Latin America
My body aches as I say this: you should not enjoy fighting and violence. Yet, I’ve always loved martial arts. I started young, enjoyed striking and kicking a little too much, and nearly got a black belt. My sensei even encouraged me to enter speed competitions, right before I
Catholic News
American missionary Carole Ward is training fearless believers in Africa's Sahel region, one of the world's most dangerous areas where more than half of global terror related deaths occur, and witnessing Muslims coming to Christ in large numbers. The Sahel stretches across ten African nations from
Catholic News
More than 88,000 Congolese civilians have fled into Burundi since early December as M23 rebels backed by Rwanda seized strategic cities in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, overwhelming border communities and prompting churches to issue urgent appeals for international support. The exodus intensified after M23 captured the port city
Catholic News
Rwandan President Paul Kagame defended his government's forced closure of over 10,000 churches, calling Evangelical institutions a "den of bandits" led by deceptive relics of colonialism. Kagame made the remarks while defending a 2018 law regulating churches that requires preachers to undergo theological training and
Catholic News
Islamic State West Africa Province released an image of a burning Christian village in Adamawa State alongside a statement declaring all Christians in Nigeria are legitimate targets, offering believers the choice to convert to Islam or pay jizyah tax to avoid being killed. ISWAP published the image showing flames consuming
Africa
Christian persecution watchdog Release International warned that deaths of Nigerian believers could double in 2026 unless swift international action is taken to clamp down on attacks, with more than 7,000 Christians killed in the first 220 days of 2025 alone. Release International's Annual Persecution Trends Report highlighted
Africa
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced December 31, 2025 that Israel is developing an international agenda to support Christian communities facing persecution in Nigeria and across Africa and the Middle East, declaring Israel will provide intelligence and resources to protect believers worldwide. Netanyahu made the announcement during a meeting with
Catholic News
President Donald Trump ordered Christmas Day airstrikes against Islamic State targets in northwestern Nigeria, declaring the strikes targeted ISIS terrorists who have been "viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries," fulfilling his November threat to take military action if Christian
Catholic News
Nigerian government officials declared victory in securing the release of all students and staff abducted from St Mary's Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, while the school management and Christian Association of Nigeria maintain that as many as 35 people remain unaccounted for, exposing dangerous discrepancies in tracking
Catholic News
Nigerian Christian leaders have issued urgent appeals decrying relentless violence and systematic abductions targeting Christian communities across the nation as persecution intensifies without meaningful government intervention to protect believers under sustained attack. Church leaders representing multiple denominations condemned the ongoing campaign of violence that has claimed thousands of Christian lives
Africa
Nearly two months after pilot Kevin Rideout was abducted in Niamey, Niger, local Christians are expressing mounting concern over the lack of updates regarding rescue efforts and the continued silence surrounding his captivity. Rideout, a Christian missionary pilot, was kidnapped in Niger's capital while conducting humanitarian aviation work
Middle East
My dear, this topic is a difficult one. Strangely enough, it feels even heavier than speaking about tragedies we’ve already faced together. The reason is simple yet profound - its spectrum is vast, filled with countless shades, and, above all, I am personally involved. I’m referring to the wounds