Twenty-nine of our brothers and sisters in Christ were targeted and slaughtered in merciless attacks in Burkina Faso on June 9 and 10. Thousands have fled in fear.

We cannot stand by and do nothing. Your help is urgently needed today.

The carnage in Burkina Faso and other parts of west Africa is alarming, yet it is still being ignored by major news outlets. Even worse, the American church at large seems to be looking the other way.

In the 6th deadly attack specifically targeting Christians in Burkina Faso in as many weeks, 29 were left dead, others injured and thousands have fled in fear. The most recent calculated attacks took place in Arbinda and Namentenga, and according to local reports, there is no longer a Christian population left in Arbinda.

International Christian Concern quoted local witnesses who shared,

"It's proven that they were looking for Christians. Families who hid Christians were killed. Arbinda has now lost in total no less than 100 people within six months."

An estimated 1.2 million people currently require relief assistance in Burkina Faso as violent, deadly attacks continue across the heavily populated country. More than 170,000 people have been forced from their homes this year alone. Families are fleeing in desperation, carrying very little, if anything, with them. They urgently need our help.

In his recently published USA Today article, David Curry, President of Open Doors International, reflected on the war on Christians in west Africa, including the recent kidnappings and killings in nearby Nigeria. The seventeen Christians taken during choir practice in a Nigerian village in May are still being ransomed. The women and girls face being sold into slavery, raped or forced to marry jihadists. In Nigeria last year, 3731 Christians were killed. Curry makes an eye-opening point in his article:

"If such violence had occurred in Nashville rather than Nigeria, it would dominate nightly news broadcasts and saturate social media feeds. American churches would be launching fundraising campaigns for victims' families and addressing it in their weekly gatherings. [...] My prayer is that we will soon be shocked from our sleep and jolted into action. We must educate American congregations about global religious rights abuses, and then engage this crisis together."

We must not stand idly by as a war on Christians takes place in these countries. In his report on global persecution of Christians, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt stated what many refuse to believe: “The specific stated objective of extremist groups in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and northern Africa is the violent eradication of Christians."

Will you partner with Liberty Relief International today to help minister to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters suffering such harsh persecution?

Your tax-deductible gift of 50, 100, 500 dollars or more will enable us to send urgently needed aid to our partners in the field who are working with families fleeing the threat in Burkina Faso and others whose faith puts them at constant risk of violence, torture, false imprisonment, kidnapping, rape or even death.

Your generosity will help provide for their immediate humanitarian needs as well as emergency food and water, safe houses, trauma counseling, literacy training and job training;  restoration assistance to rebuild churches and homes; Bibles, Bible study materials and discipleship training for new believers.

And as you pray for Christians around the world who are suffering violent persecution for their faith—while facing eradication in many nations—remember to share this information with family, friends and fellow church members to raise awareness of the plight of persecuted Christians in these harsh regions. You can also follow LRI on Facebook and share the updates that are reported there.

Please let me hear from you today. Our prayers and our practical help are a lifeline for our persecuted family facing horrible threats like this. Thank you in advance for standing with LRI to pray for and care for our hurting family all over the world.

God bless you,

Mat

P.S. You can help LRI minister to the urgent needs of persecuted Christians and others in unbelievably desperate situations with your generous gift today.