Pray for the Middle East

Querido amigo,

Uns I write this, the Middle East is on fire. Once again, Israel is defending itself from the radical Islamic regime of Iran and its terrorist allies. Now is the time to pray.

Both the people of Iran and the people of Israel are thankful for President Donald Trump's decisive action against the fanatical Islamic government that has funded terrorism across the Middle East and brutally oppressed their own people for over four decades. The wicked leadership of Iran is responsible for the deaths of countless numbers of their own citizens, as well as Americans, Israelis, Iraqis, and others.

I visited Iran back in 1976 with Bob Pierce, the founder of Samaritan's Purse, and we met with church leaders there, never dreaming the Islamic Revolution would occur just three years later. Nevertheless, the church in Iran is growing rapidly, even in the face of severe persecution, and we can pray for their continued boldness. During the 1979 revolution, the church was small. In recent years, the church in Iran is among the fastest growing in that part of the world, with reports that there may be more than 1 million followers of Christ.

It's likely that more Iranians have become Christians in the last 20 years than in the past 1,300 years since Islam arrived in Persia. This is the same ancient land that King Cyrus ruled and decreed that the Jews could return to Jerusalem and rebuild after their Babylonian captivity. It's also the country from which Queen Esther heroically intervened to save the Jewish people across the region. Wouldn't it be great to one day see millions of Christians worshipping freely and publicly across Tehran and other cities?

Pray that the Lord will give Iranian believers courage to share the hope and transforming power of the Gospel with their unsaved friends and family during these turbulent times. Christians can know God's peace in spite of what is going on around them. That's what the Lord Jesus Christ tells us: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled" (Matthew 24:6). We pray that in the months ahead we will have more opportunities to work in Iran and help the church there.

By God's grace, Samaritan's Purse has been working in this volatile region for decades. I've been to Israel several times since the evil attacks by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. We've worked with the leaders of Magen David Adom, the emergency service provider for the nation, to provide 42 ambulances, 28 of which are armored. These are now being used to help save lives during this war. We are also providing food, clothing, blankets, pots and pans, and other needed items to communities hit by the recent strikes. In addition, Samaritan's Purse has been building additional medical stations and nine community centers with bomb shelters.

Just across the border in Lebanon, Samaritan's Purse is working with longtime church partners to help those affected by the spreading conflict. I just spoke with Christian friends in Lebanon the other night who said no one was able to sleep due to the constant bombardment.

In Northern Iraq, we celebrated the baptisms of more than 10 Muslim-background believers last year. Members of the persecuted Yazidi people group are also coming to faith. Praise God! Over a dozen Bible study groups have been established for these new brothers and sisters in Christ. Our projects include livelihoods and agriculture training, three community centers with sewing and computer classes, and the installation of clean water and sanitation systems.

Samaritan's Purse is also strengthening local Christian congregations in Iraq, continuing the support we've been giving communities terrorized by ISIS a few years ago. At that time, our teams also operated an Emergency Field Hospital outside Mosul, treating both innocent victims and violent Islamic extremists.

In Syria, we are helping local churches with leadership training and theological instruction. We are also rehabilitating water systems, distributing hygiene kits, offering agriculture programs, and providing health and nutrition services to families in need. Samaritan's Purse also has ongoing work in Yemen, where conflict rages between the Houthis—an Iranian proxy—and the government. There we are feeding hungry moms and babies, providing cardiac surgeries for children, and training people to raise livestock and harvest fish.

We have had to temporarily relocate many of our staff in the Middle East due to the conflict, but work continues. Pray that there will soon be peace.

Please continue to ask for God's hand of mercy to protect persecuted believers and their families who've suffered so much. Pray for a quick end to this war and for a free Iran to emerge.

Again, today is the day to seek God in prayer! Our sovereign God is in control. In the words of Daniel 2:20-21: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding."

Thank you for supporting the ministry of Samaritan's Purse. May God richly bless you.

Cordialmente,
Franklin Graham