The Early Rain Covenant church was already shuttered 2 years ago. Children under 18 are not allowed at church.

“Most Somali Christians are underground believers. We are a persecuted community”, explain the leaders of an online community of believers in the country.

Experts agree that the summit between North Korea and the United States will not bring advances in the religious freedom of the country.

Jamil, a former Muslim: “Yemenis follow Christ with all their hearts. There is no way back. We all know that. Becoming a Christian will cost you much”.

Young Markus had been an ambitious Muslim. He studied in an Islamic university led by his father and his mission was to reach out to Christian youth and lead them to the “right path”.

The police and Islamic religious authorities in these countries are highly vigilant against any attempts by Christians to reach Malay Muslims with the gospel.

The situation of Christians in North Korea does not seem to have improved during this past year.

Churches are forbidden in Saudi Arabia, and converting from Islam is punished with decapitation.

In the region, almost 40% of the Protestant churches have become secret churches. “We do not want to be associated with anything illegal and our desire is to be law-abiding citizens”.

The number of believers of Muslim background has increased radically in the Horn of Africa, despite the high costs associated with the decision of leaving  Islam to follow Christ whole-heartedly.