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13 March 2026
Pakistan
The family of a 21-year-old Christian man in Punjab Province are seeking justice after his body was found on 4 March hanging in a cattle shed on a farm where he had been employed for the last five years. Marcus Masih’s employers have claimed that he committed suicide for unknown reasons, but his family maintain that an examination of his body revealed burn marks and severe bruising which suggest that he had been tortured and his body was later staged to look like suicide.
Nigeria
Nine Fulani herdsmen have lodged not-guilty pleas after going on trial accused of masterminding the June 2025 massacre of Christians in Yelwata, Benue state. Among the accused is Ardo Lawal Mohammed Dono, who is the head of the Nasarawa state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria. The June 13-14 massacre led to the deaths of more than 200 Christians.
Afghanistan/Pakistan
As the events in the Middle East continue to dominate news feeds, another conflict is unfolding between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Cross-border strikes have been taking place since 27 Feb, when Pakistan’s defence minister stated the country was in “open war” with its neighbour. Since then, tens of thousands have been displaced. Among those affected are many Afghan Christians who have fled to Pakistan to register as refugees with UNHCR. They fear being forced to return to Afghanistan.
6 March 2026
India
The family of a 34-year-old Christian woman from a tribal area of Chhattisgarh who died on 24 February have been told that they cannot bury her body unless they first convert back to Hinduism. Tribal villagers believe that their land and deities will be defiled if the burial goes ahead. The body of Sambai Mandavi is currently lying in the mortuary at the hospital where she died after succumbing to a respiratory and cardiac condition. Despite a recent Supreme Court order halting the exhumation of Christian bodies in Chhattisgarh state, villagers have threatened to exhume the body if the family does proceed with the burial.
Middle East
We pray over the situation across the region, remembering all who are affected and, particularly, vulnerable minority Christian communities and those imprisoned for their faith inside Iran. “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Indonesia
Christian leader and former Muslim, Dedi Saputra, was arrested on the Indonesian island of Borneo and flown to the neighbouring island of Sumatra to answer an allegation that he had made derogatory comments about Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, in a Tik-Tok post. Saputra, who is originally from Aceh state in Sumatra, was transferred to Aceh Provincial Police Headquarters on 20 February. Aceh, which has a Muslim majority population, has special autonomy to implement Sharia law.
Projects
Each year we help a number of Central Asian believers travel from two of the most closed nations to attend a regional conference where they receive training and ministry to equip them for their continuing service. This week they travel to the event, along with many others. Please remember them as they travel and gather and please also remember the leadership team and speakers as they minister.
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