The Chairman’s Report for March

In this issue of the newsletter
Update: Missions in Nigeria to displaced and orphaned children continue
New: Uncle of Transition House student was murdered in Islamic terror attack
New: Syrian Christians forced to flee new Islamist government
Update: Bethlehem Christians still in distress after two years of war

NIGERIA: A Mission of Love on the Edge of Eternity

The “Agape Love” Outreach: In February 2026, the Religious Freedom Coalition team in Jos conducted a vital outreach titled “Agape Love”. This mission served Christian children and families displaced by Jihadist violence in Plateau State, providing essential school supplies and financial assistance.

For many of these families, your support is their only lifeline; one mother shared that these funds are the sole reason her children can remain in school, helping to buy food and meet basic needs.

Among the children we served was a young girl from Jebbu Miango, a survivor of recent attacks in the Bassa Local Government Area. We shared with these children that despite the horrors they have witnessed, God as an everlasting plan for them.

A Narrow Escape and a Personal Loss: The extreme danger facing our teams was underscored just 24 hours after our outreach mission.

On Saturday, February 21st, our team passed through the community of Ratatis, Dorowa Babuje on their way to deliver aid to IDP children in Mangu.

Muslim terror one day later!

On Sunday night, February 22nd, the very community our team had just traveled through was descended upon by Sunni Muslim Fulani gunmen. The attack resulted in the deaths of seven people.

Tragically, one of the victims (pictured right) was the uncle of a young woman currently in our transition program for “aged-out” orphans in Jos.

Our mission director sent out an appeal saying, “We covet your prayers for Rachael and her family…” in his public posts thanked the Lord for protecting the team he had led to deliver aid to IPD children.

Protests and the Cry for Justice: The slaughter in Barkin Ladi triggered a massive demonstration in Plateau State. The following Monday, hundreds of Christian women and youths blocked the Jos-Mangu-Pankshin highway—a major link between the state capital and central Plateau—to protest the government’s failure to stop the “incessant attacks and killings”.

Local youth leaders report that over 10 communities have been attacked and more than 50 lives lost in this area in just the last six months. The protesters were publicly critical of the “lip service” paid to security, noting that security forces often fail to respond even when they are stationed nearby.

Please continue to pray for the Christians of Plateau State and for the protection of our teams delivering aid to the Christian victims of Islamic terror who have been forced from the homes and farms.

SYRIA & IRAQ: A “Never Again” Pledge Becomes “Yet Again”

Former Ambassador Sam Brownback’s warning in a recent Wall Street Journal Op-ed is clear. Without immediate and independent security arrangements, the genocide that nearly extinguished the Christian and Yazidi populations in Iraq is destined to repeat in Syria.

The international community’s failure to provide a safe security environment for non-Muslims in 2003 after the successful American invasion and overthrow of Sadam Hussein’s secular dictatorship led to a catastrophic religious cleansing.

The Ghost of Iraq’s Vanished Church

The statistics from Iraq serve as a grim roadmap for the future of Syrian Christians if Western nations do not act:

• The Exodus: Under Saddam Hussein, Iraq was home to 1.5 million Christians. Today, that number has plummeted to fewer than 250,000.
• Other Displaced Minorities: Of the remaining Yazidis, 125,000 are still languishing in internal-displacement camps, unable to return to their ancestral homes.
• Security is Key: The only area where the Christian population is currently growing is the Kurdish region of Iraq, which maintains its own independent military and police.Christians are not safe in the areas under full control of the Iraqi government.

(Note: Although over 90% of Kurds are Muslim, they are traditionally more secular and tolerant, however Kurdish tribes did participate in the Assyrian Christian genocide with the Ottoman Empire from 1914-1918 killing over 250,000 and again in 1933 slaughtering Christians in Iraq.)

SYRIA: A New Terror Under a New Name

The situation in Syria has become even more precarious with the rise of the new Islamist government. President Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly known by his war name Muhammad al-Jawlani) was once the leader of HTS, a Sunni Muslim branch of al-Qaeda.

Despite his history of violence against religious minorities and the murder of American service personnel, in 2025 the $10 million reward for al-Jawlani’s capture was canceled.

Al-Jawlani, now called al-Sharaa, met with President Trump in Saudi Arabia in May of 2025 and again at the White House with President Trump on November 10th, 2025. The Syrian government released a video of him playing basketball with American military officials on November 8th.

What is happening on the ground in Syria?

• Fleeing Families: At the last count, only 300,000 Christians remain in Syria, down from 1.5 million just 20 years ago.
• Destruction of Heritage: fanatical Islamic groups have already damaged or destroyed all six U.N. World Heritage sites in Syria.
• The Vulnerable: Radical elements consider Muslim converts to Christianity to be apostates deserving of death.

Our Standing in the Gap

Ambassador Brownback notes that when social cohesion breaks down, durable peace becomes impossible. We cannot wait for the al-Sharaa government to protect these communities. Through the Religious Freedom Coalition, we are providing the “independent means for protection” by supporting refugees and displaced families through our aid programs.

We refuse to let our “never again” pledge concerning genocide become another “yet again” referred to by Ambassador Brownback.

Nigeria too is following this same path of displacement and disappearance. Through Heart for the Persecuted Church, we are not just providing aid; we are providing the “independent means for protection” and hope that these communities desperately need to survive.

A City Under Siege: The Economic Collapse of Bethlehem

The birth city of Christ is currently facing what local leaders describe as the “leanest years” in modern history. To understand why unemployment among the Christian community has soared to 80%, look no further than the total paralysis of the city’s two primary economic lifelines: tourism and regional labor.

The Death of Tourism: Bethlehem’s economy is historically driven by religious pilgrimage. Before the current conflict, the city saw a robust recovery from the pandemic, welcoming 165,000 tourists per month through September 2023. That suddenly ended after the HAMAS attacks and war began.

• Hotel Closures: Of the approximately 78 active hotels in the Bethlehem governorate, nearly 96% remain closed or are operating with skeleton crews.
• Economic Losses: Direct losses to the tourism sector, including hotels, souvenir shops, and guides—have exceeded $1 billion so far.
• The Human Toll: With the disappearance of guests, thousands of Christian families who worked as artisans, olive wood carvers, and hospitality staff have been left with zero income for over two years.

The Work Permit Crisis: For decades, tens of thousands of Christians held Israeli work permits. Following the Hamas attack and outbreak of war, these permits were revoked.

As of February 2026, the situation remains grim. Israel has brought in over 60,000 replacement workers from other nations. Christians from Bethlehem who had work permits may never work in Israel again.

The Situation: Scarcity and Stagnation

While staple food items are technically “available” in some larger markets, they are effectively out of reach. Fresh produce items, like eggs and vegetables, are subject to severe scarcity and price hikes are reported to be 233% higher than pre-war levels. For a community where 4 out of 5 people are unemployed, a bag of flour or a carton of eggs has become a luxury they simply cannot afford.

Our Response: Direct Aid, No Compromise

At great cost, Heart for the Persecuted Church continues to stand in the gap for the poorest Christian families. Our mission is clear and uncompromising:

• Essential Supplies: We distribute food packages containing flour, cornmeal, sugar, and rice, along with canned goods and adult diapers for the elderly and infirm.
• Support for Christian Merchants: We purchase our supplies exclusively from Christian-owned businesses. Because wholesale deliveries often prioritize other sectors, we ensure Christian shopkeepers stay in business while feeding their community.
• Direct Delivery: Many Western organizations funnel aid through the Palestinian Authority. Every package from Heart for the Persecuted Church is delivered directly by our team. The Palestinian Authority is not involved at any level of our work.

The Logistics of Hope: Delivering aid remains a grueling challenge. Ongoing conflicts and military roadblocks mean that a delivery to a family just ten minutes away can often take several hours of waiting at checkpoints. Despite the delays, we will not stop.

We are committed to ensuring the “living stones” of Bethlehem—the oldest Christian community in the world—are not forgotten.

Prayer is needed! Please pray for the Christians remaining in the Holy Land who are all in great need. Pray for the elderly and disabled Christians who need medical care. Pray for those in need of adult diapers.

Please pray for the children and elderly who suffer from hunger.