A Christian widow and her four children have been cared for by the global body of Christ after her husband’s martyrdom. Nasr’s decision to become a follower of Christ angered Muslims in his neighborhood, so Islamists affiliated with al-Qaida in central Yemen attacked him, dragging him out of his home and forcing his wife, Yasmin, and their four children to witness his execution.
Read MorePastors in Central Asia need prayers for encouragement amidst hardship. One pastor told a front-line worker that he felt lonely and discouraged. “He realized he needed to say ‘no’ to some things that he can’t take on and to delegate more,” said the worker. “He also longed for the opportunity to share his feelings and weaknesses with other pastors but knew they would tell him he shouldn’t be sharing his weaknesses with them.” Another pastor who serves in the region reported that his entire flock of chickens had been wiped out by disease.
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Serving as the Regional Leader for VOM’s work in Latin America, Isaac Santiago tells what it’s like to be a Christian today in countries like Nicaragua, Venezuela, and Colombia. He has witnessed the shift since 2018 in Nicaragua—listed as a Restricted Nation in VOM’s 2026 Global Prayer Guide—through more laws that directly affect the church and severe restrictions and government pressure similar to what Christians face in Communist nations like Cuba and China. While some Christians in Nicaragua are weary and struggling to adjust to the new persecution reality, Christians in Cuba have dealt with such restrictions for more than 60 years. Isaac says pastors and leaders in the church there continue to be obedient to the Lord despite threats from their government. Isaac will also share thoughts on what the change in leadership in Venezuela means for the church there. In the last two years, he has seen a revival break out in the country and the gospel advance in many parts of the country. In Colombia, people in the cities are often oblivious to what is happening in the “red zones” where Christians are being persecuted by Marxist guerillas and other armed groups. With the current president of Colombia being a former guerrilla, persecution of the church has increased as guerrilla forces have become more powerful. Even though pastors are afraid, they are choosing to be faithful where the Lord has called them. Isaac will also share the miraculous story of a woman held at gunpoint for reaching out to youth in her area and bringing them to Jesus. To learn more about each of these nations and how you can pray, request your free copy of VOM’s 2026 Global Prayer Guide. Also, check out the new Spanish language podcast called VOM Radio: La Voz de los Mártires on Spotify, Amazon Music, Spreaker, and more! The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily in 2026 for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, Iran and Bangladesh, as well as provide free access to e-books, audiobooks, video content, and feature films. Download the VOM App for your iOS or Android device today.
Read MoreA Laotian Christian woman has been abandoned by her family and forced from her home for her faith in Christ. In 2022, Mai Yea visited her uncle, a Christian, who shared the gospel with her. She decided to believe in God. After Mai Yea returned home, her husband was angry. He beat her and threatened to kill her, fearing that her Christian faith would anger the house spirits. She returned to her uncle’s house and in 2024 went to live with her married son and his family. When Mai Yea’s husband visited and told his son that sickness would come because of Mai Yea’s beliefs, he kicked her out.
Read MoreDespite Benin having a significant Christian population of 30%, front-line workers were recently told they could not import audio Bibles into the country. “We have a shipment that had been repeatedly turned away by customs officials,” said a front-line worker about the devices that are very effective in a country with around 50% illiteracy. “We kept resubmitting the boxes for approval, and finally they told us that shipments of audio Bibles would no longer be allowed into the country.”
Read MoreAs the Taliban government is working to eliminate all religions other than Islam, pray that they will be won to Christ. “The secret police go to homes at random to look for evidence of people practicing a different faith,” said a front-line worker. “People are being detained and tortured and become vulnerable to revealing information. It is exhausting having to constantly look over your shoulder.”
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