I shared with you last week about our deep concern for Christians in Burkina Faso after another vicious, bloody attack on a church left 14 dead—including the pastor and children—on December 1.

Our partners on the ground shared this update from Pastor Samuel Sawadogo, who cares for the displaced Christians in Kaya:

"We don't know who the attackers are, neither do we know who is sponsoring them. All we know is that they attack Christians. These attacks have shattered the lives of our people. We are troubled and filled with pain over the deaths of our family members."

Please continue to pray for believers in this impoverished country where the number of violent Islamic extremist attacks against Christians has quadrupled in the past two years, leaving roughly 500,000 displaced according to UN estimates.

The spread of extremist activity across Africa is alarming as the Islamic State (IS) is regrouping, relocating and gaining new recruits.

In November, 47 Christians were killed in multiple attacks by the Islamic extremists associated with Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the North Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

We need to continue to pray!

The trail of burned houses, destroyed farms and businesses, bullet-riddled churches and the blood of Christians attest to the jihadists’ goal of establishing an Islamic caliphate (a region controlled politically and spiritually under Sharia, the radical legal code of Islam) across Africa.

We are also working with teams on the ground in various countries throughout Africa to stand with our brothers and sisters with emergency relief supplies like water, food and shelter.

Our Christ-centered partners also offer trauma counseling, literacy training and job training for people starting over; restoration assistance to rebuild churches and homes that have been destroyed; and provide Bibles, Bible study materials and discipleship training for new believers.

Please stand with us in coming to the aid of these African believers who live under the growing threat of extremist violence and "Christian cleansing."

Your prayers and generosity are a lifeline. Thank you in advance for standing with LRI to pray for and care for our hurting family all over the world!

God bless you,

Mathew D. Staver
Founder and Chairman