Open Doors- The brothers and sisters in Christ March/April 2026

Ariana

We go to Afghanistan- Ariana fell in love with a young man, Bashir, from her village, by God's providence her aunt discovered the love letter and the secret was out, to stop the scandal, Ariana's family married her to Bashir's.

Ariana's brother in law was killed by a grenade thrown into a house at 2 AM, Ariana then fled the country with her husband Bashir and his family.

In a country in Central Asia, Bashir and his family revealed to Ariana they were Christians, that is why her brother in law had been killed. The family invited Ariana to church and she believed on Christ, the aunt discovering the love letter was truly God's providence!

Like other Afghan refugees Ariana faces the threat of being deported, so please pray this does not happen and pray that her serving of other Afghan refugees bares much fruit and she is an encouragement to her local church and other Afghan believers.

Ernesto

Ernesto from Nigeria never experienced persecution, but that changed when extremists raided his home.

Ernesto tried to flee the gunfire but was caught and was made to carry heavy weights of loot, he soon gave in and collapsed, the extremists tried to make Ernesto pray non Christian prayers but Ernesto refused and they found out he was a Christian.

They pulled a knife on Ernesto and began to torture him but he refused to recant his faith, the extremists then brought out a hammer and nails, they set a stake to a tree, they then used nails and wires to tie up Ernesto and they set him on fire.

When the extremists departed, a couple extinguished the fire and saved Ernesto, he was taken to hospital.

He was initially paralysed but made a recovery after his bills were paid by an Open Doors partner. Amazingly, Ernesto looks to his persecutors with love. May we grow to have his attitude.

Zaira

Zaira from Central Asia went through the tragic loss of her father, from his loss God used it in Zaira finding a secret collection of his Christian books, she soon read them and believed on Christ.

When Zaira's family found she was having fellowship with other Christians they began to beat her and throw her books in the fire, despite this Zaira continued having fellowship with other Christians.

Through Zaira's faith, many others in her family, including those who beat her, believed on Christ, including her mother in law, the person she felt was least likely to come to Christ.

Thoughts

What a great example of God's saving grace and God's grace in all these believers.

Never forget if you are a Christian, Christians from across the world are as much your family as other blood relatives- Matthew 12:50 Ephesians 2:19