SITUATION OVERVIEW • The Lao People's Democratic Republic is a landlocked, least developed country with a population of 7.8 million. As of 2024/2025, about 15 percent of the population lived below the national poverty line of USD 1.10 per day. Poverty has declined by over half in the past two deca
missions
The last thing I remember, before I fell into a deep sleep and dreamed a dream, was reading Jesus’s parable about the barren fig tree: A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, “Look, for three ye...
missions
The Lord’s ways are not our ways (Isa. 55:8–9). Do we take this seriously, or do we revert to “our ways” in desperate seasons when we wander from God to seek meaning? I revisit this battle every time I look in the mirror at a quadriplegic body I desperately hope is not me. “Our w...
disaster
. Jamaica: IOM Hurricane Melissa Response Situation Report No. 19 (Reporting Period: November 2025 – September 2026) Nearly one year after Hurricane Melissa impacted Jamaica, IOM continues to support recovery and resilience-building efforts in the country’s most affected communit...
persecution
In early 2024, police arrested Brother Manish, a pastor in India, ahead of a planned evangelistic outreach in his village. Manish was not afraid of being thrown in jail. He trusted the Lord and believed God brought him to the prison for a purpose. Manish was accused of "forcing" ...
missions
The line between a carnal Christian and an unbeliever is a dangerous one. Conduct demonstrates the reality of the new birth — or the lack of it.Watch Now...
missions
We’ve probably all had the sad experience of watching someone we love walk away from the faith they’ve professed. We witnessed their baptism. We heard their testimony. Or perhaps we didn’t know them personally, but we enjoyed listening to their music or reading their books. But n...
poverty
When I was in high school, and early on during the summers in college, I spent my days working at a local pharmacy. I got a one-hour lunch break, and I ended up going almost every day to lunch at my favorite place: Granny and PawPaw’s house. I don’t remember how it started. One d...
persecution
A predominantly Christian village in Syria is calling for “security, justice, and accountability,” as one priest wrote on Facebook. Al-Suqaylabiyah has experienced its second attack in six months from its predominantly Muslim neighbor, Al-Qalaa (Qalaat al-Madiq). Young men from A...
persecution
As president of International Christian Concern (ICC), I am calling on governments around the world to adopt and enforce robust measures to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the financial networks that sustain terrorist organizations and extremist movements. ICC’s new report, The ...
