Persecuted Christians.

 

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Will you help persecuted Christians? If you have already given to this appeal, since its launch last week, thank you for your support of persecuted Christians. Persecution can have a devastating long-term impact on Christians—which is why so many who have suffered need the loving support of the wider body of Christ. Kidan* is one example. Kidan spent more than seven years in a barbaric and remote prison in Eritrea for her faith in Christ. She had been incarcerated to break her spirit. By the time she was released, her husband, Dawit*, had already been deported to neighbouring Ethiopia and she was left with nothing. By the grace of God she had remained faithful to Christ in her suffering. By the generosity of Christians she and her family now have a means of living. Will you, at this time, consider giving to Release International’s ministry, as we seek to support those who have suffered for Christ? Kidan was one of 40 people arrested in her church, in western Eritrea. The authoritarian regime in Eritrea has, for years, banned all religious activity that does not come under the umbrella of Sunni Islam, or the Orthodox, Lutheran or Catholic churches. For more than two decades, evangelical Christians have suffered harsh clampdowns for their witness. Kidan was held in a police station for four months, before being transferred to a remote military site, encircled by mountains. There she was harassed and regularly goaded to sign a renunciation of her faith. She didn’t. ‘When they brought us there they wanted us to experience this mental torture. They were saying, “We brought you here in order to break your spirit.”’ Instead, by the grace of God, Kidan and other Christians were able to patiently show the love of God to their guards. Looking back on that time, Kidan says, ‘It was long, but there was always hope in our heart. The Spirit of God was always giving us hope when we read the Scriptures. We were ready to be faithful unto death.’ To make matters worse, in the whole of her time in prison she had just one brief visit from her son—and never saw her husband. By the time she was released, Dawit, who is half Ethiopian, had also been arrested for his Christian faith and had been deported to Ethiopia. Kidan arrived home to an empty house. Her church was able, in the short term, to help her. Eventually Kidan and her son were able to move to Ethiopia to be reunited with her husband. Through our partner for Eritrea Release International had been able to offer some support to Kidan while in prison, and, after her move to Ethiopia, our partner bought the family a tuk-tuk, a three-wheeled motorised vehicle used in many parts of the world for short-distance taxi transport or food delivery. ‘That’s how we’re supporting our family now,’ said Kidan. ‘It’s paying for our house, our rent, our food. It is also supporting our son’s education. It is everything to us.’ Could you send a gift of £35 or more to Release International, to help us support persecuted Christians like Kidan and her family? Kidan continues to live out her Christian faith. She is active in an Eritrean refugee church in Ethiopia where she is heavily involved in a women’s group. Life continues to be difficult, and rising petrol prices are a strain on their modest but life-sustaining tuk-tuk business. Your gift of £35, £60, £100, £250—or whatever amount you are able to give at this time—can make a real difference in the lives of so many Christians who have suffered, and who, very often, continue to suffer persecution for their faith and witness. Thank you for your concern for persecuted Christians around the world. * Name changed and image disguised to protect identity

Birdie.

 

Lepra.

 

Lepra News - emotional health special - out now! Dear  .... , It is my pleasure to introduce the Summer edition of Lepra News. Following on from Mental Health Awareness Week our latest issue reflects on the emotional impact of a leprosy or lymphatic filariasis diagnosis and how Lepra’s work is instrumental in people’s recovery. As the counsellor working at Lepra’s Mind to Heart project in Bangladesh, I have seen first hand the devastating emotional impact that a diagnosis can have, and understand the importance of giving people the time, space and empathy they need to overcome this difficult period and regain their confidence, recover and thrive. In March 2026, a Lepra Bangladesh survey reported that a staggering 80% said they felt that people with mental health problems were not treated fairly in society. Programme Officer, Sanjana Jayashankar explores how stigma against mental health can disproportionately impact people’s willingness to seek support. Diagnosed with leprosy as a teenager, Morjina knows only too well the impact of stigma from her classmates and community. Her story represents the emotional upheaval that so many people face following a diagnosis. “I was ashamed of how I looked. My disabilities meant that I could no longer run around and play. Other children no longer talked to me or sat beside me. I felt very alone, it was unbearable!” Read how with counselling and community support, Morjina and her family are overcoming the challenges of her diagnosis.

Help us support the emotional health of vulnerable people I wanted to express my gratitude to Lepra’s supporters that have helped to make the Mind to Heart  project a reality. Your kindness and generosity have helped so many vulnerable people to rebuild their lives following a diagnosis, and with your continued support we will help many more. Thank you, Khadiza Tul Kobra Counsellor, Mind to Heart Project Lepra Bangladesh

Dealing With Anxiety and Fear.

Makerfield.

 Sherelle Jacobs.

On the ground in Makerfield, Andy Burnham doesn’t feel like a winner.

The constituency is a microcosm of the Britain that Labour has abandoned

Sherelle JacobsColumnist

A bold voice on geopolitics and economics, Sherelle specialises in analysing the "Great Stagnation" of the West and the shifting global order.

Published 21 May 2026 2:51pm BST

Closed businesses and neglected roads in Ashton-in-Makerfield typifies the area’s neglect  Credit: Gary Oakley/Getty Images

Steve points morosely to the big red book hanging on the wall by beer taps, embossed with the words “Bryn Labour Club 1910-1985”. The tome, displayed in a framed glass box, contains the minutes of the political meetings that took place in the former miners’ haunt across eight decades. 

From the vinyl wallpaper secreting the smell of ancient tobacco to the stubborn window marks where activist posters used to block out the light, Bryn Community Club still carries the residue of its Labour roots. But today the organisation’s treasurer, Steve, wants nothing to do with his ancestral party.

“Labour was fantastic when it was first formed. They did wonders for ordinary people, and it just got worse and watered down,” he sighs.

I ask Steve whether he thinks Andy Burnham’s Northern stardust might resurrect Labour: “Oh yes. King of the North. The man famous for painting all the buses yellow,” he scoffs.

His colleague Della chimes in: “We’re not interested in what he’s doing in Manchester. We’re interested in our community. All the potholes. They closed our library.”

Bryn Community Club is still the local agora, where residents come to chat politics with one eye on the cricket. When I popped in, locals were discussing whether to plump for Reform or Restore at the upcoming by-election. I jostle in amongst them and ask whether anyone is tempted to vote for Burnham. From the look that they shot me, I may as well have asked whether anyone was tempted to smell the inside of my shoe.

“Why do you think Reform’s done so well round here? Paints a picture doesn’t it. Two party politics is over,” declares one punter.

Residents are turning their attention to Reform and Restore as the by-election approaches Credit: Paul Ellis/AFP

Silence descends as the youngest Callum pipes up: “I’m 27 and live at home. I don’t even have a car, though I’ve got a driving license. I work six days a week. I can’t build a family. Meanwhile we give away everything to people who were not born here.” The men nod meditatively between sips of their ale.

That Bryn, along with a handful of other Makerfield neighbourhoods, holds the country’s fate in its hands is a testament to the dysfunctionality of our current politics. But there is something apt about it. Having spent time with the people of Makerfield, I feel oddly at ease that they are invested with so much power. For their area is the perfect microcosm of a nation that has been badly let down by its political class.

Take Bryn. Since the mines closed, jobs have been sparse, apart from logistics gigs along the M6 corridor and retail shifts at the Iceland in town. The butchers, florist and taxi rank have all closed, but the blingy vape stores are pristine. Not that Bryn is a pit of deprivation; it is a place of frustrated aspiration, let down by Labour. 

Along the mile-long stretch to downtown Sutton-in-Makerfield, grander Edwardian piles, originally built for the colliery managers, sit between the humbler terraced houses. Still the area seems neglected by the recently ousted Labour council. The immaculate gravel driveways contrast with the patched asphalt pavements and puddled roads.

Andy Burnham is the narrow favourite in this race. But I would argue the reverse: a closer examination of Makerfield’s dynamics reveals that Reform is marginally more likely to clinch it. In the working-class areas, alienation from Labour is so deep that it is hard to see how even Burnham can overturn it. Enthusiasm for Reform seems strong. Drivers slow to toot their horns in support of their canvassers as they make their way door to door. True, Restore and the Tories could dilute their vote; but the Greens could have the same impact on Labour.

One pollster claimed Andy Burnham’s credentials as mayor gave him a slight advantage over Nigel Farage’s party Credit: Ryan Jenkinson/Getty Images

A few insist that Burnham’s “King of the North”

Hmm. China arrests six Christians on charge of ‘organizing minors’

Asia

China arrests six Christians on charge of ‘organizing minors’

Authorities in China this month arrested six Christians on charges including “organizing minors to carry out activities disrupting public order” for ordinary church activities, according to religious rights watchdog Bitter Winter.

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Malaysia.

 

Please Pray! Malaysia Release International’s partner in Malaysia works to provide relief to those who are suffering, including those who are in danger of being trafficked and enslaved. This work can include providing people rehabilitation through life-skills training as well as helping with basic needs. Christians in Malaysia—particularly those who convert from Islam—face many challenges. Pray for God’s protection over Christians in Malaysia who face intimidation, social pressures and legal challenges. Pray that the good news of Jesus Christ will continue to spread across the country. Pray for wisdom for our partners, particularly as they continue to train younger Christians. Pray for boldness, strength and a readiness to face hard times and uncertainties. Pray for the regular student camps, other gatherings and small groups at which the gospel of Christ is proclaimed. Pray for God to continue to build his kingdom in Malaysia. Find out more To find out more about Malaysia and the work Release International supports there, click the button below. LEARN MORE