AP

CHRISTIANS SUFFER BECAUSE OF COLOMBIAN VIOLENCE

Buenaventura, an important port in Columbia, is ranked among the world’s most violent cities. With 39 criminal gangs fighting for control, its citizens live in such fear of extortion and violence that many fear to move about freely. Churches and Christian groups feel intimidated and besieged by the armed groups that target anyone who opposes their illegal activities. Many believers, including church leaders, have left the region, which has weakened congregations and increased the workload on those who remain. One pastor’s cry for help was, “This is not a matter of money, but of spiritual and emotional support.” [Source: Open Doors]

TENS OF THOUSANDS MARCH FOR LIFE IN THE USA
USA – Tens of thousands of pro-lifers showed up in the nation’s capital for the 52nd annual March for Life on Friday (24/01/2025) in freezing temperatures, to celebrate the sanctity of life and renew their commitment to fight for the unborn: “We march to end abortion. We march for both mom and baby,” said one March for Life demonstrator. “I just want every single baby to be valued, and every single woman to know she’s important and loved.”
Despite the overturning of Roe (which had constitutionalized abortion in the USA) , abortion persists at a rate exceeding 900,000 lives annually. 
In the week preceding the ‘March for Life’, a ‘Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act’ was introduced into the Senate. This was to ensure that when an abortion is ‘botched’, the alive baby is given all the medical care necessary to survive, and not simply left to die. The Bill was blocked by the Democrats. However common-sense prevailed in the lower House, which passed its own version of the Bill. Additionally, President Trump pardoned 23 pro-life activists prosecuted under the Biden administration – some for simply praying quietly outside abortion centres. [Source: CBN news]

CHRISTIAN IN SUDAN LOSES WIFE, HOME FOR CONVERTING
JUBA, South Sudan (Morning Star News & CBN News) – The Muslim family of a young man in Sudan’s Darfur Region has disowned him and compelled his wife to divorce him because he converted to Christianity, an area source said. The convert in El Geneina, capital of West Darfur state, put his faith in Christ in January of last year. A hardline Muslim identified only as Sheikh Amaar discovered his faith and in August 2024, told him to return to Islam or face serious consequences, the source said.
The Christian, whose name is withheld for security purposes, did not fear for his life and continued growing in his faith, the source said. The sheikh (Islamic teacher) later incited family members and other area Muslims to attack him. A relative told him, “You are no longer a member of our family, because you have changed your religion,” and on October 9 the Christian left his home, the source told Morning Star News. After he and other converts from Islam were accused of apostasy last year, they took refuge with friends in another location. One of the converts who has also gone into hiding asked Christian to: “Remember us in your prayers because of these challenges we are facing.”

THE MINISTRY OF THE SLAVIC GOSPEL ASSOCIATION BRINGING HOPE – Slavic Gospel Association (SGA) traces its founders’ vision and history to the 1920s and 30s and the city of Chicago, where it was founded by Rev. Peter Deyneka, an immigrant from Belarus (now an independent nation, but then a part of the Soviet Union). In the 1920s Peter travelled throughout the Soviet Union to share the Gospel and encourage Bible-believing churches. For many decades, SGA covertly distributed millions of Bibles and Christian books under the Iron Curtain into the hands of believers throughout the Soviet Union, while producing and broadcasting thousands of Christian radio programs over the Iron Curtain, utilizing the ministry of the Far Eastern Broadcasting Company. SGA grew to become an international ministry with autonomous offices in a number of countries, and continues to work in the former Soviet nations of Russia.
SGA/USA began working in Poland in response to assisting their evangelical churches with Ukrainian refugees, and through partnership with Polish churches, SGA have shipped tons of aid into Ukraine. By God’s grace, they have also been able to establish evangelical churches in the Ukraine. With the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine, the stakes are high for Poland which shares a border with Russia and Ukraine. “Poland recognizes that Russia is basically on its doorstep,” says Eric Mock,  Vice President of Ministry Operations SGA. “….if all of a sudden something tragic happens and Ukraine tends to fall, then you’ve got a situation where Russia is definitely on Poland’s doorstep….Going into 2025, there’s a tremendous amount of unknown on how this is all going to play out in the region.” Amidst uncertain times, the ministry of the SGA offers the certain hope of Jesus. Mock concluded: “So in the middle of the chaos, what we’re called to do as servants of Christ, as a Church, is to continue to proclaim the Gospel to all peoples.” [Sources: Mission Network News and the Slavic Gospel Association Websites]

MORE PRISON TERMS FOR CHRISTIANS IN IRAN IN 2024
LONDON (Morning Star News) – Bent on suppressing Christianity in Iran, Islamic courts handed down six times more prison time to persecuted Christians in 2024 than the previous year, according to the 2025 Annual Report by advocacy group Article 18 (dedicated to the protection and promotion of religious freedom in Iran and advocating on behalf of its persecuted Christians). “Iranian courts last year sentenced 96 Christians across the country to 263 years in prison for practising their faith – compared with 22 Christians sentenced to a total of 43 years in 2023.”
The increase in years of prison happened largely as cases from a 2023 crackdown on home churches finally worked their way through the Iranian legal system at the same time courts handed down lengthy sentences to five Christians, according to the report, entitled, “The Tip of the Iceberg.” Four converts were sentenced to 10 years each in prison for “engaging in missionary activities” and “conducting activities against national security.” Another Christian was given a 15-year prison sentence for “undermining national security and promoting Zionist Christianity.”
At least 139 Christians were arrested last year on issues related to their faith. Those arrested increasingly found themselves charged under Article 500 of the Criminal Code Act in Nigeria, amended in 2021 to include longer prison sentences. The Iranian judicial system also handed down nearly $800,000 in fines in an attempt to break the backs of “dissident” church groups, according to the report. Hacked Iranian government files revealed that many more Christians faced charges than previously known. “It is proof of what we have been saying for years,” Steve Dew-Jones, news director for Article 18, told Morning Star News. “The Iranian government has long denied persecution of Christians as it portrays itself as a respectable player on the world stage, and the analysis of the ‘hacked’  judicial files is seen as a ‘smoking gun’ to be used against the regime’s claims, when the Iranian government again will be called on to defend its human rights record and present itself as a ‘plausible entity’ in the UN, something the files shatter, Dew-Jones said.

– compiled by Guido Kettniss