Insecurity continues to blight vulnerable communities across Nigeria, the sort of communities where we carry out our projects funded by you. On 15 May 2026, in Oyo State, 37 children and 10 adults were abducted from a school. This event was yet another reminder that many innocent families continue to endure unimaginable suffering because of their faith in Christ. The abduction at the time brought the known cases of the number of children from Christian families in captivity over a 2-month period to 190. These abductions underscore the reality that Christian communities continue to be significantly affected by these attacks. The children and adults were rescued on 9 July by the security forces. Please continue to pray for these children and their teachers as they are reunited with their families. May the Lord bring healing, comfort, and restoration to every heart affected by this painful experience. Sadly, the crisis took a tragic turn days after the abduction when one of the kidnapped teachers, was beheaded by the abductors. Let us especially remember the family of the murdered teacher. While many families are rejoicing, the family is grieving this unimaginable loss. Please pray for those who were in captivity that their mental scars would heal quickly. Many children in Nigeria are now refusing to go to school fearing being abducted. Please pray that they would soon feel safe to return to their schooling.

Whilst this has yet to hit the international news in any significant way (the BBC has yet to report on it) there is a very real problem facing our brothers and sisters in Christ in Kenya and particularly in the Pokot region: quite simply this year’s crop has failed. Many of those we support are reliant on their own crops to feed their families, some of the villages are remote, getting to markets to purchase food can be challenging, and the price of maize is already spiralling – in the early part of the year a 90kg bag cost around KES 3.500 (apx £20), in recent days the local markets are selling the same at KES 5,400 (apx £31) and the price is likely to continue to rise. Maize is currently coming into the region from Uganda so there is an opportunity to purchase and store this is the locality to assist our friends over the coming months as their own reserves are depleted, and whilst the Kenyan government are looking into the situation, it may be some time before any governmental support reaches the remote areas of Pokot.

Dr James Renihan writes: Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Greetings in the name of the Lord. On July 29, I had the privilege of visiting our brother James Dolezal in his rehab hospital near Philadelphia. It was a wonderful visit. James is making remarkable progress. He walked a short distance without assistance, was cleared for a regular diet, and was able to have good conversations. His body is slowly recovering though there is a long way still to go, especially from the traumatic brain injury. Please continue to bring him and his family before the royal throne. Courtney is doing well, and I also was able to spend a little time with his son Judah. I would say that given the circumstances, James's recovery is progressing nicely. But the best part of the day was listening to James express his deep hope in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. He told me that often at night he thinks about the wonder of God's glory expressed in the death and resurrection of our Savior. He knows that even this dark trial has been sent from the hand of a good God. His greatest desire is to be an instrument in the hands of God to teach men to love and serve the Lord. James's faith is very strong! Please pray for James, Courtney, and their children. God is good.

The preacher must be clear that there is a duty to repent and trust in Christ, not simply an opportunity. I fear that, as evangelicals, we may have fallen into the bad habit of simply leaving our hearers with a straight, neutral choice, between following Christ and continuing as they are, as if we were simply offering them a better way of life or a more spiritual lifestyle, if that is what they want – but if not, then that’s fine too. Fuller causes us to see that the offer of the gospel is not a neutral choice, with an option either way, but a divine command to all – ‘God now commands all men everywhere to repent’ (Acts 17:30). We need perhaps to ask ourselves whether our evangelistic preaching lacks the note of command that we see in the preaching in the New Testament.

A faithful husband loves his wife. While this may seem obvious, it is far from obvious. Loving our wives does not mean enjoying how much they love us. When I do premarital counseling, I often ask couples, “What is it you love about the other person?” Sometimes the man says: “I love how she puts me first;” “I love how she makes me feel;” or “I love how she seems to really understand me.” But love for a wife is not loving how well she loves you. I once heard a husband say, “I finally figured out why I’m so happy in my marriage. My wife and I are both in love with me.” But a faithful husband loves his wife by serving her without demanding anything of her in return. He loves his wife by putting her needs first, not selfishly demanding that she meet his needs. She is not his servant or caretaker. She is his love. That means he works for her, not only outside the home, but in the home and in their relationship.

The usual two Sunday services continue under the teaching ministry of Pastor Miki, and his assistant, Viktor Frank. A brother who is currently pursuing Theology online at the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary has recently joined the membership with his family, and in a few occasions has stepped in to preach. We are so thankful if you remember these dear brothers in your prayers. The services still have different emphases - teaching in the morning and evangelistic in the afternoon. Our God has blessed these ministries so far, we are thankful to Him. Most of the other services are now resumed after some had stalled during the transitional period. Thanks be to our God that He has moved people to come to the new place, so we are glad to see several newcomers as visitors at our church. One family comes from as far as Pécs (a city in the south of Hungary, three hours of driving, one way).

“Despite all the challenges of ministry, the greatest joy for me is seeing lives changed – not loudly or instantly, but gradually, step by step. When a person who was once withdrawn and discouraged begins to trust us. When peace appears in their eyes. When the desire to keep living is restored. For me, these are very real and personal moments. For example, recently, a woman named Tanya began attending our church. She had suffered abuse from her husband, and they later divorced. She is a young and beautiful woman, 35 years old, but when she first came, she looked about 15 years older. Through many conversations, meetings, and prayers, she has become a wonderful sister in Christ – restored and living a joyful life.

The Republic of Lebanon is a west Asian country with a coastline on the Mediterranean Sea and land borders with Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south. Partly because of its geography it has a long, rich and diverse history, culturally and religiously. In New Testament times it was part of the Roman Empire and became a major centre for the early spread of Christianity. Later it succumbed to Muslim conquest and eventually became part of the Ottoman Empire. Following that empire’s collapse at the end of World War I modern day Lebanon came under the French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon. The country gained its independence in 1943.

The thief who was saved on the cross has been the occasion of far too many unnecessary debates over whether one can be saved apart from baptism or without performing any good works or whether death-bed conversions are reliable. Such discussions distract from the truly remarkable theology this man possessed—a theology that leads me to regard him as one of the great theologians of the New Testament (See Luke 23:39–43) His salvation is the result of Christ’s intercession: “Father, forgive them…” (Lk. 23:34). Remember that earlier, while hanging on the cross, this thief, together with the other criminal, was reviling Christ (Matt. 27:44). Yet the transformation that unfolded continues to amaze me.

This is the story of how Valhalla fell, and how the gospel will reach every language.