This Christmas, 283,000 persecuted Christians in Asia are giving thanks for your support!

Thanks to you, 283,000 Christians in Asia have received vital Covid-19 food and aid in 2020!

Your support in 2020 has been incredible. Thanks to your prayers and gifts, more than a quarter of a million persecuted Christians received vital Covid-19 food and aid.

That’s 283,000 believers who have been shown they are loved by the worldwide church – and the number is still increasing. There is still great need, and Open Doors partners are continuing to distribute packages of food, soap, medicine, hygiene products and other essentials. Large numbers of these Christians are deliberately neglected when local authorities distribute aid, because of their faith, even though they lost their jobs in the lockdowns. Without your support, your brothers and sisters would be going hungry.

Taking risks to take food

“2020 has almost come to an end,” says Jan Vermeer, Communications Director for Open Doors Asia. “It’s been a dark year for many around the world. A year marked by uncertainty and loss.

“Some of the field countries that we work in have been hit extraordinarily hard by the corona crisis and ensuing lockdowns. Our teams and partners have said they lost many contacts to Covid, yet they continued to take risks and supply food and emergency kits to thousands of Christians in their areas.”

This aid is being distributed across Asia, with believers in India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Philippines, Nepal, Indonesia, Vietnam, Central Asia, and many more able to give thanks for the Lord’s provision this Christmas.

80% of Indian Christians denied food

A large majority of these Christians wouldn’t have received anything if Open Doors had not been able to help them.

“Our partners in India have shared that more than 80 per cent of all the believers they visited were denied government food aid,” says Jan. “That’s why we, our teams, our partners and the persecuted Christians are immensely grateful to the worldwide Body of Christ. We know how hard this year has been for them. And despite bad forecasts for the economy, they still felt compelled to help their brothers and sisters in dire situations.”

Ranita (name changed) from India is one of the recipients of this help. Ranita showed our partners around her house and pointed to the empty shelves, but also the place where she organises small prayer meetings. Then she shared:

“From the time we came to the Lord, we’ve experienced persecution. When the pandemic came, we had only 35 Indian rupees left [about 35p]. Everybody was at home, because nobody had any work. Then the pastor (an Open Doors partner) came and asked us how we were. We replied, ‘Okay’, but then we explained our situation. The pastor provided groceries for us and now we are fine.”

Thank you from the persecuted church

Thao is a church leader from central Vietnam whose name we have changed for security reasons. He was denied Covid aid, but received support from Open Doors partners.

“On behalf of all the Christians here, I would like to thank all of the supporters,” he says. “We are so grateful for the help, and that you’re remembering to pray and help us. May God continue to bless you and use your lives for His kingdom.”

While most of the 283,000 Christians have received food aid, medicines, other essentials, Open Doors partners are also helping beyond short-term relief. With your help, they’re moving towards new initiatives to help the persecuted church be resilient for the future – for example, through income-generating projects including providing cattle, or support to open a small shop. These partners are also increasing the amount of training available for vulnerable believers, to enable them to biblically withstand persecution.

Thank you for all you are doing for your persecuted family. You have made thousands and thousands of believers able to look towards Christmas and the New Year with hope and praise.