Mission Network News - Asia

Myanmar (MNN) – Myanmar declares martial law in five new cities, bringing the total to 61 cities nationwide since 2021.

Brian Dennett with AMG International says, “As much as 60 percent of the country has been recaptured by resistance groups so the military really is desperate.”

Analysts say the military junta imposes martial law in areas under rebel control, signaling the new battle zones it hopes to re-conquer. “We’ve been praying for an end to everything, and it just seems to keep getting worse,” Dennett says.

“Since the start of the coup, thousands have been killed, as many as three million have been displaced, and today, the fighting rages on.”

Meanwhile, a mandatory draft imposed in late February has millions of young people on the move. “What’s happened in the last several days is like a mass exodus,” Dennett says.

“Young people are trying desperately to escape the country, [queuing in] long lines in immigration trying to get visas legally, and then others are just crossing the borders anywhere they can to get out.”

After the 2021 coup, AMG partners started a hostel for unaccompanied children who cross the border into a neighboring country.

(Photo courtesy of AMG International)

“Many of these children are alone; some of them are orphans of the conflict; they have needed food, clothing, education, and a lot of love,” Dennett says.

Now, the hostel is out of room. Expansion plans are underway, but AMG needs your help to reach its goal.

Every contribution, whether large or small, makes a significant difference in creating a secure, safe, and nurturing environment for these children. A gift of $50 could provide essential items such as bedding and hygiene items. A gift of $150 could provide furnishings for the rooms.

Help AMG International expand its Light ASEAN Hostel here.

Pray AMG can reach more vulnerable kids with the hope of Christ. “Everything we do is done with an eye on sharing Jesus, so the Gospel is being clearly presented to all of these kids,” Dennett says.

Header and story images courtesy of AMG International.

India (MNN) — The Voice of the Martyrs USA reclassifies India amid escalating religious tensions.

“We have changed India’s status from ‘hostile area’ to ‘restricted nation’ for the first time in 20+ years that we have been putting out our global prayer map,” VOM USA’s Todd Nettleton says.

“This is particularly significant as we approach national elections in April and May.”

Narendra Modi addressing crowd in 2014.
(Image taken from Narendra Modi’s personal feed on Flickr)

Typically, VOM classifies “countries where Christians are persecuted as either hostile areas or restricted nations,” Nettleton explains.

“In ‘hostile areas,’ the government at least pays lip service to religious freedom. But there is persecution from a terrorist group or family members or some other source. In a ‘restricted nation,’ the government is driving persecution in that country.”

With Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, India has steadily declined in democratic and religious freedom in the past ten years. Hindu nationalism spread like wildfire in the same period.

“The Hindu nationalist ideology that Prime Minister Modi grew up in and espouses and has stocked his government ministries with – that’s what’s driving the persecution of our brothers and sisters,” Nettleton says.

“The government is the driving force behind the persecution of the Church.”

Hindu nationalists seek to purify India by getting rid of religious minorities. State-level anti-conversion laws and reconversion ceremonies have become increasingly common. More about that here.

“Prime Minister Modi wants a third term; he wants five more years to enact these ideologies,” Nettleton says.

“Christians in India look at that and say, ‘We know what’s happened in the first ten years under Prime Minister Modi; what will happen in the next five?”

Partner with VOM here to stand alongside persecuted Christians in India. Most importantly, pray. Pray believers in India will have courage and perseverance.

“Let’s pray against a sense of discouragement,” Nettleton requests.

“It’s easy to look at the government and what has happened in the last ten years and be discouraged because Christians don’t have as many rights as they did [before.] Pray that the Lord will be with them.”

Header image courtesy of VOM USA.

India (MNN) — Persecution is a growing reality for Christians in India. Here’s what you need to know.

Lauren Libby with Trans World Radio says, “You can view persecution as being a negative or you can view it as an opportunity. When persecution is applied, that’s when the church grows the fastest.” 

In 2023, 720 incidents against Christians in India were reported, says International Christian Concern. Compare that with 505 incidents reported in 2022. 

Twelve of India’s 28 states currently have anti-conversion laws in place, which are routinely used to stir up community wrath against Christians. (Read about just one recent case here.) 

(Logo courtesy of Trans World Radio)

“How in the world do you support people in a situation that’s becoming more and more persecuted?” Libby asked a church leader in northeast India on a recent visit. 

He responded immediately with one simple word: “Prayer.” 

Wherever you are today, would you pray for India’s Christians?

“It seems like it’s a nebulous thing, but it’s the most concrete thing that we can do,” says Libby, “because as we pray, we energize God’s Spirit in [peoples’] lives. We can do that long-distance, halfway around the world.”

Pray for God’s mercy on persecutors and for government justice toward Christians and other minority religions. 

To learn more about how TWR works to brings the gospel into the ears and hands of people in India and around the world, click here. 

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Tom Chen via Unsplash. 

Türkiye/Syria (MNN) — Trans World Radio broadcasts continue to reach Türkiye and Syria with lifelines of hope and help after the quakes struck a year ago this month. 

Alenka Stephenson with TWR says most of their equipment in the city of Antakya miraculously survived the quakes and they were back on the air within a few weeks.

“Even up to today, throughout the whole year, they were able to air 24/7 Christian programs, Christian music, Bible verses and (able to be) just addressing the needs of people in shock.”

A year later, people in Türkiye are far from recovering. Stephenson says people are searching for answers about God. “This is what we’re trying to do, to address those topics that we see that people are interested in,” she says. 

For example, TWR has a special program in Syria that began when the Syrian civil war started. 

“This was the program (on which) we were able to include some of the topics for after (the) earthquake and (to) help them deal with with trauma,” Stephenson says. 

A listener to Hope for Syria contacted TWR with this message: “I can’t even express how much Hope for Syria has meant to me. It’s like a lifeline in the midst of all the chaos. I found strength in my faith that I never knew existed. Thank you for being that Guiding Light in our darkness.” 

Photo of construction works in Hatay Province, Türkiye courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

It’s just one radio program of many that God is using to beam hope to people in desperate circumstances around the world. 

In Turkiye, Stephenson says Christians recently went out to distribute practical supplies such as basic foods and also to let people know how they could tune in to TWR programs. 

“It’s a huge testimony because Christians were the one who stayed in the long run. A lot of times, humanitarian aid comes very quickly (when something) happens at the beginning, and then it’s easy to kind of fade out,” says Stephenson. 

“(They) actually keep coming back and helping out. Regardless of the religious background, they help everybody.”

TWR is in Türkiye to stay, to share the hope of Christ with people who listen and who reach out in response to their programs. Here’s how you can help. 

“Our teams need prayer, especially to absorb all the pain that people pour out to them, and they counsel them and they interact with them. So that’s a first one. And of course financially,” Stephenson says. 

TWR has special project funds set up for Turkey and Syria, available on their website. 

Header image is a representative stock photo courtesy of Stranger Things via Pexels. 

Bangladesh (MNN) — An FMI-supported pastor in Bangladesh spent 12 weeks in prison on false charges. Today, FMI’s Bruce Allen says Pastor Tomal is free with the condition of parole.

“I want to thank the Mission Network News audience members who have prayed for Pastor Tomal over the last 12 weeks,” Allen says.

“It took the intervention of the country’s High Court in the capital of Dhaka to grant him bail so that he could be released after two and a half months of confinement.”

Pastor Tomal’s young family and two congregations rejoice at his return. He’s the only Gospel worker in his area of Muslim-majority Bangladesh. The good news doesn’t end with Pastor Tomal’s release.

“That local Islamic Council wanted to keep Tomal in jail to silence him, but they didn’t realize that his vocal testimony in the jail was reverberating loudly,” Allen says.

“Today, there is a murderer, a drug dealer, a rapist, and three other prisoners serving jail sentences for their crimes whose names are now written in the Lamb’s Book of Life because Pastor Tomal spent weeks alongside them.”

Pastor Tomal listened intently to his fellow inmates as they shared their life stories. Then, “they heard his story as a former Muslim who placed his faith in Christ, who now wants to share the hope of the Gospel with other people,” Allen says.

“They listened to God’s Word – not because Tomal had his own Bible within their prison –but because he was sharing Scripture passages that he had memorized.”

Pastor Tomal reunited with his family.
(Photo, caption courtesy of FMI)

Praise God for opening a third ministry site for Pastor Tomal in the local prison! Most importantly, keep praying for Pastor Tomal.

“Intercede for Tomal’s re-acclimation to home life; he’s been changed because of what he’s gone through,” Allen requests.

“Pray for the resumption of his regular church ministry and his ability to still disciple those six men who have come from Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist backgrounds and are serving out their prison sentences.”

Learn why FMI supports local church planters like Pastor Tomal.

Header image depicts a Bangladeshi jail. (Photo courtesy of FMI)

Taiwan (MNN) — Tensions between China and Taiwan continue to play out on an international stage.

Taiwan’s president-elect, Lai Ching-te, received congratulations from multiple nations after the January 13 elections, including from the United States and Japan. But Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi responded by warning the international community of violating the one-China principle, which maintains that Taiwan is a territory of China.

“There are those who are convinced that China’s (going to) try to invade Taiwan and take it over,” says Joe Handley with A3. “Then you have others that say, ‘No, that won’t happen. There’s too much political pressure in the world that (will) prevent that from happening.’”

Photo of Taiwan courtesy of Angela Lo via Unsplash.

Incumbent President Tsai Ing-wen said in a video release on Thursday, “Taiwan will keep working with our democratic partners to maintain peace and stability.”

Both Tsai and Lai are within the Democratic Progressive Party, which China says is a “separatist” force.

Handley says that some of his colleagues have moved from Taiwan to nearby nations to avoid the brewing situation. “Others are staying regardless — you know, hoping that China doesn’t come in and take over, but they want to be at the forefront of being the witness for Christ.”

Pray for A3 as they launch a training course for Christian leaders in Taiwan later this year. 

“We’ll need a lot of people, a lot of resourcing, a lot of wise choices in how we go about what we do,” Handley says.

“Pray for those leaders, that they could experience revival, that they could experience renewal. Then pray for them in terms of whatever happens with the mainland (China). Pressures that are going to be on them are immense.”

Consider partnering with A3 to come alongside Christian leaders in Taiwan and around the world with training and equipping.

Click here to learn more about A3 and the opportunity to double or triple your gift as part of a matching grant challenge.

Header image depicts Lai Ching-te in a 2023 speech. (Wikimedia Commons)

Türkiye (MNN) — Last February’s historic earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria claimed nearly 56,000 lives and displaced millions more. The quakes razed entire communities to the ground, and thousands of buildings were destroyed or severely damaged.

Church partners set up a temporary shelter in a sports arena in Türkiye.
(Photo courtesy of Transform Iran)

Transform Iran was one of the first groups to respond, helping hundreds of Iranian Christian refugees in Türkiye. More about that here.

“We were one of the few that were given access to one of the hardest-hit places,” says Transform Iran’s Lana Silk.

“We took 10 tons of food and hygiene supplies, clothing, and blankets to our immediate vicinity.”

Tremendous needs remain today. “It’s a monumental task that the government has to rebuild after such a big hit,” Silk says.

“Quite a few different sociopolitical elements at play make the situation untenable. There are still buildings broken into rubble that’s not even been cleared, let alone thinking about foundation work or replacement,” she continues.

“Christian refugees are being forced into uninhabitable living situations. Our group has families who aren’t using gas or electricity [so they can save] money, having to wear warm clothing to survive, not having three meals a day.”

Deportation is a daily threat as pressure mounts on the Turkish government to expel refugees.

“We have people who will suddenly get told, ‘Oh, actually, we’re going to deport you, and you have 24 hours’ notice.’ This is becoming a common experience for our people, and they get sent to deportation camps,” Silk says.

“The husband of one of our couples had a stroke right there in their offices because the stress of that news is intense.”

Click here for practical ways to help your brothers and sisters in Christ through Transform Iran.

“Could you go without a weekly coffee and support a family in need? The same dollars go so much further in a place like Türkiye, and these families are in great need,” Silk says.

Header image depicts damages from the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkiye. Photo courtesy of Horizons International.

India (MNN) — For many of India’s 1.4 billion people, the idea of following just one God, Jesus, is a whole new concept — and one that their communities react strongly against. 

Mission India believes that God’s Word and Christian fellowship are what God gives to strengthen His people in hard times. 

“That’s exactly what our programs all provide,” says Regan Miller with Mission India. “Whether it’s church planter training, children’s Bible clubs or adult literacy classes, there is community in each one. We are able to encourage people with the Word of God and let them know that God is there for them and has promises found in Scripture for them.”

Ragheed. Photo courtesy of Mission India.

Mission India was founded as Bibles for India nearly 45 years ago. Today, the groundwork for each of its three ministry focuses is still the Bible. 

“In children’s Bible clubs, kids are memorizing Scripture passages and learning songs that are based on the Bible. In adult literacy classes, students are learning how to read using Scripture. Then in church planter training, our church planters are giving Bibles to new believers and using Scripture-based materials to help lead people to Christ,” Miller says.

It was through one of these missionaries that God’s Word came to a young man named Ragheed, leading him to faith in Christ. 

“[Ragheed] grew up reading his own religion’s texts — his parents were adamant that he learned that. But the more he dug into it over the years, he just wasn’t convinced,” Miller says.

As an adult, Ragheed investigated his doubts even further and in the process became interested in Jesus. 

“He rediscovered a Scripture-based book that one of our church planters left with his family a long time ago. He ended up following up with [another] church planter and asking if they could chat more. She gave him a copy of the New Testament. When he read the book of Matthew, he was just captivated,” Miller says.

“It even came to the point where his family was persecuted because of his faith, even though he had received Christ and they had not. He was so confident in his faith in Christ that he moved out of the house. He did whatever it took to keep following Jesus.”

Church planter training. Photo courtesy of Mission India.

Please be praying for people like Ragheed. 

“Our partners are not trying to run away from persecution,” says Miller. “They are asking that they would have courage and boldness to continue sharing the gospel. So we pray for their protection.”

Romans 15:4 says “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.”

If you have known the comfort and encouragement of God’s Word, would you prayerfully consider partnering with Mission India?

“We invite people to give a gift to our programs,” says Miller. “Through each of them (our programs) we will be able to share the Word of God and surround people with Christian community.”

Header photo of Ragheed and a church planter courtesy of Mission India. 

Pakistan (MNN) — Pakistan’s general election reaches its climax today as people go to the polls for national as well as provincial leaders amid recent tensions. On Wednesday a pair of explosions near the offices of two election candidates in Baluchistan killed more than two dozen people and wounded dozens more. 

Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says, “Our people on the ground are telling us there’s two main parties that are kind of leading the pack, but neither one of them have the energy or the majority, in and of themselves. So there’s probably going to be some form of a coalition.”

One party is the Pakistan Muslim League. “Under their leadership in the past, churches have been burned to the ground, pastors [and] believers have been killed. They really welcome this kind of mob mentality vigilante justice, that there’s no accountability.”

Photo courtesy of Hamid Roshaan via Unsplash.

Meanwhile, the People’s Party tends to represent those considered lower class. It also stands for minority groups, which in Pakistan includes Christians. 

“When it comes down to the impact on the Kingdom, from a Christian perspective worldview, we are looking at two of the most isolated countries in the world when it comes to the Gospel,” Kelley says of Pakistan and its neighbor Iran.

“God is doing great things in Pakistan as well [as Iran] right now. Anytime that the Gospel is moving, there’s going to be adversarial attempts to diminish that. I think right now Christians are in the crosshairs of everything going on in Pakistan and Iran.”

Pray for new government leaders in Pakistan who will protect the rights of minority groups. 

“We need to be praying that anytime there’s transition in countries like this, it’s [an] opportunit[y] for the gospel,” says Kelley.

Click here to learn more about Unknown Nations’ work to reach the ends of the earth with the hope of Christ.

Header photo of Election Commission of Pakistan, 2018 courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

India (MNN) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi confidently addressed India’s Parliament this week. He predicts that his Hindu nationalist party will exceed the law’s requirement for victory by 98 seats in the May elections.

Modi and the BJP came to power a decade ago, dealing a severe blow to religious minorities.

Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says India’s constitution guarantees religious freedom. He states, “The Constitution makes a lot of promises. But if the government is unwilling to defend those promises, it becomes a piece of paper.”

The hostility against non-Hindu religions is tangible in India.

“Government ministers have talked about India being Hindu soil; [they’ve said,] ‘The very soil of our country is Hindu. If you’re not Hindu, you don’t belong here,’” Nettleton says.

“You can imagine how Christians and Muslims and other religious minorities respond to that message.”

India’s United Christian Forum reported 525 violent incidents against believers in the first eight months of 2023 — up from 505 incidents throughout all of 2022.

(Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

Authorities often use state anti-conversion laws as a premise to persecute religious minorities. Ask the Lord to protect His followers in India.

“If Prime Minister Modi walks out of those elections with a big victory and another five-year term, I think he will see that as a lot of political capital that can be spent on things like a national anti-conversion law,” Nettleton says.

“What would happen if the government suddenly started making [Christian] foreigners leave? [Or] kicking out Christian NGOs? We’ve already seen some efforts in that direction [with]… Compassion International,” he continues.

“I don’t want to be a doomsayer. But when you think about Prime Minister Modi for five more years, there’s not a lot that’s ‘off the table.’”

Header image depicts Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a 2021 teleconference. (Wikimedia Commons)