URGENT CALL TO PRAYER for young Christian victim of female genital mutilation

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“Bibles for Mideast” is an underground ministry serving the Middle East and several nearby countries. A total of 17 nations make up the Middle East, with an estimated population of 411 million (as of 2016). While Islam remains the largest religion, thousands of people secretly believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior. Living in mostly highly restricted areas, they hunger and thirst for the Word of God.

By God’s grace, we distribute bibles free of charge and establish house churches for new believers. We have volunteer ministers and a number of gospel teams in the Middle East and some other countries in Asia and Africa.

Many of our gospel team members have converted to Christianity from Islam, and operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Experienced in effective personal evangelism, they also conduct crusades and pastor house churches.

Please pray for Lydia*, the 14-year-old daughter of Yoonus*, a missionary with Bibles for Mideast. Fanatic Muslim men and women captured Lydia as she walked home from school in western Africa, dragged her to a nearby home and subjected her to brutal female genital mutilation. Now in a coma in hospital, Lydia struggles for life.

Yoonus, originally from another part of Africa, had been a Muslim scholar. One day while teaching his Muslim students, he had a vision of the Lord Jesus Christ and soon accepted Him as Lord and Saviour. His family followed him into the Kingdom. Due to severe persecution in their native village, however, the entire family had to flee to their current home.

Yoonus has laboured hard to earn a livelihood, do underground evangelism among the locals, and to pray without ceasing.

The local Muslim community recently learned he had left Islam and was now leading Muslims to Christ. The Imam of the mosque, along with community leaders, urged him to return to Islam. They promised many gifts and services to his family should he renounce his new faith, but he stood fearlessly for Christ and refused.

Lydia also boldly proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God, the only Lord and Saviour for the entire world. She loved to speak of how He died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead to save everyone from sin and death.

This provoked them intensely, and resulted in their horrendous abuse of her. In their minds and according to Muslim tradition, every young woman must undergo female circumcision.

After the mutilation, they left her alone and with no further treatment. She lost copious amounts of blood and screamed in agony. A local secret believer fortunately heard her screams, and took her to hospital. By the time she arrived she was in a life-threatening coma. Doctors will have a further report within 48 hours.

Please pray for Yoonus, her family, the believers there, and the medical staff looking after her.

*names changed for security reasons.

UPDATE Feb. 6, 2017: Lydia is still in coma. Doctors have given up hope, but believers continue to pray and fast day and night. Please join with them. Thousands die every year in Africa alone in this savage tradition of FGM (female genital mutilation). Pray for an end to the savagery.