Displaying items by tag: missionaries

26 Canadian missionaries working for Haiti Arise became stranded by violent protests 31 miles outside Port-au-Prince. Lisa Honorat, co-founder of Haiti Arise, said, ‘It started to get really scary. It is all over the country, not just in the city.’ The missionaries were safely rescued, but demonstrations calling for the president and prime minister to resign continue, alongside soaring inflation and corruption allegations. Protesters demand an independent investigation over suspicions that officials and former ministers misappropriated development funds from oil deals between Caribbean countries and Venezuela amounting to £1.55bn. Port-au-Prince has been rocked by torched cars and deadly protests since 7 February. Five Americans were arrested on conspiracy charges, and eight others are being held for possession of illegal weapons. See

Missionaries in north-eastern China are still engaged in the dangerous work of spreading the Gospel across the border to North Korea, even though at least ten missionaries and pastors have mysteriously died in recent years. They keep at it because they believe their converts will help change religious practice in the cloistered North, which equates Christianity with US-led Western imperialism. The border missionaries provide their North Korean visitors with room and board, and those escaping with places to hide. In return, they ask them to memorise Christian prayers and covertly share what they've learned when they return home.

On 13 October four Britons were snatched by gunmen in Nigeria’s southern Delta state. The region holds most of the country’s crude oil and is Nigeria’s economic mainstay. Kidnapping for ransom is common in parts of Nigeria, and several foreigners have been taken in the past few years. The abductors have not yet made contact. Those kidnapped are reported to be former GP David Donovan and his wife Shirley who run New Foundations, with their two sons. They have run Bible classes, a boat clinic and health care centre there for fourteen years. Four suspects have been arrested, and a joint task force will attempt to rescue the family . Travellers to Nigeria are currently warned to avoid going to areas of Delta state. See:

The fire that tore through Grenfell Tower brings us to our knees, as we cry out to the Lord. People in London and across the nation are deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our hearts go out to all who have lost family, friends, homes and belongings, and to those who have been injured, both physically and psychologically. We lift them up before the Lord in prayer. We praise God for our emergency services and their selfless response to the situation, and continue to pray as they look after the injured and homeless. London City Mission is working with the Message Trust at Latymer Community Church, and its missionaries are praying and giving comfort to those who have lost so much and providing essential toiletries, clothes and food. Please pray for wisdom for those on the ground who are coordinating response efforts and support.

A missionary reports that the Afghan government is demanding that NGOs write more and more reports. For Bible translators, this means more bureaucracy and finding new ways through changes and confusion. They ask us to pray for wisdom for them as they deal with this situation that could drastically affect their ministry. Also, a project for school-children in a major area is undergoing massive changes. Pray for the right strategy and plans for the coming year and for new donors for all their projects, especially in the west of the country. Please pray for a Finnish lady, who is being held captive, to be released unharmed soon. It seems the country is being torn from all sides, and there are increasingly more incidents where the government’s fragile unity is showing cracks. For the recent PA article about a warlord joining the government, see

‘Our International Board meeting will take place from 27 to 30 April, in the Middle East. Our board members and the directors of our national offices in the UK, Holland, Germany, Australia, and the USA will meet. Please pray for wisdom, discernment and unity in all the decisions they have to make, and for a strengthening of the vision to gain access to many unreached people groups in the countries we work. From 30 April to 6 May, all our team members will meet for our annual conference. Please pray for safe travel, and that everybody will be strengthened and encouraged and equipped afresh for our work and ministry. This is a very important time for our teams, and God always ministers to us as individuals and as an organisation. Pray also for all those who will come to speak and minister to our team members.’