On June 4, 2026, workmen under orders from the Iranian regime bulldozed the Evangelical Church of Mashhad, Iran, without explanation. The church was around 80 years old but had been closed by Iranian officials for more than two decades. Still, some Iranian Christians hoped that it would one day reopen, despite a 2012 government ban on Iranian churches holding any services in Farsi.
Read MoreA front-line worker reported that the Ebola outbreak has increased pressure on churches in the DRC as they carry out their ministry. “Pray for those ministering within the local church while they serve as critical front-line responders,” he asked. “Many people don’t seek medical attention soon enough or refuse to change their burial rituals, allowing the disease to spread rapidly.”
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Becky Graves was living a comfortable American life when her husband suggested a family mission trip to Haiti. She told him—forcefully—NO! But then God changed Becky’s heart; that “short-term” trip became a defining moment in her life. Fourteen years later, Becky is still serving the people of Haiti. She’s also waging a battle with cancer. Becky has chosen to find joy—regardless of her circumstances—in the work of ministry in a difficult place and in the cancer fight. “Cancer and Haiti both taught me that I have to be comfortable with uncertainty and rely on the Lord,” she says. She also says that suffering can be a gift. Becky leads a ministry called Haiti Awake. She also serves as a security trainer for global gospel workers through Concilium. (Scott Brawner, founder of Concilium, has also been a VOM Radio guest.) Listen as Becky recounts her first diagnosis in 2019, how she’s found opportunities to witness even in hardship and how her perspective on suffering has been shaped. Becky blogs about her work in Haiti and her cancer journey at Fear is Not My Future. Hear more about gospel work and sacrifice in Haiti in this VOM Radio interview with David and Alicia Lloyd. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran, 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 MoreVillagers from the town of Kokoana, in far western Burkina Faso near Mali, request prayer after Islamists killed 21 people in an attack on May 11, 2026, in which Christian leaders were deliberately targeted. “The terrorists went to the home of Pastor Etienne Keïta and murdered him in front of his family,” said a front-line worker. “They then proceeded to two neighboring Christian households and killed the heads of those families as well.”
Read MoreAn abducted Christian girl has been rescued and reunited with her family. In January 2026, 16-year-old Reena was kidnapped while walking home with her sister. Family members later learned that a Muslim man claimed Reena had converted to Islam and married him. When a lawyer sought to obtain court approval for the minor to be returned to her family, the courts initially backed the abductor, but Reena’s family eventually obtained an order for her release.
Read MoreOn Sunday, June 14, 2026, local authorities halted worship services at Early Rain Covenant Church and arrested church leaders, members and several children in Jiangyou City, Sichuan Province, southwestern China. About 70 government personnel stormed the conference room where members were meeting and forcibly took control of the gathering, detaining 33 believers for hours and pressuring them to sign what was described as a “guarantee letter” to stop them worshiping. Two church elders, Wu Wuqing and Yan Hong, were sentenced to two weeks of administrative detention.
Read MoreWhen the pastor began to weep, Cade Jefferson, the leader of VOM’s work in the Middle East and North Africa, wasn’t quite sure how to respond. He had just explained to the pastor how The Voice of the Martyrs comes alongside persecuted Christians and how the ministry was ready to help should a member of his congregation be persecuted or arrested for sharing the gospel with Muslims. “We’ve found the people that are going to help us,” the pastor exclaimed. Listen to VOM Radio this week to hear about the dream that pastor had the night before meeting with Cade, and how Christian persecution may look different for Christians in different parts of the region, depending on whether they live on the Arabian Peninsula, in North Africa, or the Levant. Cade will also share how he and his team view their region through the lens of the persecuted church and how they see the differences for Christians in countries with historic, infant, or predominantly immigrant churches. You’ll hear specific kinds of persecution our brothers and sisters experience in places like Mauritania, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Libya and more, including the danger they willingly endure to boldly engage in gospel conversations with Muslims. Pray for unity among Christians in nations with very young churches; for stamina for immigrant churches as they reach out; and for boldness among Christians in countries with a historic church presence. Also, please lift up brothers and sisters currently imprisoned for their faith in Libya. The VOM App for your smartphone or tablet will help you pray daily for persecuted Christians in nations like North Korea, Nigeria, China, and Iran, 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 MoreIn early 2026, Christian translators in Morocco started printing full versions of the Bible in Darija, including the entire Old Testament, for the first time. Darija, the commonly spoken dialect of Arabic, is a mix of Berber, French, Spanish and Arabic and distinct from the Modern Standard Arabic used in written publications. “It shows how much local churches love God and his Word, and also care about their country and culture,” said a front-line worker, who added that the new Bible will help Moroccan Muslims see that Christianity is not just a Western religion. This first translation of the full Bible will also help Moroccan Christians grow in faith.
Read MoreA man placed his faith in Christ after the witness of his wife. Si Si Than, 35, was raised in a devout Buddhist family but experienced real peace when she heard the gospel. After her husband discovered her new faith, he began to insult, rebuke and physically abuse her. On one occasion, he dragged her out of the church and attacked her with a knife, leaving her with serious injuries. Many people advised divorce, but Si Si Than chose to stay, asking God to bring him to salvation.
Read MoreChristians in western India have experienced ongoing persecution since the arrest of a faithful pastor on conversion charges. Pastor Lakshya and his family moved to a remote village to begin a church that, over three years, grew to include house fellowships in 12 nearby villages. In December 2025, police arrested Lakshya during a family celebration and jailed him for three days. After he received bail, police arrested him again the same evening and filed other false charges.
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