Mission Network News - Asia

Tajikistan (MNN) — Less than one percent of Tajikistan’s population is Christian, and believers are rare in rural districts and villages. Christians can’t gather legally and face persecution if they confess their faith. Women, more so.

SAT-7’s Joe Willey says the need for encouragement has never been higher. A new satellite television program is part of a wider strategy to increase support for Tajik Christians in their lives of faith.

“We want to make sure – especially for these Christian women in Tajikistan – that they know, understand, and are supported with Scripture. They are supported with programming and that they know their value in the eyes of God, and they can be discipled and supported, even though they are few,” Willey explains.

SAT-7’s new program, In the World of Women’s Thoughts, focuses on biblical examples of Christian womanhood. “It is a program that says ‘We’re broadcasting in your language; it’s specific to you,’” Willey says.

“When SAT-7 broadcast in Tajik to Tajik women, it is another endorsement of who they are and who God created them to be.”

Interestingly, because Tajik is closely related to Dari, the program will also benefit isolated Afghan women.

Panayiotis Keenan, SAT-7 PARS Executive Director, recently stated in a press release:

“As a Persian-language channel, we serve a diverse audience across Iran, Afghanistan, and Tajikistan. Each country has its distinct culture, history, people, and variety of Persian, and it is crucial to us as a ministry to ensure that our viewers can hear about God’s love in their own heart languages.

“We are delighted to have a growing library of Dari programming for our Afghan viewers, in addition to our firmly established programs for Iranian viewers in Farsi. This year, we are thrilled to add the first Tajik program for women to our repertoire. I pray that Tajik women will be empowered to claim their identity in Christ and confidently stand in faith as they face the challenges of life.”

Pray for In the World of Women’s Thoughts to be a great support and encouragement to Christian women in the Persian world. Additionally, pray SAT-7 PARS can find new Christian presenters from Tajikistan and Afghanistan who can appear on TV without any security concerns.

Header image depicts the presenters of In the World of Women’s Thoughts. Photo courtesy of SAT-7 USA.

Afghanistan (MNN) — Friday marks the third anniversary of the final U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

U.S. Air Force loadmasters and pilots assigned to the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, load passengers aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III in support of the Afghanistan evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA), Afghanistan, Aug. 24, 2021. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Donald R. Allen)

Yesterday, on the anniversary of a suicide attack on Kabul that killed 13 U.S. servicemembers, presidential candidate Donald Trump emphasized rival Kamala Harris’s support of the chaotic withdrawal process.

Harris also affirmed her continued support of the withdrawal decision without commenting on servicemembers’ deaths.

While politicians use the withdrawal as an election talking point in the U.S., Afghans mourn yet another freedom lost under strict Taliban rule. New laws forbid women from speaking outside the home.

“Afghanistan [has] been in a continual state of decline since the pullout three years ago,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.

For example, the Taliban continues to execute Christians when militants discover underground churches or individual believers. “On almost a weekly basis, we hear of people being captured, punished, and killed,” Kelley says.

“It’s a regular event, yet Christians are multiplying. They’re passionate about reaching their fellow Afghan brothers and sisters with the Gospel.”

Unknown Nations’ training center equips Afghan refugees in a neighboring country to reach their people for Christ. A recent graduation ceremony celebrated and launched the newest batch of Gospel workers.

“They cannot wait to go to Afghanistan and share the Good News because the power of the Gospel has transformed them,” Kelley says.

“The crazy thing is they understand that [surviving] even three years is probably beyond what would be expected.”

Ask the Lord to provide more laborers to make disciples and train believers in Afghanistan. Pray that training center “graduates” can start disciple-making movements in their homeland.

“Converts will not survive in a place like Afghanistan. The pressures are beyond description,” Kelley says.

“You have to have come to [an understanding as] Paul did in Galatians 2:20 where he said, ‘I must die so that Christ can live.’”

Header image depicts women in burqas. Photo courtesy of FMI.

Malaysia (MNN) — Gospel opportunities abound if you’re a missionary in Malaysia, but reaching certain people groups for Jesus carries a higher risk.

“Malaysia is a very interesting place as it relates to persecution because it is almost entirely based on ethnicity,” Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA explains.

“If you are Chinese, you can be a Christian [with] no trouble. If you’re ethnic Indian, you can go to church. But if you are an ethnic Malay person, you are required to be a Muslim. The government says you only have one option.”

Even the appearance of talking to Malays about Christ can get believers into serious trouble. Pastor Raymond Koh is a prime example.

“Pastor Raymond Koh was involved in ministry to the downtrodden. He was representing Jesus to the people in Malaysia,” Nettleton says.

A simple misunderstanding led to Pastor Koh’s abduction in 2017. He was thought to be sharing the Gospel with ethnic Malay people. Although that wasn’t the case, Pastor Koh remains missing today with no clues to his whereabouts.

Pray for favor as VOM USA supports front-line workers and persecuted Malay Christians.

“Voice of the Martyrs is involved in encouraging and equipping believers there,” Nettleton says.

“Being a voice for Malaysian Christians, for those who face persecution, is a key part of VOM’s ministry, as well as helping on the ground in hostile areas and restricted nations.”

Header image is a representative photo depicting the Malaysian flag. (Photo courtesy of Engin Akyurt/Pexels)

Türkiye (MNN) — One city in Türkiye has a single operating church building. Now, that building may be facing closure.

Last month, the three congregations that meet in this historic building received an eviction notice from a government official. The notice said the building was structurally unsafe and the congregations would have to move out before August 24. 

Turkiye’s history of quakes makes structural integrity an issue everyone is invested in. However, Bruce Allen with FMI says the church has gathered evidence that that shouldn’t be a concern with their building. 

“They have just had a survey done by the Chamber of Geological Engineers — another government agency — and their foundation is secure. There is no corrosion. There’s no cracks. Their building is one of the safest in the city,” Allen says.

Screenshot from an August 2024 interview with the ANKA news agency (Screenshot courtesy of FMI)

“What is unique about [the church] is that it is the only church building in Türkiye in which three different sects of Christianity all share [the] facility: Syrian Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant.”

Allen says all three congregations sense that the eviction notice is an attempt to eliminate the Christian presence in the city. They received a similar threat of closure in 2016 which was later resolved.

The pastor of one of the three congregations, who we’ll call Irik, has petitioned the new governor of the province. He has also publicly called on President Erdogan to intervene. Irik suspects this is also intended to prevent Christians from gathering to celebrate a significant anniversary next year. 

“His city was where the Council of Nicaea was held, which was pivotal in Christian history,” Allen says. “[The year] 2025 marks the 1,700th anniversary of that council. So there will be people descending on his city from all over Christendom, all over the world, to mark this anniversary.” 

As this situation unfolds, pray for favor with the government. Pastor Irik’s first prayer request is this: “I want this church to be a witnessing church, sharing the gospel until the day Jesus returns.” 

“Obviously he’s saying, ‘We don’t want to stop gathering together,’” Allen says. “But what he’s really saying is, ‘We just want to keep being a lighthouse of hope in this city.’”

Pray that the church will trust God regardless of what their government leaders decide. Pray that any meetings they have with officials will bring glory and honor to God. 

Header photo of a church in Istanbul, Türkiye is a representative stock photo courtesy of Igor Sporynin/Unsplash.

China (MNN) — In today’s increasingly digital age, there’s still nothing like having a Bible you can hold in your hands. It’s not as easy to miss or dismiss as digital resources are. 

Bibles for China serves to bring God’s Word into the hands of Chinese believers through every legal means possible. They have witnessed that when God’s Word is read, understood and accepted, it brings people to the brink of a life-transforming relationship with Jesus. 

Kurt Rovenstine with Bibles for China shares one story of life transformation from a recent gathering with Chinese church leaders. “One of the pastors pulled me aside and said, ‘Let me tell you how the Word of God was integral to my faith.'”

(Photo courtesy of Bibles for China)

This man we’ll call Philip lost his mother at a young age. His father worked far from home, leaving him with more freedom as a teenager than was good.

“Over the course of time and continued troubles, this young man found himself in a pretty bad way legally,” Rovenstine says. 

“Through a set of miraculous circumstances, he found himself with the New Testament that he felt led by the Holy Spirit to read.”

When Philip read the Bible, he put his faith in Jesus. His story is one of many that encourage Bibles for China in their work.

“Here was a pastor who said, ‘The presence of a Bible, at the right place, at the right time, brought me to faith and called me to ministry. What you do at Bibles for China is an important work and we need to continue to do that,'” Rovenstine says.

Pray for the leaders and pastors in China to boldly endure challenges as they spread God’s Word.

“To continue to pray for endurance, courage and the presence and peace of God in the midst of all the things the enemy throws our way is an important prayer for all of us for one another,” Rovenstine says.

Learn more about Bibles for China’s mission here. 

Header photo courtesy of Bibles for China.

China (MNN) — It’s been nearly six months since Pastor John Cao walked out of prison after serving his seven-year term in China, and he’s still not free.

The Chinese government refuses to give Cao an ID card and passport, which means he cannot return to the United States.

“In China, you need an ID card to do anything – to make a doctor’s appointment, to get on a train to go to a different city – you can be arrested if the police ask you for an ID card and you don’t have one,” The Voice of the Martyrs USA’s Todd Nettleton says.

“He would like to get on a plane after seven years in prison and come home and see his wife. However, the Chinese government has refused to issue the documents he needs to reunite with his family,” Nettleton continues.

“He was released from prison, but in many ways, he’s still very much a captive.”

The government first began targeting Cao in 2017. Officials turned a journey he made regularly for ministry – one they knew about for three years – into a punishable offense.

“Even though hundreds of people cross that border every day, back and forth, Pastor John Cao was arrested and sentenced to seven years in prison for illegal border crossing,” Nettleton says.

Despite serving his sentence, Cao is under constant surveillance and has been arrested multiple times. “This is a sign of the Chinese government’s hardline stance against Christians,” Nettleton says.

“This is someone who served the full seven years, and yet the Chinese government is not satisfied and wants to punish him further.”

Ask the Lord to soften officials’ hearts. Pray the government will soon give Cao the documents he needs to return home.

In the header image, Pastor John Cao holds a sign that reads, “I am a Chinese citizen, and I love my country, but I don’t have an ID card” in front of the Furong District Branch of Changsha Public Security Bureau in Hunan Province. (Photo courtesy of Pastor John Cao’s family via China Aid)

Bangladesh (MNN) — Expats and businessmen have begun to return to Bangladesh, but there is still no guarantee of business as usual. An A3 Gospel worker we’ll call Paul* tells MNN, “The situation is a bit unstable right now. Safety and security [are] still not there.”

Religious minorities have suffered greatly under the recent unrest that drove Bangladesh’s former prime minister to India and brought in a new interim government. BBC News recently proved some Muslim-Hindu persecution claims on social media to be false.

However, many recent occasions of political or religious violence are all too true.

“Political parties who were opposite from the previous government are taking different kinds of opportunities. Anybody from the previous government’s party, they are being tortured,” Paul says.

“Even [everyday citizens,] if their address is from the same district [as] the last Prime Minister, they are also being harassed or tortured.”

The instability is affecting Gospel work. A3 recently decided to postpone travel and meetings between Bangladeshi leaders and international cohorts until the situation stabilizes.

“[The] police system is still not fully working, so attacks can happen at any time,” Paul says.

Ask the Lord to continue protecting believers. Pray that the political situation will stabilize further and that minority fears will decrease.

“Some people who are fundamental Islamists stated that [Bangladesh] is their country, and minority people should not be in this country,” Paul says. “Other Muslim people [are] saying, ‘No, no, the minority people should be safe, and [it] is our duty to protect them.’”

*Pseudonym

Header image depicts student protesters in Bangladesh. (Photo courtesy of Rayhan9d/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0)

Malaysia (MNN) — Under court order, the Malaysian government is expected to release a classified report this week with information about the 2017 forced disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh.

“This has never been seen publicly; it’s never been published before,” Todd Nettleton with The Voice of the Martyrs USA says.

“The judge has ordered the government to turn it over to Susanna and her attorneys, as she is in the process of suing the government and suing, individually, some leadership within the Special Branch of the Malaysian police. They are the ones accused of the forced disappearance of Pastor Raymond Koh.”

(Capture of Raymond Koh and his wife, courtesy TheStar.com)

Koh’s wife, Susanna, has been pressing for answers since he disappeared in February 2017.

“If the abduction hadn’t been accidentally caught on a security camera, it would be as if he fell off the face of the earth,” Nettleton says. “His car has never been found. He has never been seen or heard from since that day.”

Susanna began her lawsuit in 2020 after being repeatedly refused answers by officials.

“She told me when she went to an attorney and said, ‘Hey, I want to sue the government,’ the attorney asked, ‘Are you serious?! This is the same government that made your husband disappear.’ But she says, ‘Yes, I want to know the truth,’” Nettleton says.

“She wants to know what happened to [her] husband. It seems like the government has been covering up from the beginning.”

A simple misunderstanding led officials to target Pastor Koh. He was thought to be sharing the Gospel with ethnic Malay people, an unforgivable crime in Malaysia. More about persecution in Malaysia here.

“Subsequently, he (Koh) was mailed a box with bullets inside of it – not a very subtle way to threaten someone – and then in 2017, he disappeared,” Nettleton says.

Pray that the government will release the full report and that the truth will be revealed. Additionally, “pray for Susanna,” Nettleton requests.

“This has been a very long road for her and a very stressful process, so let’s pray that the Lord encourages her and sustains her.”

Header image depicts the Koh family before Pastor Raymond Koh’s forced disappearance in 2017. (Photo courtesy of VOM USA)

Bangladesh (MNN) — Student protestors seek justice while Bangladesh’s interim government struggles to maintain order.

Police officers refuse to return to work. Many vanished from their posts after facing mob violence for their role in hundreds of protester deaths.

“It’s (Bangladesh is) ruled by the mob right now. When you have hundreds of people gathering, who will step in the way of that?” FARMS International’s Scott Clifton says.

“The military hasn’t been able to maintain order. The police force hasn’t been able to maintain order. It’s affecting anybody who’s [in] a minority group.”

Hindus protest the mistreatment of religious minorities in Bangladesh on August 12, 2024.
(Wikimedia Commons)

FARMS’ primary contact in Bangladesh says gangs are setting minorities’ houses on fire, and people are dying in the chaos. He tells Clifton, “Our days of terror are not over yet.”

“The first step for our contacts in the country is survival,” Clifton says. “They’re praying, they’re taking it moment by moment. Once there is stability, there will be an assessment of the damage and a plan made about how to move forward.”

So far, this believer has lost $30,000 worth of inventory designated to support ministry projects. “Although FARMS is focused on long-term development, part of that long-term development might be re-establishing businesses that can continue to support people locally,” Clifton notes.

The most important thing YOU can do is pray. “Our action item is to pray, to appeal to God on behalf of all the believers in Bangladesh,” Clifton says.

“[Pray] that He would protect them, that ministry would continue, that He would even use the hardships to soften many people’s hearts and open them to the Gospel.”

Pray also for a peaceful resolution to the current unrest and end the economic “bleeding.” “The economic situation in Bangladesh has been really bad. Now, with everything shut down, it’s [even worse,]” Clifton says.

“You have many people [living] below the poverty line, depending on day laborers’ wages to provide for that week’s food. Everything is closed, so people can’t find work, and there is a lot of economic stress. Once [the situation] stabilizes and people can earn an income to support their family and put food on the table, that will go a long way towards stability in the country.”

Header image depicts a public celebration following the forced ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024. (Wikimedia Commons)

Türkiye (MNN) — Gospel ministry to refugees in Türkiye is not only necessary, but strategic for one major reason.

Joe Willey with SAT-7 says, “Türkiye has the most refugees of any country — it is 3.6 million refugees. Most of them are from Syria, but there are 60,000 or more from Iran.”

SAT-7 is a satellite television broadcast ministry to the Middle East and North Africa. The SAT-7 PARS talk show New Identity recently featured Mohsen and Samira, a Christian couple in Türkiye who lead a church serving Iranians and Afghans.

(Photo courtesy of SAT-7 PARS)

The couple says the asylum seekers and refugees they reach in Türkiye are plagued by hopelessness.

Willey explains, “There is such desperation, there is such discouragement, there’s despair, and yet they’re welcoming them and saying, ‘You know what? There is ultimately hope in Jesus Christ.’”

Learn more about SAT-7 PARS Gospel broadcast ministry to Farsi-speakers here!

For the overwhelming numbers of asylum seekers and refugees in Türkiye, ask God to fill them with His peace through Scripture.

Refugee ministry is also spiritually taxing on the Christian workers. Pray for them to be encouraged.

Willey says, “Wouldn’t it be interesting if — just like Joseph tells his brothers, ‘What you’ve meant for evil, God meant for good’ — so instead of a crisis, what we ended up having are people who are hearing the Gospel.

“They are traveling throughout the world and instead of something dark, instead of something desperate, there are some people that are trying to help. What happens is the seeds of the Gospel are planted, and it changes the world.”

Header photo of Antalya, Türkiye. (Photo courtesy of Samura Silva/Unsplash)