courtesy of Donald Tong/Pexels.</em>]]>
  2321. </description>
  2322. <pubDate>Thu, 21 Aug 2025 05:00:25 -0400</pubDate>
  2323. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wanted-disciple-makers-within-and-outside-of-prisons/</guid>
  2324. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/pexels-donald-tong-143580-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2325. </item>
  2326. <item>
  2327. <title>Look for spiritual not political change in Iran</title>
  2328. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/look-for-spiritual-not-political-change-in-iran/</link>
  2329. <description>
  2330. <![CDATA[
  2331. Iran (MNN) — It’s been nearly two months since the Israel-Iran ceasefire took effect. Iran’s regime is fragile but has not collapsed. Instead, crackdowns have brought <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://iranhumanrights.org/2025/07/iran-political-death-sentences-surge-in-brutal-crackdown-on-minorities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>mass arrests and even executions</b></a></span>.
  2332.  
  2333. <div id="attachment_206879" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206879" class="size-medium wp-image-206879" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/hamid-mohammad-hossein-zadeh-hashemi-LrO_cnq7aJQ-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="stock photo, Unsplash, Tehran, Tehran Province, Iran September 22, 2020" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-206879" class="wp-caption-text">Photo of Tehran, Iran courtesy of Hamid Mohammad Hossein Zadeh Hashemi via Unsplash.</p></div>
  2334.  
  2335. According to Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://articleeighteen.com/news/16285/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>more than 50 Christians</b></a></span> are among those who have been arrested since the June 24 ceasefire.
  2336.  
  2337. Nazanin Baghestani with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart4iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart4Iran</a></strong></span> says the regime’s strategy of fear is working.
  2338.  
  2339. “People are afraid to call. People are afraid to talk to us. All their phone calls, all their apps are being tapped. Everything is monitored, and people inside the country have lost their hope.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2340.  
  2341. Iran’s exiled crown prince, Reza Pahlavi, has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-regime-the-prince-and-freedom-for-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>led public dialogue</b></a></span> on what a democratic Iran could look like. But Baghestani says politics are not the real frontline for the Church.
  2342.  
  2343. “Even if Reza Pahlavi comes on the scene, it doesn't mean that the root of Islam is broken. It's still there, and the persecution and the hardships will still be there,” she said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2344. <blockquote>
  2345. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“We should pray that in spite of all this darkness, people will see the Lord.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p>
  2346. </blockquote>
  2347. Heart4Iran broadcasts Christian satellite TV into Iran, a medium that the Iranian government can’t so easily control. It’s a lifeline for isolated believers. So is the work of Heart4Iran’s call center team. They are carefully reaching out to Iranians.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2348.  
  2349. One man they connected with told them, “I see this as a sign from God that He still loves me.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2350.  
  2351. One woman was overjoyed and said, “This is the first time I'm speaking to a Christian. We don't know any Christians here, but we [have been] watching your channels for four years, and this is the first time I've called. I am so happy that I'm talking with a Christian.”
  2352.  
  2353. They are also seeing God do miracles! One widow reached out to the Heart4Iran team in desperate need of money and daily provisions.
  2354.  
  2355. <div id="attachment_192252" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-192252" class="size-medium wp-image-192252" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/H4I_story-image-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-192252" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Heart4Iran)</p></div>
  2356.  
  2357. “Of course, we cannot help her from here. We prayed for her. We encouraged her to believe in the Lord,” said Baghestani. “Unexpectedly, she received money from [a] far relative who owed her [late] husband. He paid the amount that he owed out of nowhere.”
  2358.  
  2359. <strong>Praise God for sending hope to His people. Pray for great spiritual awakening in Iran. Pray for protection for Iranian Christians, that they will not be discovered by authorities.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  2360.  
  2361. “[We are] praying for hope, courage, strength, that in spite of all their disappointments, all their hardships, the inflation, the arrests, the tensions, the fear…that they will have hope and they will press on,” says Baghestani.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2362.  
  2363. &nbsp;
  2364.  
  2365. &nbsp;
  2366.  
  2367. &nbsp;
  2368.  
  2369. &nbsp;
  2370.  
  2371. &nbsp;
  2372.  
  2373. &nbsp;
  2374.  
  2375. <em>Header photo is an image capture courtesy of Heart4Iran.</em>
  2376.  
  2377. &nbsp;
  2378.  
  2379. &nbsp;]]>
  2380. </description>
  2381. <pubDate>Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate>
  2382. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/look-for-spiritual-not-political-change-in-iran/</guid>
  2383. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/h4ICapture2-180x180.png" type="" length="" />
  2384. </item>
  2385. <item>
  2386. <title>Prayers for India while awaiting the CPC list</title>
  2387. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/prayers-for-india-while-awaiting-the-cpc-list/</link>
  2388. <description>
  2389. <![CDATA[
  2390. <span style="font-weight: 400;">India (MNN) — Despite the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/publications/indias-state-level-anti-conversion-laws" target="_blank" rel="noopener">creation and execution of oppressive anti-conversion</a></strong></span> laws being established in India over the last two years, the U.S. State Department has not added India to its </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.state.gov/countries-of-particular-concern-special-watch-list-countries-entities-of-particular-concern/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Countries of Particular Concern list</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span>
  2391.  
  2392. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) is a list for which the U.S. president is required to annually review the status of religious freedom in every country in the world and designate each country where the government has engaged in or tolerated “particularly severe violations of religious freedom.”</span>
  2393.  
  2394. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The State Department's Religious Freedom Report was not updated last year and has yet to be updated in 2025. The latest CPC list from 2023 excludes India; however, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">includes India on its recommended </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/countries/2025-recommendations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and Special Watch List (SWL)</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span>
  2395.  
  2396. <span style="font-weight: 400;">With the rise of anti-conversion laws in several Indian states, attacks against Christians have climbed to an average of twice a day. </span>
  2397.  
  2398. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblesfortheworld.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles For The World (BFTW)</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> had hoped that the new U.S. administration would revive work on religious freedom issues. It remains their prayer that the U.S. government will bring these human rights issues into focus and deal with this religi</span>ous persecution and loss of religious freedom.
  2399.  
  2400. <span style="font-weight: 400;">John Pudaite with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BFTW</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> says, “We're seeing that from some of our partners, where before they were very willing to take large amounts of scripture from us, whether the gospel of John, (or) New Testaments for New Believers, (we’re) starting to see them lowering their orders or requests. Some of them are just saying, ‘We can't do this right now.’ And that's that's pretty shocking, because most of these were pretty bold in their faith and their outreach and evangelism.”</span>
  2401.  
  2402. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pudaite said these Christians are on the front lines.</span>
  2403.  
  2404. <div id="attachment_211642" style="width: 282px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-211642" class=" wp-image-211642" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/441462466_754206130227206_1948133650253004549_n-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="272" height="272" /><p id="caption-attachment-211642" class="wp-caption-text">There is an openness to the gospel in India. (Photo courtesy of Bibles for the World)</p></div>
  2405.  
  2406. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We're just hoping and praying that under the Trump administration this will shift back toward bringing (India) into focus as a country that really needs to live by its constitution, which guarantees religious freedom for all of its citizens,” says Pudaite.</span>
  2407.  
  2408. <span style="font-weight: 400;">While Christians face religious persecution in the country, there is also new openness to the Gospel. Pudaite says that people see the regime in power is not reaching down to them and considering them.</span>
  2409.  
  2410. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, “They're responding to what they see: The love of Christ coming through the Christians there in India,” says Pudaite.</span>
  2411.  
  2412. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for the protection of Christians in India. Pray that they will continue to be strong in their faith, outreach, and in their ministries. Pray that as God opens the hearts of Indians to the Gospel, He will guide world leaders to advocate for minorities in India.</span>
  2413.  
  2414. &nbsp;
  2415.  
  2416. <span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>(Photo by Naveed Ahmed on Unsplash)</em></span>]]>
  2417. </description>
  2418. <pubDate>Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate>
  2419. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/prayers-for-india-while-awaiting-the-cpc-list/</guid>
  2420. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/naveed-ahmed-9Dt4WutvwDs-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2421. </item>
  2422. <item>
  2423. <title>Stony hearts soften during the Summer of Hope</title>
  2424. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/stony-hearts-soften-during-the-summer-of-hope/</link>
  2425. <description>
  2426. <![CDATA[
  2427. USA (MNN) -- As summer wraps up in the United States, so does the On Eagles’ Wings Summer of Hope outreach.
  2428.  
  2429. A division of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hutchcraft Ministries,</a></strong></span> On Eagles’ Wings equips Native American Christians to reach their peers for Jesus. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  2430.  
  2431. Hutchcraft Ministries founder Ron Hutchcraft says, “There were 36 Native American and First Nations people on the team, and they represented about 20 different Indian nations.”
  2432.  
  2433. <div id="attachment_216499" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/oew2025report6a.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216499" class="size-medium wp-image-216499" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/oew2025report6a-300x204.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="204" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216499" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries)</p></div>
  2434.  
  2435. Native American youth at each reservation share similar experiences and trials, from substance abuse to violence and suicide. They also share a similar mistrust of Jesus, often calling Him “the white man’s God.”
  2436. <blockquote>
  2437. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They don’t know anybody who is young, Native, and Christian, so He doesn’t even seem to be an option for them.”</strong></p>
  2438. </blockquote>
  2439. Local Christians invite the On Eagles’ Wings team to their community to spark change.
  2440.  
  2441. Previous efforts to introduce the Gospel go unheeded until one summer day, Hutchcraft says, “Here comes a busload of young, Native Christians from 20 different tribes who have life stories like their own, except they have hope, and they all found it when they found Jesus.”
  2442.  
  2443. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings/updates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read individual impact reports here.</a></strong></span> Below, Hutchcraft shares three reasons why hearts change during the Summer of Hope.
  2444.  
  2445. “Breakthroughs happen on each reservation, and there’s an unprecedented interest in Jesus,” Hutchcraft says.
  2446. <h2>3 Drivers of Change</h2>
  2447. Transformation begins when Native youth hear something they can relate to. “People are most likely to listen to a Gospel messenger with a shared life experience,” Hutchcraft says.
  2448.  
  2449. Because On Eagles’ Wings team members “bring the Gospel wrapped in their own hope story,” Native young people can relate to “how it was before Jesus,” Hutchcraft says.
  2450.  
  2451. “Those are sad stories. There has been a lot of abuse and family violence, addiction, depression, self-harm, and, all too often, thoughts of suicide. As they tell that story, the young people on the reservation are going, ‘Well, that’s my story, too.’”
  2452.  
  2453. <div id="attachment_216498" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/oew2025report6e.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216498" class="size-medium wp-image-216498" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/oew2025report6e-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216498" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries)</p></div>
  2454.  
  2455. Noise fades as all attention turns to the Native Gospel worker in the middle of a basketball court.
  2456.  
  2457. “What was perhaps a rowdy and loud situation when we got there becomes strangely quiet,” Hutchcraft shares, “as these young men and women talk about what Jesus has done for them and they share the Gospel, the message that changed everything.”
  2458.  
  2459. Prayer is a second factor influencing heart change. “Before they go, there’s a time when they each hold their (written) hope story up to the Lord and I ask them to pray out loud [that it would be] something God would use to bring hope to people who are where they used to be,” Hutchcraft says.
  2460. <blockquote>
  2461. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It’s powerful to hear them all praying simultaneously for God to use that hope story, and the rest of the month is God answering that prayer.”</strong></p>
  2462. </blockquote>
  2463. Finally, Native youth experience the peace of Jesus through On Eagles’ Wings team members and Summer of Hope activities, opening hearts to the Holy Spirit’s leading.
  2464.  
  2465. “They’re feeling the presence of Jesus without knowing it initially because there’s joy and safety in those events,” Hutchcraft says.
  2466.  
  2467. <em><strong>Keep praying for the On Eagles’ Wings team.</strong> </em>“They don’t just need it in the summer, they need it all year long,” Hutchcraft says. Ask the Lord to help them live in continued supernatural boldness.
  2468.  
  2469. &nbsp;
  2470.  
  2471. &nbsp;
  2472.  
  2473. &nbsp;
  2474.  
  2475. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries/On Eagles' Wings. </em>]]>
  2476. </description>
  2477. <pubDate>Wed, 20 Aug 2025 05:00:57 -0400</pubDate>
  2478. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/stony-hearts-soften-during-the-summer-of-hope/</guid>
  2479. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/oew2025teamphoto-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2480. </item>
  2481. <item>
  2482. <title>Tension rising between Syria’s government and the Kurdish-led SDF</title>
  2483. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/tension-rising-between-syrias-government-and-the-kurdish-led-sdf/</link>
  2484. <description>
  2485. <![CDATA[
  2486. Syria (MNN) — Integrate or separate? The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) control much of northeast Syria. Back in March, they signed a tentative deal with Syria’s president about one day integrating into the national army. But talks have since <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/08/16/syria-kurds-hts-sdf-turkey-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stalled</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2487.  
  2488. In the bigger picture, Kurds are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/reflecting-centenary-treaty-lausanne-kurdish-struggle-and-unyielding-resilience" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a stateless people</a></strong></span>. Millions live across parts of Turkiye, Syria, Iran, and Iraq alone, with many more across Europe.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2489.  
  2490. “They've always longed for their own state, but it has not been allowed by the governments that own those lands,” Samuel* with Redemptive Stories explains. “I think their end goal is to create a state for themselves, to live freely as a people, to not be oppressed as a minority.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2491.  
  2492. He continues: “The northern swath of Iraq — which is one of probably the most recognized Kurdish bases, Iraqi Kurdistan — still is not its own state. It's just basically [a governorate] within the context of Iraq.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2493.  
  2494. Politics aside, Samuel says many churches have been planted in the Kurdish-controlled region of Syria, called the Rojava.
  2495.  
  2496. <div id="attachment_188902" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-188902" class="size-medium wp-image-188902" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Kurdistan_wkp_reg_en-300x216.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="216" /><p id="caption-attachment-188902" class="wp-caption-text">“Kurdistan” means “the land of Kurds”. Originally this designated a region of Western Iran. This map extends the concept to cover the greater region with any significant Kurdish population and encompasses parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.<br />(Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  2497.  
  2498. “During the Syrian crisis in particular, there's been a huge movement of the gospel among Syrian Kurds,” he said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2499.  
  2500. While Iraqi Kurds strongly identify as Muslims, it’s not the same for Syrian Kurds. “That identity of Islam is far less than their identity as Kurds, and so for them to abandon Islam in order to follow Jesus, it’s less of a huge step," he said. "Many are coming to faith. That's happening online. It's happening in person.”
  2501.  
  2502. If Kurdish armed forces integrate with Syria’s new government forces, Syria <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/facilitating-new-sdf-agreement-key-stabilizing-syria" target="_blank" rel="noopener">could see greater stability</a></strong></span>. But the new government has a track record of persecuting minorities. This could prove to be devastating to Kurds in the region, including Christians.
  2503.  
  2504. “If they are forced to lay control back to Damascus, then there [are] deep concerns that persecution will increase —<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>persecution that could be just ethnic in nature, but then also spiritual persecution,” said Samuel.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2505.  
  2506. Please pray for God’s peace and mercy in<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/syrias-sharaa-hopes-kurdish-deal-prevent-conflict-2025-08-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> this unfolding situation</a></strong></span>. Pray for bold gospel witness from Kurdish believers in Christ no matter what happens.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2507.  
  2508. "Pray for God's peace in the midst of that, pray that His faithfulness will continue to go forth. Pray for our brothers and sisters that are from a Muslim background [who] are working in that space [in Syria]," said Samuel.
  2509.  
  2510. &nbsp;
  2511.  
  2512. <em>*Pseudonym</em>
  2513.  
  2514. &nbsp;
  2515.  
  2516. &nbsp;
  2517.  
  2518. <em>Header photo: <b></b>Sipan Hamo (Sîpan Hemo), general commander of the People's Defense Units (YPG) and a member of the general command of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). (Photo courtesy of YPG Press Office - "Nirxandinên endamê fermandariya QSDê Sîpan Hemo li ser Şehîd Nûreddîn Sofî", YouTube, CC BY 3.0)</em>]]>
  2519. </description>
  2520. <pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 05:00:44 -0400</pubDate>
  2521. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/tension-rising-between-syrias-government-and-the-kurdish-led-sdf/</guid>
  2522. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Sipan_Hamo_YPG-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2523. </item>
  2524. <item>
  2525. <title>New AI model, Kairos, poised to reach Iranians</title>
  2526. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-ai-model-kairos-poised-to-reach-iranians/</link>
  2527. <description>
  2528. <![CDATA[
  2529. Iran (MNN) — In late July, Iran’s government <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranhumanrights.org/2025/07/iran-proposed-cyber-bill-gives-authorities-sweeping-new-powers-to-block-and-punish-online-content/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nearly passed a bill</a></strong></span> that would have strengthened its chokehold on Iranians’ access to the internet. Punishment also would have increased for publishing anything the government considered false news.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But public backlash made the regime <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/society/iran-news-regime-retreats-on-controversial-internet-bill-amid-public-backlash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">withdraw</a></strong></span> the bill — for now.
  2530.  
  2531. <div id="attachment_216486" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216486" class="size-medium wp-image-216486" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/florin-palamarciuc-KLKMxyhVdeo-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216486" class="wp-caption-text">In Iran's restrictive environment, many Iranians are afraid to voice their questions to a real-life person (Stock photo courtesy of Florin Palamarciuc via Unsplash)</p></div>
  2532.  
  2533. Lana Silk with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a></strong> explains that in Iran's restrictive environment, many Iranians are afraid to voice their questions to a real-life person. Yet the number of Christians in Iran is growing, and so is the number of Muslims seeking answers about their faith. <b>These are just a few reasons that Kairos, a newly launched AI model from Transform Iran, is such a timely resource. </b>
  2534.  
  2535. “It's always been an age-old problem for Christian ministry in Iran to keep up with the demand,” Silk said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2536.  
  2537. Silk explains that if you ask AI systems like ChatGPT about faith or Christian doctrine, “you will get very humanist, sort of ‘open to all possibilities’ kinds of answers, and sometimes favoring false doctrines as well."
  2538.  
  2539. Not so with Kairos. It pulls only from <strong>a carefully vetted library of resources</strong> from Transform Iran's Christian <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://transformiran.com/our-work/apologetics-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">apologetics center</a></strong></span>.
  2540.  
  2541. “What people can do with Kairos is ask those questions and have a conversation with a system that understands Christianity thoroughly and understands how it interacts with Islam, and all of the questions that Muslims have about that sort of conversion,” said Silk.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2542.  
  2543. <strong>Kairos offers Iranians safety and anonymity.</strong> It also responds as a baseline counselor. By gathering information from the topics and even the word choices people use, Kairos will suggest to them when human counseling is needed. It can point people to contact Transform Iran’s follow-up counseling team.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2544.  
  2545. You can try Kairos out for yourself! The model is tailored for the Farsi-speaking world but is available in over 250 languages.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Transform Iran intends to train Kairos to operate in many of Iran's ethnic languages as well. </span>
  2546.  
  2547. “Pray for the people involved on this project. Pray for the project itself that it will withstand the attacks of the Iranian government, who will try their best to derail it,” said Silk.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“Then pray and see if the Lord might have you invest in it, because there [are] some really exciting new things we're wanting to build into it."
  2548.  
  2549. &nbsp;
  2550.  
  2551. &nbsp;
  2552.  
  2553. <em>Header photo courtesy of Ashkan Forouzani via Unsplash. </em>]]>
  2554. </description>
  2555. <pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 05:00:21 -0400</pubDate>
  2556. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-ai-model-kairos-poised-to-reach-iranians/</guid>
  2557. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/ashkan-forouzani-SF5zmnKtHzM-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2558. </item>
  2559. <item>
  2560. <title>Believers from a Muslim background offer hope to suffering Sudan</title>
  2561. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-from-a-muslim-background-offer-hope-to-suffering-sudan/</link>
  2562. <description>
  2563. <![CDATA[
  2564. Sudan (MNN) -- Torture and disease are among the latest woes plaguing Sudan, yet the Lord is at work.
  2565.  
  2566. A prominent human rights group <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy4dqp8eeedo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accuses Sudan’s army</a></strong></span> of torturing people to death through "execution chambers." Meanwhile, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165664" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cholera has now spread</a></strong></span> to every state in Sudan, claiming at least 1,000 lives since January.
  2567.  
  2568. Additionally, famine-like conditions are deteriorating in refugee camps. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165642" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Around 25 million people</a></strong></span> – nearly half of Sudan’s population – are facing severe hunger, while 3.5 million women and children suffer from malnutrition.
  2569.  
  2570. A Gospel worker we’ll call John says, “The situation continues to get worse.”
  2571.  
  2572. <div id="attachment_213458" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1280px-Refugees_queue_for_water_in_the_Jamam_camp_South_Sudan_7118597209.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213458" class="wp-image-213458 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1280px-Refugees_queue_for_water_in_the_Jamam_camp_South_Sudan_7118597209-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-213458" class="wp-caption-text">Refugees wait for water distribution. (Photo courtesy of Robert Stansfield/Department for International Development via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  2573.  
  2574. <em><strong>Yet hope remains.</strong> </em>People are turning to the Lord as they encounter the peace only He can offer.
  2575.  
  2576. “One of the guys that I work with, who was an imam [and] became a Christian, he says, 'In my lifetime, I never believed that I would see a Muslim come to know Christ. And then in the space of a year, I’m seeing them lead 50 to Christ,” John says.
  2577.  
  2578. With help from John’s ministry, which remains unnamed for security purposes, new believers from Muslim-majority Sudan learn how to share Jesus and start churches.
  2579.  
  2580. “We have about 26 teams: 15 are inside Sudan, and 11 are in refugee points outside Sudan. They’re all leaders we have trained at our school; [350] Muslim-background believers from 65 tribes,” John says.
  2581.  
  2582. “We’ve been working in Darfur for a long time. Many of the house churches that were underground in Darfur are displaced, and they’re now in Chad.”
  2583.  
  2584. While church planting is the believers’ primary focus, they offer limited aid whenever possible.
  2585.  
  2586. “We’ve given them training; we try to give some support,” John says. “We did a feeding program in Chad, just the 100 most vulnerable in three camps. We were able to feed for two months and give tarps for shelter. That’s all we could do.”
  2587.  
  2588. In recent weeks, the leaders held biblical trauma healing workshops, and 150 Muslims came to the Lord. “Satan wants hope to be contraband, because it is hope that removes the control of the enemy; it removes their power over a person’s life,” John says.
  2589. <blockquote>
  2590. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Help cannot be brought without hope. It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that makes a person whole on the inside.”</strong></p>
  2591. </blockquote>
  2592. Ask the Lord for mercy. Pray He will introduce millions in Sudan to the peace only Christ can offer. Then, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://greater-reach-inc.networkforgood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">support the efforts of John’s organization here.</a></strong></span>
  2593.  
  2594. &nbsp;
  2595.  
  2596. &nbsp;
  2597.  
  2598. &nbsp;
  2599.  
  2600. <em>Header image is a representative photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs USA. </em>]]>
  2601. </description>
  2602. <pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 05:00:43 -0400</pubDate>
  2603. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-from-a-muslim-background-offer-hope-to-suffering-sudan/</guid>
  2604. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/VOM_sudan-header-image-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2605. </item>
  2606. <item>
  2607. <title>Persecuted believers are not forsaken</title>
  2608. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/216439/</link>
  2609. <description>
  2610. <![CDATA[
  2611. <em>"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."</em>
  2612.  
  2613. <span style="font-weight: 400">International (MNN) <strong>— </strong>A new <strong><a href="https://www.persecution.org/2025/08/08/4-of-5-most-populous-countries-persecute-christians/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a></strong> outlines how India, China, Indonesia, and Pakistan, four of the world's five most populous countries,</span><span style="font-weight: 400"> systematically persecute Christians. Greg Kelley with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></strong> says mistreatment of believers is neither new nor unexpected. </span>
  2614.  
  2615. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Jesus told us: they didn’t like me; they’re going to hate you as my followers. So I think that we shouldn’t be shocked by the persecutions,” he says. “However, we need to come alongside these brothers and sisters because they are on the front lines. They are in the war zones.” </span>
  2616.  
  2617. <span style="font-weight: 400">Kelley says we can assist by encouraging and resourcing Christians facing persecution. </span>
  2618.  
  2619. <span style="font-weight: 400">“But we also need to be praying,” he adds. “We need to pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth additional laborers into these fields. This is the ground zero of where the church needs to be paying attention: these harshly persecuted areas of the world.” </span>
  2620.  
  2621. <span style="font-weight: 400">While persecution happens across societal levels, it’s most intensified and targeted when people convert to Christianity out of dominant national religions. </span>
  2622.  
  2623. <span style="font-weight: 400">“It’s the Christian who makes a stand for Jesus and is willing. That’s the person who’s a threat, because they’re serious about their faith; and so they face the wrath of the highest level of government all the way down to the nuclear family,” Kelley says. </span>
  2624.  
  2625. <span style="font-weight: 400">Baptism and evangelism in particular trigger the Islamic community’s religious immune system. </span>
  2626.  
  2627. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Many times the manifestation of the persecution is a vigilante justice," he says. "It’s sort of a mob-generated response that the government in many instances is turning a cheek." </span>
  2628.  
  2629. <span style="font-weight: 400">Failure of law enforcement to respond to the plight of Christians is a frustration to those expecting basic protections from their government. On the other hand, persecuted believers regularly dismiss calls for vindication from their leaders, expressing the understanding that persecution of believers is par for the course in a kingdom walk. Kelley says Christians in the crucible are white hot with Gospel fire. </span>
  2630.  
  2631. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The people groups that we’re talking about are less than one percent Christian, but those followers of Jesus are passionate," he remarks.</span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  2632. </span>
  2633.  
  2634. <span style="font-weight: 400">And their faith is spreading in spite of attacks against it.  </span>
  2635.  
  2636. <span style="font-weight: 400">“They are not people who, in the face of threats, intimidation, humiliation, harassment, will turn back from their faith,” Kelley says. “They will absolutely not, so they’re very determined to share their faith with others and to multiply." </span>
  2637.  
  2638. <span style="font-weight: 400">The fifth nation topping the population charts is our own: the United States of America. Notably, Kelley remarks, our home country is an outlier in terms of how the justice system responds to persecution. Kelley points to the Muslim-dominant community of Dearborn, Michigan, as an example. </span>
  2639.  
  2640. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The culture you feel in Dearborn is going to be very similar to a Middle Eastern experience. If someone converts to Christianity, the family may punish them,” he explains, even perhaps outside the bounds of law. “But at the end of the day, if local law enforcement hears about it, that person would absolutely be held accountable.” </span>
  2641.  
  2642. For many believers across India, China, Indonesia, and Pakistan, that simply is not the case.
  2643.  
  2644. <span style="font-weight: 400">Whether you find yourself under the protection of governing officials or at the mercy of their evil intentions, would you take a moment to pray for persecuted believers around the world? </span>
  2645.  
  2646. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray that the Holy Spirit would strengthen them, comfort them, and give them words to say when they are brought before governing officials. Pray that nations under the rule of darkness would turn toward the glorious light of Christ, and that the Kingdom of God would grow in the midst of all pressure against it. </span>
  2647.  
  2648. <div id="attachment_216447" style="width: 705px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216447" class=" wp-image-216447" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-tima-miroshnichenko-6860390-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="695" height="463" /><p id="caption-attachment-216447" class="wp-caption-text">Above image courtesy of Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels; header image courtesy of Amar via Pexels</p></div>]]>
  2649. </description>
  2650. <pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2025 05:00:11 -0400</pubDate>
  2651. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/216439/</guid>
  2652. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-amar-30550489-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2653. </item>
  2654. <item>
  2655. <title>Haiti’s gangs: &#8220;Beyond the reach of law, not the reach of the Gospel&#8221;</title>
  2656. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haitis-gangs-beyond-the-reach-of-law-not-the-reach-of-the-gospel/</link>
  2657. <description>
  2658. <![CDATA[
  2659. Haiti (MNN) — Recently, an Irish missionary and eight others — including a three-year-old child — were <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-gunmen-abduct-nine-including-irish-missionary-and-child/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kidnapped</a> </strong>from an orphanage compound. As believers around the world pray for their release from captivity, here are a few testimonies to encourage your prayers.
  2660.  
  2661. The wave of systematic kidnappings in Haiti reveals an ongoing power struggle for gang domination.
  2662.  
  2663. Kate Michel from 4VEH, a ministry partner of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Trans World Radio</strong></a>, says, “<strong>It’s a power struggle to gain control of neighborhoods, to gain control of influencing people. And unfortunately, it’s the Haitian people who are paying the price.</strong>”
  2664.  
  2665. Yet, there is hope!
  2666.  
  2667. <div id="attachment_216468" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216468" class="size-medium wp-image-216468" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-pixabay-302871-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216468" class="wp-caption-text">Radio (Photo courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels)</p></div>
  2668.  
  2669. Kate Michel shares a <strong>moving testimony</strong>. A pastor from Cap-Haitien was kidnapped by a gang a few years ago.
  2670.  
  2671. “The kidnappers had forced him to put on headphones and blasted the radio into them, assuming it would distract and disturb him. But the radio was tuned to our radio station, 4VEH,” she says.
  2672.  
  2673. It was the same station he listened to every day, so <strong>the kidnappers unknowingly filled his captivity with encouragement and comfort</strong>! After his release, he shared the story with the 4VEH audience.
  2674.  
  2675. <strong>Another testimony</strong> tells of a gang member, trained mercenary, who was stopped from committing murder by a dream from God. Michel recounts, “This guy was on a mission to kill someone, but God stopped him. He ended up at 4VEH and gave his life to the Lord.”
  2676. <blockquote>
  2677. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"The gangs may be beyond the reach of the rule of law, but they are not beyond the reach of the Gospel!" Michel says.</strong></p>
  2678. </blockquote>
  2679. These stories show that God is still working in Haiti — and that your prayers matter.
  2680.  
  2681. “We believe that in this time of real suffering, God is going to work through it, strengthen people, and bring a harvest,” she adds.
  2682.  
  2683. The way the Haitian church is responding is by going to the Lord in prayer. "<strong>It’s something that we see Haitians doing anyway — desperately praying for daily survival, protection, and blessing from the Lord, given the spiritual context they’re in as well</strong>," says Michel. When there's an attack on believers, it draws people to prayer and worship.
  2684.  
  2685. Pray for those recently kidnapped from the orphanage near Port-au-Prince — and for the salvation of gang members. Visit <a href="https://4veh.org/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>4VEH</strong> </a>to read more of their testimonies!
  2686.  
  2687. &nbsp;
  2688.  
  2689. &nbsp;
  2690.  
  2691. &nbsp;
  2692.  
  2693. &nbsp;
  2694.  
  2695. <em>Header photo courtesy of Maxim Hopman via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  2696. </description>
  2697. <pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  2698. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haitis-gangs-beyond-the-reach-of-law-not-the-reach-of-the-gospel/</guid>
  2699. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/maxim-hopman-PEJHULxUHZs-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2700. </item>
  2701. <item>
  2702. <title>Microloans offer hope in closed Southeast Asian countries</title>
  2703. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/microloans-offer-hope-in-closed-southeast-asian-countries/</link>
  2704. <description>
  2705. <![CDATA[
  2706. Southeast Asia (MNN) – In places where economic instability, poverty, and persecution govern day-to-day activities, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/farms-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>FARMS International</strong></span></a> offers Gospel hope through microloans and business training. These opportunities are changing families and whole communities in Southeast Asia.
  2707.  
  2708. Caleb with FARMS oversees seven to eight of these programs throughout Southeast Asia. He says, “We do microloans. So we allow people to take small loans so it's manageable – not overwhelming – and we try and empower them so that they can build their own business and grow it themselves. This allows them to do their ministry work too and help their churches out and the communities around them.”
  2709. <h2>Natural Disasters and Persecution</h2>
  2710. These loans are interest-free and allow families to work their way out of poverty with dignity. FARMS has implemented this system in places all over the world, including some hard-to-reach places.
  2711.  
  2712. “This year, we've had flooding," Caleb says. "So, some of the programs, their fields were flooded out; they lost all their rice for the year. And these situations are hard, and we try to walk along with the leaders and pray with them and help find solutions with them. But these are real challenges that we face on a day-to-day basis.”
  2713.  
  2714. In addition to natural challenges, many of the families that FARMS works with face significant persecution for their faith in Christ.
  2715.  
  2716. <div id="attachment_216461" style="width: 224px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216461" class="size-medium wp-image-216461" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/508732571_1134564852037981_2231188121744133865_n-214x300.jpg" alt="" width="214" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216461" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of FARMS International)</p></div>
  2717.  
  2718. “We work in a lot of closed countries at the moment, and so therefore there's a lot of persecution. And even just this past year, we had a friend was martyred. So there's challenges like that that come out of it, especially in the Christian community. At the moment, there's countries at war inside themselves, and this has caused major issues with the program. And so we, all we can do is really encourage them, pray with them, be there to listen and be a helping hand.”
  2719.  
  2720. Caleb asks that the Church be praying for FARMS and its partners. He encourages people to pray that locals will not be discouraged by persecution. Pray also that FARMS would know the best way to encourage these persecuted brothers and sisters.
  2721.  
  2722. “Pray for their mentality, that they can have a mentality of Christ. And that there's abundance in God -- that they don't have to live in that poverty mentality.”
  2723. <h2>Multiplying the Impact</h2>
  2724. Even with the pain and suffering caused by persecution, the Church is being built up. FARMS is currently hoping to establish a holistic, natural farming ecosystem in a closed Southeast Asian country.
  2725.  
  2726. A generous donor has provided a $5,000 matching gift to help fund the project. Every dollar given, up to a total of $5,000, will be doubled by the donor. The end goal of $10,000 for this initiative will continue FARMS work of providing microloans to help Christians achieve economic stability.
  2727.  
  2728. If you would like to help FARMS with this new project, you can give securely <a href="https://www.aplos.com/aws/give/FARMSInternational/giving" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>here</strong></span></a>. You MUST write “Purpose: Matching Gift Project” in the donation notes.
  2729.  
  2730. Please pray that God would provide the needed funds to begin this work.
  2731.  
  2732. <em>Header photo courtesy of FARMS International</em>]]>
  2733. </description>
  2734. <pubDate>Mon, 18 Aug 2025 05:00:56 -0400</pubDate>
  2735. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/microloans-offer-hope-in-closed-southeast-asian-countries/</guid>
  2736. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/503950131_1123227573171709_5845457673689972878_n-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2737. </item>
  2738. <item>
  2739. <title>Lebanon approves objectives to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year</title>
  2740. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanon-approves-objectives-to-disarm-hezbollah-by-the-end-of-the-year/</link>
  2741. <description>
  2742. <![CDATA[
  2743. Lebanon (MNN) — The government of Lebanon has taken another step toward law and order. On August 7, its cabinet <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/us-plan-sees-hezbollah-disarmed-by-year-end-israeli-withdrawal-2025-08-07/">approved</a></strong></span> the objectives of a US proposal that would see Hezbollah disarmed by the end of the year.
  2744.  
  2745. The Iran-backed militant group declared<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-hezbollah-israel-darrell-issa-army-c4c7bb6fc380f2b2acd8b7e9bd81512b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> it will ignore this decision</a></strong></span>. But war with Israel has largely gutted its leadership and diminished its influence. The cabinet’s decision is yet another sign of how the times have changed in Lebanon.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2746.  
  2747. “For 40 plus years, nobody could challenge Hezbollah, nobody could say anything,” said Nuna* with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/triumphant-mercy-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Triumphant Mercy Lebanon</a></strong></span>. “Now suddenly we have this change [where] the whole cabinet [is] deciding that <strong>we [want to] have no more weapons except the army weapons</strong>. So no more militias, no more armed groups.”
  2748.  
  2749. <div id="attachment_213339" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-213339" class="size-medium wp-image-213339" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1079px-Visit_of_Dubravka_Suica_to_Lebanon_P065553-361257-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-213339" class="wp-caption-text">H.E. General Joseph Aoun, President of the Republic of Lebanon, right. (Photo © European Union, 2025, CC BY 4.0. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  2750.  
  2751. The government’s increasingly clear stance has come with challenges. Nuna says that in the months since President Joseph Aoun took office “we have been stalling a little bit because it was difficult to say, ‘We don't want the weapons [in Hezbollah’s possession] anymore.’”
  2752.  
  2753. At the same time, caution <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/07/us-pushes-lebanon-towards-dangerous-course-of-disarming-hezbollah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has been merited</a></strong></span>. With Hezbollah still holding some political sway, Nuna says the president was concerned about stirring up a civil war between Hezbollah supporters and those who want to see them disarmed. But last week, President Aoun <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/08/13/irans-security-chief-arrives-in-lebanon-amid-hezbollah-disarmament-push/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded publicly</a></strong></span> to Tehran's criticism of the cabinet’s decision. He stated that Lebanon “does not accept anyone interfering in its internal affairs.”
  2754.  
  2755. “This is a sense that is really new. We have not heard this before,” said Nuna of the president's declaration. “Does this mean that everything's good? No, it means that we are expecting backlash.”
  2756.  
  2757. Indeed, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://en.mehrnews.com/news/235174/Protesters-in-Lebanon-denounce-disarmament-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protests</a></strong></span> have broken out in different regions of Lebanon following the government's August 7 decision. Hezbollah and its supporters see it as <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/08/13/irans-security-chief-arrives-in-lebanon-amid-hezbollah-disarmament-push/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a defender</a></strong></span> against Israel.
  2758.  
  2759. Nuna expects that Hezbollah will eventually have to lay down its arms but it might take a new round of military action to make that happen.For now, Lebanon’s political and economic struggles have left the Shia Muslim population desperate for true hope.
  2760.  
  2761. <div id="attachment_197387" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-197387" class="size-medium wp-image-197387" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/brian-wertheim-AX6mFEv6mpY-unsplash-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-197387" class="wp-caption-text">Political commentary on the streets of Gemmayze, East Beirut, Lebanon.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Brian Wertheim/Unsplash)</p></div>
  2762.  
  2763. <b>“</b>For ministry opportunities, actually it is good [right now]. It is good in the sense that people are ready to receive, people are fed up with this regime,” Nuna said.
  2764. <blockquote>
  2765. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Pray that now that there's a whole people group that is open for the gospel, that we will seize the opportunity. It is an opportunity that we don't want to miss.”</strong></p>
  2766. </blockquote>
  2767. Pray also that God will give Lebanon a time to gain stability and a chance to normalize relationships with its neighbors.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2768.  
  2769. Learn more about Triumphant Mercy Lebanon <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://tm-lebanon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2770.  
  2771. &nbsp;
  2772.  
  2773. <em>*Pseudonym</em>
  2774.  
  2775. &nbsp;
  2776.  
  2777. <em>Header photo: Hezbollah fighters train in southern Lebanon, May 2023. (Photo courtesy of Tasnim News Agency/Wikimedia Commons)</em>]]>
  2778. </description>
  2779. <pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:00:27 -0400</pubDate>
  2780. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lebanon-approves-objectives-to-disarm-hezbollah-by-the-end-of-the-year/</guid>
  2781. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/2023_Hezbollah_drill_in_Aaramta_01-e1726691480411-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2782. </item>
  2783. <item>
  2784. <title>Global conflict deepens isolation for Deaf communities</title>
  2785. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/global-conflict-deepens-isolation-for-deaf-communities/</link>
  2786. <description>
  2787. <![CDATA[
  2788. International (MNN) -- Deaf individuals are often unintentionally overlooked by the hearing world around them. Communication barriers can isolate the Deaf into forgotten and underserved groups, especially during times of crisis.
  2789.  
  2790. This marginalization becomes even more severe in times of war. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/how-the-deaf-experience-war/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  2791.  
  2792. “For groups that experience inequality or marginalization, that vulnerability is incredibly heightened in wartime,” Rob Myers of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/door-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOOR International</a></strong></span> says.
  2793.  
  2794. <div id="attachment_216252" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-ahmed-akacha-3313934-19263993.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216252" class="size-medium wp-image-216252" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-ahmed-akacha-3313934-19263993-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216252" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Ahmed akacha/Pexels)</p></div>
  2795.  
  2796. As conflict spreads across the globe, survival becomes even harder for Deaf individuals. Communication barriers – like missing emergency alerts or not understanding soldiers’ commands – can quickly become life-threatening.
  2797.  
  2798. Sometimes, “they (Deaf people) struggle to get the critical care they need. If they try to go to the hospital during a war and no interpreters are available, no one can understand them,” Myers says.
  2799.  
  2800. The Deaf also tend to miss critical information. “Governments will make very important announcements, and either a sign language interpreter is unavailable, or that interpreter is not skilled,” Myers says.
  2801. <blockquote>
  2802. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>As a result, “The information that they’re telling the Deaf audience is different or just plain wrong compared to the information that a hearing audience will receive.”</strong></p>
  2803. </blockquote>
  2804. Despite these barriers, Deaf individuals often find creative ways to adapt.
  2805.  
  2806. “They will depend on hearing family members,” Myers says. “They will [use] social media to try to share information, [building] trusted networks.”
  2807. <h2>A shelter in the time of storm</h2>
  2808. DOOR International is currently ministering in several conflict zones, addressing the urgent needs of Deaf communities. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://doorinternational.org/donate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here’s how you can help.</a></strong></span> Donations help cover costs for staff evacuations, trauma healing workshops, and creative solutions that allow ministry efforts to continue.
  2809.  
  2810. In addition to physical hardship, Deaf communities also face spiritual isolation. <em><strong>Less than two percent of the global Deaf community can access the Good News in any sign language.</strong></em>
  2811.  
  2812. “That lack of information access (during war) carries over almost exactly in the case of spiritual understanding,” Myers says.
  2813. <blockquote>
  2814. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Many Deaf people are cut off from the Gospel in their heart sign language and don’t have protection in the midst of this spiritual war.”</strong></p>
  2815. </blockquote>
  2816. Pray for Deaf people worldwide to understand the truth of Jesus and His salvation. Consider partnering with DOOR International to help unreached Deaf people access the Gospel.
  2817.  
  2818. &nbsp;
  2819.  
  2820. &nbsp;
  2821.  
  2822. &nbsp;
  2823.  
  2824. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-large-pile-of-rubble-sitting-on-top-of-a-street-Ar-scICdYMs" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Emad El Byed/Unsplash.</em></a>]]>
  2825. </description>
  2826. <pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:00:37 -0400</pubDate>
  2827. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/global-conflict-deepens-isolation-for-deaf-communities/</guid>
  2828. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/emad-el-byed-Ar-scICdYMs-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2829. </item>
  2830. <item>
  2831. <title>From West to the world, MAF supporting new generation of national missionaries</title>
  2832. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/from-west-to-the-world-maf-supporting-new-generation-of-national-missionaries/</link>
  2833. <description>
  2834. <![CDATA[
  2835. International (MNN) -- <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-aviation-fellowship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF)</span></strong></a> has been a lifeline to remote communities around the world for decades. Their planes fly into hard-to-reach areas, connecting isolated people with medical care, emergency services, and Gospel hope.
  2836.  
  2837. <div id="attachment_203925" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203925" class="size-medium wp-image-203925" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/1000x1000-Cordaid-cargo-outbound-flight-25-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-203925" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of MAF)</p></div>
  2838.  
  2839. David Holsten, MAF's President and CEO, says, “From the beginning, when MAF was founded, the founders of the organization had a vision that the airplane would be able to serve a multitude of different organizations that were involved in Kingdom work. Early on, a lot of our passengers were Western missionaries who were trying to reach hard-to-reach parts of the world.”
  2840. <p data-start="1046" data-end="1241">Today, the makeup of those who fly with MAF has changed dramatically. Many passengers are local nationals -- villagers, medical patients, and refugees -- who depend on MAF’s flights for vital transportation.</p>
  2841. <p data-start="1243" data-end="1458">As the passenger log has shifted, the face of missions has also changed over the years.</p>
  2842. <p data-start="1460" data-end="1830">“We used to see larger numbers of Western missionaries who were serving in remote parts of the world,” Holsten explains. “Unfortunately, the number of missionaries that are going to some of those pioneering parts of the world has decreased.</p>
  2843.  
  2844. <blockquote>
  2845. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="1460" data-end="1830"><strong>"Now there are national missionaries who are responding to a call that God has placed on their life to reach their own people.”</strong></p>
  2846. </blockquote>
  2847. <p data-start="1832" data-end="2189">The Democratic Republic of Congo offers a clear example. Holsten says, “Twenty or thirty years ago, there were thousands of missionaries that were serving in that country. Today, there could be less than 100 who come from North America or Europe or places like that. But yet, there's a generation of Congolese who are seeking to reach their own people.”</p>
  2848.  
  2849.  
  2850. <div id="attachment_208225" style="width: 236px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-208225" class="size-medium wp-image-208225" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Zacharie-hangar-226x300.jpg" alt="" width="226" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-208225" class="wp-caption-text">Zacharie Francois, MAF Haiti pilot/mechanic. (Photo courtesy of MAF)</p></div>
  2851. <p data-start="2191" data-end="2414">MAF’s vision for the future includes recruiting pilots and mechanics from all over the world. These faithful believers may even minister to places far from home -- serving as Gospel ambassadors in difficult environments.</p>
  2852.  
  2853. <blockquote>
  2854. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It could be that an Indonesian pilot joins us to serve in Ecuador, or a pilot or mechanic from Mexico joins us, and they're able to serve in a place like Nigeria,” Holsten says. “That's an exciting thing to contemplate, and we're praying for God's leading as we move into the future.”</strong></p>
  2855. </blockquote>
  2856. <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>At the heart of MAF’s ministry is a commitment to Jesus and the Great Commission. “Following Him is also a life of impact, of purpose… something that's bigger than ourselves and is ultimately rooted in His way of living life and kingdom principles."</strong></p>
  2857. <p data-start="3011" data-end="3246">Holsten encourages fellow Christians anywhere in the world to partner with MAF -- through prayer, giving, advocacy, and even serving! “It takes every individual, all of these parts of the body of Christ, to allow the work of MAF to move forward."</p>
  2858. <p data-start="3248" data-end="3303">To learn more or get involved, visit <a href="https://maf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">www.maf.org.</span></strong></a></p>
  2859. <p data-start="3248" data-end="3303">Header photo courtesy of Becky Fagerlie/MAF.</p>]]>
  2860. </description>
  2861. <pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:00:35 -0400</pubDate>
  2862. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/from-west-to-the-world-maf-supporting-new-generation-of-national-missionaries/</guid>
  2863. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/edit-6684-scaled-e1754925697110-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2864. </item>
  2865. <item>
  2866. <title>Indian state boasts toughest new anti-conversion law</title>
  2867. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indian-state-boasts-toughest-new-anti-conversion-law/</link>
  2868. <description>
  2869. <![CDATA[
  2870. India (MNN) -- <strong>The Indian state, Maharashtra, plans to roll out what could be the <a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maharashtra/maharashtra-to-enact-anti-conversion-law-in-december-will-be-stricter-than-other-states-minister/article69813426.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">strictest anti-conversion law</span></a> in the country this December. The legislation is still being drafted, but officials say it will go beyond the laws already on the books in ten other states.</strong>
  2871. <p data-start="743" data-end="1021">John Pudaite of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Bibles For The World (BFTW)</span></strong></a> says the trend is troubling. “Quite a number of people are being arrested under these laws. Churches are being attacked in the middle of worship, with police in tow. They’ll file false charges or charges of conversion against pastors and some of the worshipers there.”</p>
  2872.  
  2873.  
  2874. <div id="attachment_216430" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216430" class="size-medium wp-image-216430" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/adriana-rodricks-x1kwmqPLVgc-unsplash-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216430" class="wp-caption-text">A Catholic Church in Calangute, Goa. (Photo, caption courtesy of Adriana Rodricks/Unsplash)</p></div>
  2875. <p data-start="1023" data-end="1175">The thing is, those charges rarely hold up in court. “They can never prove that the people were gathered...with an intent to convert,” Pudaite explains.</p>
  2876. <p data-start="1177" data-end="1499"><strong>So why push for a tougher law? Pudaite says Maharashtra is looking to change the framing. “They are now trying to position Christian activities not so much in anti-conversion terms but as anti-national. That will be easier, they feel, to prove in court — that this is upsetting the fragile balance...of the Hindu majority in the country.”</strong></p>
  2877. <p data-start="1748" data-end="2160">Meanwhile, violence against Christians continues to rise. In just the first seven months of 2025, the Religious Liberty Commission of the Evangelical Fellowship of India <a href="https://efionline.org/2025/08/04/efirlc-report-systematic-targeting-of-christians-in-india-january-to-july-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">documented</span></strong></a> 334 incidents — almost two per day.</p>
  2878. <p data-start="1748" data-end="2160">“They know they can go in and attack churches,” Pudaite says. “Even recently, they arrested two Catholic nuns from a public train station and charged them with trafficking and anti-conversion laws.</p>
  2879.  
  2880. <blockquote>
  2881. <p data-start="2162" data-end="2647"><strong>“We are seeing the government of India just using the letter of the law down to the 'nth' degree against Christian organizations, just trying to find any little slip up and turning it into a major issue. In the process, the work of some wonderful organizations is being terribly restricted or completely eliminated from India.”</strong></p>
  2882. </blockquote>
  2883. <p data-start="2649" data-end="2891">If Maharashtra’s law passes, India’s already tight space for religious minorities could shrink even further. For churches on the ground, the fear is that Sunday mornings will bring not just worship, but a knock on the door.</p>
  2884. <p data-start="2893" data-end="3160">Pray for believers in India to stand firm under pressure. Ask God to protect church leaders from false accusations and give them wisdom.</p>
  2885. <p data-start="2893" data-end="3160">You can also <a href="https://www.biblesfortheworld.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">support BFTW here</span></strong></a> as they serve the Church in India and strengthen believers in the face of persecution.</p>
  2886. <p data-start="2893" data-end="3160">Header photo courtesy of BFTW.</p>]]>
  2887. </description>
  2888. <pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 2025 05:00:16 -0400</pubDate>
  2889. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indian-state-boasts-toughest-new-anti-conversion-law/</guid>
  2890. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/14444730_1294161673950888_1811113140746522581_o-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2891. </item>
  2892. <item>
  2893. <title>What will the U.S. State Department call the Houthis in their 2025 religious freedom report?</title>
  2894. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-will-the-u-s-state-department-call-the-houthis-in-their-2025-religious-freedom-report/</link>
  2895. <description>
  2896. <![CDATA[
  2897. Yemen (MNN) — What’s in a name? Labels like “Country of Particular Concern” or “Special Watch List” may sound like jargon at first. <strong>However, in the U.S. State Department, these names carry a promise for political action or attention</strong>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2898.  
  2899. So how will the U.S. label the Houthi terrorist group in their upcoming 2025 Report on International Religious Freedom? USCIRF <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2025-08/2025%20Factsheet%20Houthi.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recommends</a></strong></span> that the Houthis <strong>remain listed as an Entity of Particular Concern, which comes with sanctions.</strong>
  2900.  
  2901. “Obviously, the State Department has to factor in lots of other angles, lots of other priorities into that conversation as well,” said Todd Nettleton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Voice of the Martyrs, USA</a></strong></span>.
  2902.  
  2903. The Houthis (also known as Ansarallah) were already <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://time.com/7265418/houthi-terrorist-fto-status-us-relations-yemen/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">redesignated</a></strong></span> in March by the U.S. as <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.state.gov/foreign-terrorist-organizations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a foreign terrorist organization</a></strong></span>. The State Department's 2025 Report on International Religious Freedom should come out later this year.
  2904.  
  2905. <div id="attachment_206605" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-206605" class="size-medium wp-image-206605" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/pexels-lara-jameson-8828585-200x300.jpg" alt="yemen, map, Ethiopia" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-206605" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Lara Jameson/Pexels)</p></div>
  2906.  
  2907. “The Iranian government has encouraged, supported the Houthis to make trouble — make trouble in the [Red Sea] shipping lanes, make trouble for Israel,” said Nettleton. <span class="Apple-converted-space">"There is definitely a connection between the two countries."</span>
  2908.  
  2909. Yemen as a whole is in a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/yemen-crisis?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worsening humanitarian crisis</a></strong></span>. Nettleton explains that followers of Christ face intense persecution on top of the physical dangers and struggles.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>With that in mind, <strong>please pray that entire families will come to faith together.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  2910.  
  2911. “The reason I say that is because, typically, the first line of persecution is your family,” said Nettleton. “That’s true in Yemen. It's true in other Islamic contexts as well.”
  2912.  
  2913. <strong>Finally, pray for wisdom and discernment for international leaders working with Yemen.</strong>
  2914.  
  2915. "[Pray] for them to be able to make wise recommendations and to understand when it's best to use a carrot and when it's best to use a stick to try to create more religious freedom and, frankly, other kinds of freedom in Yemen," said Nettleton.
  2916.  
  2917. &nbsp;
  2918.  
  2919. &nbsp;
  2920.  
  2921. <em>Header image is a stock photo of fishing boats in the port of Sfax in Aden, Yemen (courtesy of Yuksel Ozdemir via Pexels)</em>]]>
  2922. </description>
  2923. <pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  2924. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-will-the-u-s-state-department-call-the-houthis-in-their-2025-religious-freedom-report/</guid>
  2925. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-shaker-abdullah-458114001-16907640-1-e1755121018391-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2926. </item>
  2927. <item>
  2928. <title>Uncharted Ministries works to free Christians in bondage, one family at a time</title>
  2929. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/uncharted-ministries-works-to-free-christians-in-bondage-one-family-at-a-time/</link>
  2930. <description>
  2931. <![CDATA[
  2932. <div id="attachment_216421" style="width: 233px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216421" class="size-medium wp-image-216421" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/MNN-Shazia-and-her-crushed-legs-223x300.jpg" alt="" width="223" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216421" class="wp-caption-text">Photo credit to Uncharted Ministries</p></div>
  2933.  
  2934. Pakistan (MNN)—<strong><a href="https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/religious-minority-victimisation-soars-in-pakistan-in-2025-hrfp-report20250326103459/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Religious intolerance is on in the rise in Pakistan</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">—a country that already </span><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35910331" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had a history of Christian persecution.</a> </strong>
  2935.  
  2936. <span style="font-weight: 400">This persecution takes many forms: Christians are treated as a lower caste, subject to unfair imprisonment and blasphemy laws, violence, forced conversions, and more. Many are trapped in poverty and low-wage jobs. Girls risk being victims of abductions and  forced marriages—in 2021, human rights organizations estimated </span><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-56337182" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as many as 1,000 Christian, Hindu, and Sikh girls are abducted each year.</a></strong>
  2937.  
  2938. <span style="font-weight: 400">“And then there is also the just the terrible needs, where, because of the poverty, if they have a financial emergency, they have no means to get money,” says Bruce of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Uncharted Ministries</strong></a>, “and they have to then go to a Muslim brickyard owner, and that Muslim owner will provide the money, but to do so the Christian man and his family have to move onto his brickyard, and then they pay off the debt by making bricks. It's just like Israel and Egypt all those years ago. It's a modern day slavery on a scope that's stunning.”</span>
  2939.  
  2940. <span style="font-weight: 400">There are estimated to be </span><strong><a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/projects/bonded-brick-reality-modern-day-slavery-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.5-4 million people trapped in debt bondage in Pakistan, many of them Christians, across approximately 20,000 brickyards within the country.</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> Uncharted Ministries works to rescue families from these inhumane conditions—families like that of Ahmed.</span>
  2941.  
  2942. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Ahmed was a Christian. He had his faith. That's what's astounding, is in the worst conditions, they still hold on to their faith in the Lord. That's all they have to cling to. I mean, they're in just the most horrific sort of living conditions and work six days a week in the blazing sun, with child labor, but they've held on to their faith."</span>
  2943.  
  2944. <span style="font-weight: 400">Ahmed has three children, including a daughter whose legs were severely damaged when she was ran over by a truck at the brickyard as a toddler.</span>
  2945.  
  2946. <span style="font-weight: 400">“But because her father owed the brick owner money for slavery, he refused to give her any medical help. So the father had to take this girl with crushed, bleeding legs into his little brick hut and lay her in there with no medicine, no medical treatment, nothing. And her little legs became all twisted and deformed.” </span>
  2947.  
  2948. <span style="font-weight: 400">The debt that kept Ahmed’s family in bondage and stopped his daughter from receiving medical care—often made unpayable due to meager wages, fraudulent bookkeeping, and high interest rates—was only $700. Through the help of Uncharted Ministries, Ahmed’s debt has been paid, his family has been freed, and he is financially independent, working as a cobbler at his shoe shop. </span>
  2949.  
  2950. "There's so many parallels to what Jesus has done for us. We were enslaved and indebted."
  2951.  
  2952. <span style="font-weight: 400">Now, Uncharted Ministries is looking to get his daughter the surgery she needs. In the meantime, they’ve helped her to get proper nutrition and tutoring.</span>
  2953.  
  2954. <span style="font-weight: 400">“And now you look at her, it's just like a different person, and she's excelling and doing so well. And they just are so thankful, and they never imagined to be set free and to have freedom. So that's any that's one family of dozens that we've been fortunate to pay the debt and work with. That paints a picture of one family—and God's at work in the most horrific of situations. He's very, very present there.”</span>
  2955.  
  2956. <span style="font-weight: 400">To help Uncharted Ministries continue reaching Christians in bondage, Bruce is asking for prayer for their ministry and for Christians in Pakistan, and, for those who feel called as a family, Sunday school class, or other group of believers, to consider pooling resources to help support the rescue of a family. </span>
  2957.  
  2958. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The need is enormous, but we can make a difference. We just fold the resources straight over there and it the like I said, the dollar can go a long way. But think of it. We were rescuing families for $600-700—they would never be able to be rescued.”</span>
  2959.  
  2960. <span style="font-weight: 400">To learn about Uncharted Ministries and the work they’re doing, go to </span><strong><a href="https://unchartedministries.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UnchartedMinistries.com</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">.</span>
  2961.  
  2962. &nbsp;
  2963.  
  2964. &nbsp;
  2965.  
  2966. <em>Photos courtesy of Uncharted Ministries.</em>]]>
  2967. </description>
  2968. <pubDate>Thu, 14 Aug 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  2969. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/uncharted-ministries-works-to-free-christians-in-bondage-one-family-at-a-time/</guid>
  2970. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/MNN-Shazia-and-tutoring-materials-e1755121731368-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  2971. </item>
  2972. <item>
  2973. <title>The terrorist attack that didn’t happen</title>
  2974. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-terrorist-attack-that-didnt-happen/</link>
  2975. <description>
  2976. <![CDATA[
  2977. Syria (MNN) — You don’t always hear about the terrorist attacks that were prevented, but today we get that chance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2978.  
  2979. Syria’s government says it thwarted a recent bombing attempt on a Catholic church. According to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/08/06/syria-foils-church-bombing-linked-to-assad-regime-remnants/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a report</a></strong></span>, the would-be attackers were on their way to Mar Elias Maronite Church in the city of Tartus. When security forces apprehended the men, they found an explosive device, a black flag and papers with written threats.
  2980.  
  2981. “They don't say exactly when [they stopped the attack]. They don't say a lot about the people who were captured, other than the fact that they identify them as loyalist[s] to former President Bashir al-Assad,” said Todd Nettleton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>The Voice of the Martyrs, USA</b></a></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2982.  
  2983. Even with those unanswered questions, the government report is an answer to prayer for protection for Syria’s Christians. <b>The nation’s bigger picture remains grim. </b>Christian, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/recent-clashes-pause-gospel-work-among-the-druze/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Druze</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-fallout-continues-from-killings-in-syria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alawite</a></strong></span> minorities have endured multiple attacks in recent months.
  2984.  
  2985. “When you see the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79q8p8qx1do" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attack in June</a></strong></span>, you see the pastor from a Druze background that was <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.barnabasaid.org/us/news/pastor-among-at-least-12-christians-killed-in-southern-syria-violence/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed in late July</a></strong></span>, then you hear of another attack on a church that apparently was prevented, [you see the pattern of danger],” said Nettleton.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2986. <blockquote>
  2987. <p style="text-align: center;"><b>“If you are a Christian in Syria right now, you are understandably nervous. Because while the government has said all the right things about protecting religious minorities, it is not clear that they are committed to [making] that a reality.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></p>
  2988. </blockquote>
  2989. But even traditional Christian communities (such as Catholic or Orthodox) have it better in Syria than Muslim-background believers.
  2990.  
  2991. “When the government is talking about Christians in Syria, they are talking about those traditional Christian communities. They are not in any way talking about Muslim converts to Christianity,” said Nettleton.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>“Those people, in the eyes of the government, do not have protection. They don't even <i>talk</i> about protecting them.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  2992.  
  2993. Praise God for answering prayers for protection for the Catholic church in Tartus. Ask Him for continued protection.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  2994.  
  2995. Pray for Syria’s government to be held accountable to uphold religious freedom. “We need to pray for strong leaders who will do that as they interact with the Syrian government,” said Nettleton.
  2996.  
  2997. <div id="attachment_212018" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-212018" class=" wp-image-212018" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ali-wassouf-_iWdvouR8LQ-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="333" /><p id="caption-attachment-212018" class="wp-caption-text">A minaret and a church steeple side-by-side in Syria. (Photo courtesy of Ali Wassouf/Unsplash)</p></div>
  2998.  
  2999. &nbsp;
  3000.  
  3001. <em>Header photo courtesy of Linus Schütz via Pixabay.</em>]]>
  3002. </description>
  3003. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  3004. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-terrorist-attack-that-didnt-happen/</guid>
  3005. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/human-3610097_1920-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3006. </item>
  3007. <item>
  3008. <title>Weeds, plants, and coal — survival food as famine deepens in Sudan</title>
  3009. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/weeds-plants-and-coal-survival-food-as-famine-deepens-in-sudan/</link>
  3010. <description>
  3011. <![CDATA[
  3012. Sudan (MNN) — The war in Sudan has brought famine on top of catastrophic damage to people’s lives. Many now survive on the bare minimum.
  3013.  
  3014. What was once a table of nourishing, flavorful dishes has been reduced to hurriedly plucked weeds boiled in hot water. As war and famine take hold of the land, Sudan’s people face daily survival, desperate for help.
  3015.  
  3016. Greg Kelley from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unknown Nations</strong></a> says, “There are literally millions of people that are living on the threshold of starvation.”
  3017.  
  3018. <div id="attachment_216392" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216392" class="size-medium wp-image-216392" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-faruktokluoglu-12823568-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216392" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Faruk Tokluoğlu via Pexels</p></div>
  3019.  
  3020. Reports show many survive on just one meal of <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/africa/driven-starvation-sudanese-people-eat-weeds-plants-survive-war-rages-rcna215696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">millet porridge</a> a day, while others fill their stomachs with wild <a href="https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/sudan-politics-hunger-aid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plants and weeds</a>. In North Darfur, some have resorted to sucking on coal to ease hunger.
  3021.  
  3022. “And always, — says Kelley, — the unfortunate thing in these situations, always, those are the weakest that suffer the most — the women, the children, the people that can't fight for themselves, provide for themselves. And so that makes a huge percentage of the country.”
  3023.  
  3024. In Sudanese areas where people rely on farming for their livelihood, ongoing fighting and shortages of farming resources are steadily shrinking the available agricultural land. In areas where certain food is available, prices are skyrocketing.
  3025.  
  3026. According to the World Health Organization, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hunger-disease-spreading-war-torn-sudan-who-says-2025-08-08/#:~:text=LONDON%2C%20Aug%208%20(Reuters),Health%20Organisation%20said%20on%20Friday." target="_blank" rel="noopener">25 million</a> people face acute food insecurity, and nearly 100,000 cholera cases have been recorded since last July. This year, approximately <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hunger-disease-spreading-war-torn-sudan-who-says-2025-08-08/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">770,000</a> children under the age of five are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
  3027.  
  3028. <strong>"Nearly 50% of the country is utterly dependent upon foreign aid of some kind, whether it's through the UN or through NGOs," </strong>says Kelley.
  3029.  
  3030. Yet many in desperate need remain unreachable. “There are cities that have been surrounded for over a
  3031.  
  3032. year now, and cities with approximately 300,000 people in them that you can't penetrate, you can’t get into them because they’re surrounded by militia groups,” Kelley explains.
  3033.  
  3034. This crisis calls urgently for the global community to unite in prayer and strategic action for the Sudanese people, as they suffer from both famine and<a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hunger-disease-spreading-war-torn-sudan-who-says-2025-08-08/#:~:text=LONDON%2C%20Aug%208%20(Reuters),Health%20Organisation%20said%20on%20Friday." target="_blank" rel="noopener"> spreading disease</a>.
  3035. <blockquote>
  3036. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The church needs to look at these kind of opportunities as a situation where the suffering is present, but we can respond with a cup of cold water, with a hand of help, and minister to them in the name of Jesus,” says Kelley.</strong></p>
  3037. </blockquote>
  3038. Visit <a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Unknown Nations</strong></a> to learn more about the way you can help Sudanese people. Lift up in prayer the ministries serving Sudanese in conflict zones. Pray also for the 1% of local believers to persevere in faith and bring hope to others.
  3039.  
  3040. &nbsp;
  3041.  
  3042. &nbsp;
  3043.  
  3044. &nbsp;
  3045.  
  3046. &nbsp;
  3047.  
  3048. <em>Header photo courtesy of Tom Rogers via Unsplash.</em>
  3049.  
  3050. &nbsp;]]>
  3051. </description>
  3052. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:00:48 -0400</pubDate>
  3053. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/weeds-plants-and-coal-survival-food-as-famine-deepens-in-sudan/</guid>
  3054. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/tom-rogers-YnjmFVlZ8eo-unsplash-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3055. </item>
  3056. <item>
  3057. <title>Think huffing is harmless? Remember this story</title>
  3058. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/think-huffing-is-harmless-remember-this-story/</link>
  3059. <description>
  3060. <![CDATA[
  3061. USA (MNN) -- Summer fair season is coming to a close in the United States. The iconic Ferris Wheel will always hold memories for parents in a Midwest small town, but not in the way you might expect.
  3062.  
  3063. Brandon Bower with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/the-lighthouse/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Lighthouse</a></strong></span> recalls the tragic incident years ago involving a local teen: “This kid was huffing spray paint while he was driving, passed out, wrecked his car into one of those Ferris Wheels, and impaled himself in the process.”
  3064.  
  3065. Arizona teen Renna O’Rourke met a similar fate <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.azfamily.com/2025/06/06/tempe-teen-dead-after-participating-social-media-trend-called-dusting/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earlier this summer.</a></strong></span> She went into a fatal cardiac arrhythmia after participating in a social media challenge called “dusting,” or inhaling computer keyboard dusting spray to get high.
  3066.  
  3067. O’Rourke was pronounced brain dead after spending four days in the intensive care unit.
  3068.  
  3069. Referred to as “huffing,” “dusting,” or “chroming,” inhalant abuse is <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://people.com/what-is-dusting-11750826" target="_blank" rel="noopener">popular among teenagers</a></strong></span> because it’s affordable and accessible. Deaths <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.addictioncenter.com/news/2025/06/dusting-trend/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">usually occur</a></strong></span> from cardiac arrest, a lack of oxygen to the brain, or accidents that happen while intoxicated, such as car wrecks or falls.
  3070.  
  3071. <div id="attachment_216310" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/edgar-chaparro-NBA8YVru_9E-unsplash.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216310" class="size-medium wp-image-216310" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/edgar-chaparro-NBA8YVru_9E-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216310" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Edgar Chaparro/Unsplash)</p></div>
  3072.  
  3073. “Inhalants cut off oxygen to the brain,” Bower says.
  3074. <blockquote>
  3075. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It can damage the way you think for life. It can also cause heart problems and damage to your organs.”</strong></p>
  3076. </blockquote>
  3077. <em><strong>Thankfully, the signs of inhalant abuse are hard to hide.</strong></em> “Something I think parents can look for is stumbling around like they’re drunk, or a chemical breath odor, paint stains on your face, red eyes, slurred speech, or a dazed mentality,” Bower says.
  3078.  
  3079. “You’re looking for things to disappear from under your cabinet; things with a high (chemical) odor.”
  3080.  
  3081. The Lighthouse offers a biblical approach to addiction recovery. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://lhfw.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> Reach out to The Lighthouse if you have further questions or need guidance on addressing substance abuse issues.
  3082.  
  3083. Ask the Lord to give Bower and the Lighthouse team wisdom as they use the Word of God to address life-altering addictions.
  3084.  
  3085. “We can always use prayer. We’re dealing with some dark things when it comes to drugs and alcohol and other addictions,” Bower says.
  3086.  
  3087. &nbsp;
  3088.  
  3089. &nbsp;
  3090.  
  3091. &nbsp;
  3092.  
  3093. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/architectural-photography-of-ferris-wheel-MarV8zURg78" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Steve Shreve/Unsplash.</em></a>]]>
  3094. </description>
  3095. <pubDate>Wed, 13 Aug 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  3096. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/think-huffing-is-harmless-remember-this-story/</guid>
  3097. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/steve-shreve-MarV8zURg78-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3098. </item>
  3099. <item>
  3100. <title>Israel approves Gaza City occupation plan amid criticism</title>
  3101. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israel-approves-gaza-city-occupation-plan-amid-criticism/</link>
  3102. <description>
  3103. <![CDATA[
  3104. Gaza (MNN) — On Friday, Israel’s security council approved <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-faces-backlash-home-abroad-over-gaza-war-escalation-plan-2025-08-08/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>a plan to occupy Gaza City</b></a></span>. There was swift <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/10/un-warns-of-calamity-as-netanyahu-pushes-for-israel-to-seize-gaza-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>international criticism</b></a></span>, yet Israeli strikes in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-gaza-city-explainer-06b2bd084e48cc65249eab985645428f" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Gaza City</b></a></span> over the weekend underscored their decision.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3105.  
  3106. A man we’ll call Brother Izik with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/global-catalytic-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Global Catalytic Ministries</b></a></span> explains the conflict between Israel and Hamas has many background factors that made it volatile. Just one of these factors is the 1917 <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41765892" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Balfour Declaration</b></a></span> from Britain during World War I. <em>(Read a quick summary of that event <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-41765892" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.)</em>
  3107.  
  3108. In history and the current realities, Izik says Christians must ground themselves in one fact:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>“God loves the Jewish people, and God loves Arabs and Palestinians. If we can keep that in our heart, then we will not isolate our hearts to feel like we have to love one and hate the other,” he says.
  3109.  
  3110. <b>Hunger is a </b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/keeping-a-kingdom-lens-in-the-midst-of-controversy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>rising crisis</b></a></span><b> in Gaza — both physical and spiritual. On the physical side, the UN World Food Program says </b><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-food-convoys-keep-moving-gaza-starvation-drives-lawlessness-leaving-most-vulnerable" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>half a million people</b></a></span><b> in Gaza are on the edge of famine.</b>
  3111.  
  3112. On the spiritual side, Izik says, “Tragedies ultimately lead to hunger for something deeper. I believe God is exposing Islam to the Palestinian people. There [are] reports coming out that the Palestinian people in Gaza are starting to say, ‘What has Hamas brought us? What has Sharia law, or the Islamic regime brought us?’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3113.  
  3114. The conflict has a layer of spiritual warfare to it as well. Izik points to a future of blessing promised in <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2019%3A23-24&amp;version=ESV" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Isaiah 19:23-24</a></strong></span>.
  3115.  
  3116. <b>“</b>The enemy wants to fight Jews and Arabs in this region being a blessing [to] the entire earth,” says Izik. “It doesn't quite look like a blessing right now, but ultimately, when I watch these conflicts, I have that in mind.”
  3117.  
  3118. <strong>As you consider Israel and Gaza, align your prayers with God’s gospel purposes for Palestinians and Israelis.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3119.  
  3120. <strong>“Pray first of all that we won't be swept away by any propaganda on either side. [Pray instead] that we would be swept to prayer for their salvation and for a hopeful view of God's promises being fulfilled and ultimately [to] reconcile the world to Himself," says Izik. </strong>
  3121.  
  3122. <div id="attachment_216372" style="width: 631px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216372" class=" wp-image-216372" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1280px-A_mosque_destroyed_in_the_Jabalia_area_of_the_Gaza_Strip-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="621" height="350" /><p id="caption-attachment-216372" class="wp-caption-text">A mosque destroyed in the Jabalia area of the Gaza Strip (Photo courtesy of Jaber Jehad Badwan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)</p></div>
  3123.  
  3124. <em>Header photo is a stock image courtesy of Chuttersnap via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3125. </description>
  3126. <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 05:00:37 -0400</pubDate>
  3127. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/israel-approves-gaza-city-occupation-plan-amid-criticism/</guid>
  3128. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/chuttersnap-tzymjuiSqCE-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3129. </item>
  3130. <item>
  3131. <title>SAT-7 creates new campaign for World Refugee Day</title>
  3132. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sat-7-creates-new-campaign-for-world-refugee-day/</link>
  3133. <description>
  3134. <![CDATA[
  3135. <span style="font-weight: 400;">International (MNN) -- Did you know that there are over 42-million refugees around the world? The numbers threaten to overwhelm and often fade into background noise.  But <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/sat-7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SAT-7,</a></strong> a Christian satellite television ministry to the Middle East and North Africa, recently highlighted World Refugee Day by sharing the stories and prayers of Sudanese refugees living in Egypt. SAT-7 recently ran a <a href="https://www.sat7usa.org/stories/refugee-stories-and-prayers-highlighted-in-sat-7-campaign/">campaign</a> for World Refugee Day that highlighted the stories and prayers of Sudanese refugees living in Egypt.</span>
  3136.  
  3137. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The satellite television ministry to the Middle East and North Africa produces programs and movies in Arabic, Farsi, and Turkish.</span>
  3138.  
  3139. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Continuously creating content, they aimed to demonstrate that displaced people also have a voice in this matter. They aimed to reach out to refugees so that they could share their stories honestly and give a voice to the voiceless.</span>
  3140.  
  3141. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“As Christians, we also want to be passionate and have a heart, a soft heart, for those whom God has a soft heart for too, and cares for those who are traveling, who are aliens, who are displaced,” says Joe Willey with<a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/sat-7/"> SAT-7.</a></span>
  3142.  
  3143. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the footprint of the SAT-7 satellite broadcast, Sudan has had a major <a href="https://www.unrefugees.org/news/sudan-crisis-explained/">humanitarian crisis</a> since 2023.</span>
  3144. <blockquote>
  3145. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We have stories of people who have fled,” says Joe Willey. “They fled on foot, they fled without anything, and tried to get to Egypt in this particular case. And so we are highlighting those stories with compassion and care to show people that the refugees, whether they're from Sudan or somewhere else, are made in the image of God and should be cared for with the same compassion that we do our friends and our family who are also made in the image of God.”</strong></p>
  3146. </blockquote>
  3147. <span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the videos asked Sudanese displaced people how they felt about being called a refugee.</span>
  3148.  
  3149. <span style="font-weight: 400;">One woman said, Refugee means being alone. One man said, the word refugee makes a man feel humiliated. You feel a sense of loss. Something inside you is missing.</span>
  3150.  
  3151. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Joe Willey urges people to think about how they would feel with a label like this.</span>
  3152.  
  3153. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Living through everything that perhaps you owned, perhaps you hoped for, perhaps you worked for, is gone because you have to leave, and you have to leave on foot. So it reframed the way I speak about it or consider people.</span>
  3154.  
  3155. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sat-7 works to raise awareness. It is the voice for people who have no other options, and it is a Christian voice.</span>
  3156.  
  3157. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In the region where SAT-7 is working, only four percent are Christian, and they are doing the work of bringing light to the stories of suffering in that area.</span>
  3158.  
  3159. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for those in the world who are suffering. Consider how you may respond or react in a similar event, and what your needs would be in that circumstance? </span>
  3160.  
  3161. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Most importantly, pray that the people who see the programs will believe in Jesus Christ and that their lives will be transformed. Pray that God will use SAT-7 to soften hearts and bring people to Himself.</span>
  3162.  
  3163. &nbsp;
  3164.  
  3165. &nbsp;
  3166.  
  3167. <em>Header photo courtesy of SAT-7 on Facebook.</em>]]>
  3168. </description>
  3169. <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 05:00:36 -0400</pubDate>
  3170. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sat-7-creates-new-campaign-for-world-refugee-day/</guid>
  3171. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/map-showing-all-countries-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3172. </item>
  3173. <item>
  3174. <title>Revival with no discipleship: “almost catastrophic”</title>
  3175. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/revival-with-no-discipleship-almost-catastrophic/</link>
  3176. <description>
  3177. <![CDATA[
  3178. USA (MNN) -- Earlier this year, Barna Research showed a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.barna.com/research/belief-in-jesus-rises/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12 percent rise</a></strong></span> in US adults committing their lives to Jesus since 2021.
  3179.  
  3180. “Hearing these statistics that more people are claiming faith is a great thing. Now the question is, what will they do with that?” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keys for Kids’</a></strong></span> Greg Yoder says.
  3181.  
  3182. “A lot of people can say [they] are followers of Jesus, but if you don’t read or listen to the Bible, how are you going to know the Jesus that you are serving?”
  3183.  
  3184. <div id="attachment_152836" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/15976947_10154809415597674_2579392596039074721_n.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-152836" class="size-medium wp-image-152836" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/15976947_10154809415597674_2579392596039074721_n-300x248.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="248" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-152836" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo Courtesy Keys for Kids via Facebook)</p></div>
  3185.  
  3186. <em><strong>Discipleship is a critical part of the Christian life.</strong> </em>“It’s almost catastrophic to lead someone to Jesus and not follow up with discipleship,” Yoder says.
  3187.  
  3188. “Frankly, it’s on the churches because we haven’t been adamant about discipleship. It’s been, ‘Let’s get them saved, and then we’ll wipe our hands and move on to the next one.’”
  3189.  
  3190. Keys for Kids provides free devotionals and an app to support family devotions, making discipleship more accessible. <strong><a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong>
  3191.  
  3192. “We want to make sure that we’re teaching them the truth that can only be found in God’s Word, in Christ alone,” Yoder says.
  3193.  
  3194. According to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.arizonachristian.edu/2023/09/06/most-us-parents-have-no-plan-for-kids-spiritual-development/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a 2023 study</a></strong></span>, over 90 percent of parents have no plan for their kids’ spiritual development. “There is a craving, a hunger for kids to know spiritual things,” Yoder says.
  3195. <blockquote>
  3196. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We know kids are going to find some kind of spiritual truth. It might not be the truth that we know in Scripture.”</strong></p>
  3197. </blockquote>
  3198. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://devo.keysforkids.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Request your free Keys for Kids devotional today.</a></strong></span>
  3199.  
  3200. “We just hope we’re a conduit to help these young people be apologists and ready to dive into their faith,” Yoder says.
  3201.  
  3202. &nbsp;
  3203.  
  3204. &nbsp;
  3205.  
  3206. &nbsp;
  3207.  
  3208. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Keys for Kids. </em>]]>
  3209. </description>
  3210. <pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 05:00:26 -0400</pubDate>
  3211. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/revival-with-no-discipleship-almost-catastrophic/</guid>
  3212. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/KFK-lead-your-family-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3213. </item>
  3214. <item>
  3215. <title>New leaders and new aid for Haiti, but old problems remain</title>
  3216. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-leaders-and-new-aid-for-haiti-but-old-problems-remain/</link>
  3217. <description>
  3218. <![CDATA[
  3219. Haiti (MNN) —<b> </b>Haiti received new leadership last week and a new promise for emergency aid, but the road ahead is as rocky as ever.
  3220.  
  3221. As of Thursday, August 7, businessman Laurent Saint-Cyr is <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/08/07/nx-s1-5495653/haiti-government-gangs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now the head</a></strong></span> of Haiti’s transitional presidential council. He is supposed to serve a three-month term before Haiti begins steps toward a 2026 general election.
  3222.  
  3223. Also last week, the U.S. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifestyle/12-african-nations-selected-for-us-dollar93-million-emergency-food-assistance-program/smdpbn2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a></strong></span> a $93 million emergency food aid package. Supplies will go to Haiti and 12 African nations.
  3224.  
  3225. <div id="attachment_155380" style="width: 237px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-155380" class="size-medium wp-image-155380" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/fhwlpeople-e1754688970214-227x300.jpg" alt="smaller" width="227" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-155380" class="wp-caption-text">Medical clinic (Photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love)</p></div>
  3226.  
  3227. The aid is desperately needed. According to a May-June 2025 <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ipcinfo.org/ipcinfo-website/countries-in-focus-archive/issue-122/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a></strong></span> from the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, <strong>half of the people in Haiti face high levels of acute food insecurity.</strong><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Makenson Saint Fleur, an attorney with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/for-haiti-with-love/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">For Haiti with Love</a></strong></span>, takes it a step further. “<strong>Somewhere in Haiti, people eat the dirt.</strong>”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3228.  
  3229. Regarding government leadership, Saint Fleur says candidly that some officials actually work with gangs.<b> </b>“They do nothing for the people. They do nothing for peace, nothing for security,” he said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3230.  
  3231. 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.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3232.  
  3233. 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.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3234.  
  3235. <b>In these struggles, pray over Haiti and the ongoing gospel ministry of For Haiti With Love.</b>
  3236.  
  3237. “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.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3238.  
  3239. &nbsp;
  3240.  
  3241. &nbsp;
  3242.  
  3243. <em>Header photo courtesy of For Haiti With Love. </em>]]>
  3244. </description>
  3245. <pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2025 05:00:05 -0400</pubDate>
  3246. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-leaders-and-new-aid-for-haiti-but-old-problems-remain/</guid>
  3247. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/FHWL_cross-cap-haitien-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3248. </item>
  3249. <item>
  3250. <title>Political heat in Uganda draws concern of Christian educators</title>
  3251. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/political-heat-in-uganda-draws-concern-of-christian-educators/</link>
  3252. <description>
  3253. <![CDATA[
  3254. Uganda (MNN) — Increasing political tension in Uganda’s election season has Christian educators concerned.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3255.  
  3256. President Yoweri Museveni has held office for nearly 40 years. Ever since he seized power in 1986, Uganda has been “comparatively stable, but increasingly authoritarian,” according to a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R48513/R48513.2.pdf?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2025 report from the U.S.-based Congressional Research Service</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Uganda has never had a democratic transition of power. </span>
  3257.  
  3258. <span class="Apple-converted-space">Whether or not Museveni receives <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ugandan-leader-yoweri-museveni-80-seek-reelection-2025-06-29/?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a seventh term in office</a></strong></span> will be determined in the January general elections. </span>But Uganda’s 2021 elections were <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2021/01/21/uganda-elections-marred-violence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marred by</a></strong></span> a number of killings, enforced disappearances and other human rights abuses. Months ahead of the elections, David Durance with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/teachbeyond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeachBeyond</a></strong></span> said local staff are starting to see more of the same.
  3259.  
  3260. <div id="attachment_202506" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202506" class="size-medium wp-image-202506" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/301130108_10160813627159505_8300595627096679354_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-202506" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond Uganda)</p></div>
  3261.  
  3262. “[They tell us] that this is much more intense than it has been before, that there's already pressure and even violence,” he said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3263.  
  3264. As in most cases, the outcome of national government elections will affect ministry. Durance says there are<strong> two dimensions</strong> that <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://teachbeyond.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeachBeyond</a></strong></span> is mindful of and praying about.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> The <strong>first layer</strong> is that education policy changes can change the landscape. </span>
  3265.  
  3266. “[For example,] we spent years working on a school project that's now open and really flourishing. But one swipe of a pen in Kampala could wipe that away," Durance said.
  3267.  
  3268. The <strong>second layer</strong> that TeachBeyond is praying about is practical. Political unrest can prevent students from attending school or even make parents hesitant to send kids to a Christian school.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3269.  
  3270. “There's all these [underlying] tensions that happen that impact our ability to really reach the communities that we're trying to reach,” Durance said in summary.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3271.  
  3272. <strong>Yet in Uganda’s turbulence, Christians carry the gospel as the answer.</strong> One Sunday, Durance visited a Ugandan church where half of the worship songs were prayers for their nation. “It was amazing to see how this community of believers recognized that it was their responsibility as followers of Jesus to be praying for their country and that they want to be the active agents of having the gospel heard,” he said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3273.  
  3274. <b>“</b>I thought what was interesting was not that they were actually praying for some sort of political revolution or even change. They were praying that people would turn to Christ, knowing that all those other things will fall into place.”
  3275.  
  3276. <strong>Pray with TeachBeyond for political favor for ministry and for the next generation of Ugandans to be grounded in the Lord.</strong>
  3277.  
  3278. <div id="attachment_202505" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202505" class=" wp-image-202505" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/562463_10155407643234505_4900895318384227242_n-300x131.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="262" /><p id="caption-attachment-202505" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of TeachBeyond Uganda)</p></div>
  3279.  
  3280. &nbsp;
  3281.  
  3282. <em>Header photo from Iganga, Uganda courtesy of Zach Wear via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3283. </description>
  3284. <pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2025 05:00:49 -0400</pubDate>
  3285. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/political-heat-in-uganda-draws-concern-of-christian-educators/</guid>
  3286. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/zach-wear-igyaKYzjkHU-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3287. </item>
  3288. <item>
  3289. <title>The stories of Ukrainian youth that show the healing power of the Gospel</title>
  3290. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-stories-of-ukrainian-youth-that-show-the-healing-power-of-the-gospel/</link>
  3291. <description>
  3292. <![CDATA[
  3293. Ukraine (MNN) — Summer camps for Ukrainian youth bring healing to children broken by war and family hardship through the Gospel.
  3294.  
  3295. <em>"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3</em>
  3296.  
  3297. <div id="attachment_216339" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216339" class="wp-image-216339 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/photo_2025-07-29_17-40-09-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216339" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)</p></div>
  3298.  
  3299. Divorce, abuse, war, and abandonment have shaped how these teenagers in Ukraine perceive life. Yet, when invited to church summer camps, they could finally breathe in hope.
  3300.  
  3301. Eric Mock from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></a> says:
  3302. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They were angry, confused, and now they walk away with hope, because they were judging God by their circumstances, not by His Word, not by His promises. And then secondly, in their circumstances, they had seen no love.”</strong></p>
  3303. This project brought together 160 young people for worship, rest, healing, and spiritual growth. A team of speakers — pastors, missionaries, coaches, and counselors — poured into the youth every day, helping shape their worldview spiritually and walking with them through the hard realities of life.
  3304. <ul>
  3305. <li><strong>Aneliya</strong>, came to camp after her father went to the front lines and her mother abandoned the family; she prayed to receive Jesus and left with renewed hope.</li>
  3306. <li><strong>Kateryna</strong>, from a violent home, called camp her “new birth” and found people she could trust.</li>
  3307. <li><strong>Maksym</strong>, who had never opened a Bible, repented on his own and began eagerly following God.</li>
  3308. <li><strong>Violeta</strong>, rescued from abuse, prayed publicly for the first time and left deeply grateful.</li>
  3309. <li><strong>Olena</strong>, abandoned by her parents, arrived unwilling but left with new friends and hope.</li>
  3310. <li><strong>Samuel</strong>, whose early trauma turned his hair gray, repented and found the friends he had long missed.</li>
  3311. </ul>
  3312. And more!
  3313.  
  3314. <div id="attachment_216340" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216340" class="wp-image-216340 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/photo_2025-07-29_15-50-45-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216340" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)</p></div>
  3315.  
  3316. “Through the faithful believers ministering to them, they saw love,” says Mock — and believed in Jesus!
  3317.  
  3318. The realities of life can cloud and confuse a one-week camp memory. Mock says the work continues throughout the year through local churches: “That's why God has raised up the church to minister to these kids. Some are orphans, whom the churches are ministering to and supporting through the SGA Orphans Reborn program, and some come from impoverished families.”
  3319.  
  3320. Though the camps are ending, the team is already planning what’s next, including a Christmas outreach. To understand the need behind these outreaches to children in times of war, click <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-the-shadow-of-war-ukrainian-children-find-joy-at-summer-camps/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong>.
  3321.  
  3322. Find your place in the story through prayer. Visit <a href="https://www.sga.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></a> to learn more!
  3323. <blockquote>
  3324. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“One of the greatest prayer requests is that we wish that every child that hears the Gospel, the seeds of the Gospel would take roots in their heart, and they would grow up to be those adults that desire to follow the Lord,” urges Mock.</strong></p>
  3325. </blockquote>
  3326. &nbsp;
  3327.  
  3328. &nbsp;
  3329.  
  3330. &nbsp;
  3331.  
  3332. <em>Header photo: summer camp (photo courtesy of SGA)</em>
  3333.  
  3334. &nbsp;]]>
  3335. </description>
  3336. <pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2025 05:00:20 -0400</pubDate>
  3337. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-stories-of-ukrainian-youth-that-show-the-healing-power-of-the-gospel/</guid>
  3338. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/photo_2025-07-26_22-15-15-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3339. </item>
  3340. <item>
  3341. <title>War, famine, flooding, and disease plague Sudan</title>
  3342. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-famine-flooding-and-disease-plague-sudan/</link>
  3343. <description>
  3344. <![CDATA[
  3345. Sudan (MNN) -- Sudan’s latest woes may sound like the end-time warnings of Scripture – famine, war, genocide, flooding, and disease. Yet hope remains amid Sudan’s darkest chapter.
  3346.  
  3347. “You’re seeing the enemy driving the world to the edge, and God is there,” says John, a Gospel worker focused on Sudan.
  3348. <blockquote>
  3349. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Even though we can’t feed [the Sudanese and] we can’t heal them physically, we are seeing great response to the Gospel – that is an eternal hope.”</strong></p>
  3350. </blockquote>
  3351. <h2>A growing humanitarian crisis</h2>
  3352. Heavy rains <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://sudantribune.com/article303525/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have overwhelmed</a></strong></span> at least 21 locations in Sudan, raising fears of waterborne disease in a nation whose healthcare system is already crippled by war.
  3353.  
  3354. <div id="attachment_216292" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Foreign_Secretary_David_Lammy_meets_Sudanese_refugees_in_Chad_in_the_border_town_of_Adre_on_24_January_2025_-_13.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216292" class="size-medium wp-image-216292" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Foreign_Secretary_David_Lammy_meets_Sudanese_refugees_in_Chad_in_the_border_town_of_Adre_on_24_January_2025_-_13-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216292" class="wp-caption-text">Sudanese refugees who have fled the conflict in Sudan register for food aid in neighboring Chad.<br />(Wikimedia Commons/FCDO/Russell Watkins)</p></div>
  3355.  
  3356. “Flooding is absolutely a massive issue, and it’s a growing one,” John says. “Last year, something like 180,000 people were displaced in Sudan by flooding.”
  3357.  
  3358. Already, 10 million people are on the run in Sudan, and another four million have crossed into a neighboring country. Some displaced within Sudan belong to ethnic groups that are actively hunted by one of the warring parties.
  3359.  
  3360. “In Darfur, flooding is a significant issue, but one of the greater issues is the genocidal targeting of specific tribes to possess their land,” John says.
  3361.  
  3362. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.africanews.com/2025/08/06/sudan-indicts-hemedti-and-brother-for-mass-atrocities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Earlier this week</a></strong></span>, Sudanese authorities indicted leaders of the Rapid Support Forces for genocide tied to mass ethnic killings in Darfur. Human rights groups say the RSF is trying to drive out non-Arab communities. <em><strong>Yet hope remains.</strong></em>
  3363.  
  3364. “The teams that I am connected with on the ground, they’re seeing a real openness to the Gospel,” John says.
  3365. <blockquote>
  3366. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We are seeing a great movement in IDP camps in Darfur as people are absolutely desperate to make sense of their suffering.”</strong></p>
  3367. </blockquote>
  3368. <h2>Find your place in the story</h2>
  3369. Although we can’t name his organization for security purposes, John says, “We have about 26 [church-planting] teams. Fifteen of them are inside Sudan, and the other 11 are in refugee camps outside Sudan.”
  3370.  
  3371. While John’s organization primarily focuses on training and leadership development, it also offers the hope of Christ through trauma healing courses.
  3372.  
  3373. “It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that makes a person whole on the inside,” John says. “Help cannot be brought without hope.”
  3374.  
  3375. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://greater-reach-inc.networkforgood.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Send help and hope to Sudan by partnering with John’s organization here.</a> </strong></span>
  3376.  
  3377. &nbsp;
  3378.  
  3379. &nbsp;
  3380.  
  3381. &nbsp;
  3382.  
  3383. <em>Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of </em><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-man-riding-a-motorcycle-down-a-muddy-road-MRpexcSx9lg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Dieuvain Musaghi/Unsplash.</em></a>]]>
  3384. </description>
  3385. <pubDate>Fri, 08 Aug 2025 05:00:07 -0400</pubDate>
  3386. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/war-famine-flooding-and-disease-plague-sudan/</guid>
  3387. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/dieuvain-musaghi-MRpexcSx9lg-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3388. </item>
  3389. <item>
  3390. <title>Bible shipment to arrive in disaster aftermath</title>
  3391. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-shipment-to-arrive-in-disaster-aftermath/</link>
  3392. <description>
  3393. <![CDATA[
  3394. <span style="font-weight: 400;">India (MNN) — </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">After intense flooding in the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Himalayan village of Dharali, in the state of Uttarakhand, India, over 190 people have been rescued, </span><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/05/weather/india-flooding-dharali-climate"><span style="font-weight: 400;">four have been killed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj3lxzpkn87o"><span style="font-weight: 400;">100 remain missing</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span>
  3395.  
  3396. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The northern region of the country is set to receive a distribution of Bibles and Christian resources soon from <a href="https://missioncry.com/">Mission Cry</a>, although distributing to this area means navigating state anti-conversion laws. </span>
  3397.  
  3398. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is against the law in the country of India, via their president, to send Bibles,”</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> says <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-resources-international/">Mission Cry</a> President, Reverend Jason Woolford. “That has not stopped us.” </span>
  3399. <blockquote>
  3400. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“If you convert from being a Christian and ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior, you could be at (risk) of death, imprisonment, for sure. And we've seen this already in India and in Pakistan, where churches are being destroyed, set on fire,” says Woolford.</strong></p>
  3401. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“There's a very real spiritual battle taking place, and our brothers and sisters are crying out for the Word of God.” </strong></p>
  3402. </blockquote>
  3403. <span style="font-weight: 400;">In Africa, where Boko Haram came in, a missionary there told Woolford, “Reverend, our people, your brothers and sisters, are being killed or murdered, beaten for a God that they can't even read about.” </span>
  3404.  
  3405. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The same is happening in Northern India and around the globe as brothers and sisters seek the ability to read about the one true God.</span>
  3406.  
  3407. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The average American has six Bibles on their shelves. In places of poverty, people cannot afford the very book they defend. When they receive a Bible from someone with plenty, they cherish the book and love it, thankful for the opportunity. </span>
  3408.  
  3409. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Mission Cry needs the materials to send and the resources to send them.</span>
  3410. <blockquote>
  3411. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“When we send a container, it (costs) $11,000, but that has half a million dollars worth of free Bibles and Christian books in it. (With) this particular container to India, we have to pay more, and we have to do things to basically give money to some people to be able to get this cleared secretly with no issues," says Woolford.</strong></p>
  3412. </blockquote>
  3413. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray that when this container arrives, it's cleared with no issues and that God will provide the funds for the mission. Pray that God will prompt and break the hearts of people at the right times to come alongside the ministry. Pray also for the ministry and leadership for protection as they go into areas of spiritual upheaval. Pray for the families and individuals whose homes and lives have been destroyed or lost by the flood. Pray that God will work through this event to reach people. </span>
  3414.  
  3415. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Mission Cry is having a <a href="https://missioncry.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Bible_Drive_Banner_Qtr2.pdf">bible drive</a> and is asking people to go through their homes to look for Bibles, go to thrift stores, garage sales, and local bookstores, and tell them about Mission Cry. </span>
  3416.  
  3417. <span style="font-weight: 400;">For locals to the Fowlerville, Michigan area, donations can be delivered in person; otherwise, donations can be shipped. </span>
  3418.  
  3419. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Engage your congregation in this drive and let the world hear your mission cry. Go to <a href="https://missioncry.com/">missioncry.com</a> or contact the organization at 517-223-3193.</span>
  3420.  
  3421. <em>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Kelly Sikkema</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-stack-of-books-sitting-on-top-of-a-wooden-shelf-xsYP2_vW2rM?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a></em>]]>
  3422. </description>
  3423. <pubDate>Fri, 08 Aug 2025 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate>
  3424. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bible-shipment-to-arrive-in-disaster-aftermath/</guid>
  3425. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/kelly-sikkema-xsYP2_vW2rM-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3426. </item>
  3427. <item>
  3428. <title>Under the radar: A risky outreach to get the Gospel to kids</title>
  3429. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/under-the-radar-a-risky-outreach-to-get-the-gospel-to-kids/</link>
  3430. <description>
  3431. <![CDATA[
  3432. International (MNN) -- Some areas of ministry are so sensitive, they rarely make headlines. It’s the kind of work that happens under the radar, for good reason.
  3433.  
  3434. But today, we’re giving a glimpse into a sensitive story from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/keys-kids/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Keys for Kids Ministries</span></strong></a> -- because they can't do it alone.
  3435. <p data-start="508" data-end="723"><strong>Keys for Kids is translating their devotionals into Mandarin for children who may never hear the Gospel otherwise. It's one of the most spiritually restricted areas of outreach.</strong></p>
  3436. <p data-start="508" data-end="723">"There are literally spies in the United States looking for the work that we're doing," says Greg Yoder, Executive Director of Keys for Kids. "There are some spies we heard in Chinese-speaking churches here in the United States. So it's hard work that we're doing, but yet God is blessing. God has protected us."</p>
  3437.  
  3438.  
  3439. <div id="attachment_216314" style="width: 232px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216314" class="size-medium wp-image-216314" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AsianGirlWithKeysForKidsZoomed-email-222x300.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216314" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Keys for Kids Ministries)</p></div>
  3440. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">Why share now? Because this mission needs your prayers. And it needs funding to continue.</p>
  3441.  
  3442. <blockquote>
  3443. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="730" data-end="819"><strong>"We're working in areas that people could be arrested or even imprisoned and then put into camps. So we can't talk a lot about the work that we're doing. But I will say this -- that God is blessing, and there is a craving for God's Word. There's a craving for believers that speak the Chinese language to disciple their kids and their teenagers."</strong></p>
  3444. </blockquote>
  3445. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">The ministry is also translating its teen devotional, Unlocked, into Mandarin. A Christian Chinese speaker is directing the projects with their team. Yoder says, "We're super excited about his love and desire to see his fellow speakers come to faith in Jesus Christ."</p>
  3446. <p data-start="730" data-end="819"><strong>The timing is urgent, and the audience is vast. There are 1.18 billion people around the world who speak Mandarin. Many live in countries where sharing the Gospel is banned, especially when it comes to teaching children about Jesus.</strong></p>
  3447. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">Yet, those young ages are a critical time when kids are forming their spiritual worldviews. Yoder refers to the 4-14 Window which shows "80% of the people who come to faith in Jesus Christ do so between their fourth and 14th birthday. So, in fact, the 4-14 Window people say that 80% of young people in that demographic are looking for some kind of spiritual truth.</p>
  3448.  
  3449.  
  3450. <div id="attachment_216316" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216316" class="size-medium wp-image-216316" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sergey-sokolov-PlTm93DnS9s-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216316" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Sergey Sokolov/Unsplash)</p></div>
  3451. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">"Unfortunately, they don't always find the Truth, the Life -- Jesus Christ. Sometimes they find it in other things," says Yoder.</p>
  3452.  
  3453. <blockquote>
  3454. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="730" data-end="819"><strong>"We're praying earnestly that as these young people [and] families begin searching for spiritual truth, that they will find the work of Jesus Christ through the ministry of Keys for Kids Ministries through our devotionals -- whether it be our Keys for Kids devotional or our Unlocked devotional."</strong></p>
  3455. </blockquote>
  3456. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">You can donate to this sensitive project at <a href="https://www.keysforkids.org/chinese" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">www.keysforkids.org/chinese.</span></strong></a></p>
  3457. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">Also, Yoder asks, "Pray that as adults catch the passion and the vision for kids ministry and youth ministry in the Chinese language, that they'll be wise in how they do it, that they'll be covert in the way they do it.</p>
  3458. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">"But most importantly, [pray] that government officials' eyes would be blinded to what they see in here, so that the perpetual sharing of the Gospel [continues] wherever it happens to be -- whether it be with Chinese nationals in North America or Europe or other places or in hard to reach areas of the world."</p>
  3459. <p data-start="730" data-end="819">Header photo courtesy of Rowen Smith/Unsplash.</p>]]>
  3460. </description>
  3461. <pubDate>Fri, 08 Aug 2025 05:00:17 -0400</pubDate>
  3462. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/under-the-radar-a-risky-outreach-to-get-the-gospel-to-kids/</guid>
  3463. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/rowen-smith-saE-v_AXhpo-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3464. </item>
  3465. <item>
  3466. <title>Haiti: Gunmen abduct nine, including Irish missionary and child</title>
  3467. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-gunmen-abduct-nine-including-irish-missionary-and-child/</link>
  3468. <description>
  3469. <![CDATA[
  3470. Haiti (MNN) --<strong> An Irish missionary and eight others were <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgn94pmz21o" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">kidnapped</span></a> from an orphanage compound on Sunday, including a three-year-old child. Armed gang members stormed the children’s home in Kenscoff, just outside Port-au-Prince, in the early morning hours.</strong>
  3471.  
  3472. The missionary, Gena Heraty, is known for her decades-long care for children with disabilities. EU officials are working to secure the group’s release.
  3473.  
  3474. The kidnapping happened not far from the Haiti office of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-world-outreach/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong data-start="976" data-end="1010">Christian World Outreach (CWO)</strong></span></a>. CWO staff weren’t targeted, but the ministry is feeling the strain of daily unrest.
  3475. <blockquote>
  3476. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"We have not directly been affected by any kidnappings or anything recently," says CWO President Greg Yoder. "But it's caused ministry to slow down and sometimes be postponed, especially in the Port-au-Prince area."</strong></p>
  3477. </blockquote>
  3478. <div id="attachment_202363" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-202363" class="size-medium wp-image-202363" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/11425061_1074022435960361_881513482980671839_n-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-202363" class="wp-caption-text">Women learning sewing skills at a feminine training center. (Photo courtesy of Christian World Outreach)</p></div>
  3479.  
  3480. That’s already forced closures elsewhere. In Mirebalais, another hot zone for gang control, violence has emptied the streets.
  3481.  
  3482. Yoder explains, "Recently, with the gangs kind of taking over Mirebalais, that shut down our Feminine Training Center there because pretty much everybody left town."
  3483.  
  3484. Still, CWO isn’t pulling out. If anything, the team sees the chaos as a reminder of why they’re there in the first place. Haiti needs Christ more than ever.
  3485. <blockquote>
  3486. <p style="text-align: left;"><strong>"Our goal is to use those opportunities to share the Gospel. Our hope is, even during these difficult times, that it makes people think about their lives and eternity."</strong></p>
  3487. </blockquote>
  3488. CWO-partnered churches and training centers continue to meet when they can -- sometimes online, sometimes in person, always looking for safe ways to encourage believers and train up leaders.
  3489.  
  3490. Pray for God’s protection and encouragement over those who were kidnapped. Petition the Lord for their safe return!
  3491.  
  3492. Yoder also asks, "Pray for the believers, that they won't get discouraged. Pray for them as they evangelize in their communities. Pray for safety of the staff there as they try to continue on with ministry."
  3493.  
  3494. <a href="https://cwomissions.org/haiti/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about CWO's Haiti ministry.</span></strong></a>
  3495.  
  3496. &nbsp;
  3497.  
  3498. &nbsp;
  3499.  
  3500. &nbsp;
  3501.  
  3502. <em>Header photo features a child in Haiti. (Photo courtesy of TopSphere Media/Unsplash)</em>]]>
  3503. </description>
  3504. <pubDate>Thu, 07 Aug 2025 05:00:32 -0400</pubDate>
  3505. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/haiti-gunmen-abduct-nine-including-irish-missionary-and-child/</guid>
  3506. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/topsphere-media-YaQBacTekdE-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3507. </item>
  3508. <item>
  3509. <title>In the shadow of war, Ukrainian children find joy at summer camps</title>
  3510. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-the-shadow-of-war-ukrainian-children-find-joy-at-summer-camps/</link>
  3511. <description>
  3512. <![CDATA[
  3513. Ukraine (MNN) — A chance to give <em>hope</em> to children hurt by war is too precious to miss.
  3514.  
  3515. “<em>Their children often will panic; some will wet themselves. They struggle with sleeplessness and emotions every time the siren goes off</em>...”
  3516.  
  3517. Eric Mock from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Slavic Gospel Assosiation</strong></a> recounts conversations he had with Ukrainian families and children about how they endure the war. The situation is grim, as Russian attacks intensify, wiping out families and stealing nights’ rest.
  3518.  
  3519. Despite active shelling and attacks, churches remain determined to organize summer camps for kids. Mock says, “<strong>In the middle of the sirens blaring, in the middle of the difficulties and the trials, they said it's summertime. So we're going to reach these kids with the gospel</strong>.”
  3520.  
  3521. <div id="attachment_216276" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216276" class="size-medium wp-image-216276" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/photo_2025-07-29_16-32-31-300x200.jpg" alt="SGA" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216276" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association (SGA)</p></div>
  3522.  
  3523. Many Ukrainian children age eleven and younger don’t know a reality without war, having been born into it. Those from areas under frequent attack carry deep mental traumas. This reality underscores the vital importance of children-focused ministry.
  3524.  
  3525. “The summer camps become like an oasis away from the storms of life. They hear of joy and peace and of a love that will never leave them — a God who will never forsake them, a God who has poured out immeasurable grace and mercy. Especially for these children, who have known only difficulty, the message is one of warmth and care,” says Mock.
  3526.  
  3527. SGA partners with Ukrainian churches that organize summer camps. “God raises up the right people to take his gospel to the right communities in a way that only they can, and so SGA enters into their ministries,” explains Mock. Visit SGA <strong><a href="https://www.sga.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a></strong> to learn more!
  3528.  
  3529. The summer camps take different forms — from day programs in city centers surrounded by apartment blocks to gatherings in the woods or at rented facilities. Yet in every setting, a faithful group of believers continues the work, pressing on for the sake of the gospel despite many difficulties.
  3530. <blockquote>
  3531. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“These faithful believers fix their eyes not on their own safety but persevere, knowing that even one child or family might hear the gospel for the first time through these summer camps and find peace,” says Mock.</strong></p>
  3532. </blockquote>
  3533. Pray for the seeds of the gospel to bring hope for the future of these children. Pray also for the protection of civilians and the end of war.
  3534.  
  3535. &nbsp;
  3536.  
  3537. &nbsp;
  3538.  
  3539. &nbsp;
  3540.  
  3541. <em>Header photo: Boys playing in the forest (photo courtesy of Muhammed Aktürk via Pexels)</em>]]>
  3542. </description>
  3543. <pubDate>Thu, 07 Aug 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  3544. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/in-the-shadow-of-war-ukrainian-children-find-joy-at-summer-camps/</guid>
  3545. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-muhammed-akturk-264145755-13539004-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3546. </item>
  3547. <item>
  3548. <title>Five years after Beirut port explosion, justice still elusive</title>
  3549. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/five-years-after-beirut-port-explosion-justice-still-elusive/</link>
  3550. <description>
  3551. <![CDATA[
  3552. Lebanon (MNN) — At 6:07 pm on Monday, several hundred people who had <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/hundreds-gather-mark-five-years-since-beirut-blast-justice-still-elusive-2025-08-04/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gathered</a></strong></span> in Beirut, Lebanon fell silent. Exactly five years earlier, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.hrw.org/report/2021/08/03/they-killed-us-inside/investigation-august-4-beirut-blast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">devastated</a></strong></span> the port and surrounding districts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>The crowd <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2025/08/04/lebanon-marks-five-years-since-deadly-beirut-port-blast/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carried photos</a></strong></span> of some of the more than 200 people killed by the blast.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3553.  
  3554. Camille Melki with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/heart-for-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Heart for Lebanon</a></strong></span> said the lack of accountability makes the pain worse.
  3555.  
  3556. “Here we are, five years later, and we still don't know what caused it. Why [were] those ammonium nitrate [containers] in 3,000 tons stored at the port of Beirut? What ignited this incident?” he said.
  3557.  
  3558. <div id="attachment_197007" style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-197007" class="size-medium wp-image-197007" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/HFL_beirut-blast-cleanup-240x300.jpg" alt="" width="240" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-197007" class="wp-caption-text">Heart for Lebanon workers help clean up in the aftermath of the 2020 port explosion in Beirut.<br />(Photo courtesy of Heart for Lebanon)</p></div>
  3559.  
  3560. A full investigation has faced <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/01/21/beirut-blast-investigation-resumes?utm_source=chatgpt.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">numerous roadblocks and years-long delays</a></strong></span> from Lebanese officials.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> It is underway again as of early 2025. </span>
  3561.  
  3562. Yet though justice is right to pursue, true hope for Lebanon doesn’t depend on that justice. <strong>That’s what Melki’s then 79-year-old mother showed after the explosion.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3563.  
  3564. When his mother entered her ruined home for the first time, Melki could see she was deeply distressed. She and his father had rebuilt their business seven times during Lebanon’s civil war and their home three times. This was another trial.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3565.  
  3566. <strong>“Then I see Mom walking towards her piano, clean up the debris off her piano and start playing,” Melki said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3567.  
  3568. A video of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://people.com/human-interest/beirut-woman-plays-piano-after-explosion-only-possession-not-damaged/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her playing “Auld Lang Syne”</a></strong></span> in her shattered living room went viral. It led to TV interviews where Melki’s mother shared that her strength and hope come from Christ alone.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3569.  
  3570. “Five years later, every time my mom walks down the street, somebody want[s] to greet her and ask her to ‘keep playing the piano,’” Melki said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3571.  
  3572. <strong>Hope is what Heart for Lebanon seeks to bring.</strong> In the aftermath of the 2020 port explosion, they rallied volunteers to clear debris and salvage what they could in the ruins. Even people who were refugees were among them. Normally the ones being served by Heart for Lebanon, the refugees were instead the ones helping citizens of Beirut recover.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3573.  
  3574. “Everything we do, we do it unconditionally. But also we want them to know that what drives us is the love of Jesus Christ that [He] has for every man and woman who is hurting and suffering,” said Melki.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3575.  
  3576. “So first, pray for us. Second, join us in leading people out of despair into hope in Jesus Christ.”
  3577.  
  3578. Learn how you can partner with Heart for Lebanon <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://heartforlebanon.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3579.  
  3580. &nbsp;
  3581.  
  3582. &nbsp;
  3583.  
  3584. &nbsp;
  3585.  
  3586. <em>Header photo: Port of Beirut after the August 4 explosion. (Photo courtesy of rashid khreiss via Unsplash)</em>]]>
  3587. </description>
  3588. <pubDate>Thu, 07 Aug 2025 05:00:50 -0400</pubDate>
  3589. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/five-years-after-beirut-port-explosion-justice-still-elusive/</guid>
  3590. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/rashid-khreiss-9Y4Nd3sHPmk-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3591. </item>
  3592. <item>
  3593. <title>The regime, the prince and freedom for Iran</title>
  3594. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-regime-the-prince-and-freedom-for-iran/</link>
  3595. <description>
  3596. <![CDATA[
  3597. Iran (MNN) —<b> </b>An exiled prince rallying support for democracy? It may sound like fiction, but last month it was reality.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>On July 26, more than 500 Iranian opposition activists and groups <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.jpost.com/international/article-862335" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gathered</a></strong></span> in Munich, Germany. The Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran was hosted by Iran’s crown prince, Reza Pahlavi. <strong>Its goal was to outline what <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.meforum.org/mef-observer/irans-opposition-debates-new-plan-for-post-islamic-republic-era" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a democratic transition</a></span> and national rebuilding should look like in Iran.</strong>
  3598.  
  3599. <div id="attachment_216257" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216257" class="size-medium wp-image-216257" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/F561E75A-7811-4565-93AC-1D6B2C22CB95-300x194.jpeg" alt="Iran, Reza Pahlavi" width="300" height="194" /><p id="caption-attachment-216257" class="wp-caption-text">The Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran, July 26, 2025 in Munich, Germany (Photo by Mazi for IMM)</p></div>
  3600.  
  3601. Denise Godwin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Media Ministries</a></strong></span>, says seven actors from their upcoming film <em>Esther: Queen of Hope</em> participated in the summit.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3602.  
  3603. “The Persian Empire — which [corresponds to] modern-day Iran — believed in allowing people [they conquered] to keep their own religion,” said Godwin. “Basically, the Persian people of today are saying, ‘We want to go back to what we were, where we could choose.’”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3604.  
  3605. During the filming for <i><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://imm.edu/esther" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Esther</a></strong></span>,</i> the June <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/not-their-war-most-iranians-want-peace-regime-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel-Iran conflict</a></strong></span> broke out. The IMM crew prayed with the Iranian actors throughout production. Godwin said not all of the team are believers in Christ, but they all believed in the story of Esther and in a free Iran, "because it gives people the choice of freedom of religion.”
  3606.  
  3607. “It was marvelous to get to know them and stand with them in this idea of freedom of religion, of sharing the freedom of God back into Iran through <em>Esther</em>,” said Godwin.
  3608.  
  3609. She felt like the team was observing world history unfold this summer. “[The summit is] not making the news, but this could completely change the face of the Middle East,” she said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3610.  
  3611. "[The crown prince] made a point of saying, <em>We're not asking the West to do this for us. We're asking them to stand with us as we see this regime fall.</em>"
  3612.  
  3613. <strong>Political change is a fragile process. But with freedom comes greater opportunity for the Gospel to spread. So please pray!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  3614.  
  3615. <b>“</b>Let's pray with Iranians that the country [gains] freedom of choice, freedom of religion and freedom of speech,” said Godwin. “What an opportunity to stand with brothers and sisters in Christ and pray for that kind of change in the region!”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3616.  
  3617. <div id="attachment_216256" style="width: 622px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216256" class=" wp-image-216256" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/9B545A8D-B097-419B-9879-0590134DB8C4-300x199.jpeg" alt="Iran, Reza Pahlavi" width="612" height="406" /><p id="caption-attachment-216256" class="wp-caption-text"> (Photo by Mazi for IMM)</p></div>
  3618.  
  3619. &nbsp;
  3620.  
  3621. <em>Header photo: Reza Pahlavi at The Convention of National Cooperation to Save Iran, July 26, 2025 in Munich, Germany (Photo by Mazi for IMM)</em>]]>
  3622. </description>
  3623. <pubDate>Wed, 06 Aug 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  3624. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-regime-the-prince-and-freedom-for-iran/</guid>
  3625. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/E74EAA0F-2912-47F9-8D33-08D0071C0471-1-e1754450571627-180x180.jpeg" type="" length="" />
  3626. </item>
  3627. <item>
  3628. <title>Medical aid planned for Sudan as cholera crisis deepens</title>
  3629. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/medical-aid-planned-for-sudan-as-cholera-crisis-deepens/</link>
  3630. <description>
  3631. <![CDATA[
  3632. Sudan (MNN) -- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/tag/sudan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sudan’s crisis</a></strong></span> is deepening day by day. More than 640,000 children under the age of five are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/08/1165562" target="_blank" rel="noopener">now at risk</a></strong></span> of cholera.
  3633.  
  3634. A Gospel worker we’ll call John explains: “It’s a multisector emergency because you have flooding that displaces people, armed conflict, no access to basic services, and one of the most significant cholera outbreaks that part of the world has seen in decades.”
  3635.  
  3636. The ongoing civil war has displaced over 10 million people within Sudan, surpassing displacement figures seen at the height of the conflicts in Syria or Ukraine. At least 18 million Sudanese face acute hunger, with aid agencies warning of famine-like conditions.
  3637. <h2>Hope amid hardship</h2>
  3638. Families are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/hunger-mounts-cemeteries-grow-sudans-besieged-al-fashir-2025-08-04/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">eating leaves to survive</a></strong></span> in parts of Darfur, while hospitals in Khartoum have been bombed or shut down due to fighting.
  3639.  
  3640. <div id="attachment_216240" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-kaleebooo-15868139.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216240" class="wp-image-216240" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-kaleebooo-15868139-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="450" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216240" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Kamal IG/Pexels)</p></div>
  3641.  
  3642. “In the middle of that, how do you get help to [people in need]? Delivering aid is incredibly dangerous. Any movement of aid is looted and confiscated,” John says. “They (warring parties) attack, loot, and kidnap aid workers.”
  3643.  
  3644. <em><strong>By God’s grace, help is on the way.</strong> </em>“In the next couple of weeks, four teams are going into four refugee areas on South Sudan’s border with Sudan, with medications for children to address cholera,” John says.
  3645. <blockquote>
  3646. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Cholera is easily dealt with if you have what you need.”</strong></p>
  3647. </blockquote>
  3648. Thanks to a partnership with aid organizations in the US, “we just received [9 pallets of] medications focused on children,” he adds.
  3649.  
  3650. Of the 14 million people currently displaced in and around Sudan, “50 percent of them are children, and 27 percent are children five and under.”
  3651. <h2>Find your place in the story</h2>
  3652. Malnutrition and unsanitary conditions in displacement camps significantly increase the risk of infection for young children. In response, small teams of doctors, nurses, and evangelists are mobilizing to bring medicine, compassion, and the hope of the Gospel to those in need.
  3653.  
  3654. Pray for God’s protection over these teams as they travel through dangerous territory. Ask the Lord to help them reach the sick in time.
  3655.  
  3656. “It’s an incredible blessing not just to sit and look at the problem, but to see God miraculously place in our hands what we can do to help,” John says, “not only with the Gospel, but to help those who are suffering.”
  3657.  
  3658. &nbsp;
  3659.  
  3660. &nbsp;
  3661.  
  3662. &nbsp;
  3663.  
  3664. <em>Header graphic courtesy of Spoken Worldwide. </em>]]>
  3665. </description>
  3666. <pubDate>Wed, 06 Aug 2025 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate>
  3667. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/medical-aid-planned-for-sudan-as-cholera-crisis-deepens/</guid>
  3668. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/spokenworldwideprayforsudan-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3669. </item>
  3670. <item>
  3671. <title>Curious to know more of God? This Bible teacher&#8217;s journey will encourage you</title>
  3672. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hungry-for-more-of-god-meet-one-theologian-whose-journey-will-encourage-you/</link>
  3673. <description>
  3674. <![CDATA[
  3675. <span style="font-weight: 400;">International (MNN) — A deep curiosity to know God can change your life. That's what Dr. Luiz Sayão had when </span><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/"><b>Trans World Radio</b></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> asked him to develop a new Bible teaching radio program. He was already a theologian, professor and pastor from São Paolo, Brazil. But the teaching journey profoundly blessed him. </span>
  3676.  
  3677. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Yes” meant three years of preparing and recording more than 600 episodes of Mission 66 Bible studies. Today, Mission 66 is being adapted into new languages — including <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/meet-mission-66-a-new-bible-study-radio-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a></strong></span>. </span>
  3678.  
  3679. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Sayão says that especially within that busy season of teaching, he prayed God would touch his own heart first. </span>
  3680.  
  3681. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“What I understood [was] that if I do not preach to myself in the way that I will be challenged by the Word of God, I can't say anything to anybody else. I must really understand, not only to teach, but to be taught by the words,” he says. </span>
  3682. <h2><b>The need for Bible teaching in Brazil</b></h2>
  3683. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would say that I have a dream, because there are some areas of the world that people are so hung[ry] for God. They are thirsty for something deep in their hearts,” Sayão says.</span>
  3684.  
  3685. <span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Brazil is among those places.</strong> Sayão explains that although there’s been tremendous growth in the Church (think 60 to 70 million people today, he says), not everything is as it could be. </span>
  3686.  
  3687. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have some churches with a lot of syncretism with some other [beliefs from] the mystical society. We have some church[es] that need more biblical and theological training," he says.</span>
  3688.  
  3689. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“My prayer is that through this way (Mission 66’s relational, narrative focus), we can really reach people. How many people will come to Jesus and will grow in their relationship with God? So hallelujah, praise the Lord.”</span>
  3690. <h2><b>Where true life is</b></h2>
  3691. <span style="font-weight: 400;">It all comes back to God and His Word. Sayão</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">doesn’t see himself as a theologian but as someone blessed by God to know His love and purposes for us in Jesus.</span>
  3692.  
  3693. <div id="attachment_215829" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215829" class="size-medium wp-image-215829" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/LuizSayao-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-215829" class="wp-caption-text">Luiz Sayão is the creator of Mission 66, originally broadcast in Portuguese (Photo courtesy of TWR)</p></div>
  3694.  
  3695. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“I am telling you that what happens when you find God — the Word of God — you find Jesus. I'm like a beggar that found bread,” he says. “I found bread for my soul, my life.”</span>
  3696.  
  3697. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Those same riches in God’s Word are available for all of us, by God’s grace. Sayão urges readers to set aside the concept of “religion” in their thinking. </span>
  3698.  
  3699. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“But remember that we have a God [who] created the universe, that brought us salvation in a very profound way through Jesus. He wants to bless your heart, to forgive your sins and to bring you close to His heart,” he says. </span>
  3700.  
  3701. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“So pay attention to that, and I hope that the same grace of God that touched my soul one day will touch you and change your life forever.”</span>
  3702.  
  3703. <strong>To learn more about God's Word with Mission 66, visit its webpage on <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.twr360.org/m66" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TWR 360</a></span> or follow along on your favorite podcast player.</strong>
  3704.  
  3705. &nbsp;
  3706.  
  3707. &nbsp;
  3708.  
  3709. <em>Header photo courtesy of Aaron Burden on Unsplash.</em>]]>
  3710. </description>
  3711. <pubDate>Wed, 06 Aug 2025 05:00:42 -0400</pubDate>
  3712. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hungry-for-more-of-god-meet-one-theologian-whose-journey-will-encourage-you/</guid>
  3713. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/aaron-burden-UIib0bAvWfs-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3714. </item>
  3715. <item>
  3716. <title>Two weeks to find peace in the DRC</title>
  3717. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/two-weeks-to-find-peace/</link>
  3718. <description>
  3719. <![CDATA[
  3720. Democratic Republic of the Congo (MNN) — Conflict with neighboring Rwanda has been present in the DRC for decades. The struggle traces back to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, when tens of thousands of Tutsis and Hutus fled Rwanda into the DRC.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Today, it’s a multilayered conflict with dozens of militant groups in the DRC vying for control and resources. <strong>B</strong><b>ut today, peace between the nations and with one of the leading armed groups appears possible.</b>
  3721.  
  3722. <div id="attachment_216214" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216214" class="wp-image-216214 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/1077px-Secretary_Rubio_Hosts_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo-Rwanda_Peace_Agreement_54618044678-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="201" /><p id="caption-attachment-216214" class="wp-caption-text">Secretary Marco Rubio hosts a Democratic Republic of the Congo-Rwanda Peace Agreement signing ceremony between Democratic Republic of the Congo Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe at the Department of State in Washington, D.C., June 27, 2025. (Official State Department photo by Freddie Everett. U.S. Department of State - Public Domain)</p></div>
  3723.  
  3724. As nations, the DRC and Rwanda have signed and are slowly implementing a June 27 <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.state.gov/peace-agreement-between-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-and-the-republic-of-rwanda" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>peace deal</b></a></span>. In a <b>separate, parallel dialogue</b>, the DRC and the M23 rebel group believed to be backed by Rwanda also <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/congo-and-m23-rebels-sign-declaration-of-principles-for-permanent-ceasefire" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>signed a peace accord</b></a></span> on July 19. <b>They have committed to adopting a final peace deal by August 18.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b>
  3725.  
  3726. At least six truces in the DRC-M23 conflict have failed since 2021, according to a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/24/drc-m23-rebels-commit-to-pause-fighting-amid-peace-talks" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>report</b></a></span> from Al Jazeera. Yet according to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/teachbeyond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TeachBeyond</a></strong></span>’s president, David Durance, one of their local school leaders says the peace accord has prompted hope that citizens have not felt for a decade.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3727. <blockquote>
  3728. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“He said, ‘Somehow this does feel different, and there's hope in our community,’” Durance shared.</strong></p>
  3729. </blockquote>
  3730. The hope brought by the peace accord also boosted school attendance, helping TeachBeyond end the October-to-July school year well despite disruptions earlier this year. That’s what occurred back in January, when M23’s successful offensive in eastern DRC sparked <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2025/1/29/tyres-burned-embassies-attacked-in-dr-congos-kinshasa-protests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">protests</a></strong></span> in the capital, Kinshasa.
  3731.  
  3732. “There was unrest enough that families felt like it was unwise to bring their kids to school,” Durance said. “Anywhere [that] there's unrest, kids are often the first that suffer.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3733. <h2>Please pray</h2>
  3734. “We're praying that, by God's grace and mercy, this would stick. That we would have a lasting peace, a peace that allows for this government to flourish in both the DRC and of course Rwanda, where this is all spilling out from,” said Durance.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3735.  
  3736. Learn more about TeachBeyond’s mission to give Christ-centered education across the world <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://teachbeyond.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3737.  
  3738. &nbsp;
  3739.  
  3740. &nbsp;
  3741.  
  3742. &nbsp;
  3743.  
  3744. <em>Header photo: This representative 2015 photo depicts Congolese soldiers on patrol in the Ituri district. (Wikimedia Commons)</em>]]>
  3745. </description>
  3746. <pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2025 05:00:17 -0400</pubDate>
  3747. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/two-weeks-to-find-peace/</guid>
  3748. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1280px-Aveba_district_de_lIturi_Province_Orientale_DR_Congo_-_Des_militaires_FARDC_en_patrouille._16643921095-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3749. </item>
  3750. <item>
  3751. <title>Pakistan reels from record-breaking floods</title>
  3752. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistan-reels-from-record-breaking-floods/</link>
  3753. <description>
  3754. <![CDATA[
  3755. Pakistan (MNN) -- Rescue efforts in northern Pakistan <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.timesunion.com/news/world/article/rescuers-call-off-search-for-11-people-presumed-20800919.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been called off</a></strong></span> for 11 people swept away by flash floods last month. Officials now presume them dead. The victims were among 18 missing after floodwaters overran roads in mid-July.
  3756.  
  3757. “More than 300 people have died due to severe monsoon flooding, with thousands displaced,” says <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong></span>’s Nehemiah, sharing a sobering update from local partners.
  3758. <blockquote>
  3759. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Streets have turned into rivers. Homes have collapsed, and families struggle to find food, shelter, and safety.”</strong></p>
  3760. </blockquote>
  3761. A severe wave of flash flooding struck Pakistan <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://reliefweb.int/disaster/fl-2025-000100-pak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">during June and July</a></strong></span>. Triggered by unusually heavy pre‑monsoon rains, the surge swept through mountainous terrain and affected thousands of families, tourists, and riverside communities.
  3762.  
  3763. Nehemiah says several factors—like urbanization, poor drainage, and unregulated construction—make parts of Pakistan especially prone to flooding. Add in heavier-than-usual rainfall, and it’s a recipe for disaster.
  3764.  
  3765. <div id="attachment_216207" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Chor_Kamber_village_-_52554868359.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216207" class="size-medium wp-image-216207" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Chor_Kamber_village_-_52554868359-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216207" class="wp-caption-text">Representative photo depicting life after the destructive 2022 floods.<br />(Photo courtesy of Julien Harneis/Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  3766.  
  3767. “When there’s no water, restaurants are open on the rivers. When a flash flood happens, people are just swept away with the water,” Nehemiah says.
  3768.  
  3769. “Monsoon rains were, this time, 547% above average, with record-breaking weekly rainfall in July. The consequences are heartbreaking, especially for the poorest communities who have no safety nets when disaster strikes.”
  3770.  
  3771. FMI works with local church planters and pastors who are caring for flood survivors. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span>
  3772.  
  3773. Ask the Lord to give these believers His strength, wisdom, and protection as they meet needs in Jesus’ name.
  3774.  
  3775. “People are on the streets, and they have no proper rescue situation by the government,” Nehemiah says.
  3776.  
  3777. “Pray for the families who have lost loved ones, that they would experience God’s comfort, peace, and healing in the midst of grief. Pray for emergency food, clean water, shelter, medical aid, to reach those in desperate need.”
  3778.  
  3779. &nbsp;
  3780.  
  3781. &nbsp;
  3782.  
  3783. &nbsp;
  3784.  
  3785. <em>Header and story images are representative photos depicting life after devastating floods hit Pakistan in 2022. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Getting_to_Chor_Kamber_-_52555070640.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Julien Harneis/Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  3786. </description>
  3787. <pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2025 05:00:25 -0400</pubDate>
  3788. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pakistan-reels-from-record-breaking-floods/</guid>
  3789. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Getting_to_Chor_Kamber_-_52555070640-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3790. </item>
  3791. <item>
  3792. <title>‘Summer of Hope’ brings the Good News to Native communities</title>
  3793. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/summer-of-hope-brings-the-good-news-to-native-communities/</link>
  3794. <description>
  3795. <![CDATA[
  3796. United States (MNN) — Once they know what Jesus did for them, they can’t be silent.
  3797.  
  3798. God is at work in Native communities! Every summer, On Eagles' Wings — a division of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Hutchcraft Ministries</strong></a></span> — organizes Summer of Hope outreaches to reservations.
  3799.  
  3800. Doug Hutchcraft from Hutchcraft Ministries shares, “There have been six [outreaches] this summer. Like the other communities we visited, this is a community screaming for hope, [there’s] the hope crisis.”
  3801.  
  3802. <div id="attachment_197216" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-197216" class="size-medium wp-image-197216" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/OEW_screenshot-300x173.png" alt="" width="300" height="173" /><p id="caption-attachment-197216" class="wp-caption-text">On Eagles’ Wings equips Native American believers to bring the hope of Christ to their communities.<br />(Screenshot)</p></div>
  3803.  
  3804. The On Eagles’ Wings team, dressed in green shirts declaring “<strong>We have this hope as an anchor for the soul</strong>” (Hebrews 6:19), aims to bring that hope.
  3805.  
  3806. Outreaches bring powerful testimonies! One new Native believer, Carrie, had just given her heart to Christ.
  3807.  
  3808. “She immediately, when she’s done praying, goes and runs to her group of friends a few yards away, saying, ‘You need this too. You need this Jesus.’” Like the biblical account of the Samaritan woman at the well, Carrie became a rescuer of her people within moments of giving her life to Jesus.
  3809.  
  3810. The ministry goes by invitation. “Once we get invited, we will go physically meet with the people there that are the inviters. [We] make sure that there is sufficient follow-up and people to disciple and bring these new believers into the faith in a responsible way,” says Hutchcraft. They continue serving alongside Native young people throughout the year.
  3811.  
  3812. Hutchcraft adds, “[There are] just amazing things that God is doing. He is such an amazing God. These things don't happen without the power of the Holy Spirit filling the lives, the hearts of these young heroes on this team.”
  3813.  
  3814. The <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://hutchcraft.com/on-eagles-wings" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>On Eagles' Wings</strong></a></span> team faithfully follows the Great Commission among Native communities, but they need your prayers and support.
  3815. <blockquote>
  3816. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We do need God’s people to come alongside to pray and be the fuel that makes this possible,” he adds.</strong></p>
  3817. </blockquote>
  3818. If the Lord is moving you to pray, to give, or to participate in any way, visit <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="https://hutchcraft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hutchcraft Ministries</a></span>!
  3819.  
  3820. &nbsp;
  3821.  
  3822. &nbsp;
  3823.  
  3824. <em>Header photo: the Summer of Hope team (courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries).</em>]]>
  3825. </description>
  3826. <pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2025 05:00:35 -0400</pubDate>
  3827. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/summer-of-hope-brings-the-good-news-to-native-communities/</guid>
  3828. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/RHM_summer-of-hope-header-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3829. </item>
  3830. <item>
  3831. <title>What’s really at stake with India’s anti-conversion laws</title>
  3832. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/whats-really-at-stake-with-indias-anti-conversion-laws/</link>
  3833. <description>
  3834. <![CDATA[
  3835. India (MNN) — According to a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/2023%20India%20Apostasy%20Issue%20Update.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a></strong></span> from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, twelve of India’s 28 states have anti-conversion laws on the books. Last month, a Maharashtra State leader <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/mumbai-news/maharashtra-to-enact-law-against-religious-conversions-demolish-illegal-churches-in-tribal-districts-101752088546524.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a></strong></span> that their government will do the same.
  3836.  
  3837. If this happens in Maharashtra or other Indian states, it will become even harder to reach those who have never heard of Jesus. That’s because India is home to nearly one-third of the world's <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://grd.imb.org/wp-content/uploads/documents/gsec-files/2024-12_GSEC_Overview.pdf">unreached people groups</a></strong></span>. According to The Joshua Project, those 2,041 people groups in India approximate a staggering <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/countries/IN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1.39 billion people</a></strong></span>.
  3838.  
  3839. While anti-conversion laws won’t stop God’s plan, they create real resistance and suffering for those spreading the gospel.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Todd Nettleton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Voice of the Martyrs, USA</a></strong></span> says dozens of pastors are in prison across India on charges of violating these state laws. He says accusations often include the idea of “enticement.” It's dangerously easy to fall afoul.
  3840.  
  3841. “<b>Well, what is [enticement]? ‘Oh, you invited someone to church? Oh, there was music playing at your church, someone heard it outside, walked inside, and heard the gospel?</b><b> Well, that </b><b>was illegal</b><b> enticement,’” says Nettleton.</b>
  3842.  
  3843. Although India’s constitution <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.state.gov/reports/2023-report-on-international-religious-freedom/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promises religious freedom</a></strong></span> to everyone, the persecution comes from the Hindu-majority government itself.
  3844.  
  3845. “They would call it purifying India. There are government ministers [who] have literally talked about 'the soil of India is Hindu soil,'” says Nettleton. “That has gone from being sort of an outlying philosophy to now being the philosophy that drives the Indian government.”
  3846. <h2><b>Now that you know, please pray</b></h2>
  3847. <ul>
  3848. <li>Pray for pastors and ordinary Christians imprisoned under false charges, that they will be bold witnesses for Christ there. Pray for endurance for their families during the separation.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li>
  3849. <li>Pray for a just federal government that will truly honor religious freedom for India’s 1.46 billion people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li>
  3850. <li>Pray specifically that government officials in Maharashtra State, the second-most populous Indian state, will reverse their plans to implement anti-conversion laws.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li>
  3851. <li>Ask God to strengthen India’s Church to press forward with the gospel to India’s unreached people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li>
  3852. </ul>
  3853. &nbsp;
  3854.  
  3855. &nbsp;
  3856.  
  3857. <em>Header photo courtesy of The Voice of the Martyrs, USA.</em>]]>
  3858. </description>
  3859. <pubDate>Mon, 04 Aug 2025 05:00:51 -0400</pubDate>
  3860. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/whats-really-at-stake-with-indias-anti-conversion-laws/</guid>
  3861. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/VOM_india-header-generic-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3862. </item>
  3863. <item>
  3864. <title>A biblical mindset that helps Indonesian believers overcome opposition</title>
  3865. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-biblical-mindset-that-helps-indonesian-believers-overcome-opposition/</link>
  3866. <description>
  3867. <![CDATA[
  3868. Indonesia (MNN) — The true patriotism of Indonesian Christians is rooted in biblical forgiveness and trust in God.
  3869.  
  3870. Imagine knowing the law protects your right to believe — yet leaving your home for a <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/children-injured-in-attack-on-christian-prayer-house-in-indonesia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prayer meeting</a></strong>, only to have the gathering itself ransacked by an armed group. This is the reality many Indonesian Christians live in. Yet there is something that helps them continue loving their neighbors and walking forward in faith.
  3871.  
  3872. <div id="attachment_216191" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216191" class="size-medium wp-image-216191" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Pastor-Yandi-left-strategizes-with-another-pastor-for-effective-gospel-outreach-across-300x179.jpg" alt="FMI" width="300" height="179" /><p id="caption-attachment-216191" class="wp-caption-text">Pastor Yandi (left) strategizes with another pastor for effective gospel outreach across (photo courtesy of FMI)</p></div>
  3873.  
  3874. Indonesian Christians have built a strong biblical mindset that helps them overcome struggles.
  3875.  
  3876. Bruce Allen from <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong> says, “<strong>The Christians are true patriots. They love Indonesia. They're very patriotic. Then they want to see their nation be introduced to Jesus as their Savior</strong>.”
  3877.  
  3878. Harmony holds great cultural significance, but religious differences frequently challenge this sense of unity among people. In some areas, Muslim neighbors <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-defines-a-place-of-worship-attack-on-christian-youth-retreat-in-indonesia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>oppose</strong> </a>the building of churches, in others there is a <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indonesian-christians-grapple-with-new-animistic-prayer-regulation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>regulation</strong> </a>that requires all religions (including Christianity) to follow animistic traditions in worship services.
  3879.  
  3880. Christians understand that forgiveness can only be truly achieved by walking in the power of the Holy Spirit. They find solace in the faith of those who came before them. Allen explains, “The Bible is chock full of examples of people who have been oppressed for following the Lord, and yet how they stood firm, resolute.”
  3881.  
  3882. Allen says these examples remind believers that, “<strong>This is one of the ways we reflect Christ’s love in our communities — by living at peace with others.</strong>” These lessons are passed down through sermons and from parents to children.
  3883.  
  3884. This faith enables them to start new churches. So far, <strong><a href="http://forgottenmissionaries.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a> </strong>and local believers plan to plant nine new congregations.
  3885.  
  3886. Allen concludes, “So we encourage the church planters, the disciple-makers that we partner with, to make sure that they are grounding the people in the truth of the Scriptures so that they know how to respond again.”
  3887. <p data-start="95" data-end="354">Pray for the courage of the local leaders to guide their congregations in reverence to God and trust in His will. Pray also for the church planters and their partners, that they may navigate the legal and social challenges needed to build houses of worship.</p>
  3888. &nbsp;
  3889.  
  3890. &nbsp;
  3891.  
  3892. &nbsp;
  3893.  
  3894. &nbsp;
  3895.  
  3896. <em>Indonesian holding a flag (photo courtesy of Dio Hasbi Saniskoro via Pexels)</em>]]>
  3897. </description>
  3898. <pubDate>Mon, 04 Aug 2025 05:00:50 -0400</pubDate>
  3899. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-biblical-mindset-that-helps-indonesian-believers-overcome-opposition/</guid>
  3900. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-diohasbi-1009949-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3901. </item>
  3902. <item>
  3903. <title>Resounding hope: how solar radios transform Haitian communities</title>
  3904. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/resounding-hope-how-solar-radios-transform-haitian-communities/</link>
  3905. <description>
  3906. <![CDATA[
  3907. Haiti (MNN) — Accessing Christian radio in the remote areas of Haiti has become much easier, thanks to solar-powered technology.
  3908.  
  3909. Haiti, plagued by gang violence and instability, has a desperate need for hope. While Christians can’t always physically reach those in need, radio signals do — uninterrupted and unrestricted. However, traditional radios relied on batteries, which eventually died, leaving listeners isolated from the uplifting messages they needed.
  3910.  
  3911. This challenge has been overcome with the introduction of solar-powered radios. Kate Michel from Radio-TV 4VEH, a ministry partner of <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/trans-world-radio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trans World Radio</a></strong>, explains:
  3912.  
  3913. <div id="attachment_207282" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-207282" class="size-medium wp-image-207282" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/topsphere-media-fA29oQ0cpcY-unsplash-300x169.jpg" alt="stock photo, Unsplash, Haiti, Haitians, people," width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-207282" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo of Haitians courtesy of TopSphere Media via Unsplash.)</p></div>
  3914.  
  3915. "<strong>When we give these out in communities, we go door to door, share the Gospel with people, and invite them into a relationship with Jesus</strong>. Whether they choose to accept Him that day or not, we leave behind a solar radio for that family. It’s tuned to 4VEH, so they can continue to hear the Gospel content."
  3916.  
  3917. The Gospel content includes preaching, programs on farming, health, and family counseling, along with worship music and the recorded audio Bible.
  3918.  
  3919. Their impact has inspired many Haitians and international partners to support the ministry. Michel adds:
  3920.  
  3921. “Our listeners have been giving to 4VEH for a long time because they see how important it is — not just in their own lives, but they see that as they contribute to 4VEH, they’re sending the Gospel to places in Haiti where they could never go.”
  3922.  
  3923. The 4VEH team carries these solar radios as they visit new communities, freely distributing them. Over the past few years, they’ve distributed more than 20,000 radios! In some instances, a single radio has brought believers together, fostering the growth of church communities and planting one church after another.
  3924.  
  3925. Michel also highlights the broader vision:
  3926. <blockquote>
  3927. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“The whole project is called Resounding Hope, because we just long to hear the hope of Jesus resounding through Haiti’s countryside, across the mountains, and all of that.”</strong></p>
  3928. </blockquote>
  3929. To support the work of 4VEH,  visit their <strong><a href="http://4veh.org/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a></strong>. There, you can explore opportunities to give a financial gift, learn more about the ministry, and discover ways to pray and get involved.
  3930.  
  3931. &nbsp;
  3932.  
  3933. &nbsp;
  3934.  
  3935. <em>Young Haitian man (photo courtesy of Kelly via Pexels)</em>
  3936.  
  3937. &nbsp;]]>
  3938. </description>
  3939. <pubDate>Mon, 04 Aug 2025 05:00:28 -0400</pubDate>
  3940. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/resounding-hope-how-solar-radios-transform-haitian-communities/</guid>
  3941. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pexels-kelly-2898318-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3942. </item>
  3943. <item>
  3944. <title>Children injured in attack on Christian prayer house in Indonesia</title>
  3945. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/children-injured-in-attack-on-christian-prayer-house-in-indonesia/</link>
  3946. <description>
  3947. <![CDATA[
  3948. Indonesia (MNN) -- On Sunday, a group of Muslim men <a href="https://www.persecution.org/2025/07/28/several-men-attack-prayer-house-in-indonesia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">attacked a Christian prayer house</span></strong></a> on Indonesia’s Sumatra island, injuring two children during a religious class.
  3949.  
  3950. Bruce Allen with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">FMI</span></strong></a> says the attackers incorrectly believed the prayer house was an unregistered church.
  3951. <blockquote>
  3952. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>"Men armed with wooden sticks smashed the building's windows even while women and children were still inside. Kids crying and screaming could be heard as they were forced out by the group. It was very terrorizing for them."</strong></p>
  3953. </blockquote>
  3954. <p data-start="968" data-end="1122">Two children, ages 8 and 11, were injured by the attackers throwing objects. Police have arrested nine men in connection with the assault.</p>
  3955.  
  3956.  
  3957. <div id="attachment_216157" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216157" class="size-medium wp-image-216157" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/unnamed-12-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-216157" class="wp-caption-text">An Indonesian pastor hikes through a rainforest on the island of Borneo over a broken-down bridge to reach a ministry site. (Photo, caption courtesy of FMI)</p></div>
  3958. <p data-start="1124" data-end="1469">The incident follows another <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-defines-a-place-of-worship-attack-on-christian-youth-retreat-in-indonesia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">attack on a Christian youth camp</span></strong></a> last month, raising concerns about the trend of anti-Christian violence in Indonesia.</p>
  3959. <p data-start="1124" data-end="1469">While Indonesia officially recognizes Christianity and guarantees religious freedom in its constitution, believers often face harassment and discrimination in Muslim-majority regions.</p>
  3960. <p data-start="1471" data-end="1903">Allen points out that Indonesia has appeared on <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Open Doors’ World Watch List</span></strong></a> for Christian persecution for years. “For the last couple of decades that I've been tracking, Indonesia has been on it,” he says. “Except this year, it did not make the top 50. But it doesn't necessarily mean that things are improving in Indonesia. It could just mean that things got a lot worse in other countries and they had a worse score than Indonesia.”</p>
  3961. <p data-start="1905" data-end="2031">Despite growing pressure, Indonesian Christians remain steadfast in their faith. Allen urges fellow believers to pray.</p>
  3962.  
  3963. <blockquote>
  3964. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="2033" data-end="2260"><strong>“Pray for that resilience and perseverance of the Christians -- especially those young, tender students -- that they would learn much from this experience that they endured. Pray for the Christians’ ability to forgive and to bless.”</strong></p>
  3965. </blockquote>
  3966. <p data-start="2033" data-end="2260"><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/our-fields/#Indonesia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Learn more about FMI's ministry in Indonesia.</span></strong></a></p>
  3967. <p data-start="2033" data-end="2260"><em>Header photo: Nestled in the rainforests of Sumatra, flanked by volcanoes, Christian churches and prayer houses continue to grow despite radical Muslim oppression. (Photo, caption courtesy of FMI)</em></p>]]>
  3968. </description>
  3969. <pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2025 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate>
  3970. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/children-injured-in-attack-on-christian-prayer-house-in-indonesia/</guid>
  3971. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/unnamed-11-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  3972. </item>
  3973. <item>
  3974. <title>&#8220;I’m not alone&#8221;: Native young people inspired and equipped to lead for Christ</title>
  3975. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/im-not-alone-native-american-young-people-inspired-and-equipped-to-lead-for-christ/</link>
  3976. <description>
  3977. <![CDATA[
  3978. United States (MNN) —<b> </b>Suicide rates are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/disparities/index.html"><b>higher</b></a> </span>among American Indian and Alaskan Native people than among any other U.S. demographic. But there’s a counter-movement of hope rising with On Eagles' Wings, a division of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/ron-hutchcraft-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hutchcraft Ministries</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3979.  
  3980. This year, around 700 Native young people came to the Warrior Leadership Summit with On Eagles’ Wings. They came to this evangelism and discipleship conference to be equipped as leaders for Christ.
  3981.  
  3982. <div id="attachment_216144" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216144" class="wp-image-216144 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WLS_2025_crowd_shot-300x177.jpg" alt="Warrior Leadership Summit 2025" width="300" height="177" /><p id="caption-attachment-216144" class="wp-caption-text">Photo of Warrior Leadership Summit 2025 courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries via Facebook.</p></div>
  3983.  
  3984. “To have 700 Native young people praising Jesus together, seeking to be leaders in their communities, is a real miracle, something only God could do,” said Doug Hutchcraft with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://hutchcraft.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>Hutchcraft Ministries</b></a></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3985.  
  3986. People who come to the leadership summit aren’t called campers but warriors.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> Hutchcraft said they hear a common response to the gathering:</span>
  3987.  
  3988. <i>“‘I'm not alone. I realized I'm here seeing how many brothers and sisters I have in Christ that really love Jesus and want to do what I want to do.’”</i>
  3989.  
  3990. Following Christ hasn’t always been shared well with Native communities, Hutchcraft said. Yet today, more and more young people realize Jesus is about relationship, not religion.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  3991.  
  3992. “When they (Native young people) share with their people that Jesus was a brown-skinned man, from a tribe, [who] was persecuted, [who] had issues with the government, all those things, they say, ‘I've always heard that Jesus is a white man's God. But you’re saying He is for everybody.’”
  3993.  
  3994. It then opens the way for Native young people to share their own stories of how Jesus changed their lives.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><b>During the 2025 Warrior Leadership Summit, </b>43 people chose to be baptized.
  3995.  
  3996. Hutchcraft said that in many Native tribes, to be baptized isn’t just a thing done at church on a Sunday morning. It means publicly stating “I’m a follower of Jesus. He is everything to me now.”
  3997.  
  3998. <div id="attachment_216145" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216145" class="size-medium wp-image-216145" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WLS_2025_final_report_baptism-300x208.png" alt="" width="300" height="208" /><p id="caption-attachment-216145" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries</p></div>
  3999.  
  4000. “These are bold warriors who are saying, ‘I want to make this public declaration of my love for Jesus,’” said Hutchcraft.
  4001.  
  4002. <b>Picture the scene</b>: a lake with hundreds of Native young people sitting at the edges. Then shoulder-deep in the lake, “a Native young person coming out of the water, arms raised, shouting for joy. It’s so amazing,” said Hutchcraft.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4003.  
  4004. In the Warrior Leadership Summit last year, over 100 tribes were represented. <b>Pray Native young people from this year's gathering will boldly bring the hope of Jesus to their people!</b>
  4005.  
  4006. “We are 100% dependent on God's people praying about this,” said Hutchcraft.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4007.  
  4008. &nbsp;
  4009.  
  4010. &nbsp;
  4011.  
  4012. &nbsp;
  4013.  
  4014. <em>Header photo of Warrior Leadership Summit 2025 courtesy of Hutchcraft Ministries via Facebook. </em>]]>
  4015. </description>
  4016. <pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2025 05:00:26 -0400</pubDate>
  4017. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/im-not-alone-native-american-young-people-inspired-and-equipped-to-lead-for-christ/</guid>
  4018. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/520358239_18515707993039546_8164273279355207448_n-e1753995804223-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4019. </item>
  4020. <item>
  4021. <title>Mission Aviation Fellowship celebrates 80 years of service</title>
  4022. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mission-aviation-fellowship-celebrates-80-years-of-service/</link>
  4023. <description>
  4024. <![CDATA[
  4025. International (MAF) -- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mission-aviation-fellowship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF),</a></strong></span> one of Idaho’s largest nonprofit organizations, marked its 80th anniversary with a vibrant Family Festival at its headquarters at the Nampa airport. The celebration honored eight decades of aviation service to some of the world’s most remote and underserved communities.
  4026.  
  4027. “On any given day, MAF aircraft are transporting people and supplies to places where access can mean the difference between life and death,” said David Holsten, MAF President and CEO. “For 80 years, our mission has remained the same: to share the love of Jesus Christ so that lives can be transformed both physically and spiritually.”
  4028.  
  4029. Special guests at the event included Boise State University Head Football Coach Spencer Danielson and Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling, who signed a proclamation declaring it “MAF Appreciation Day” in Nampa, recognizing MAF’s local and global impact.
  4030.  
  4031. <div id="attachment_216138" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Attempting-to-use-an-authentic-Indonesian-blow-gun-under-the-guidance-of-Doug-Heidebrink.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216138" class="size-medium wp-image-216138" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Attempting-to-use-an-authentic-Indonesian-blow-gun-under-the-guidance-of-Doug-Heidebrink-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216138" class="wp-caption-text">Attempting to use an authentic Indonesian blow gun under the guidance of Doug Heidebrink.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship)</p></div>
  4032.  
  4033. In her comments to the crowd before signing the proclamation, Mayor Kling said, “I am so grateful for the work of the Idaho Friends of MAF who were instrumental in drawing MAF to Nampa. It was a perfect alignment because Nampa is a city of faith.”
  4034.  
  4035. Coach Spencer Danielson said he learned about the work of MAF several months ago and was impressed with the organization and the reason they do their work. “I often talk to the team about finding your ‘why.’ What’s your impact? It is going to be different for every one of you here. But we are all called to make an impact in the lives of others, just like MAF.”
  4036.  
  4037. MAF’s Nampa campus is home to approximately 200 staff members who support the organization’s global operations, which include 42 aircraft and 400 personnel serving in 12 countries. The facility includes aircraft maintenance and training hangars, administrative offices, family housing for pilots, and an RV park for volunteers.
  4038.  
  4039. Idaho’s rugged backcountry provides an ideal training ground for MAF pilots, who must master flying in tight mountain valleys and landing on short, unimproved airstrips—skills essential for their work in isolated regions across Africa, Asia, Eurasia, and Latin America.
  4040.  
  4041. Founded in 1945 by a group of World War II pilots, MAF was born from a vision to use aviation as a tool for hope and healing. One of its founders, former WASP pilot Betty Greene, conducted MAF’s inaugural flight in 1946, transporting two Bible translators into the interior of Mexico.
  4042.  
  4043. Today, MAF continues to serve as a lifeline for communities in need, delivering medical care, disaster relief, education, and spiritual support where few others can go. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://maf.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more at MAF.org.</a></strong></span>
  4044.  
  4045. &nbsp;
  4046.  
  4047. &nbsp;
  4048.  
  4049. &nbsp;
  4050.  
  4051. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Mission Aviation Fellowship. </em>]]>
  4052. </description>
  4053. <pubDate>Fri, 01 Aug 2025 05:00:38 -0400</pubDate>
  4054. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/mission-aviation-fellowship-celebrates-80-years-of-service/</guid>
  4055. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/MAF-US-80th-Anniversary-Celebration-067-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4056. </item>
  4057. <item>
  4058. <title>Another Indian state promises strict anti-conversion law plus demolitions of “illegal” churches</title>
  4059. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/another-indian-state-promises-strict-anti-conversion-law-demolitions-of-illegal-churches/</link>
  4060. <description>
  4061. <![CDATA[
  4062. India (MNN) — Opposition to Christians, Muslims and other minorities in India continues to rise from multiple angles.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4063.  
  4064. Take Maharashtra State, for example. In the state assembly on July 9, revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the government will soon institute a strict anti-conversion law. If it does, Maharastra will become the 13th Indian State with such a law on the books. These laws make Christians easy targets for accusations and abuse — just read one brother’s story <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.persecution.com/stories/christians-in-india-live-with-all-hindus-and-no-churches/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>here</b></a></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4065.  
  4066. Some churches in Maharastra are at risk too. Bawankule also said the government intends to demolish “unauthorized” church buildings over the next six months — especially those in tribal districts.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4067.  
  4068. “We’re talking about the way the government is enforcing the property laws,” said Todd Nettleton with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/voice-of-the-martyrs-usa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>The Voice of the Martyrs, USA</b></a></span>. “They are coming after church buildings and saying, ‘Oh, wait a minute, this was not zoned for a church building.’ Or, ‘Wait a minute, this is your personal property. It's not for a church.’”
  4069.  
  4070. <div id="attachment_203696" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203696" class="size-medium wp-image-203696" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/VOM_india-header-generic-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-203696" class="wp-caption-text">State anti-conversion laws have long been used against pastors, church planters and evangelists. Despite greater government restrictions on Christianity, churches are growing.<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of VOM USA)</p></div>
  4071.  
  4072. In some cases, authorities will come and tear down the church with heavy equipment. Or the work will be done by a mob of people with crowbars and hammers. “But always with an effort to lessen the Christian presence in their state,” said Nettleton.
  4073.  
  4074. <b>Destruction is not a new tactic. </b>State governments in India have <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/06/india-must-halt-arbitrary-demolitions-targeting-minorities-and-marginalised" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>arbitrarily demolished</b></a></span> homes, businesses and places of worship for years. Muslims, Christians and other marginalized communities feel the brunt. One report from Amnesty International analyzed 128 demolition incidents that took place over just three months in 2022. They called it “<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa20/7613/2024/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>bulldozer injustice</b></a></span>.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4075.  
  4076. Trends like this led VOM USA to raise <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/india/?_source_code=WBPGGPG20B" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>India’s designation</b></a></span> from hostile to restricted in 2024.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4077. <blockquote>
  4078. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“This is not a radical Hindu mob of people. This is not a terrorist group in the country. This is the government that is coming after them. In this case, it's the state government of Maharashtra,” Nettleton said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  4079. </blockquote>
  4080. <b>Nettleton said prayer is the first thing persecuted Christians ask for. So please pray for their endurance. When you have an opportunity, tell their stories!</b>
  4081.  
  4082. “Let's make sure our government leaders are aware of the persecution that's happening,” says Nettleton. “Hopefully, when they have government interactions, those things will come up in the conversation.”
  4083.  
  4084. &nbsp;
  4085.  
  4086. &nbsp;
  4087.  
  4088. &nbsp;
  4089.  
  4090. <em>Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Vincent Belho via Pexels.</em>]]>
  4091. </description>
  4092. <pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2025 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate>
  4093. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/another-indian-state-promises-strict-anti-conversion-law-demolitions-of-illegal-churches/</guid>
  4094. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-vincent-belho-54161054-8061291-2-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4095. </item>
  4096. <item>
  4097. <title>Set Free Ministries helps whole congregations break spiritual chains</title>
  4098. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/set-free-ministries-helps-whole-congregations-break-spiritual-chains/</link>
  4099. <description>
  4100. <![CDATA[
  4101. USA (MNN) -- Your church may be packed on Sunday. But how many people are actually living in the freedom of Christ?
  4102. <blockquote>
  4103. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>According to Pete Noor of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Set Free Ministries</span></a>, spiritual bondage is stifling discipleship in churches across America. And unless something changes, sermons will keep hitting walls instead of hearts.</strong></p>
  4104. </blockquote>
  4105. <p data-start="334" data-end="801">Noor says, “I wonder how many preachers are coming up with these wonderful sermons and wonderful teachings -- [yet] what percentage of their congregation is able to even take in what they are preaching because they're not free yet? They are bound by some lie or sin that they believe. Until they're free, they can't take things in.</p>
  4106. <p data-start="334" data-end="801"><em><strong>“You can only disciple a captive as far as he or she can stretch the chains."</strong></em></p>
  4107.  
  4108.  
  4109. <div id="attachment_216116" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216116" class="size-medium wp-image-216116" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/terren-hurst-jebCcyX6hfs-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216116" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Terren Hurst/Unsplash)</p></div>
  4110. <p data-start="803" data-end="1080">Set Free Ministries helps individuals find spiritual freedom through Christ. Now, they’re turning their focus toward churches -- partnering with pastors to equip congregations with a tool called the Freedom in Christ course.</p>
  4111. <p data-start="1082" data-end="1308">“What would happen if more and more churches got more and more of their congregants set free first?” Noor asks. “Then their messages, I believe, that are being preached would be so much more clearly understood and applied.”</p>
  4112. <p data-start="1082" data-end="1308"><strong>The Freedom in Christ course is an 11-session journey centered on discovering identity in Christ and breaking free from spiritual lies and sin. Part way through the course is the “Freedom Appointment.”</strong></p>
  4113. <p data-start="1082" data-end="1308">Noor explains that the Freedom Appointment in this context takes place in a small group setting. “They'll have group prayers and group declarations together. But then individuals split off into private areas where they can quietly pray to God for Him to continue to reveal to me areas in my life where I'm out of line...so that I can confess, renounce, and repent.... Then they come back together as a group and finalize that step, then go to the next step.”</p>
  4114. <p data-start="2559" data-end="2981">The idea isn’t new -- Freedom in Christ Ministries developed the Freedom in Christ course for churches in Europe and "it's been effective," says Noor. "So we're thinking that this should work very well in the United States as well.”</p>
  4115.  
  4116.  
  4117. <div id="attachment_216117" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216117" class="size-medium wp-image-216117" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jon-tyson-985ln9rpidA-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216117" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Jon Tyson/Unsplash)</p></div>
  4118. <p data-start="2983" data-end="3286">Set Free is already working with several congregations. Noor says, “We would be happy to talk to more churches. They can contact us for more information. At Set Free, we'd be happy to talk to them, share our experiences, and maybe put them in contact with the resource.”</p>
  4119. <p data-start="2983" data-end="3286"><a href="https://setfreemin.org/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here to contact Set Free</span></strong></a> about the Freedom in Christ course for churches!</p>
  4120. <p data-start="3288" data-end="3593" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">“Pray that the Holy Spirit would continue opening up the eyes of churches so they can understand the freedom that's available to them and the beauty of walking out of their identity in Christ… and that we can continue to help more and more people find freedom in Christ.”</p>
  4121. <p data-start="3288" data-end="3593" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""></p>
  4122. <p data-start="3288" data-end="3593" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""></p>
  4123. <p data-start="3288" data-end="3593" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node=""></p>
  4124. <p data-start="3288" data-end="3593" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Header photo courtesy of Vlad Shalaginov/Unsplash.</p>]]>
  4125. </description>
  4126. <pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2025 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate>
  4127. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/set-free-ministries-helps-whole-congregations-break-spiritual-chains/</guid>
  4128. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/vlad-shalaginov-FWdIHA4DAuc-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4129. </item>
  4130. <item>
  4131. <title>The secret ingredients that help your ministry story touch many lives</title>
  4132. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-secret-ingredients-that-help-your-ministry-story-touch-many-lives/</link>
  4133. <description>
  4134. <![CDATA[
  4135. International (MNN) — Every ministry story is strengthened by a few essential tools in its toolkit.
  4136.  
  4137. The ministry journey you share can change lives — if it carries two powerful ingredients: the story and the number.
  4138.  
  4139. Dr. Jenn Murff from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/mena-leadership-center/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MENA Leadership Center</strong></a> says, “When you share stories, it allows relationships to be restored. It allows discipleship to take place because people can relate to those stories.”
  4140.  
  4141. The power of a story lies in its ability to connect a person to their own experiences — both good and bad — to the emotional side of life, and to an example they can apply to their own journey. Jesus knew people needed that bridge in order to accept the Gospel.
  4142. <blockquote>
  4143. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>He was a master storyteller: “Jesus uses stories to make the kingdom relatable. He uses stories to make the kingdom approachable. He uses stories to be able to connect the hearts and the minds of His people to His kingdom.”</strong></p>
  4144. </blockquote>
  4145. <div id="attachment_216105" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216105" class="size-medium wp-image-216105" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-eduardo-braga-4788-1296720-300x200.jpg" alt="Pexels" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-216105" class="wp-caption-text">A simple story can guide a person to their Creator (photo courtesy of Eduardo Braga via Pexels)</p></div>
  4146.  
  4147. <strong>Numbers are equally important.</strong> They help measure the expansion of God’s kingdom — whether through miracles, healings, souls saved, or symbolic figures. Moreover, they help us grasp the power of the Gospel in a practical way!
  4148.  
  4149. The apostles ensured that future generations would have this tool. Jesus spoke to the multitudes; the twelve disciples caught one hundred fifty-three fish; five thousand people were fed with five loaves of bread and two fish, and so on. Yet, separated from the story, a number can steal the spark from the testimony of God’s work.
  4150.  
  4151. Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, Bartolomew, Philip — just a few of the lives He transformed through His personal, one-on-one attention.
  4152.  
  4153. “<strong>He sees the one, he sees the multitude. And so it's important that we don't lean so heavily just in one area, but we remember both, because Jesus remembered both,</strong>” says Murff.
  4154.  
  4155. This principle is vital both in personal evangelism and in the work of ministry. “You have to be able to share those stories in such a way that it connects with the human heart,” Murff adds.
  4156.  
  4157. Visit <a href="https://menaleadershipcenter.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>MENA Leadership Center</strong></a> to discover how the Gospel is transforming lives through ministry stories in the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond.
  4158.  
  4159. The Gospel is a tapestry of stories woven into one grand narrative. Find your place in it!
  4160.  
  4161. &nbsp;
  4162.  
  4163. &nbsp;
  4164.  
  4165. &nbsp;
  4166.  
  4167. <em>Header photo courtesy of Matheus Bertelli via Pexels</em>]]>
  4168. </description>
  4169. <pubDate>Thu, 31 Jul 2025 05:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
  4170. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-secret-ingredients-that-help-your-ministry-story-touch-many-lives/</guid>
  4171. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-bertellifotografia-1830252-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4172. </item>
  4173. <item>
  4174. <title>Christians who chose to remain in Gaza caught in same crises</title>
  4175. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-who-chose-to-remain-in-gaza-caught-in-same-crises/</link>
  4176. <description>
  4177. <![CDATA[
  4178. Gaza (MNN) — On Tuesday the number of Palestinians killed during the Israel-Hamas war since October 7, 2023 <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/how-many-palestinians-has-israels-gaza-offensive-killed-2025-03-24/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpassed 60,000</a></strong></span>. That’s according to the Hamas-run Palestinian Ministry of Health.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4179.  
  4180. Also on Tuesday, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification system <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ipcinfo.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ipcinfo/docs/IPC_GazaStrip_Alert_July2025.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released an alert</a></strong></span> saying “the worst-case scenario of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/07/1165517" target="_blank" rel="noopener">famine</a></strong></span> is playing out in the Gaza Strip.” You don't have to look far to find photos and stories of the people living this reality.
  4181.  
  4182. Tom Doyle, president of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries</a></strong></span>, talks with Christians on both sides of the war. Here are their perspectives.
  4183.  
  4184. “<strong>We hear of Israeli Defense soldiers praying for people in Gaza.</strong>‘We want to get rid of Hamas,’ they say, ‘not the innocent people,’” said Doyle. “That’s a story you wouldn’t see on the news, but it’s real.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4185.  
  4186. Doyle said many areas of Gaza have plenty of food, but many others have no food getting to them. Uncharted works with the Baptist Church in Gaza, which is distributing aid. But even for those who are able to receive provisions, it’s not so simple.
  4187.  
  4188. <div id="attachment_205062" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205062" class="size-medium wp-image-205062" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/UCM_israel-gaza-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-205062" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Uncharted Ministries)</p></div>
  4189.  
  4190. “As one of the Muslim-background believers told us: ‘We have two enemies. The first is Hamas, and the second is everybody outside of our tent, because people are stealing our food,’” said Doyle.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4191.  
  4192. Palestinian believers have chosen a different goal: “Some of them had a chance to leave during this war, and <strong>they chose to stay to spread the gospe</strong>l,” said Doyle. “Can you imagine having a family and choosing to stay when you have young kids in the midst of the war?”
  4193.  
  4194. Pray for the safety and well-being of the Palestinian people, especially the children, and for the believers in Gaza to endure the difficult circumstances. <strong>Pray for the spread of the Gospel in Gaza, and for the believers who have chosen to stay and minister to their fellow Palestinians.</strong>
  4195.  
  4196. "We’re praying for the believers there through all of this, that they survive," says Doyle. "They’re caught in the middle of it."
  4197.  
  4198. &nbsp;
  4199.  
  4200. &nbsp;
  4201.  
  4202. &nbsp;
  4203.  
  4204. <em>Header photo of Gaza Strip courtesy Jaber Jehad Badwan via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.</em>]]>
  4205. </description>
  4206. <pubDate>Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:14 -0400</pubDate>
  4207. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-who-chose-to-remain-in-gaza-caught-in-same-crises/</guid>
  4208. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/1280px-Forced_Displacement_of_Gaza_Strip_Residents_During_the_Gaza-Israel_War_23-25-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4209. </item>
  4210. <item>
  4211. <title>“Deaf President Now!” highlights need for Deaf leadership</title>
  4212. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deaf-president-now-highlights-need-for-deaf-leadership/</link>
  4213. <description>
  4214. <![CDATA[
  4215. USA (MNN) -- A new documentary spotlights a pivotal moment in US Deaf history.
  4216.  
  4217. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://gallaudet.edu/deaf-president-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>“Deaf President Now!”</em></a></strong></span> recounts a week of protests held in 1988 at Gallaudet University, the world’s only four-year liberal arts school designed for Deaf students.
  4218.  
  4219. “When the board was voting to elect a new president, there were three candidates: two Deaf people and one hearing person. The hearing person had no background in the Deaf community and no knowledge of sign language at all,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/door-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DOOR International</a></strong></span>’s Rob Myers says.
  4220.  
  4221. “The board ultimately picked the hearing person for the position, and this caused a huge stir.”
  4222.  
  4223. <div id="attachment_216088" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Apple_TV_Deaf_Presidents_Now_key_art_2_3.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216088" class="wp-image-216088" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Apple_TV_Deaf_Presidents_Now_key_art_2_3-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="450" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216088" class="wp-caption-text">(Artwork courtesy of Deaf President Now!)</p></div>
  4224.  
  4225. Although well-suited for the presidential position, “The Deaf candidates were passed over. When the board chair was asked [why], she said, ‘Gallaudet isn’t ready for a Deaf president yet,’” Myers explains.
  4226. <blockquote>
  4227. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Deaf people from all over the US were protesting. They said, ‘No, now is the time for us to lead our own community. We have well-qualified people.”</strong></p>
  4228. </blockquote>
  4229. The movement carried beyond Gallaudet’s campus and helped to develop the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). “Ultimately, the person who had been voted to become president resigned, and one of the other candidates was elected,” Myers says.
  4230.  
  4231. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.apple.com/tv-pr/originals/deaf-president-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Watch the film here on Apple TV+.</a></strong></span>
  4232.  
  4233. “It is primarily in American Sign Language, but anyone can watch it. It is both captioned and there’s voice interpreting,” Myers says.
  4234. <h2>Deaf-led Gospel work</h2>
  4235. The 80s were a critical time for the Deaf community. “The history of DOOR’s founding mirrors a lot of this,” Myers says.
  4236.  
  4237. “In the 1980s, if you were a Deaf person, you could be skilled in teaching, a great pastor or evangelist, and there was no place to exercise those skills.”
  4238.  
  4239. <em><strong>A handful of Deaf Christians took action.</strong></em> “They said, ‘There needs to be a place for Deaf people to exercise the God-given gifts to teach, lead, and expand His kingdom.’ So, they founded DOOR International, led by the Deaf, for the Deaf,” Myers says.
  4240.  
  4241. “The woman who helped found DOOR watched as her father was turned down by over 50 different [missions] organizations simply because he was Deaf,” Myers continues.
  4242. <blockquote>
  4243. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“He had the skills and leadership qualities, but they simply said, ‘We can’t send a Deaf person into the field.’”</strong></p>
  4244. </blockquote>
  4245. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://doorinternational.org/why-deaf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn why the Deaf remain one of the world’s largest unreached people groups.</a> </strong></span>
  4246.  
  4247. &nbsp;
  4248.  
  4249. &nbsp;
  4250.  
  4251. &nbsp;
  4252.  
  4253. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Deaf President Now! </em>]]>
  4254. </description>
  4255. <pubDate>Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:45 -0400</pubDate>
  4256. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/deaf-president-now-highlights-need-for-deaf-leadership/</guid>
  4257. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/121024_Deaf_President_Now_Big_Image_01-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4258. </item>
  4259. <item>
  4260. <title>The wait is over — Scripture booklets ready to produce for West Africa</title>
  4261. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-wait-is-over-scripture-booklets-ready-to-produce-for-west-africa/</link>
  4262. <description>
  4263. <![CDATA[
  4264. Senegal (MNN) — Following the completion of the recent Wolof Old Testament translation and permissions from the Bible Society, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Missionary Press</a> </strong></span>(WMP) can now begin producing “How to know God” booklets to reach speakers of this new language.
  4265.  
  4266. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wolof-language" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wolof</a></strong></span> is the national language of Senegal and is spoken by 12.4 million people, including 4.6 million people as a first language. The language also has a variant that is spoken by more than 160,000 people in The Gambia.
  4267.  
  4268. “We've got distributors that have been waiting and praying for this for years," says Helen Williams with WMP.
  4269.  
  4270. <div id="attachment_216079" style="width: 194px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216079" class="size-medium wp-image-216079" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/eyelit-studio-i1-hWUK9yPw-unsplash-184x300.jpg" alt="" width="184" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216079" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo from Adeane, Senegal courtesy of Eyelit Studio via Unsplash)</p></div>
  4271.  
  4272. “<strong>God is at work even when we don't see it.</strong> If we just wait for Him, He has a plan. He's got people out there willing to join us and use material. We just need to wait on Him.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4273.  
  4274. Exciting new developments like printing in more languages and supplying more partners can be tricky while keeping older contacts well stocked. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4275.  
  4276. “It’s going to require that we keep producing at a steady rate,” says Williams. “We still produce these booklets for just four cents each.”
  4277.  
  4278. <strong>Please pray that these booklets will disciple and touch the lives of the believers who receive them. Pray that as demand rises WMP will have both the funding and production capacity to faithfully serve existing and new partners.</strong>
  4279.  
  4280. If you or your church know missionaries on the field who could use Scripture booklets in their ministry, reach out to them and ask. If they are interested, direct them to learn more about <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Missionary Press</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4281.  
  4282. &nbsp;
  4283.  
  4284. &nbsp;
  4285.  
  4286. Header photo courtesy of _____]]>
  4287. </description>
  4288. <pubDate>Wed, 30 Jul 2025 05:00:35 -0400</pubDate>
  4289. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-wait-is-over-scripture-booklets-ready-to-produce-for-west-africa/</guid>
  4290. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/simonetta-pugnaghi-bwBKmd4KR-0-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4291. </item>
  4292. <item>
  4293. <title>Days into conflict, ceasefire for Cambodia and Thailand</title>
  4294. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/days-into-conflict-ceasefire-for-cambodia-and-thailand/</link>
  4295. <description>
  4296. <![CDATA[
  4297. Cambodia (MNN) — Almost before a conflict really started, the clash between Thailand and Cambodia is over. A <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yl9l60e3no" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ceasefire</a></strong></span> between the two nations went into effect Monday at midnight.
  4298.  
  4299. The fighting broke out on July 24th after nearly two months of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/thailand-cambodia-border-conflict-explainer-0eb99510a4ea16ee769a5934e0c07383" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rising border tensions.</a></strong></span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4300.  
  4301. “It goes back to the French colonization of that part of the world, when they (France) gave up [its protectorate of Cambodia] and how they redrew the maps of the two countries,” said Joe Handley, president of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/a3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A3</a></strong></span>. “Ever since, there's been tension between these two sides.”
  4302.  
  4303. The ceasefire is a vital step toward peace, but its effects will take time to feel. At least 33 people lost their lives in the clashes. More than 130,000 on each side were displaced, <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yl9l60e3no" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to</a></strong></span> Thai military and Cambodian defense sources.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4304.  
  4305. The threat of war also stirred up concern among A3 friends who remember the 1970s “killing fields” of Cambodia.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4306.  
  4307. “What I'm hopeful about is the church has oftentimes risen [on] occasions like these to be a source of hope in the midst of very difficult situations,” Handley said.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4308.  
  4309. For example, a former warlord from Pol Pot’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.ushmm.org/genocide-prevention/countries/cambodia/origins-of-the-khmer-rouge" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Khmer Rouge</a></strong></span> party came to Christ in recent years.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4310.  
  4311. “His transformation has been miraculous, to the point where he became a lay pastor, and he went through a program that's downstream from A3 called the School of Discipleship. That gave him training to kind of increase his capacity as a spiritual leader,”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> said Handley.</span>
  4312.  
  4313. <div id="attachment_128760" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-128760" class="size-medium wp-image-128760" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ANA_School-of-Discipleship-Cambodia-03-03-15-300x210.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="210" /><p id="caption-attachment-128760" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Asian Access) School of Discipleship</p></div>
  4314.  
  4315. Handley said this man has started dozens of churches in a region where many Khmer Rouge fled after Pol Pot’s fall.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4316.  
  4317. “It's bringing peace to that region,” he said. “That's the kind of thing that we hope to see happen. People live in fear and dread right now, but when you get people like that [who] are fearless — they have a history, but they come to Christ — it can it can turn around a situation.”
  4318.  
  4319. Pray for more people like this former warlord to come to faith in Christ!
  4320.  
  4321. National director of A3 Cambodia, Meng Aun Hour, said, “Please pray for protection and [for a] stop [to] the fighting.”
  4322.  
  4323. Pray also for provision and gospel witness for the Thai and Cambodian people affected by the conflict. Pray that the ceasefire will be upheld.
  4324.  
  4325. &nbsp;
  4326.  
  4327. &nbsp;
  4328.  
  4329. <em>Header photo is a representative stock image courtesy of Camille via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  4330. </description>
  4331. <pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:01 -0400</pubDate>
  4332. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/days-into-conflict-ceasefire-for-cambodia-and-thailand/</guid>
  4333. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/camille-c6eC5F7Q-I4-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4334. </item>
  4335. <item>
  4336. <title>3 strategies behind the sinicization of the Chinese church</title>
  4337. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/3-strategies-behind-the-sinicization-of-the-chinese-church/</link>
  4338. <description>
  4339. <![CDATA[
  4340. China (MNN) — The Chinese church finds itself struggling to preserve its identity while remaining obedient to Scripture.
  4341.  
  4342. Did you know <strong>“<a href="https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sinicization" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sinicization</a>” means making something Chinese in character or form</strong>? A <a href="https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2024/11/22/good-and-bad-sinicization-the-future-of-the-church-in-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>sinicized church</strong></a> traditionally reflects local identity, with its own language and cultural norms. Just as every church is shaped by the society it’s in, the Chinese church is no exception.
  4343.  
  4344. Yet in the past decade, “sinicization” has taken on a very different meaning.
  4345.  
  4346. Since 2015, the Chinese Communist Party has used the term to promote state ideology — Communism. Erik Burklin of <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/china-partner/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Partner</strong></a> says the government uses three main strategies:
  4347. <ol>
  4348. <li>The government stresses the principle of state over religion. "They want to control religion," he says.</li>
  4349. <li>Second, they discourage churches from following the traditional Western model. Burklin explains, “Because those who are not of our kind, must have a different mind.”</li>
  4350. <li>Third, they shift the church’s mindset from being moved to conform to wanting to conform. “The government is demanding both submission and internalization,” he adds.</li>
  4351. </ol>
  4352. <div id="attachment_166922" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-166922" class="size-medium wp-image-166922" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/32464404_2065779703462563_5337216289481949184_n-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /><p id="caption-attachment-166922" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of China Partner)</p></div>
  4353.  
  4354. Church leaders find themselves in a difficult position. To continue meeting and protecting their people, they must avoid provoking local authorities while remaining submitted to Christ alone.
  4355.  
  4356. Moreover, Romans chapter 13 creates an inner conflict — believers trust that God places governments in authority, yet some governments may act against the best interests of the church (learn more about the sinicization of <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/sacred-music-handcuffed-by-sinicization-in-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worship</a></strong>, the <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/bibles-for-china-eyes-sinicization-trends/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gospel</a></strong>, and <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/what-it-costs-to-be-a-christian-uyghur-in-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultures</a></strong>).
  4357. <blockquote>
  4358. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They always say, Christ is still the head of our church, even though we have to bow or we have to respect the governing authorities that God has placed over us,” says Burklin.</strong></p>
  4359. </blockquote>
  4360. As government control continues to grow, it alters the cultural and religious identity of the Chinese church. However, there is hope.
  4361.  
  4362. “The more the government tries to control religion or even Christianity, the true believers will stick with it. They will not give up. In fact, just the opposite will happen,” says Burklin. As the younger generation realizes how truly meaningful Jesus Christ is, they will begin to share Him with others.
  4363.  
  4364. <strong>"That's where the Good News will sprout, and seeds will be thrown all over, and the seeds will sprout, and the church will continue to grow</strong>.”
  4365.  
  4366. Join Eric Burklin in this prayer as <a href="https://chinapartner.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>China Partner</strong></a> supports and empowers local believers. Pray for the Church’s growth to meet the needs of China’s people, because many are beginning to realize that Communism is not the ultimate answer.
  4367.  
  4368. &nbsp;
  4369.  
  4370. &nbsp;
  4371.  
  4372. &nbsp;
  4373.  
  4374. &nbsp;
  4375.  
  4376. <em>Header photo courtesy of 龔 月強 via Pexels</em>
  4377.  
  4378. &nbsp;]]>
  4379. </description>
  4380. <pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:41 -0400</pubDate>
  4381. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/3-strategies-behind-the-sinicization-of-the-chinese-church/</guid>
  4382. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-1600446-3233924-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4383. </item>
  4384. <item>
  4385. <title>WMP Scripture booklets bring Gospel access to remote villages</title>
  4386. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wmp-scripture-booklets-bring-gospel-access-to-remote-villages/</link>
  4387. <description>
  4388. <![CDATA[
  4389. Malawi (MNN) -- Emmanuel felt himself wasting away inside the dingy four walls of Zomba Maximum Prison in Malawi.
  4390.  
  4391. Days blurred together, marked only by the shift changes of prison guards. Then, he received Scripture from <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Missionary Press.</a></strong></span>
  4392.  
  4393. “This man had a life-changing encounter with the Gospel of Jesus Christ through a booklet he received,” Helen Williams of WMP says.
  4394. <blockquote>
  4395. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It transformed his heart of stone into a heart of flesh and made him alive in Christ.”</strong></p>
  4396. </blockquote>
  4397. After being released from prison two months ago, Emmanuel “shares this message of hope and salvation with the people in his community,” Williams adds.
  4398.  
  4399. World Missionary Press sends Scripture booklets and other materials free of charge to Daniel, a local pastor living on the Malawi-Mozambique border. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about WMP’s ministry here.</a></strong></span>
  4400. <h2>Filling the gap</h2>
  4401. Many communities in Malawi and Mozambique still lack access to Scripture in their heart languages. While national languages like Chichewa and Portuguese are common, several local dialects remain underserved. Low literacy, poverty, and limited infrastructure further hinder Bible access.
  4402.  
  4403. <div id="attachment_216055" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WMP_Moz-woemn.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216055" class="size-medium wp-image-216055" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WMP_Moz-woemn-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-216055" class="wp-caption-text">“We have groups of women who teach each other the Word of God. These books have made our groups grow spiritually. Sometimes we can be confused about where to share words from because we do not have Bibles, but with the arrival of these books, things will be easier.”<br />(Photo, caption courtesy of WMP)</p></div>
  4404.  
  4405. Along with encouraging prisoners like Emmanuel, Daniel shares the hope of Christ in remote villages. After each visit, he leaves a Scripture booklet in Chichewa.
  4406.  
  4407. Villagers often respond with gratitude.
  4408.  
  4409. “We’re very happy for this help, and it came at the right time,” one villager told Daniel, while another added, “I thank God for the books I have received. My life will never be the same again, and it was a very difficult life.”
  4410. <p style="text-align: left;"><em><strong>Most people in these remote areas don’t have access to a Bible in their heart language.</strong> </em>That’s why believers like Gloria treasure the WMP booklets, which contain only Scripture.</p>
  4411. “I thank God because today I received a wonderful gift,” Gloria says. “This booklet will help me and my family a lot. Thank you so much for reaching out with the Word of God.”
  4412.  
  4413. Your gift can help WMP keep materials free for local partners by covering printing and shipping costs. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wmpress.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Find giving options here</a></strong></span> on WMP’s website.
  4414.  
  4415. &nbsp;
  4416.  
  4417. &nbsp;
  4418.  
  4419. &nbsp;
  4420.  
  4421. <em>Header and story images courtesy of World Missionary Press. </em>]]>
  4422. </description>
  4423. <pubDate>Tue, 29 Jul 2025 05:00:03 -0400</pubDate>
  4424. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/wmp-scripture-booklets-bring-gospel-access-to-remote-villages/</guid>
  4425. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WMP_moz-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4426. </item>
  4427. <item>
  4428. <title>Fulani attacks moving south in Nigeria, impacting food security</title>
  4429. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/fulani-attacks-moving-south-in-nigeria-impacting-food-security/</link>
  4430. <description>
  4431. <![CDATA[
  4432. Nigeria (MNN) —<b> </b>Food insecurity plagues Nigeria, but it’s not just because it’s the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/nigeria/nigeria-borno-adamawa-and-yobe-lean-season-multisectoral-plan-april-2025" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lean season</a></strong></span> till September. More and more farmland is falling to attacks by militant Fulani herdsmen.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4433.  
  4434. <b>“</b>We're hearing stories of people who were farming 100 acres, but now they're only farming five acres, because [of] the Fulani. Their objective is to run these farmers out,” said Greg Kelley with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4435.  
  4436. Clashes between herdsmen and farmers have been happening in Nigeria <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.globalr2p.org/countries/nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">since 2011</a></strong></span>. According to the World Food Programme, today nearly<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.wfp.org/countries/nigeria" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 5 million people</a></strong></span> in northeast Nigeria face acute food insecurity due to conflict.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4437.  
  4438. “The big issue that's happening right now is the movement. For so much of the conflict, whether it was Boko Haram or the Fulani herdsmen, it was really concentrated in the northern part of Nigeria, north of the capital, Abuja,” said Kelley.
  4439.  
  4440. But the attacks have spread from the north into Central Nigeria’s breadbasket. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/nigeria-violence-and-widespread-displacement-leave-benue-facing-a-humanitarian-disaster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Benue State</a></strong></span> and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://morningstarnews.org/2025/07/devastated-christians-in-nigeria-pray-for-relief-and-help/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Plateau State</a></strong></span> have been hard hit.
  4441.  
  4442. <div id="attachment_215005" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215005" class="size-medium wp-image-215005" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/251A2555-1-200x300.jpg" alt="audio Bibles, Nigeria" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-215005" class="wp-caption-text">Listening to audio Bible (Photo courtesy of Unknown Nations)</p></div>
  4443.  
  4444. “The Fulani herdsmen, they have the cows, and they'll run them through these areas and trash the farmers' lands, which ultimately disrupts the food [harvest],” Kelley said. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4445.  
  4446. “It's not only the people that are dying immediately in the short term from the attacks, but the long-term instability is just threatening the entirety of this country."
  4447.  
  4448. A Fulani attack on July 14th killed at least 32 people in a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.org/2025/07/22/fulani-militias-kill-32-christians-in-plateau-village/">predominantly Christian farming village</a></strong></span> in Plateau State.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4449.  
  4450. “We’re moving into the second decade of these atrocities happening, and they're really <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/07/nigeria-violence-and-widespread-displacement-leave-benue-facing-a-humanitarian-disaster/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">being overlooked</a></strong></span> [by the] authorities," said Kelley. "No one is being held accountable.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4451.  
  4452. <strong>Please pray for discipleship efforts that will reach northern Nigeria for Christ.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4453.  
  4454. <b>“</b>We need to continue to multiply leaders. We need to continue to get resources [there] like our solar-powered audio Bible. There's obviously a humanitarian crisis that is underlying this whole situation [too],” said Kelley.
  4455.  
  4456. “But ultimately, when we're praying, we need to pray for disciple-making movements to take place.”
  4457.  
  4458. &nbsp;
  4459.  
  4460. &nbsp;
  4461.  
  4462. &nbsp;
  4463.  
  4464. <em>Header photo of herdsman courtesy of Unknown Nations. </em>]]>
  4465. </description>
  4466. <pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate>
  4467. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/fulani-attacks-moving-south-in-nigeria-impacting-food-security/</guid>
  4468. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/251A3458-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4469. </item>
  4470. <item>
  4471. <title>Warriors Battle retreats offer new life to veterans, first responders</title>
  4472. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/warriors-battle-retreats-offer-new-life-to-veterans-first-responders/</link>
  4473. <description>
  4474. <![CDATA[
  4475. USA (MNN) -- Military veterans and first responders face battles long after their time in uniform — PTSD, suicidal thoughts, broken relationships, and a lack of purpose. <a href="https://warriorssetfree.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Warriors Set Free</span></strong></a>, a ministry under <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Set Free Ministries</span></strong></a>, helps men confront those struggles with brotherhood and biblical truth.
  4476. <p data-start="517" data-end="881"><strong>Their signature event, the <a href="https://warriorssetfree.org/battle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em data-start="544" data-end="561">Warriors Battle</em></span></a>, is a three-day, camp-style retreat aimed at helping men confront the past and walk in biblical freedom.</strong></p>
  4477.  
  4478. <blockquote>
  4479. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="517" data-end="881"><strong>Steve Prince, director of Warriors Set Free, says, “We’re training them up to win life's battles. The war has been won. Jesus has conquered everything — but we have battles to fight to live this life victoriously.”</strong></p>
  4480. </blockquote>
  4481. <p data-start="517" data-end="881">The ministry welcomes veterans, first responders, and even civilians—if they bring a veteran with them. The retreat follows an acronym called TRIP: truth, relationships, identity, and purpose.</p>
  4482.  
  4483.  
  4484. <div id="attachment_216021" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216021" class="size-medium wp-image-216021" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/WarriorsBattle-8-1024x576-1-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /><p id="caption-attachment-216021" class="wp-caption-text">Warriors Battle retreat (Photo courtesy of Warriors Set Free)</p></div>
  4485. <p data-start="517" data-end="881">“We teach biblical principles to overcome suicidal thoughts [and] PTSD symptoms,” says Prince. “We have them tell their story, apply biblical principles of confess, repent, forgive, and we get to watch God help them unpack the pain from their past.”</p>
  4486. <p data-start="2057" data-end="2360">The retreat’s impact is often immediate. “We have wives who are shocked when their husbands come home and they notice the difference from day one,” Prince says. “We encourage the guys, ‘Don't go home and tell your wife that you're different. Live it out, be present, love your wife, spend time, serve.’”</p>
  4487. <p data-start="2362" data-end="2803">One man told Prince he wouldn’t have made it to his 25th anniversary without what he learned through Warriors Set Free.</p>
  4488. <p data-start="2362" data-end="2803">Another veteran, Jeremiah, accepted Christ at the retreat and began praying for his estranged son. Prince says four days later, Jeremiah's son texted him — angrily. “Jeremiah is like, ‘You're right. I was wrong.’ In his humility and in his honesty, his son wanted to reconnect…. God restored that relationship because of Jeremiah's obedience.”</p>
  4489. <p data-start="2805" data-end="3023">Warriors Set Free also offers one-day <a href="https://warriorssetfree.org/freedom/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em data-start="2843" data-end="2865">Freedom Appointments</em></span></strong></a> in person or over video call. “It doesn't matter where the warrior, the veteran, the first responder is — we can set up a video appointment and share what we do.”</p>
  4490.  
  4491.  
  4492. <div id="attachment_216023" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216023" class="size-medium wp-image-216023" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Warriors-Battle-RedBlack-768x668-1-300x261.png" alt="" width="300" height="261" /><p id="caption-attachment-216023" class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Warriors Set Free)</p></div>
  4493. <p data-start="3025" data-end="3309">Upcoming <em data-start="3034" data-end="3051">Warriors Battle</em> retreats are posted at <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a class="" href="https://warriorssetfree.org/battle" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-start="3075" data-end="3139">warriorssetfree.org/battle</a></span></strong>.</p>
  4494.  
  4495. <blockquote>
  4496. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="3025" data-end="3309"><strong>“If you have a veteran in your life that's hurting, first pray for them,” Prince urges. “Then check out Warrior Set Free and see if they're willing to connect with us.”</strong></p>
  4497. </blockquote>
  4498. <p data-start="3025" data-end="3309"></p>
  4499. <p data-start="3025" data-end="3309"></p>
  4500. <p data-start="3025" data-end="3309"></p>
  4501. <p data-start="3025" data-end="3309"></p>
  4502. <p data-start="3025" data-end="3309">Header photo courtesy of</p>]]>
  4503. </description>
  4504. <pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:00:04 -0400</pubDate>
  4505. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/warriors-battle-retreats-offer-new-life-to-veterans-first-responders/</guid>
  4506. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_7453-180x180.png" type="" length="" />
  4507. </item>
  4508. <item>
  4509. <title>Forgiving them led her to a radical encounter with God</title>
  4510. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/forgiving-them-led-her-to-a-radical-encounter-with-god/</link>
  4511. <description>
  4512. <![CDATA[
  4513. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Iran (MNN) — A</span>fter the June 24 ceasefire between Israel and Iran, the Iranian government has increased its <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://iranhumanrights.org/2025/07/iran-political-death-sentences-surge-in-brutal-crackdown-on-minorities/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oppression</a></strong></span> of its own people. <strong>Yet God continues to move and show Himself to those who search for Him, including those who know Him already.  </strong>
  4514.  
  4515. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Lana Silk with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/transform-iran/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Transform Iran</a></strong></span> describes Iranian believers this way: </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They love Jesus. They prize Him above all else. They are prepared to be persecuted, to be victimized, to be tortured, even imprisoned, killed, whatever it takes in order to continue to love Him and serve Him."</span>
  4516.  
  4517. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Many believers are leading others to the Lord even when they are still new to the faith themselves. Silk says many Iranians have deep pain and need discipleship to help them deal with it rightly. </span>
  4518.  
  4519. <span style="font-weight: 400;">One Iranian woman we'll call Shirin* radically encountered Jesus — but first He asked her to take a step in her own heart.</span>
  4520.  
  4521. <div id="attachment_203235" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-203235" class="size-medium wp-image-203235" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/TI_story-image-200x300.jpeg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-203235" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)</p></div>
  4522.  
  4523. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shirin was attending an underground discipleship gathering with Transform Iran. She told God that she wanted a vision of Him, like she had heard about from other Christians. <strong>Later, the speaker told everyone in the room that they needed to take care of any unforgiveness in their hearts before taking communion.</strong></span>
  4524.  
  4525. "She knew God had laid out a clear choice for her, that she had to forgive every person who had hurt her along her path," said Silk.
  4526.  
  4527. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Shirin obeyed and prayed. Suddenly, her body began to tremble as the Holy Spirit began working inside her. She then felt a fire in her body.</span>
  4528.  
  4529. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“She closed her eyes, and then she saw Jesus standing there, His face glowing," Silk said. </span>
  4530.  
  4531. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Afterward Shirin talked about how Jesus' crown was golden. She described His appearance and smile with clarity. Silk said, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"He spoke to her. He hugged her, kissed her on the forehead. He told her not to be afraid. He told her how much He loved her, and in that moment, He met the desires of her heart." </span>
  4532.  
  4533. <b>When Shirin surrendered her resentment to the Lord and chose to forgive, God mightily answered her prayer. </b>
  4534.  
  4535. Read more of the account of Shirin's story <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://transformiran.com/impact/christian-fellowship-in-iran-shirins-story-of-faith/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a></span>.
  4536.  
  4537. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for the underground Iranian church. Pray for more profound encounters with the Lord, continued strength and resources for gospel ministry, and that they would be filled with courage and protected by God.</span>
  4538.  
  4539. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“God is living and active, and that means He's living and active everywhere, and He's living and active in Iran,” Silk said.</span>
  4540.  
  4541. &nbsp;
  4542.  
  4543. <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><em>*Name changed</em>
  4544.  
  4545. &nbsp;
  4546.  
  4547. &nbsp;
  4548.  
  4549. Header photo courtesy of]]>
  4550. </description>
  4551. <pubDate>Mon, 28 Jul 2025 05:00:39 -0400</pubDate>
  4552. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/forgiving-them-led-her-to-a-radical-encounter-with-god/</guid>
  4553. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-pavel-danilyuk-8815235-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4554. </item>
  4555. <item>
  4556. <title>Seen as traitors by the Taliban: the unsafe return of Afghans deported from Pakistan</title>
  4557. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/seen-as-traitors-by-the-taliban-the-unsafe-return-of-afghans-deported-from-pakistan/</link>
  4558. <description>
  4559. <![CDATA[
  4560. Pakistan (MNN) — For the last three decades, many Afghans fled the war in their country to neighboring Pakistan. Now, many are being forcibly deported back — though their homeland is in shatters.
  4561.  
  4562. For nearly thirty years of war, Pakistan became a refuge for fleeing Afghans. Now, it's part of a global wave of forced deportations. Since 2023, nearly <a href="https://www.fidh.org/en/region/asia/afghanistan/afghanistan-iran-pakistan-mass-refoulement-of-afghan-refugees-a#:~:text=Pakistan%20has%20also%20forcibly%20returned,and%20asylum%20seekers%20since%202023." target="_blank" rel="noopener">900,000</a> have been sent back.
  4563.  
  4564. “There are about 3 million Afghans living in Pakistan, and this includes both registered refugees and undocumented individuals,” says Nehemiah from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>FMI</strong></a>.
  4565.  
  4566. <div id="attachment_216034" style="width: 212px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216034" class="size-medium wp-image-216034" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG-20240913-WA0055-202x300.jpg" alt="" width="202" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216034" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of FMI</p></div>
  4567.  
  4568. Many are now scraping together what little they had — homes, businesses — as deportation looms. Even those married to or related to Pakistanis are not safe. Though they were protected from the Taliban, life in Pakistan was never truly easy.
  4569.  
  4570. “Pakistan is not a diverse country,” explains Nehemiah, “and Pakistan has a culture of tribalism, where people would like to be around their own community… So Afghans are never welcome into Pakistan.”
  4571.  
  4572. Unwanted in Pakistan, they now return to hostility in Afghanistan.
  4573.  
  4574. “<strong>Taliban and local Afghan people in Afghanistan, they are treating them very badly. There are stories of violence, the stories of bad behavior towards people who are coming from Pakistan,</strong> <strong>because Afghan community thinks that they are traitors</strong>,” says Nehemiah.
  4575.  
  4576. There is no basic infrastructure in Afghanistan, and the economy is trembling. “It's devastating. It's a meltdown situation in Afghanistan. There is no school for girls in Afghanistan,” says Nehemiah. “Still, there is a beacon of hope in Pakistan that girls are able to go to school or college. But this is not a situation in Afghanistan.”
  4577.  
  4578. FMI has a unique ministry among Afghans in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. When refugees fled to Pakistan, FMI provided safe houses and cared for dozens of families. They also helped plant over a dozen churches in Afghanistan, where returnees can now reconnect with small congregations. Click <strong><a href="https://forgottenmissionaries.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> </strong>to learn more about what they do!
  4579. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Support the cause to expand the Kingdom, Lord's Kingdom. In this — one of the darkest, spiritually darkest places on Earth — like Afghanistan and the border areas of Asia and Pakistan, people can pray for Afghan returnees as they face immense challenges, economic hardship, emotional trauma, and struggle to rebuild their lives in a homeland that feels unfamiliar to them now,” says Nehemiah.</strong></p>
  4580. &nbsp;
  4581.  
  4582. &nbsp;
  4583.  
  4584. &nbsp;
  4585.  
  4586. &nbsp;
  4587.  
  4588. <em>Header photo courtesy of FMI. </em>]]>
  4589. </description>
  4590. <pubDate>Fri, 25 Jul 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  4591. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/seen-as-traitors-by-the-taliban-the-unsafe-return-of-afghans-deported-from-pakistan/</guid>
  4592. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG-20240913-WA0054-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4593. </item>
  4594. <item>
  4595. <title>A new report from Pew Research Center offers a reality check to gospel ministry in China</title>
  4596. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-new-report-from-pew-research-center-offers-a-reality-check-to-gospel-ministry-in-china/</link>
  4597. <description>
  4598. <![CDATA[
  4599. China (MNN) —<b> </b>The Pew Research Center has revised how it measures China’s religious landscape. Based on this standardized approach, it <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://chinachristiandaily.com/news/china/2025-06-16/pew-revises-method-for-measuring-religion-in-china-says-country-has-world-s-lowest-affiliation-rate-christian-population-outside-global-top-10-15363" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a></strong></span> that China is no longer on the world’s top 10 list for largest Christian populations.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4600.  
  4601. Kurt Rovenstine with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/bibles-for-china/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bibles for China</a></strong></span> said the report is sobering but no reason for Christians to slow down.
  4602.  
  4603. “I’m not here to debate the data or even to analyze it as much as to say how easy it is to get caught up in what we feel and what we hope, rather than what may actually be the reality,” he says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4604.  
  4605. The new report is a shift away from the narrative circulated in the 2010s. The story then was that China would soon be the nation with the most Christians in the world. With Pew’s adjusted data, it estimates that in 2010 China’s Christian population was 2.3 percent. Its original 2012 report put China’s 2010 Christian population at 5.1 percent (or 70.9 million).
  4606.  
  4607. To learn more about Pew’s revised approach, read pages 120-22 of its report <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2025/06/PR_2025.06.09_global-religious-change_report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>How the Global Religious Landscape Changed from 2010 to 2020</b></a></span>.
  4608.  
  4609. <div id="attachment_179791" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-179791" class="size-medium wp-image-179791" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/bfc122019-300x261.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="261" /><p id="caption-attachment-179791" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Bibles For China)</p></div>
  4610. <h2>Discipleship needed</h2>
  4611. Rovenstine says he’s reminded that life is challenging and ministry is hard. “There may be a re-analysis of the re-analysis moving forward, but we have to keep doing the work.”
  4612.  
  4613. Gospel ministry in China is still a mix of growth and challenge, such as reaching young people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4614.  
  4615. “When we go to rural China, we see a lot of older Christians. The younger Christians are a little harder to find,” Rovenstine says. “That informs us a little bit as to [deciding] ‘Where do we work? Who do we partner with?’ so that we can maybe help reach another generation.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4616.  
  4617. Since it is illegal in China to evangelize children, Bibles for China is limited in what it can do. But among the Chinese diaspora, they distribute a special storybook Bible for kids. Learn more about that in this <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/with-childrens-ministry-in-china-restricted-opportunity-lies-in-diaspora/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2024 report</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4618.  
  4619. In the meantime, pray for the gospel to advance in China!<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4620.  
  4621. “That definitely is a prayer for the Christians in China: ‘How can we creatively reach [the] next generation when that's technically, in many ways, illegal?’” Rovenstine says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4622.  
  4623. &nbsp;
  4624.  
  4625. &nbsp;
  4626.  
  4627. &nbsp;
  4628.  
  4629. <em>Header photo: Bibles for China provides people in rural China access to the Bible. (Image courtesy of DEZALB via Pixabay.)</em>]]>
  4630. </description>
  4631. <pubDate>Fri, 25 Jul 2025 05:00:28 -0400</pubDate>
  4632. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/a-new-report-from-pew-research-center-offers-a-reality-check-to-gospel-ministry-in-china/</guid>
  4633. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Bibles_For_China_church-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4634. </item>
  4635. <item>
  4636. <title>New translation project aims to reach 250 million with God’s Word</title>
  4637. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-translation-project-aims-to-reach-250-million-with-gods-word/</link>
  4638. <description>
  4639. <![CDATA[
  4640. Islands-Asia (MNN) -- A groundbreaking Bible translation initiative is underway in one of the largest Muslim-majority nations in the world, referred to by <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unfoldingword/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">unfoldingWord</span></strong></a> as “Islands-Asia” for security reasons.
  4641. <p data-start="406" data-end="702"><em>Though the Gospel has a historic presence in this particular country, the spiritual needs are still staggering.</em></p>
  4642. <p data-start="406" data-end="702">Dane with unfoldingWord says, “The Joshua Project lists about 195 million people in that country that are unreached with the Gospel. The Gospel has been there a long time, and so there are Christians in the country — but still, 250 million people do not have God's Word in their heart language.”</p>
  4643. <p data-start="406" data-end="702"><strong>The country is home to more than 700 language groups. But <span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">despite decades of faithful effort, only 100 New Testaments and 34 complete Bibles have been translated</span>. Dane adds, “The demand for Bible translation far exceeds the capacity of traditional methods and organizations.”</strong></p>
  4644.  
  4645.  
  4646. <div id="attachment_216014" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216014" class="wp-image-216014 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/496478397_1168460895324475_9019639202049960730_n-300x300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-216014" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of unfoldingWord)</p></div>
  4647. <p data-start="704" data-end="1131">The Whole Bible, Whole Nation project by unfoldingWord focuses on using the national language as a bridge to translate Scripture into minority languages.</p>
  4648. <p data-start="704" data-end="1131">“We used to call it a gateway language,” Dane explains. “Now we call it a strategic language. If you can get all of our translation tools into that strategic language, then they use them and they can translate the Bible for those...250 million people in that country that do not have God's Word.”</p>
  4649. <p data-start="1133" data-end="1424">UnfoldingWord recently signed a memorandum of understanding with a large church in Islands-Asia to integrate translation tools into local training.</p>
  4650.  
  4651. <blockquote>
  4652. <p style="text-align: center;" data-start="1133" data-end="1424"><strong>“Already, the church’s Bible translation ministry is utilizing our technology,” Dane says. “God is moving in a very powerful way.”</strong></p>
  4653. </blockquote>
  4654. <p data-start="1426" data-end="1734">Local leaders recognize the urgency. Dane shares the story of Birhan, a former forensic auditor turned Bible translation advocate. Birhan is from a local tribe still waiting for a complete Bible. "People will come to him and say, 'Oh, you just need it in the national language.' But he says, 'No, that will never be enough — because of how the devil has tricked my people with false teachings.'"</p>
  4655. <p data-start="1426" data-end="1734">As Birhan says, “We’ve been waiting 170 years for the Bible in our language. Finally, we are working on it.”</p>
  4656. <p data-start="1736" data-end="1858">You can support this Whole Bible, Whole Nation initiative by visiting <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a class="cursor-pointer" href="https://unfoldingword.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-start="1780" data-end="1826">unfoldingword.org</a></span></strong> to pray, donate, or learn more.</p>
  4657. <p data-start="1860" data-end="1968"><em>Header photo courtesy of Tim Wildsmith/Unplash.</em></p>]]>
  4658. </description>
  4659. <pubDate>Fri, 25 Jul 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  4660. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/new-translation-project-aims-to-reach-250-million-with-gods-word/</guid>
  4661. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/tim-wildsmith-lFPx2xtp35M-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4662. </item>
  4663. <item>
  4664. <title>Keeping a Kingdom lens in the midst of controversy</title>
  4665. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/keeping-a-kingdom-lens-in-the-midst-of-controversy/</link>
  4666. <description>
  4667. <![CDATA[
  4668. Gaza (MNN) — Hunger stalks Palestine, Yemen, Sudan, Haiti and other regions according to a June-October 2025 hotspot <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.fightfoodcrises.net/sites/default/files/resource/file/HungerHotspots2025_CD5684EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a></strong></span> from the UN World Food Programme.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>But the world spotlight these days is on Gaza.
  4669.  
  4670. The UN World Food Programme reports that from May to September 2025, nearly a quarter of Gaza’s 2.1 million people will be in level 5 catastrophic hunger. Now in July, the Hamas-run Palestinian Health Ministry reports that <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-international/ap-gaza-has-been-at-risk-of-famine-for-months-experts-say-heres-why-they-havent-declared-one/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dozens of people have died</a> </strong></span>who showed signs of hunger and malnutrition. Still, famine hasn't <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-international/ap-gaza-has-been-at-risk-of-famine-for-months-experts-say-heres-why-they-havent-declared-one/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">yet been officially declared</a></strong></span>.
  4671.  
  4672. In the controversial narratives, how should believers respond with God’s Kingdom in mind?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4673.  
  4674. Number one, <b>keep talking.</b>
  4675.  
  4676. “God is merciful and compassionate and loves all people. We <i>should</i> be speaking about the challenging things,” says *Brother Y, a former IDF soldier serving with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/global-catalytic-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Catalytic Ministries</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4677.  
  4678. To him, Palestinians are oppressed by the unelected leaders of Hamas. He says concerning the war, “Could it have been avoided 100% if Hamas was not there? Yes, 100%. [It] could have been avoided altogether, completely.”
  4679.  
  4680. <div id="attachment_178988" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-178988" class="size-medium wp-image-178988" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/gcmiranpray-300x280.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="280" /><p id="caption-attachment-178988" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy Global Catalytic Ministries)</p></div>
  4681.  
  4682. A second Kingdom response is to <b>seek the truth.</b>
  4683.  
  4684. “Since there [are] so many casualties and real trauma, obviously emotions are going to be high,” says Brother Y. “It's very difficult with what you're being fed in the media to be balanced.”
  4685.  
  4686. He believes Israel and the region are in the world's spotlight for spiritual reasons. “But there are political, geopolitical, [and] financial reasons as well why this get[s] spoken of in global media more than other conflicts with much higher death toll[s] and other issues.”
  4687.  
  4688. The furor makes it even more critical to <b>stay grounded in prayer.</b>
  4689.  
  4690. “We are crying that Maranatha cry: ‘Let your kingdom come,’” says Brother Y. Many times, that will mean something different than we expect.
  4691.  
  4692. “[In prayer] we go above and beyond our own ethnic background and our own geopolitical background, our preferences. <strong>We ask God, ‘What are you saying? What are you doing? Where are you going, and could you please take us with you? We want to collaborate and cooperate with you.’”</strong>
  4693.  
  4694. &nbsp;
  4695.  
  4696. <i>*Name withheld for security</i>
  4697.  
  4698. &nbsp;
  4699.  
  4700. &nbsp;
  4701.  
  4702. <em>Header photo courtesy of user Pastor Matt via Unsplash. </em>]]>
  4703. </description>
  4704. <pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2025 05:00:58 -0400</pubDate>
  4705. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/keeping-a-kingdom-lens-in-the-midst-of-controversy/</guid>
  4706. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pastor-matt-0PGKxBNf2Wg-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4707. </item>
  4708. <item>
  4709. <title>Help equip pastors in a persecution hotspot</title>
  4710. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/help-equip-pastors-in-a-persecution-hotspot/</link>
  4711. <description>
  4712. <![CDATA[
  4713. India (MNN) -- Anti-Christian violence is escalating in northern India, with attacks on believers rising <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/sharp-rise-in-attacks-on-christians-in-northern-india-casts-a-shadow-on-bjps-outreach-in-kerala/article69831343.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 550 percent</a></strong></span> in the past decade.
  4714.  
  4715. According to data compiled by the United Christian Forum (UCF), a Christian movement, the number of reported incidents targeting Christians catapulted from 127 cases in 2014 to 834 in 2024.
  4716.  
  4717. “We're seeing this rise of Hindu nationalism in these areas,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/christian-resources-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mission Cry</a></strong></span>’s Jason Woolford says.
  4718.  
  4719. “They're imprisoning, martyring, and bringing Christians up on charges for simply telling people about the Lord Jesus Christ.”
  4720.  
  4721. <div id="attachment_215993" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/India-2.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215993" class="size-medium wp-image-215993" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/India-2-300x169.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="169" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-215993" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Mission Cry)</p></div>
  4722.  
  4723. Mission Cry sends used Bibles and Christian books from the US to believers around the world. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://missioncry.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> Contacts in India tell Woolford about “church services [being] disrupted, attacks on people while they're worshiping; vandalizing [of] Christian institutions, and these are getting more frequent,” he says.
  4724.  
  4725. “They're being livestreamed and publicized to intimidate Christians from going to church and worshiping God.”
  4726.  
  4727. Hindu nationals seek to “purify” India by making it entirely Hindu. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.persecution.com/globalprayerguide/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">More about that here.</a></strong></span> Many pastors and evangelists have been beaten and jailed, and several are martyred each year. <em><strong>Still, the Church continues to grow.</strong></em>
  4728.  
  4729. “Pray for our people on the ground, the ones going into these areas and risking their lives to distribute the Word of God and to train students up in the ways of the Lord,” Woolford says.
  4730. <blockquote>
  4731. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They're willing to risk anything and everything they have for the sake of discipling and giving people a chance to ask Jesus into their life.”</strong></p>
  4732. </blockquote>
  4733. Mission Cry partners train and equip evangelists in northern India, a hotbed of persecution. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://missioncry.com/donation-form/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Send them critical resources by helping Mission Cry fill and ship a container.</a></strong></span>
  4734.  
  4735. “We're talking about tens of thousands of people being reached just off one container with distribution of books and then the training of many, many more,” Woolford says.
  4736.  
  4737. “We've sent two containers there already this year. There are some very strategic and ‘special ops’ things that we're working to get done. We would ask you to continue to give and support Mission Cry and these containers.”
  4738.  
  4739. &nbsp;
  4740.  
  4741. &nbsp;
  4742.  
  4743. &nbsp;
  4744.  
  4745. <em>Header and story images courtesy of Mission Cry. </em>]]>
  4746. </description>
  4747. <pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2025 05:00:42 -0400</pubDate>
  4748. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/help-equip-pastors-in-a-persecution-hotspot/</guid>
  4749. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/India-3-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4750. </item>
  4751. <item>
  4752. <title>People need worldview overhaul to be set free</title>
  4753. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/people-need-worldview-overhaul-to-be-set-free/</link>
  4754. <description>
  4755. <![CDATA[
  4756. USA (MNN) – According to Barna Research, only <a href="https://www.arizonachristian.edu/2023/03/14/barna-crc-research-identify-seven-cornerstones-for-restoring-biblical-worldview/"><strong>4% of Americans</strong></a> have a Christian worldview. Set Free Ministries sees this as the main underlying struggle plaguing those who come to them with anxiety, low self-esteem and more.
  4757. <h2>Identifying the Struggles</h2>
  4758. Dean Vander Mey with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Set Free Ministries</strong></span></a> says, “It's no small wonder in the environment that we are currently in. The way the world is heading right now, it's creating a lot of anxiety and fear and low self-esteem.”
  4759.  
  4760. The top five issues identified by people who come to Set Free Ministries are anxiety, low self-esteem, satisfaction in relationships, uncontrolled behaviors, and fear. Vander Mey says that much of this is fueled by constant access to news as well as social media.
  4761. <blockquote>“They're conditioned to be on these phones all the time. All they are doing is comparing themselves to others, and they're falling short. Then they're dissatisfied. So there's a lot of dissatisfaction and a lot of anxiety that's created because of comparison.”</blockquote>
  4762. While these symptoms are distressing, the deeper struggle with worldview poses bigger concerns. For instance, the constant intake of bad news rather than focusing on God and His truth can manifest as anxiety. However, the root problem is a misunderstanding of God’s sovereignty which affects all understanding of life.
  4763.  
  4764. Similarly, pursing relationships primarily with other sinners can manifest as depression since people often compare themselves in relationships. Pursuing a relationship with God first would help put this problem at bay.
  4765. <h2>So what can be done?</h2>
  4766. When people sign up for a freedom appointment, counselors use a version of Marcus Warner’s FISH model to help bring freedom. FISH stands for Freedom, Identity, Spirit-focused living, and Heart-focused living. This model helps participants remove barriers with God, understand what God says about them, live by the power of the Spirit, and continue to grow in ministry groups.
  4767.  
  4768. <div id="attachment_216000" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-216000" class="size-medium wp-image-216000" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/desperate-2293377_1280-300x195.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="195" /><p id="caption-attachment-216000" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Anemone123 from Pixabay)</p></div>
  4769.  
  4770. It doesn’t just sound like a good model, it’s consistently bringing healing. Vander Mey says, “It's getting a lot of traction, and people are hearing from all over the world what's going on with the people that have come through the ministry. So the fruit is real, and God is doing something rather miraculous here, after 30 years of ministry.”
  4771.  
  4772. There are several ways to get involved with Set Free Ministries from supporting them financially to setting up a freedom appointment. Whole churches can also be trained to follow this model.
  4773.  
  4774. If you’d like to pursue freedom in your life, please fill out the online form at <a href="https://setfreemin.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>setfreemin.org</strong></span></a> and book a freedom appointment. Vander Mey says they also always need prayer and financial support. Please consider joining their prayer team by contacting them directly. If you want to support the ministry financially <a href="https://setfreemin.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a>.
  4775.  
  4776. <em>Photo courtesy of Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay</em>]]>
  4777. </description>
  4778. <pubDate>Thu, 24 Jul 2025 05:00:40 -0400</pubDate>
  4779. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/people-need-worldview-overhaul-to-be-set-free/</guid>
  4780. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/desperate-5011953_1280-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4781. </item>
  4782. <item>
  4783. <title>Indonesian Christians grapple with new, animistic prayer regulation</title>
  4784. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indonesian-christians-grapple-with-new-animistic-prayer-regulation/</link>
  4785. <description>
  4786. <![CDATA[
  4787. Indonesia (MNN) — A modern-day “Daniel and the lions’ den” faces Christians in one region of Indonesia.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4788.  
  4789. Local partners of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/forgotten-missionaries-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FMI</a></strong></span> say that in late June, leaders in Landak Regency, West Kalimantan Province issued a new regulation. It requires all religions to follow animistic traditions in worship services.
  4790.  
  4791. The decision came from the Dayak Customary Council. The <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://minorityrights.org/communities/dayak/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dayak</a></strong></span> are <strong>an indigenous, historically animistic people group</strong>. Bruce Allen with FMI explains the regulation means all prayers must be offered to the spirits of rocks, trees, rivers, etc., not to God.
  4792.  
  4793. “I think about Daniel in the lions’ den. [He faced] regulations that were set up specifically to threaten him because he had the reputation for praying to Yahweh, not to the pagan deities,” Allen says.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4794.  
  4795. “Yet Daniel didn't change his habit — his spiritual discipline of prayer to God. He was willing to pay the price, the penalty for that.”
  4796. <blockquote>
  4797. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Indonesia is the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation. Its constitution guarantees freedom of religion. But Allen says, “That’s a piece of paper. Even though it's on paper, [it] doesn't mean that there aren't challenges at the very local, neighborhood level.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong></p>
  4798. </blockquote>
  4799. For example, Allen knew of a church years ago that was set on fire by an arsonist. The church members called the fire department. But the firefighters delayed a response. By the time they showed up, the  building had been reduced to ashes.
  4800.  
  4801. <div id="attachment_215984" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215984" class="size-medium wp-image-215984" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ainun-jamila-nwpGRTdDQRQ-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-215984" class="wp-caption-text">Traditional Dance from Dayak ethnic at International Dance Day 2019 in Digulist Park, Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. (Photo, caption courtesy of Ainun Jamila via Unsplash)</p></div>
  4802.  
  4803. In West Kalimantan, Christians make up more than a third of the Muslim-majority population. Compare that to the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/countries/id" target="_blank" rel="noopener">3.2%</a></strong></span> nationwide evangelical <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.indonesia-investments.com/culture/religion/christianity/item249?" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christian presence in Indonesia</a></strong></span>.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4804.  
  4805. <strong>“There has been incredible fruit in this area,” Allen says. “There’s got to be some spiritual warfare going on.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4806.  
  4807. Those who break this new prayer law will face the threat of fines or even being expelled from the community. Pray as FMI and local believers respond as people who worship the one true God.
  4808.  
  4809. “The Christian community in this regency (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://australiaindonesia.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Five_Levels_Govt_051320-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">county</a></strong></span>) is just wrapping their minds around, ‘What does this mean? What are its implications, and do we take them to court over this?’” says Allen.
  4810.  
  4811. “Number one, [pray] for their courage and willingness to not compromise. Then number two, [pray] for wisdom, for the Christian leaders to know, ‘Okay, how do we as a group of Christian churches advocate on behalf of our church members to the authorities?”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4812.  
  4813. &nbsp;
  4814.  
  4815. &nbsp;
  4816.  
  4817. <em>Header photo courtesy of FMI. </em>]]>
  4818. </description>
  4819. <pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2025 05:00:09 -0400</pubDate>
  4820. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/indonesian-christians-grapple-with-new-animistic-prayer-regulation/</guid>
  4821. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/FMI_christians-singing-indonesia-03-27-151-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4822. </item>
  4823. <item>
  4824. <title>Recent clashes pause Gospel work among the Druze</title>
  4825. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/recent-clashes-pause-gospel-work-among-the-druze/</link>
  4826. <description>
  4827. <![CDATA[
  4828. Syria (MNN) -- Syria remains in the headlines thanks to clashes between government forces and the minority Druze. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-druze-bedouin-clashes-israel-f066b472abcb9c1d546b4e3d713feadd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Evacuations begin</a></strong></span> as a shaky ceasefire holds.
  4829.  
  4830. Over a thousand people <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.commonspace.eu/index.php/news/more-1100-people-killed-after-clashes-syrias-druze-majority-province-sweida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have been killed</a></strong></span> since fighting erupted last week. Samuel of Redemptive Stories says the Lord is moving among the Druze, but the latest conflict puts believers at an even higher risk.
  4831.  
  4832. “Before the conflict, there was significant movement [of] God’s Spirit in that space – lots of house churches meeting, growing together, studying God’s Word, and sharing with their neighbors. A lot of that will be stopped for this season,” Samuel says.
  4833.  
  4834. But who exactly are the Druze, and what do they have to do with believers?
  4835.  
  4836. “The Druze are a religion that is gnostic, which means only certain leaders within that religion have the whole understanding of what they believe as a people,” Samuel explains.
  4837. <blockquote>
  4838. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“That (knowledge barrier) has recently opened them up to connection with Christians, and to see a movement of God’s Spirit take place among the Druze.”</strong></p>
  4839. </blockquote>
  4840. Syria’s new leaders are not friendly to religious minorities. Conflict of any kind between government forces and any minority group puts Christians at an even higher risk.
  4841.  
  4842. “Known believers in Jesus from the Druze community will face potentially additional persecution from the Sunni government, as well as the Sunni Bedouin community,” Samuel says.
  4843.  
  4844. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/syria-declares-truce-in-suweida-but-will-it-last/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">As explained here</a></strong></span>, “The Bedouins are Sunni Muslims; they’ve been the enforcers, perhaps, of the current government in areas in the south.”
  4845.  
  4846. Ask the Lord to encourage and empower His followers in Syria during this tumultuous time.
  4847.  
  4848. “Our brothers and sisters in Syria continue to be bold and strong in the face of so much challenge, and yet they find joy in continuing to walk in faith and serve our Lord and Savior. Pray that God would give them strength to keep pressing on,” Samuel requests.
  4849.  
  4850. “Pray for those who have been directly affected by this conflict. May God provide for their needs, but then also provide His comfort and peace to them.”
  4851.  
  4852. &nbsp;
  4853.  
  4854. &nbsp;
  4855.  
  4856. &nbsp;
  4857.  
  4858. <em>Header image depicts Druze and Christian leaders in As-Suwayda (Suweida), Syria. </em><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Druze_and_Christians_in_Syria.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">(Wikimedia Commons)</span></em></a>]]>
  4859. </description>
  4860. <pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2025 05:00:52 -0400</pubDate>
  4861. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/recent-clashes-pause-gospel-work-among-the-druze/</guid>
  4862. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Druze_and_Christians_in_Syria-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4863. </item>
  4864. <item>
  4865. <title>Two tons of the Gospel: Zulu booklets reach thousands at South African youth conference</title>
  4866. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/two-tons-of-the-gospel-zulu-booklets-reach-thousands-at-south-african-youth-conference/</link>
  4867. <description>
  4868. <![CDATA[
  4869. <span style="font-weight: 400;">South Africa (MNN) -- A massive youth conference in South Africa became the launch point for a powerful Scripture outreach, thanks to <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/world-missionary-press/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">World Missionary Press (WMP)</span></strong></a> and its local partners.</span>
  4870.  
  4871. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Earlier this month, over 7,000 young people from across the region <a href="https://www.ksb.org.za/youth-conference-july-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">gathered at KwaSizabantu Mission</span></strong></a> for a week of worship, teaching, and spiritual renewal.</span>
  4872.  
  4873. <div id="attachment_215925" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215925" class="size-medium wp-image-215925" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Dr-Peter-Hammond-addresses-the-KSB-Youth-Conference-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-215925" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Peter Hammond addresses the KSB youth conference. (Photo, caption courtesy of World Missionary Press)</p></div>
  4874.  
  4875. <span style="font-weight: 400;">One speaker at the KSB youth conference, Dr. Peter Hammond with Livingstone Fellowship, brought more than a message. He brought <a href="https://www.wmpress.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Gospel booklets printed by WMP.</span></strong></a></span>
  4876. <blockquote>
  4877. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Helen Williams with WMP says, “The service was overflowing, and they passed out two tons of World Missionary Press Gospel booklets in Zulu to this mission in time for the youth conference!”</strong></p>
  4878. </blockquote>
  4879. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The truth of Scripture is especially needed in South Africa. Although Christianity as a religious label is increasing across the country, mainline denominations are decreasing. More and more South African youth are drawn to heretical offshoots of Christianity, prosperity gospel, and cults.</span>
  4880.  
  4881. <span style="font-weight: 400;">By reading and knowing God’s Word, young people can better discern false teachings and follow Jesus in wisdom and truth!</span>
  4882.  
  4883. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Williams says, “It's encouraging! I can just see this guy in South Africa handing out two tons – 4,000 pounds – of booklets, and all these young, eager Christian South Africans from the region ready to go out with their Zulu booklets.</span>
  4884. <blockquote>
  4885. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Only the Lord can do all of this – lay out this plan of distribution, and us taking the money that is sent to us and the prayers that are given for us. We just print [the booklets] and then we send them, and the whole plan just amazes me.”</strong></p>
  4886. </blockquote>
  4887. <div id="attachment_215926" style="width: 205px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215926" class="size-medium wp-image-215926" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KwaSizabantu-Mission-Youth-Conference-July-2025-48-e1752774248424-195x300.jpg" alt="" width="195" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-215926" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of World Missionary Press)</p></div>
  4888.  
  4889. <span style="font-weight: 400;">WMP works with trusted ministry partners like Dr. Hammond to get Gospel material to the ends of the earth.</span>
  4890.  
  4891. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is what our people in various countries do. They don't just sit on it. They don't just wait for someone to call. They find these opportunities, and they get the material out into the hands of people.”</span>
  4892.  
  4893. <span style="font-weight: 400;">From the rural mission base in KwaZulu-Natal, the ripple effect of this youth outreach is just beginning. The hope is that each booklet given out will find its way into a home, a school, or a village – and a heart.</span>
  4894.  
  4895. Pray for conference attendees to share their faith boldly, using WMP Gospel booklets as a resource! As South Africans encounter Scripture, may they be drawn to the Lord's truth and lovingkindness.
  4896.  
  4897. You can <a href="https://www.wmpress.org/give/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">support WMP's ministry here!</span></strong></a>
  4898.  
  4899. &nbsp;
  4900.  
  4901. &nbsp;
  4902.  
  4903. &nbsp;
  4904.  
  4905. Header photo courtesy of World Missionary Press.]]>
  4906. </description>
  4907. <pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2025 05:00:02 -0400</pubDate>
  4908. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/two-tons-of-the-gospel-zulu-booklets-reach-thousands-at-south-african-youth-conference/</guid>
  4909. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/KwaSizabantu-Mission-Youth-Conference-July-2025-20-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4910. </item>
  4911. <item>
  4912. <title>Fulani missionaries prepare for outreach as herdsmen persecute Christians</title>
  4913. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/fulani-missionaries-prepare-for-outreach-as-herdsmen-persecute-christians/</link>
  4914. <description>
  4915. <![CDATA[
  4916. Nigeria (MNN) -- Christian leaders in Nigeria are <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://morningstarnews.org/2025/07/devastated-christians-in-nigeria-pray-for-relief-and-help/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calling for prayer</a></strong></span> as believers face unrelenting attacks from Fulani herdsmen.
  4917.  
  4918. Christian communities <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://morningstarnews.org/2025/07/fulanis-kill-five-christians-kidnap-110-others-in-northwest-nigeria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continue to suffer</a></strong></span> raids, sexual violence, killings at roadblocks, and kidnappings. Recent victims include two teenagers and a nine-month-old baby.
  4919.  
  4920. Jihadist groups like Boko Haram, Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), and <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/news/lakurawa-threat-in-nigeria-compounds-pressure-from-boko-haram-fulani-and-islamic-state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lakurawa</a></strong></span> also pose an ongoing threat.
  4921.  
  4922. “In the void of ethical leadership, there’s always going to be these bad actors that try to swoop in and gain access to the resources,” <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Unknown Nations’</a></strong></span> Greg Kelley says.
  4923.  
  4924. “Then you’ve got the agenda of Islam, which is to take over the entirety of that country.”
  4925.  
  4926. Believers aren’t the only ones who suffer. Fulani herdsmen, although Islamist, also attack properties owned by Muslims.
  4927.  
  4928. “It’s not like every Muslim in Nigeria is applauding what’s going on. They’re just as dissatisfied and frustrated as the Christians are, but it opens their heart,” Kelley says.
  4929. <blockquote>
  4930. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“Their worldview is challenged, and they’re open to the Gospel.”</strong></p>
  4931. </blockquote>
  4932. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10949/NI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Fulani</a></strong></span> were among Nigeria’s first converts to Islam, and this religious system is central to their identity. <em><strong>Yet hope remains for this people group.</strong></em> “We’re seeing God move in very unique ways,” Kelley says.
  4933.  
  4934. “He’s saving people who come from these aggressors and using them as missionaries. There are 300 Fulani leaders that are going to be trained in the next few weeks.”
  4935.  
  4936. Ask the Lord to put His words into the mouths of Fulani Gospel workers.
  4937.  
  4938. “The most passionate and enthusiastic laborers are coming out of the three largest Muslim people groups,” Kelley says.
  4939.  
  4940. “When you’ve come out of that darkness, you understand the significance of it (salvation) way more than someone who came from a majority [Christian] people group.”
  4941.  
  4942. &nbsp;
  4943.  
  4944. &nbsp;
  4945.  
  4946. <em>Header image is an AI-generated photo depicting Fulani herdsmen created using </em><a href="https://gencraft.com/p/Zl9n3z" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>GenCraft.</em></a>]]>
  4947. </description>
  4948. <pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:00:22 -0400</pubDate>
  4949. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/fulani-missionaries-prepare-for-outreach-as-herdsmen-persecute-christians/</guid>
  4950. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GenCraft_fulani-militants-nigeria-e1741365653212-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  4951. </item>
  4952. <item>
  4953. <title>Pavlo: A story within stories from the Ukrainian front line</title>
  4954. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pavlo-a-story-within-stories-from-the-ukrainian-front-line/</link>
  4955. <description>
  4956. <![CDATA[
  4957. Ukraine (MNN) — For one Ukrainian soldier named Pavlo, separation from his wife and son is worse than the danger of the front lines.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4958.  
  4959. “That’s the deepest pain I experience,” he said. “Every time I go to the front, I realize it might be my last. I record a goodbye video then delete it. And do it again. Every time.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4960.  
  4961. One Washington D.C.-based think tank has <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/04/europe/russia-war-casualties-1-million-ukraine-intl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a></strong></span> that nearly 1 million Russian soldiers have been wounded or killed in the Russia-Ukraine war. It <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/04/europe/russia-war-casualties-1-million-ukraine-intl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a></strong></span> that Ukraine has seen nearly 400,000 wounded or killed.
  4962.  
  4963. <div id="attachment_215973" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215973" class="size-medium wp-image-215973" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/julia-kadel-YmULswIbc3I-unsplash-300x203.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="203" /><p id="caption-attachment-215973" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Julia Kadel via Unsplash)</p></div>
  4964.  
  4965. Pavlo’s story is tucked within two other stories like a <i>matryoshka</i> or nesting doll, says Eric Mock with the Slavic Gospel Association (SGA). <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4966.  
  4967. <strong>The first story surrounding Pavlo is that of Angela and Val.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></strong>
  4968.  
  4969. Angela was born in the US, but her husband, Val, is a missionary chaplain supported by SGA. She regularly says goodbye to him as he goes out to minister to men on the frontlines.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4970.  
  4971. “Her family appeals to her often to please, come home where it is safe and secure,” says Mock. “She responds that her ministry is there with her husband, and her husband is following the calling to minister there.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4972.  
  4973. Angela wrote Pavlo’s story after Val sat with him for hours. She then sent it to Kristi Mock, <strong>who is part of the next layer surrounding Pavlo: the SGA storytelling network.</strong>
  4974.  
  4975. “They tell stories that defy the imagination,” Mock says of the few ordinary people who gather news of God at work in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Israel and other countries.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4976.  
  4977. Kristi Mock also knows what it’s like to send family into dangerous zones. Mock travels to visit partners across the Slavic-speaking world. Some of them live in active conflict zones like Ukraine.
  4978.  
  4979. <div id="attachment_214728" style="width: 235px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-214728" class="size-medium wp-image-214728" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Chaplain-Praying-and-Preaching-with-Soldiers-225x300.jpeg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-214728" class="wp-caption-text">Chaplain Praying and Preaching with Soldiers (photo courtesy of SGA)</p></div>
  4980.  
  4981. “While I'm away, she prays for me. She cares for family,” said Mock. “There's a certain amount of trepidation and fear because she's sending me away to countries [experiencing conflict].”
  4982.  
  4983. <b>From Val to Angela to Kristi, Pavlo had simple words to share with civilians: </b>“Live. Do everything you can to stay alive. The dead can’t change anything. The dead can’t speak.”
  4984.  
  4985. Mock says, “He [told] Val that, in the military, even tanks are more valuable than men. It's difficult to replace a tank or a high-tech weapon, but it seems like it's less difficult to just put another man into the trenches. There, it seems that the value of life is lessened.”
  4986.  
  4987. But Pavlo has experienced something else now: the value of his own life honored by an ordinary chaplain.
  4988.  
  4989. “I’d never met a chaplain before,” Pavlo said to Val. “But I came to you with so many questions. I talked for three hours straight, and you just listened. That silence — it surprised me. But later, back in my room, I realized I felt lighter. I don’t know what it is, but something draws me back.”<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>
  4990.  
  4991. <strong>Pray for Pavlo and men like him caught in the war, that they will come to know the value God places on their lives.</strong>
  4992.  
  4993. In writing Pavlo’s story, Angela said, “Christ doesn’t promise fairness. He doesn’t promise we’ll recover everything we’ve lost. But He offers something no system, no army, no nation ever can: soul-deep healing and the assurance that our value is not based on what we do or what we carry — but on His love for us."
  4994.  
  4995. More stories come in every week from SGA. Find them at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://sga.org">sga.org</a>.</strong></span>
  4996.  
  4997. &nbsp;
  4998.  
  4999. &nbsp;
  5000.  
  5001. &nbsp;
  5002.  
  5003. <em>Header photo courtesy of Slavic Gospel Association. </em>]]>
  5004. </description>
  5005. <pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:00:30 -0400</pubDate>
  5006. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/pavlo-a-story-within-stories-from-the-ukrainian-front-line/</guid>
  5007. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/9b7a4f44-ae09-4880-8310-e0cf9ecaa4ce-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5008. </item>
  5009. <item>
  5010. <title>Radio ministry, inspired by tragedy, bring gospel truths to millions</title>
  5011. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/radio-ministry-inspired-by-tragedy-bring-gospel-truths-to-millions/</link>
  5012. <description>
  5013. <![CDATA[
  5014. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Uganda (MNN) — Twenty-five years ago, in March of 2000, false teachings led to tragedy in Uganda’s Kanungu district. At least 700 followers of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God — a doomsday cult — were burned to death. </span>
  5015.  
  5016. <span style="font-weight: 400;">This tragedy compelled Pastor Reuben Musiime and his associates to begin a radio ministry in Uganda that would share the truth of the Gospel, according to Brian Dennett of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMG International,</a></strong></span> which partners with Pastor Reuben.</span>
  5017.  
  5018. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“They were really devastated by that. After reflecting, they felt called to help people all over Uganda to understand the gospel and what salvation is truly about, so that they could enjoy their walk with the Lord, and that they could be confident in knowing who the Lord was and what His purpose was for them,” says Dennett.</span>
  5019.  
  5020. <div id="attachment_173784" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-173784" class="wp-image-173784 size-medium" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/AMG-Radio-Uganda-300x285.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="285" /><p id="caption-attachment-173784" class="wp-caption-text">Photo courtesy of AMG International via amginternational.org</p></div>
  5021.  
  5022. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Today, the ministry reaches around ten million listeners with messages ranging from walking with Jesus, family life, church, social issues, and more.</span>
  5023.  
  5024. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“The program revolves around healthy doctrinal teaching right out of the Bible, warning believers about emerging false initiatives and false prophets and cult activity in Uganda—even the prosperity gospel, which is pretty rampant all over Africa,” says Dennett, who spoke during the ministry’s series on how to be a Christian father. “We do have so much in common as brothers and sisters, no matter where we live. Our struggles and challenges are not so different.”</span>
  5025.  
  5026. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Radio has proven to be a powerful way to start conversations and share the truth of Jesus in parts of the world that are challenging to reach with the Gospel. To partner with media evangelism initiatives at AMG International, go to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.amginternational.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">amginternational.org</a></strong></span>.</span>
  5027.  
  5028. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Please be in prayer,” says Dennett, “as we seek to reach people around the world for Jesus.”</span>
  5029.  
  5030. <br style="font-weight: 400;" /><br style="font-weight: 400;" />
  5031.  
  5032. &nbsp;
  5033.  
  5034. <em>Header photo courtesy of AMG International.</em>]]>
  5035. </description>
  5036. <pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2025 05:00:24 -0400</pubDate>
  5037. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/radio-ministry-inspired-by-tragedy-bring-gospel-truths-to-millions/</guid>
  5038. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/radio-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5039. </item>
  5040. <item>
  5041. <title>ICC issues arrest warrants for Taliban chiefs</title>
  5042. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/icc-issues-arrest-warrants-for-taliban-chiefs/</link>
  5043. <description>
  5044. <![CDATA[
  5045. Afghanistan (MNN) -- Human rights activists celebrate a recent move to arrest two senior Taliban leaders for crimes against humanity.
  5046.  
  5047. The <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jul/08/international-criminal-court-icc-arrest-warrants-taliban-supreme-leader-persecution-women" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Criminal Court says</a></strong></span> the Taliban’s supreme leader and chief justice implemented policies that amount to gender apartheid. Since reclaiming power in Afghanistan four years ago, the Taliban has removed girls from school and banned women from public life.
  5048.  
  5049. “I don’t imagine the Taliban think they’re doing anything other than adhering to their worldview,” Denise Godwin with <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/international-media-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Media Ministries</a></strong></span> says.
  5050. <blockquote>
  5051. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“They need to have the light of Christ shown into their hearts to redeem a carnal nature that has shunted aside half of their population.”</strong></p>
  5052. </blockquote>
  5053. Christians in Afghanistan face some of the harshest persecution in the world. The country remains one of the most dangerous places to be a follower of Jesus, largely because Islam is deeply interwoven with Afghan identity and society.
  5054.  
  5055. The situation has become even more dire with the Taliban’s resurgence, as the regime’s strict interpretation of Islam allows no room for religious freedom. Despite these dangers, a small underground Church continues to exist, clinging to hope and faith under constant threat.
  5056.  
  5057. <div id="attachment_205069" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMM_esther-story-pic.jpg"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-205069" class="size-medium wp-image-205069" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/IMM_esther-story-pic-300x211.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="211" /></a><p id="caption-attachment-205069" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of IMM)</p></div>
  5058.  
  5059. International Media Ministries creates Gospel-centered media in over 70 languages. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://imm.edu/projects" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View current projects here.</a></strong></span> IMM’s materials help to encourage secret believers in closed countries and introduce the hope of Christ to people in despair.
  5060.  
  5061. “I know people working very clandestinely to help Afghanistan, and have mentioned, could we maybe do some of these Women of the Bible stories into some of the languages for Afghanistan? And I’m praying that we can,” Godwin says.
  5062.  
  5063. “The women can’t leave their homes, so media is a principal way to get them a message that they are precious in the eyes of God, no matter what the Taliban says.”
  5064.  
  5065. Ask the Lord to provide for groups like International Media Ministries that are helping people from a distance.
  5066.  
  5067. “Pray and call God’s power into the situation, that there could be escape and freedom for these women, for the people who are lied to by Islam,” Godwin requests.
  5068.  
  5069. &nbsp;
  5070.  
  5071. &nbsp;
  5072.  
  5073. &nbsp;
  5074.  
  5075. <em>Header image depicts a Taliban member in Kabul circa 2022. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taliban_member_with_chest_flags.png" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  5076. </description>
  5077. <pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2025 05:00:23 -0400</pubDate>
  5078. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/icc-issues-arrest-warrants-for-taliban-chiefs/</guid>
  5079. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Taliban_member_with_chest_flags-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5080. </item>
  5081. <item>
  5082. <title>Strengthened ministry during a fragile ceasefire</title>
  5083. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/strengthened-ministry-during-a-fragile-ceasefire/</link>
  5084. <description>
  5085. <![CDATA[
  5086. <span style="font-weight: 400">Lebanon (MNN) – “It feels like a ceasefire with a large asterisk, from the beginning when it was negotiated.”</span>
  5087.  
  5088. <span style="font-weight: 400">Pierre Houssney with <strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/horizons-international/">Horizons International</a></strong> gives an update on the November 2024 deal between Israel and Hezbollah, one that </span><strong><a href="https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/artc-hezbollah-violates-ceasefire-7-times-a-day-on-average-idf-figures-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continues to be violated</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> as frustration mounds. Lebanon’s </span><span style="font-weight: 400">President Joseph Aoun maintains that all non-state actors should be disarmed, though Houssney says Aoun's administration has not made significant headway toward this end. </span>
  5089.  
  5090. <span style="font-weight: 400">“The big asterisk that’s at the end of the ceasefire agreement is that really it’s contingent on complete disarmament of Hezbollah, which is not something Hezbollah wants to do or will ever accept,” he says. </span>
  5091.  
  5092. <span style="font-weight: 400">Though a number of Hezbollah’s weapons caches were eliminated last fall, </span><strong><a href="https://www.crisisgroup.org/middle-east-north-africa/east-mediterranean-mena/lebanon-israelpalestine-united-states/reinforcing-shaky-israel-lebanon-ceasefire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Israel continues to strike Lebanon</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> with missiles. </span>
  5093.  
  5094. <span style="font-weight: 400">“Sometimes it’s clear that those missile strikes are just wiping out weapons caches here and there,” Houssney says. “Sometimes it’s not as clear what the goal is or whether there were really weapons there.” </span>
  5095.  
  5096. <span style="font-weight: 400">The situation remains unstable. But for ministry, it’s business as usual. </span>
  5097.  
  5098. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We’re used to these kinds of crises. We’re used to war coming in and out. We’re used to all kinds of drama,” Houssney says. </span>
  5099.  
  5100. <span style="font-weight: 400">Meanwhile, he points out, people tend to be more spiritually open during crises. </span>
  5101. <blockquote><strong>“And so we are continuing our work in spreading the message of the Gospel – the message of hope in Jesus – as much as we can to as many people that will listen. And so many people are listening right now. It’s very encouraging.” </strong></blockquote>
  5102. <span style="font-weight: 400">Houssney reminds MNN listeners that while it can be tempting to villainize opposition, a Kingdom view transcends political and national bounds to see the situation for what it is: a spiritual battleground.</span>
  5103.  
  5104. <span style="font-weight: 400">“There are good things and bad things done by all the different sides. The truth remains the same, which is that anybody who hasn’t given their life to Jesus is headed toward destruction. And so we need to be seeing these conflicts with spiritual eyes, and seeing what is the spiritual side of this,” he says. </span>
  5105.  
  5106. <span style="font-weight: 400">In times of lack, in times of prosperity – in all times – how can we use what we have to advance God’s Kingdom? </span>
  5107. <blockquote><strong>“It’s not about moving a border. It’s not about winning a war. It’s about winning souls to eternity,” Houssney says.  </strong></blockquote>
  5108. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray for the ministry of Horizons International in Lebanon. Pray specifically for the approximately 150 Lebanese Evangelical congregations: that they would be strengthened in the Lord and equipped to share the Gospel with those around them. </span>
  5109.  
  5110. <div id="attachment_215944" style="width: 598px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215944" class=" wp-image-215944" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-samphotography-7733587-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="588" height="392" /><p id="caption-attachment-215944" class="wp-caption-text">Above photo courtesy of Sleiman Al-Khatib via Pexels; featured photo Courtesy of Mohamad Mekawi via Pexels</p></div>]]>
  5111. </description>
  5112. <pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2025 05:00:37 -0400</pubDate>
  5113. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/strengthened-ministry-during-a-fragile-ceasefire/</guid>
  5114. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-mohamad-mekawi-74909946-10122911-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5115. </item>
  5116. <item>
  5117. <title>Education for those trapped in slavery in Pakistan</title>
  5118. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/education-for-those-trapped-in-slavery-in-pakistan/</link>
  5119. <description>
  5120. <![CDATA[
  5121. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Pakistan (MNN) - The </span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://pulitzercenter.org/projects/bonded-brick-reality-modern-day-slavery-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting</a></span></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"> says an estimated </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">3.5 to 4 million bonded laborers</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> work in </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">around 20,000 Pakistani brick kilns. </span>
  5122.  
  5123. <span style="font-weight: 400;">While the practice of bonded labor in the country has been illegal since the 1990s, it is not commonly enforced. Debts carry on to children so the slavery is </span><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2019/10/21/the-spiralling-debt-trapping-pakistans-brick-kiln-workers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cyclical and inescapable</a></span></strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">. Entire generations are being born into slavery as families work for years to pay off their initially small loans. </span>
  5124.  
  5125. <span style="font-weight: 400;">These factories, which require the laborious and exhaustive work of adults and children, are known to cause severe</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> health issues and do not report back to families on how much debt is owed or what the interest rates are.</span>
  5126.  
  5127. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Brian Dennett with </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.amginternational.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMG International</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> says, “These [kilns] are all over Pakistan and [slaves] make bricks one by one, by hand. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">This has been going on for years and years. It's a long-held practice in Pakistan. People are forced to toil from dawn to dusk with quotas of what they have to produce.”</span>
  5128.  
  5129. <div id="attachment_188622" style="width: 210px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-188622" class="size-medium wp-image-188622" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/muhammad-muzamil-7S9x9US26Ow-unsplash-200x300.jpg" alt="pakistan, child, unsplash, uncharted ministries" width="200" height="300" /><p id="caption-attachment-188622" class="wp-caption-text">(Photo courtesy of Muhammad Muzamil via Unsplash)</p></div>
  5130.  
  5131. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Thanks to </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/amg-international/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AMG</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and its supporters, Rasul and his three children were rescued from slavery in a brick kiln. </span>
  5132.  
  5133. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“This was [his] daily nightmare,” says Dennett. “Working conditions where your lungs are filled with dust all day long. [Spending] hours in the hot sun, sunburns, [with] his own young children working right alongside him stacking bricks instead of learning to read and write.”</span>
  5134.  
  5135. <span style="font-weight: 400;">“Many of these families are Christians, our brothers and sisters [who are] highly discriminated against in the workplace anywhere else in Pakistan. It drives them into these terrible situations.”</span>
  5136.  
  5137. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The AMG team in Pakistan works with legal professionals to try and rescue these families and stop this cycle. Last year they began to raise money for a school so that the children of slaves will have an opportunity to escape the cycle.</span>
  5138.  
  5139. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Set to open in the next couple of months, Dennett says, “We're going to have a beautiful, safe facility within walking distance of the brick kilns in that area. This is going to provide many children the opportunity to study in a Christian environment where the gospel is shared [and] where hope is shared. We're just excited for this to grow and to see more and more families get out of slavery like Rasul was able to.”</span>
  5140.  
  5141. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The school will share the gospel and hope of Jesus and will welcome the children of slaves from all faith backgrounds. </span>
  5142.  
  5143. <span style="font-weight: 400;">The school will be operated using child sponsorship funding but has a remaining need of roughly $40,000 for final startup expenses, like school supplies and furnishings and welcomes </span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://amginternational.org/project/ministry-expansion-in-pakistan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">funding for this project</a></strong></span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and in general. </span>
  5144.  
  5145. <span style="font-weight: 400;">Please pray for the team working in this area as the gospel is not always welcomed in Pakistan. Pray that God’s hand will be on the school and a step toward ending this labor. Pray that the resources and support for this ministry will be strong and empower the team to do good work. </span>
  5146.  
  5147. &nbsp;
  5148.  
  5149. &nbsp;
  5150.  
  5151. &nbsp;
  5152.  
  5153. <em>Header photo of man in Lahore, Pakistan courtesy of Lumensoft Technologies via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  5154. </description>
  5155. <pubDate>Mon, 21 Jul 2025 05:00:49 -0400</pubDate>
  5156. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/education-for-those-trapped-in-slavery-in-pakistan/</guid>
  5157. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/lumensoft-technologies-Uhi7Wxq02Fk-unsplash-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5158. </item>
  5159. <item>
  5160. <title>Church suffers airstrike as Gaza truce talks falter</title>
  5161. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-suffers-airstrike-as-gaza-truce-talks-falter/</link>
  5162. <description>
  5163. <![CDATA[
  5164. Gaza (MNN) -- <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/strike-gaza-catholic-church-kills-two-injures-several-patriarchate-says-2025-07-17/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yesterday’s airstrike</a></strong></span> on Holy Family Catholic Church, one of the few churches in Gaza, killed two and left several injured.
  5165.  
  5166. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/uncharted-ministries/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Uncharted Ministries’</a></strong></span> Tom Doyle says, “There are three above-ground churches in Gaza. There’s a Catholic church, a Greek Orthodox church, and a Baptist church.”
  5167.  
  5168. Following the attack, Pope Leo called for “an immediate ceasefire.” In Qatar, truce talks between Israel and Hamas <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.newarab.com/news/deadly-israeli-bombings-hit-gaza-aid-area-ceasefire-stagnates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have stalled</a></strong></span> after two weeks, with each side blaming the other.
  5169.  
  5170. “They’re just not even close, really, on negotiations. A peace settlement has been offered many times to Hamas, and they’ve rejected it,” Doyle says.
  5171. <blockquote>
  5172. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It’s a messy situation, but we pray there’s going to be a breakthrough and a settlement for peace sometime soon.”</strong></p>
  5173. </blockquote>
  5174. Meanwhile, starvation is spreading in Gaza. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2025/07/1165379" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The UN says</a></strong></span> one in three people goes hungry for days. Uncharted partners with the Baptist church in Gaza to distribute food and help people find shelter.
  5175.  
  5176. “There are Muslims who have become believers, and so they are the secret church,” Doyle says. “There are groups all over the Gaza Strip. We’re trying to help them as they’re going through difficult times living in tents.”
  5177.  
  5178. Pray for a breakthrough in the ceasefire negotiations.
  5179.  
  5180. “We’re just praying that God would intervene and there would be a peace treaty that would stick,” Doyle says. “We pray the hostages would be released, and the poor people in Gaza who have endured this for almost 700 days now, could have a better life.”
  5181.  
  5182. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://unchartedministries.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about Uncharted’s work in the Middle East here.</a> </strong></span>
  5183.  
  5184. &nbsp;
  5185.  
  5186. &nbsp;
  5187.  
  5188. &nbsp;
  5189.  
  5190. <em>Header image depicts Gaza war damages circa 2023. (<a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gaza_war_damage_2023.jpg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Wikimedia Commons</a>)</em>]]>
  5191. </description>
  5192. <pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 05:00:34 -0400</pubDate>
  5193. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/church-suffers-airstrike-as-gaza-truce-talks-falter/</guid>
  5194. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Gaza_war_damage_2023-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5195. </item>
  5196. <item>
  5197. <title>The fate of Ukrainian children mass abducted to Russia remains uncertain</title>
  5198. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-fate-of-ukrainian-children-mass-abducted-to-russia-remains-uncertain/</link>
  5199. <description>
  5200. <![CDATA[
  5201. Ukraine (MNN) — In times of war, children remain the most vulnerable members of society.
  5202.  
  5203. Since 2022, as the Russian army advanced and occupied more Ukrainian territory, children became silent casualties — taken to unfamiliar Russian institutions. An estimated <a href="https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/what-happens-to-a-kid-abducted-by-russia-survivors-and-detention-camp-maps-reveal-a-system-of-indoctrination/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20,000 Ukrainian children</a> are still missing, believed to be in Russia or Russian-occupied areas. The actual number may be even higher.
  5204.  
  5205. The mass abduction of Ukrainian children is a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/27/russia-ukrainian-children-abduction-war-crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">war crime</a> according to International law.
  5206.  
  5207. Families are doing everything they can to recover their children, while Ukrainian authorities insist that even orphans taken to Russia remain part of the nation and must be brought home.
  5208.  
  5209. <div id="attachment_215916" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215916" class="size-medium wp-image-215916" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/evgeniy-alyoshin-4jp6C_wsOwg-unsplash-300x200.jpg" alt="Unsplash" width="300" height="200" /><p id="caption-attachment-215916" class="wp-caption-text">Representative photo courtesy of<br />Evgeniy Alyoshin via Unsplash</p></div>
  5210.  
  5211. Eric Mock from <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/slavic-gospel-association/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></a> says: “There are children who desperately miss their parents. Some are told their parents don’t want them or aren’t worthy of them — an awful reality no child should ever have to face.”
  5212.  
  5213. Some parents of these children were detained and later released. Others fled while their children were taken. In some occupied areas, families were offered the chance to send their children to summer <a href="https://www.londonukrainianreview.org/posts/russias-summer-camps-and-mass-deportations-of-ukrainian-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">camps</a> — but not all of them came back.
  5214. <blockquote>
  5215. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“It's difficult to sort through the pieces, but it's clear that kids have been separated from their families, and there's an overwhelming need to restore these families. That is a heartbreaking reality of this war,” Mock explained.</strong></p>
  5216. </blockquote>
  5217. Finding and accessing the children inside Russia remains difficult. “There are organizations that are working to get these children home,” Mock added. So far, only <a href="https://www.bringkidsback.org.ua/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,399 children</a> have returned, while thousands remain trapped in the <a href="https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/what-happens-to-a-kid-abducted-by-russia-survivors-and-detention-camp-maps-reveal-a-system-of-indoctrination/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reeducation</a> system — where efforts aim to replace their Ukrainian identity with a Russian one and revise their understanding of the war.
  5218.  
  5219. <a href="https://www.sga.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Slavic Gospel Association</strong></a> supports churches across Ukraine, where some Christians are actively involved in the search for lost children. Also, through its orphan ministry network, Orphans Reborn, operating in over seven countries, some of the orphans encountered may be from Ukraine.
  5220.  
  5221. “A lot of these disconnected children are showing up in orphanages, and we pray that SGA-supported churches who minister to orphans are able to connect with these kids and be there for them,” Mock said.
  5222.  
  5223. Be the voice for these children. Many feel helpless and forgotten, and their families struggle to find them.
  5224. <blockquote>
  5225. <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>“We pray for the restoration of these families, and above all, we pray that these children and their parents — wherever they may be — will be connected to a faithful church and get to hear the Gospel at every opportunity,” Mock said.</strong></p>
  5226. </blockquote>
  5227. &nbsp;
  5228.  
  5229. &nbsp;
  5230.  
  5231. &nbsp;
  5232.  
  5233. &nbsp;
  5234.  
  5235. <em>Header representative photo courtesy of Tadeusz Lakota via Unsplash.</em>]]>
  5236. </description>
  5237. <pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 05:00:48 -0400</pubDate>
  5238. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/the-fate-of-ukrainian-children-mass-abducted-to-russia-remains-uncertain/</guid>
  5239. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/tadeusz-lakota-wZAQJLjDWNY-unsplash-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5240. </item>
  5241. <item>
  5242. <title>Warrior Battle Camps bring healing</title>
  5243. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/warrior-battle-camps-bring-healing/</link>
  5244. <description>
  5245. <![CDATA[
  5246. <span style="font-weight: 400">USA (MNN) - Warriors <a href="https://setfreemin.org/">Set Free</a> is partnering with military veterans and first responders to battle the enemies of suicide and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).</span>
  5247. <p style="text-align: left">Steve Prince with <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/set-free-ministries/">Set Free</a> says, “Jesus said that He offers a peace that surpasses understanding. So when we lead warriors through ministry, we have them tell their story, apply biblical principles (to) confess, repent, forgive, and we get to watch God help them unpack the pain from their past, and then they're more fit to walk through life in freedom.”</p>
  5248. <span style="font-weight: 400">The ministry works with men and women through one-on-one conversations called “freedom appointments,” connecting them with leaders who can reach these groups.</span><span style="font-weight: 400">
  5249. </span>
  5250. <blockquote>
  5251. <p style="text-align: center"><strong>“Unless you're following Jesus, chances are things aren't going well. So we ask the question, ‘Is what you are doing working?’ ‘If it's not working, let's try something else.’”</strong></p>
  5252. </blockquote>
  5253. <span style="font-weight: 400">Warrior Battle Camp offers a unique opportunity for the ministry to continue this work in a weekend camp setting.</span>
  5254.  
  5255. <span style="font-weight: 400">Participants walk through key steps to freedom in Christ, using the acronym “TRIP” to focus on Truth, Relationships, Identity, and Purpose. Over the weekend, attendees are discipled, transformed, and relive a missing sense of camaraderie.</span>
  5256. <blockquote>
  5257. <p style="text-align: center"><strong>“We present the gospel. We baptize people. If they want to get baptized, confess, repent,” says Prince.  ...the principles of victory are living the way God commanded us—to walk in His ways, be obedient, and love others.”</strong></p>
  5258. </blockquote>
  5259. <span style="font-weight: 400">When people learn what living with Jesus looks like, lives are changed.</span>
  5260.  
  5261. “We have wives who are shocked when their husbands come home and they notice the difference from day one. And we encourage (the) guys, don't go home and tell your wife that you're different—live it out, be present, love your wife, spend time (together), serve.”
  5262.  
  5263. <span style="font-weight: 400">When veteran Jeremiah’s relationship with God changed, it transformed his relationship with his son too.</span>
  5264.  
  5265. <span style="font-weight: 400">Jeremiah had struggled with a poor relationship with his son. But at Warrior Battle Camp, he accepted Christ and spent four days praying for his son. Then, seemingly out of the blue, or more likely out of his prayers, Jeremiah’s son texted him.</span>
  5266.  
  5267. <span style="font-weight: 400">Jeremiah received a painful message from his son, accusing him of not being a good father and not being present. Because of his newfound faith, Jeremiah was able to respond humbly: </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400">“You're right. I was wrong.”</span></i>
  5268.  
  5269. <span style="font-weight: 400">His son had expected Jeremiah to make excuses, lie, and point fingers, but because of the change that occurred in Jeremiah, their relationship was restored.</span>
  5270.  
  5271. <span style="font-weight: 400">If you have a veteran in your life who is hurting, the ministry invites you to first pray for them and then see if they're willing to <a href="https://warriorssetfree.org/">connect for a freedom appointment. </a></span>
  5272.  
  5273. <span style="font-weight: 400">The ministry is expanding and hopes to push into more big cities.</span>
  5274.  
  5275. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray that the ministries will meet the needs of these first responders and that the right leadership will be able to guide them through the discipleship process. Pray also for the financial resources to do this work as the organization seeks to grow and reach people.</span>
  5276.  
  5277. &nbsp;
  5278.  
  5279. <em>Photo courtesy of Warriors Set Free</em>]]>
  5280. </description>
  5281. <pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 05:00:46 -0400</pubDate>
  5282. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/warrior-battle-camps-bring-healing/</guid>
  5283. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/WSF_veterans-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5284. </item>
  5285. <item>
  5286. <title>Syria&#8217;s Christian community faces unpredictability as area tensions rise</title>
  5287. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/syrias-christian-community-faces-unpredictability-as-area-tensions-rise/</link>
  5288. <description>
  5289. <![CDATA[
  5290. <span style="font-weight: 400">Syria (MNN) — In Damascus, </span><strong><a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-clashes-druze-israel-92a72655b85fba1d0b12cc36ffe2cef3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">between airstrikes</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> and geopolitical tensions, lives a group of people akin to “conies in the rocks.”</span><span style="font-weight: 400"> These are Syria’s Christians, many of whom continue to mourn loved ones lost in June’s </span><strong><a href="https://www.christianpost.com/news/christians-face-increasingly-perilous-existence-in-syria.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suicide bomber attack</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> at the Mar Elias church, which claimed over two dozen lives and injured more than 60 people. </span>
  5291.  
  5292. <span style="font-weight: 400">Nuna with </span><strong><a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/triumphant-mercy-lebanon/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Triumphant Mercy Lebanon</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> has since visited the location of the attack, where she witnessed bullet holes in the walls, a collapsing ceiling, and the smell of chlorine masking the church’s stench of death. But her time in Syria was primarily spent in the presence of believers, including a family who lost seven family members in the explosion. </span>
  5293.  
  5294. <span style="font-weight: 400">“It was just a reconnecting time and also a comforting time for some people,” she says. “It was a difficult trip, I have to say.”</span>
  5295.  
  5296. <span style="font-weight: 400">The southeastern part of Damascus is a predominantly Christian area. Nuna says a week prior to the attack, Christians in the vicinity of the Mar Elias Church were being pressured to convert to Islam or leave the country. </span>
  5297.  
  5298. <span style="font-weight: 400">Then, while Christians were attending a funeral service, a man entered their church building and opened fire. Moments before he detonated his suicide vests, Nuna says two parishioners were able to wrestle him towards the church’s exit, preventing a more centralized explosion. Since then, at the Mar Elias Church and in other parts of the country, she says, the government has established guards to protect church congregations. </span>
  5299. <blockquote><strong>“At least visibly, they are showing that they are the ones protecting the church, but at the same time it’s a very Islamic government. The government is trying to protect but also Islamize, so it’s a challenge there for Christians.”</strong></blockquote>
  5300. <span style="font-weight: 400">Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa has projected a moderate image since his assumption of power in January. He has called the attack a “heinous crime.”</span>
  5301.  
  5302. <span style="font-weight: 400">Still, Nuna says the atmosphere in Syria is heavy. Christians are wary of attending university or going grocery shopping. They hear stories of people being kidnapped or killed for their faith. </span>
  5303.  
  5304. <span style="font-weight: 400">“All these things are happening, and the media is not talking about them. But people underground? They’re living them,” she says. </span>
  5305.  
  5306. <span style="font-weight: 400">The direction of Syria is difficult to make out. </span>
  5307.  
  5308. <span style="font-weight: 400">Al Sharaa’s </span><span style="font-weight: 400">administration, operating since the fall of Assad in December of last year, has reportedly coordinated with U.S. forces to locate and destroy terror cells. </span>
  5309.  
  5310. <span style="font-weight: 400">But set against a backdrop of terror targeted at minorities, such as violence against Syria’s Alawite and Druze communities, June’s attack on Christians becomes another data point in a frightening trend: one in which al-Sharaa’s administration leaves vulnerable groups unprotected. </span>
  5311.  
  5312. <span style="font-weight: 400">Furthermore, al-Sharaa’s affiliation with al-Qaeda and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the latter of which may have </span><strong><a href="https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/damascus-church-attack-who-saraya-ansar-al-sunnah" target="_blank" rel="noopener">direct ties</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> to the suicide bomber, undermine the leader’s efforts to present himself as a neutral party.</span>
  5313.  
  5314. <span style="font-weight: 400">Thus, for Syrian minorities, questions linger. </span>
  5315. <blockquote><strong>“Is it going to a better secure place, or is it a new battle that is coming and a radicalization - an Islamization - of the land?” Nuna asks. “Is it going towards that, or will there be a protection of minorities? I don’t know.” </strong></blockquote>
  5316. <span style="font-weight: 400">Many minorities have already </span><strong><a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/07/syria-church-bombing-terrorism-christian-exodus/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fled their country</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400">. Prior to the Syrian Civil War, which broke out during the Arab Spring protests in 2011, Syria’s 2 million Christians made up about 10% of the country’s population. Today, </span><strong><a href="https://thehill.com/opinion/5386850-syrian-christian-heritage-threatened/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it is estimated</a></strong><span style="font-weight: 400"> that fewer than 300,000 Christians remain in Syria – an 85% drop from 15 years ago. </span>
  5317.  
  5318. <span style="font-weight: 400">Please pray that Christians who stay in Syria will stand firm in the Lord. </span>
  5319.  
  5320. <span style="font-weight: 400">“I’m remembering Paul the apostle,” Nuna says. “The prayer was not, ‘Let me get out of prison.’ But he said, ‘Pray for me that I would have the words, and that I would be speaking boldly.’” </span>
  5321.  
  5322. <span style="font-weight: 400">Pray also that the international community would raise their voices in solidarity with Syria’s Christians. </span>
  5323.  
  5324. <span style="font-weight: 400">“We want the Middle East to keep being a lampstand,” Nuna says. “We don’t want this dimming of the light of Christians in the area.”</span>
  5325.  
  5326. <div id="attachment_215885" style="width: 402px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215885" class=" wp-image-215885" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/political-322462_1280-300x291.jpg" alt="" width="392" height="381" /><p id="caption-attachment-215885" class="wp-caption-text">Map of Syria, Courtesy of onestopmap via Pixabay</p></div>
  5327.  
  5328. <em>Header image: Statue of Jesus in Damascus, courtesy of Noor Aldin Alwan via Pexels</em>
  5329.  
  5330. &nbsp;]]>
  5331. </description>
  5332. <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 05:00:54 -0400</pubDate>
  5333. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/syrias-christian-community-faces-unpredictability-as-area-tensions-rise/</guid>
  5334. <enclosure url="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/pexels-noor-aldin-alwan-193019921-32955676-1-180x180.jpg" type="" length="" />
  5335. </item>
  5336. <item>
  5337. <title>Unknown Nations carries Gospel to stateless Rohingya</title>
  5338. <link>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/unknown-nations-carries-gospel-to-stateless-rohingya/</link>
  5339. <description>
  5340. <![CDATA[
  5341. Myanmar (MNN) – The Rohingya continue to be persecuted and <a href="https://morningstarnews.org/2025/07/fate-of-christian-refugees-india-cast-into-sea-still-unknown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>forcibly deported back to Myanmar</strong></span></a>. As they live in daily limbo, <a href="https://www.mnnonline.org/mission_groups/unknown-nations/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Unknown Nations</strong></span></a> offers them the hope of Christ .
  5342. <h2>A People with No Place</h2>
  5343. The <a href="https://www.unrefugees.org/news/rohingya-refugee-crisis-explained/#Rohingya" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Rohingya</strong> </a>are the largest stateless people group worldwide. They primarily hail from the Rakhine state in Myanmar. However, their home country refuses them citizenship. The government persecutes the primarily Muslim group to the point of UN-recognized genocide.
  5344.  
  5345. There are more than 2.6 million internally displaced Rohingya in Myanmar and almost a million people have fled into neighboring Bangladesh, creating some of the largest refugee camps in the world.
  5346. <blockquote>These refugee camps mainly exist in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar region. Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says, “You'll drive for maybe 30 miles and see different camps. It's not one big camp. It's literally dozens of camps that might have 50,000 people, 70,000 people, 12,000 people, and they're designated to a camp. They have a tent. It's horrible conditions. And like I said, they're living like animals. The sewage, the sanitation – you wouldn't want an animal living in there.”</blockquote>
  5347. <h2>Needing Eternal Hope</h2>
  5348. In the past Myanmar has restricted access into the country as well as out, meaning most of these people have never heard about Christ. Almost all of these refugees are Muslim.
  5349.  
  5350. <div id="attachment_215900" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-215900" class="size-medium wp-image-215900" src="https://www.mnnonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Life_at_Rohingya_Camp_2022_1-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /><p id="caption-attachment-215900" class="wp-caption-text">(Image courtesy of Aashaa, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)</p></div>
  5351.  
  5352. “When it's all said and done, they remain largely without a Gospel witness," Kelley explains. "So as they're being persecuted from all fronts, they still don't know Jesus.”
  5353.  
  5354. Unknown Nations follows Christ’s command to spread the Good News by heading into these refugee camps. They are sending in indigenous leaders to love people, share food and resources, as well as share the Gospel. However, the need among the Rohingya is great.
  5355. <h2>Not Just Countries, But People Groups</h2>
  5356. Kelley exhorts Christians to stretch their boundaries of what God has called them to. “I think that when the Lord called us to go make disciples of all nations, I think the body of Christ needs to get to get a hold of that word and understand we're not called to countries. We're not called to India. We're not called to Myanmar. We're not called to Bangladesh. We're called to the nations or people groups inside of them, like the Rohingya.”
  5357.  
  5358. This means making changes.
  5359.  
  5360. “We have to begin going into the deeper waters and the Rohingya are the deeper waters of missions, which are going to require a different strategy. So doing things the same way we've always done them will never reach the Rohingya. So that's a big question, and there's a lot of ways to address it, but it ultimately comes down to our drive and determination to take serious Jesus’s last words, to make disciples of all nations.”
  5361.  
  5362. If you’d like to join Unknown Nations to help bring the Gospel to the Rohingya and other unreached people groups, <a href="https://www.unknownnations.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>click here</strong></span></a>.
  5363.  
  5364. &nbsp;
  5365.  
  5366. <em>Image courtesy of English: Foreign and Commonwealth Office, OGL v1.0OGL v1.0, via Wikimedia Commons</em>]]>
  5367. </description>
  5368. <pubDate>Thu, 17 Jul 2025 05:00:15 -0400</pubDate>
  5369. <guid>https://www.mnnonline.org/news/unknown-nations-carries-gospel-to-stateless-rohingya/</guid>
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  5371. </item>
  5372. </channel>
  5373. </rss>
  5374.  

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