Five Dads to thank God for this Father’s Day
Imagine knowing that, because you have decided to follow Jesus, your children will suffer, and could be in danger. This is the reality facing many of our persecuted brothers around the world who are fathers. But your support and prayers are enabling Open Doors to help these fathers to care for their children and provide for their needs – thank you for being family to them! We’d like to tell you about just a few of them – please keep them and their children in your prayers.
Imagine knowing that, because you have decided to follow Jesus, your children will suffer, and could be in danger. This is the reality facing many of our persecuted brothers around the world who are fathers. But your support and prayers are enabling Open Doors to help these fathers to care for their children and provide for their needs – thank you for being family to them! We’d like to tell you about just a few of them – please keep them and their children in your prayers.
Pastor Pablo, a father from Colombia – ‘I told my family I could be murdered’
Pastor Pablo* leads a church in Colombia. The region where he is based has been dominated by illegal armed groups, who hate the church for taking their members away from their lives of crime and violence. Pablo says, "When I started as a pastor, it was forbidden to open churches and do services – at that time preaching could cost you your life!
"I spoke with my family, and I told them that it was possible for me to be murdered at any time. They cried, but I asked them to be strong, never to abandon Christ and to continue with that work that God had begun."
Although Pastor Pablo was willing to sacrifice his own life to continue spreading the gospel, he did not want his son, Javier*, to be in danger. Your support and prayers have enabled Javier to attend a children’s centre run by Open Doors, where he receives an education and is part of a loving Christian community. Pablo knows that Javier is safe here.
Please pray:
- For protection for Pastor Pablo
- That Javier will be blessed by his time at the children’s centre.
Samer, a father from Syria – ‘I have two daughters and I was afraid for them’
Samer has two daughters, and his family live in Syria. Before the war they lived in a village in the countryside between Aleppo and Idlib, and Samer worked at a petrol station. He says, “The militants surrounded our village; we did not feel safe. I have two daughters and I was afraid for them. We heard many things about the militants, how they entered the villages, how they raped and killed.”
Because of their faith in Jesus, Samer and his family were at further risk of attack by Islamic extremists, on top of the violence of the war. They fled to Aleppo, which was relatively peaceful at the time, but the fighting followed them there. Samer says, “We lived a hard time when gunmen surrounded the neighbourhood and then laid siege to all of Aleppo.”
The situation in the city has improved since then, and Samer has another job in a petrol station, but he doesn’t earn enough to cover his family’s needs. He says, “I don’t receive a high salary, about $60 a month. Half of it goes on the rent of the place we live. I try to do my best, but prices are increasing. I feel as if my hands are cut, they are powerless to do anything.”
Your support has helped to provide Samer and his family with vital food aid. He says, “I can tell you, not a family in Aleppo can live and continue to feed and raise their children without help. So for me the food supply I receive helps us to continue to live here. I want to thank you personally. Thank you. I know that the continued assistance you provide gives us hope to continue our lives with our families staying in our dear country.”
Please pray:
- For protection and provision for Samer and his family
- For peace in Syria.
Hotdiman, a father from Indonesia – ‘He is my precious boy’
Hotdiman, a construction consultant, is Alvaro’s father. Alvaro was injured when their church in Indonesia was bombed by Islamic extremists. When Hotdiman heard what had happened to his son, he was over 1,000 miles away, working in West Borneo. He finally reached his son 26 hours later. “I cried all the way, thinking the worst,” says Hotdiman.
“There were moments when I was broken-hearted and losing hope when I saw his scalp and scars. You know, he is my precious boy and my pride and joy. He is smart and handsome.”
Your support and prayers have enabled Hotdiman to take a break from work to care for Alvaro, traveling with him to Malaysia to receive specialist medical treatment. Thank you for enabling Hotdiman to be there for his son on his journey to healing.
Please pray:
- For continued healing for Alvaro
- That God will bless this extra time that Hotdiman and Alvaro are able to spend together.
Ibrahim*, a father from Pakistan – ‘We live knowing anything can happen’
Ibrahim* from Pakistan has three children. Christian children often face discrimination in Pakistan, being bullied by other children and ignored by their teachers. Your support recently enabled Ibrahim’s three children to attend a special weekend of activities being run by a partner of Open Doors for Christian children, where they could play and have fun together, as well as learn more about Jesus.
Ibrahim particularly appreciated that the children were picked up every day by an Open Doors partner, to make sure they arrived at the activities safely. Ibrahim says, “In our city there are always check points and threats. We live knowing anything can happen. It meant everything to us that Ashley* was in the bus with our children and that you were sensitive to those needs.”
Please pray:
- For protection and encouragement for Ibrahim and his family
- That Christian fathers in Pakistan will know how to encourage their children who are being bullied or ignored because they are from a Christian family.
Yakubu, a father from Nigeria – ‘My children can go to school now’
Yakubu is a farmer in northern Nigeria, where Christians are a minority, and often denied access to local resources. He says, “In the years past, fertilisers were brought to our village by the government but we (Christians) were never given any.
“Open Doors presented a persecution awareness seminar in our area and afterwards provided fertiliser loans to farmers in our group. Last year I didn’t have fertiliser and only got 11 bags of rice. This year I am expecting to harvest more than 25 bags of rice!
“I am sincerely grateful to God and Open Doors for the support they gave me. When I sell my rice I will be able to pay my children’s school fees and have money to cater for their needs. I really appreciate God for using Open Doors to wipe away my tears.”
Thank you for giving dignity to fathers like Yakubu, providing them with the support and resources they need to care for their children, despite the discrimination and persecution they face for choosing to follow Jesus.
Please pray:
- For blessing for Yakubu’s farm and that it will be increasingly fruitful
- That God will bless Yakubu’s children in their studies.
