You can bring joy to children whose homes and lives have been shattered by persecution.
“They told to Rober to convert to Islam, time after time. But Rober refused and said: 'I have my God and that’s it.'"
—Jina, wife of Rober
When a Christian family is persecuted—and a mother or father is beaten, imprisoned, threatened or even killed—the children are left to pick up the pieces and carry on.
Children like 7-year-old Apo from Aleppo, Syria. Islamic extremists kidnapped his father because he was a Christian; repeatedly, he refused to deny Jesus and return to Islam. Apo’s father is still missing today.
Since then, Apo and his mother, Jina, have wrestled with the loss of a father and husband as they try to make ends meet in one of the most challenging countries in the world for Christians.
But today, there’s hope for a bright future for children like Apo—if they get the support they desperately need.
And we believe that hope includes you. Today, will you stand with the children of the persecuted church?
Let them know they’re not alone this Christmastime.
Stand with your suffering family today.
Give NowWednesday, May 15, 2013.
It was the last day Apo saw his father—the day everything changed for him and his mother. He was only 18 months old when Islamic extremists kidnapped his dad. He hasn’t seen him or heard his voice since.
Now the child of a single parent, the energetic seven-year-old lives with his 32-year-old mother in a tiny apartment in the Syrian city of Aleppo. Apo is one of the thousands of children in the world today who each morning come face-to-face with the far-reaching impact of Christian persecution.
He’s also one of the millions of children around the world you can bring hope to this Christmas through your partnership with Open Doors—as we help restore their communities and rebuild their lives.
If we don’t act now, children like Apo won’t receive the critical support they need to strengthen their faith for a bright future.
“Being a Christian means that you believe in the future, you believe in God with us, Emmanuel.”
—Christian child from Aleppo
This year, Christians in Iraq and Syria are again preparing to celebrate a joyous—yet still cautious—Christmas.
Thanks to your generosity, we have been able to form partnerships with local churches and programs such as Centers of Hope that offer practical support and spiritual comfort, helping many remain optimistic about the future.
In other parts of the world, such as in Brunei, Somalia, North Korea and Tajikistan, Christmas is banned altogether. Believers may have a hard time getting together or may not even know other believers exist, so Christmas can be an especially lonely time.
Will you stand with your persecuted family—especially the children—when they need it the most?
All around the world in places like Syria, Central African Republic and Laos, you can bring joy to children whose communities and lives have been brutally destroyed by persecution. Bless your younger brothers and sisters in Christ this Christmas and give generously today!
Give Now
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