Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. You will be hated by everyone on account of My name …”

Today in the 21st century, Jesus’ words in the Gospel of Mark are reality for millions of Christians persecuted for their faith. And for the more than 24 million and 99 percent Muslim Somali people of East Africa, Mark 13:12-13 is certain for any Somali believer who has left Islam to follow Jesus.

Farah*, now 43, is one of the few Somalis who has made the life-threatening choice to follow Jesus. And because of his decision, this Somali believer has lost everything—including his family and community. (For his safety, we can’t disclose his real name or the country where he now lives).

They are persecuted for being Christians and not participating in local practices and customs because of their Christian faith. They meet in secret to pray, sing and share the gospel. OD supports them economically so they can be financially independent, and not reliant upon others. The video was captured by a former student from the Children’s Centre who continues to receive support from OD to finish his college studies. He’s also part of our OD field team in Colombia. (Video captured 1st November 2020)

The faces of persecuted Christian women tell a deeply personal story. Often there’s fear. Pain, too. But, most of all, their eyes tell of their hope, their joy their peace and their strength–through their faith in Jesus. When you meet someone like Precious, Aina or Mansuri, it’s not immediately obvious what struggles or doubts she harbors in her heart.

“When I wouldn’t say no to Jesus, he hit me with it again and again.”

The “he” that Chu* refers to is her then-husband—they were married for more than 30 years. The “it” is the heavy stick he grabbed, most likely from the teak wood trees that cover Vietnam’s northern region, in an attempt to force her to deny her faith.

Has anyone in North Korea had Covid-19? Will North Korea be getting a vaccine? How has Open Doors been able to help North Korean believers during the pandemic? Here, Timothy, a North Korean escapee whose name we’ve changed to protect his identity, answers these and other questions… 

On 19 February 2018, over 100 girls were abducted from Leah’s school. Tragically, one of the girls died in captivity. All the others were released within a month – except Leah. Why was she the only girl who was kept? Because she refused to deny her faith in Jesus.

Since then, Leah has spent her 15th  , 16th  and 17th   birthdays in captivity. In May, she will turn 18. Last year, news reached Leah’s family that she was still alive – through another woman who had been abducted. She hadn ‘t seen Leah, but she’d met another woman who had. This might seem like fragile hope, but it is a lifeline for her struggling family in the face of so little news.

You’ve seen the images in movies. Many of us willingly submit our “data” every day, holding up our phone as the operating system algorithm detects, identifies and recognizes our face.

This is the mass AI technology that China has developed. And it is one of the most powerful surveillance tools—and Christian persecution tactics—ever made, especially when you consider that the country has installed millions of these cameras on streets, in public venues, on university campuses—and churches.

“It feels like our hope has been taken away,” Pastor Zay from Rakhine State tells Open Doors, “I couldn’t sleep and I cried out to God more than three times that night. Our dreams, hopes, vision and freedom are taken away. Our lifetime has been full of grief, fear and trouble under the military regime. People are suffering because of the war. Job opportunities are also difficult at the moment, and we are depressed by the military coup because we had hoped for a ceasefire.”

Open Doors has established secret safe houses and networks in China to help North Korean refugee Christians and support the Persecuted Church. This is dangerous work and only after a long period of training and praying will our field workers move to their ministry area close to the border between China and North Korea. In this rare interview, Peter* and Matthew* talk about their calling, the risks and rewards, and trusting in God under all circumstances. “Sometimes fear surrounds me.”

“Military rule could mean reinforced power for the dominant religion,” says Open Doors local partner, Brother Lwin*. “The military government of the past has always been protective of their Buddhist culture and tradition. This may have serious implications to the church. We are expecting restrictions upon the church to happen once again, though we are unsure of the extent and the form it will take as of yet.”

The church in China has been through seasons of intense persecution over the last century, as well as seasons of greater freedom. While these easier times in recent years may have come as a relief, some say they also led to the church becoming more ‘professional’ and losing some of its passion and focus. Could the rising persecution facing the church once again lead to an ‘awakening’? Read on to find out about the new challenges facing the church, and how your prayers and support are helping our Chinese brothers and sisters to prepare for whatever lies head.

Less than three weeks.

More than 100 Congolese in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

At least three mass killings by Islamic extremists in a country that’s 95 percent Christian.

They are facts—and a story—that we must pay attention to in the Central African country of 86.7 million, says Illia Djadi, Open Doors’ senior analyst for freedom of religion or belief in Sub-Saharan Africa. “The killing of innocent civilians on an almost daily basis is an underreported tragedy.” Since Dec. 31, more than 100 people have died.