If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it

Share The Story

The story of the church is one of obedience, sacrifice and adventure. The New Testament was largely written by persecuted Christians, in the context of persecution. Today, much of the worldwide church still faces great persecution. In fact, two thirds of the world’s population live where the gospel is restricted.

1 Corinthians 12:26 says that, “If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it…”. The Church is one body, one family. Their story is our story. We can’t keep it to ourselves.

Their Story
Real life words

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  • Gabar

    Gabar liked to play football and sing and dance. But one night, the dancing stopped. On 6 August 2010, police came to arrest Christians in Gabar’s town. When other Christians came to ask why they were being arrested, the police opened fire. Gabar died of his injuries a day later. He was only 13.

  • Leah

    The letter in the mail contained a chilling message: Leah’s family were known as ‘Christian dogs’. They must leave Baghdad within 24 hours, or their house would be blown up. It was no idle threat. Leah and her family had to leave their home, all they had known and start a new life in the north.

  • Yati

    Yati was eight when she left school. She scavenged on the streets. When her dad died, her family were homeless. None of their relatives would shelter them. But Open Doors found them space in a safe house. Now Yati, 15, is training at a sewing school. “I dream of becoming a Sunday School teacher…”

  • Rika

    Rika roams the streets with her baby brother. She begs. Or sells Barbie colouring books. Rika is on the streets because she was born into a Christian family, and as Christians are the lowest of the low in Pakistan, that means she was born into poverty, too. She’s also at risk of violence and sexual abuse.

  • Jong-Cheol

    Jong-Cheol was 11 when he escaped from North Korea into China. He was a ‘kotjebi’ – a North Korean word for ‘wandering swallow’ – slang for street children. Jong-Cheol became a Christian. He was caught and sent back to North Korea, where he was interrogated and beaten. He didn’t survive.