Annual Report
fiscal year 2023
Rescue. Restore. Rebuild
We are ministers of the Gospel who RESCUE persecuted believers escaping imminent danger. RESTORE them to full physical, emotional, and spiritual health. REBUILD their lives, empowering them to thrive as disciples of Christ in hostile places.
Thanks to the compassionate response of friends like you ...
Letter from the president
We respond so they can respond ...
Joshua youssef
President & CEO
Board of Directors
United States
Allan Guinan
James Inglis
united kingdom
Allan Guinan
Donovan Palmer
Joshua Youssef
Australia
Graeme Blaiklock, Company Secretary
Allan Guinan
Peter King, AO, FAICD, Treasurer
Beng Yeoh, Ph.D.
Joshua Youssef
When the earth shook
Our Response In Syria
Over 12,000 people rescued, restored, and empowered to rebuild!
- Already facing death threats, violence, and horrific abuse at the hands of their own family members, many of them were already on the run when the ground began to shake.
- Most of the available aid was distributed by mosques — which typically refuse to help Christians.
- And when the rubble was eventually cleared, their lives remained in danger.
Immediately we...
- Bolstered our local church partners with Lightning Funds.
- Provided food, water, shelter, and heat to survivors.
- Formed a Pastoral Care Team to minister to grieving and traumatized believers — and shared the Gospel with other survivors.
“Our goal is to serve persecuted brothers and sisters and provide the Word of God. I am privileged to be a part of this Field Ministry Team, especially as we serve those suffering in Syria. Other organizations and aid slowly faded from Syria, but Help The Persecuted remained. Our presence in Syria is only growing stronger.”
saif, brand new field ministry team member working in syria
“Jesus, help us! We need you, Lord!”
Rim — a 61-year-old widow and persecuted believer from Aleppo, Syria — cried out in prayer as violent shaking abruptly woke her up in the early hours of the morning.
She and her grown children fled as the walls cracked and their belongings flew off shelves.
For a few days, Rim and her family moved from shelter to shelter, looking for food and a warm place to sleep. But because she is a Christian convert, her options quickly dwindled.
Thank God — Saif, our Field Ministry Team member — heard about Rim’s situation. Our team visited her, offering pastoral care as a construction crew made the necessary repairs to her home.
“We were so happy to see the Help The Persecuted team! They gave us our home back. Thank you so much for your love and support ... we have no words.”
RIM, SYRIA
Crisis response: winter relief in syria and beyond
In the aftermath of the earthquake, God’s persecuted people needed immediate relief to survive the below-freezing temperatures. And in surrounding countries, more needed critical response to get through the harsh winter months. And you responded!
“Winter is at our doors, and we have nothing to get by. Your support is that line of hope we strive to see every day.” —NOURA, SYRIA
“Your support is like a life raft tossed to me while drowning. Thank you for your love that helped me continue.” —AMIR, LEBANON
“Thank you so much for the gift we received from you to help persecuted believers in Yemen. With your support we distributed Emergency Relief Kits, blankets, and mattresses to persecuted families. They were so thankful since the situation in Yemen is difficult and the winter is bitter.”—PASTOR OMAR, YEMEN
12,000+
men, women, and children received winter relief this fiscal year. Thank you!
CRISIS RESPONSE: SUDAN
5,000+
refugees were served during our Field Ministry Team’s monthlong outreach on the Egypt-Sudan border! They provided persecuted Christians and lost souls with help and hope.
When news of a political crisis surfaced, our team immediately began planning their travel to the southernmost border of Egypt to respond.
Sudanese Christians, fleeing violent persecution and fearing for their lives, poured into Egypt. Our Field Ministry Team was there to welcome them.
We distributed hot meals, water, and Gospel resources to thousands who lost homes, livelihoods, and family members.
"A government official came to see our field team’s efforts. She was impressed with our progress and took some photos saying, “I just want to document this. The real work is here. We can’t do what you are doing.”
“Your kindness shows that there is love and peace in this world. The time we spent with you was the best thing that has happened since we left our country.”
safia
“I needed to hear that God loves me. I needed to be reminded that He is here with us.”
FAtima
“We have been on the road for three days. We are extremely tired. But your welcome and warm hearts gave us hope and reassurance that God is with us.”
Aziza
Continued Response
Knowing that the suffering of these refugees was far from over, our team immediately coordinated a follow-up event once back in Egypt’s capital. Many of those they encountered on the border came to Cairo in search of opportunity and were thrilled to reconnect with those who had warmly welcomed them.
In one day, our Field Ministry Team members provided over 450 refugees with medical care they wouldn’t have otherwise received and saw over 30 lost souls place their faith in Christ! As several of these new converts emerged from the waters of baptism, their suffering was redefined by the eternal hope of their Savior.
Those helped in our initial Sudan Crisis Response are more than a statistic — our field team seeks to come alongside them with ongoing support, showing the persistent love of Christ.
Afkia's Story
Akifa and her family were fleeing more than war in Sudan. After courageously placing their faith in Jesus, their conservative Muslim relatives would stop at nothing to rid the family of shame. As fighting intensified in Sudan’s capital, so did Akifa’s persecution.
With gunshots ricocheting blocks away, she knew it was time to flee.
Our Sudanese sister, weary from days of traveling, met our Field Ministry Team on Egypt’s southern border. With persecution and political violence at her heels, she shared her fear of the future with them.
Akifa found refuge in a Help The Persecuted Safe House, where she and her family are now processing all they’ve endured and discerning next steps.
Our Safe House network was designed for believers like Akifa. With guaranteed safety, time, and the support of our field team, these brothers and sisters can engage in the process of rebuilding their lives.
Crisis Response: Lebanon
When economic crisis hit Lebanon, a ministry hub for Help The Persecuted, we jumped into action to meet ongoing needs and encourage the persecuted, who were hit hard by unemployment and rising prices. Our response was three-pronged:
- Address specific practical and spiritual needs of persecuted and vulnerable believers.
- Develop sustainable livelihood and income opportunities for believers through training and employment.
- Reach the lost and disciple new believers, connecting them with local churches.
24,000+
102
60
17
950
“What you did for me and my daughter left me in tears. No one asks about us, yet you continue to provide care and support. Thank you! ”
Rahma
A practical response
Complete with greenhouses yielding crops year-round and an efficient food distribution program, our large-scale vegetable farm continues to provide job and training opportunities to the persecuted community — giving families food, a livelihood, and a purpose.
So many in Lebanon are suffering internally, so we responded by forming a 9-person team dedicated to pastoral care. This is a group of mature believers devoted to prayer, being a listening ear, and providing wise counsel to persecuted believers left vulnerable by the country’s economic crisis.
A critical response
An unassuming trailer becomes a sacred place of hope and light! And, of course, a place where spiritual matters can be discussed over good coffee.
After an explosion in the capital city of Beirut in August 2020 — which killed over 200 people and left thousands more homeless — you and Help The Persecuted made a profound difference in the name of Christ!
Our Field Ministry Team, already positioned to meet the needs of a community in crisis, mobilized immediately.
They set up a small trailer on one of the side streets near the explosion, offering food, water, and critical supplies to those most affected. Hurting people heard the Gospel, and our team ministered to countless Lebanese people.
Equipped with God-given ingenuity, our team decided to repurpose that Crisis Response trailer. But they had no idea the impact it would make...
Now situated off a major highway on the outskirts of Beirut, it has a new name: Search the Book Café.
Christian employees are ready to provide coffee and a listening ear to burdened patrons. They pray with hurting people and open the Bible, leading the lost to an encounter with Truth.
Coffee opens the door ... but God changes their lives!
Amin arrived at the café for a gathering and began answering questions and sharing God’s Word. That night, he distributed 56 Bibles and prayed with three people, all coming from Islamic or Druze backgrounds, to receive Christ.
Our Field Ministry Team has used the trailer for events throughout the country. Help The Persecuted holds large-scale evangelistic outreach gatherings with worship, testimonies, and the proclamation of the Gospel ... some reaching over 1,000 people!
Help The Persecuted is surrendered to God’s way of doing things. His ways are always more creative and impactful than we could imagine. We never know what God will repurpose to bring the nations to Himself!
Thank you for your prayers and support that allow us to respond to His creative leading.
ENDURING LIVELIHOOD PROVIDES NEW BEGINNINGS
Our response enables their response. When it comes to Enduring Livelihood, the response of persecuted believers is filled with incredible creativity, innovation, and perseverance. Their courage to pursue livelihoods is God-glorifying.
Our Enduring Livelihood program enables persecuted Christians to start small businesses and generate incomes for their families to thrive in a restored life. These grants allow them to stay where they are, actively being used by God to transform their communities.
Enduring Livelihood works in every country we have presence in. Its simple model enables the local Church to be creative and flourish.
2022/23 fiscal year stats
65
New Enduring Livelihood businesses
452
Persecuted believers helped
A Story of Your Impact: Rahim’s Mobile Butcher Shop
Rahim thought his life was over when he was kidnapped and tortured by a radical militia in Iraq. When release was finally offered, he was forced to pay a ransom so steep that it cost his entire life savings.
Penniless and on the run, he fled to Lebanon ... where he came to know Jesus Christ as his Savior.
While blessed by his newfound faith and determined to grow, he faced swift persecution.
Rahim’s landlord saw him reading the Bible and kicked him out without notice. Then, he lost his job at the height of Lebanon’s employment crisis. Living in deplorable conditions, he cried out to God.
Rahim was used to suffering. But this time, Jesus was by his side, enduring every trial with him. Our persecuted brother found unexpected joy amid tremendous loss.
Rahim decided to move back to his homeland, where he is now discipling 13 new Christian converts! Our Field Ministry Team is coming alongside him with an Enduring Livelihood grant, improving and expanding his already successful mobile butcher service.
He is now able to rent warehouse space and purchase reliable transportation to meet the demands of his growing clientele. As his business grows, so does the reach of his ministry.
MORE THAN A ROOF: 18 SAFE HOUSES AND COUNTING
Our Safe House network provides a secure home for persecuted people on the run. A shelter stocked with food, clothing, warm beds, and the faithful presence of our Field Ministry Team.
But ... the benefit of Safe Houses goes far beyond the tangible!
Persecuted Christians often arrive at our Safe Houses traumatized, physically weak, and experiencing extreme spiritual warfare. They are sleep-deprived and tormented by vivid nightmares. They are unable to eat, stomachs in knots from extreme, prolonged stress. They are afraid of being discovered, constantly peering around corners and out windows. What if they were followed? What will happen when they are found?
We respond with hope, encouragement, and a way forward ...
Our Field Ministry Team is equipped to care for those just rescued. Armed with compassion and their own lived experiences of persecution, they know how to make a Safe House feel truly safe.
With time and soul-deep care, the nightmares dissipate. Appetites return. And an eternal hope takes root in broken hearts.
We offer discipleship to residents, and ongoing pastoral care and trauma counseling, too.
Wafa's Story
Wafa’s life turned upside down when she was arrested and deported from her long-term home in North Africa after publicly professing Jesus Christ.
In the blink of an eye, she was separated indefinitely from her four daughters — the youngest of whom was only twelve — and thrown back into the arms of violent persecutors in Iraq.
After several failed attempts and months of praying, Wafa finally boarded a plane with a fresh visa in hand. She was eager to wrap her arms around her children again. But when she landed, things quickly went awry…
Police accused her of holding a fake passport. She was detained and questioned... the lives of her daughters were threatened if she tried to enter the country again.
Join us in praying that our Lord meets Wafa in her suffering, paving a miraculous path to reunion with her daughters.
“Although I can’t be with my daughters, I know that you are. I know that the Lord is. Thank you for supporting me ... I truly need you.”
Wafa, iraq
SPIRITUAL RETREATS UPDATE
PERSECUTED BELIEVERS TRANSFORMED!
Spiritual Retreats provide...
a time of spiritual refreshment.
a secure respite from the eyes of persecutors.
fellowship, worship, discipleship, and focused pastoral care.
This year’s Spiritual Retreat updates:
Over 300 refugees attended a recent Spiritual Retreat in the Middle East. Unable to secure a home, find fulfilling work, pursue their education, or count on stable resettlement, these believers arrived weary ... the burdens of persecution taking a toll on their hearts and minds. But revival took place! They left with renewed hope in God’s perfect will.
In Iraq, three men had the chance to finally be baptized at a Spiritual Retreat. They asked us to pray for the strife in their country. One said, “My city is under attack, and I feel sad. I want everyone to know Christ before anything happens to them.”
A Spiritual Retreat in Jordan allowed us to support more than 10 Iraqi refugee families that had fled life-threatening persecution. “In my country, there wasn’t another Christian for hundreds of miles. I have been thirsty for the Word of God, and longing for an opportunity to be baptized.”
At a recent Spiritual Retreat...
Last Christmas, an underground house church in Morocco gathered for its first-ever Spiritual Retreat! Most of those in attendance were experiencing intense persecution from authorities, family members, and employers.
The church also has a thriving online ministry, evangelizing and discipling many in remote villages throughout the country. This was the first time many of those new, isolated believers met with fellow Christians face to face and had the opportunity to be baptized. Join us in praying for these new believers!
“I came here with heavy burdens on my shoulders. But I’m leaving with a peace I have never felt before.”
SPIRITUAL RETREAT ATTENDEE, IRAQ
Launched!
THE PRISONERS OF HOPE PODCAST
God is working across the Muslim world. He is empowering Help The Persecuted and YOU to respond to needs, save lives, and make a difference.
Now, our newly launched Prisoners of Hope podcast gives you an in-depth look at the stories of the persecuted — how they’ve overcome seemingly insurmountable trials to grow in faith and find hope for the future!
Each episode contains an interview with one
of our Field Ministry Team Members ... or an Enduring Livelihood grant recipient ... or a Safe House resident. Hear the realities of persecution and the wonders of God’s work in the Muslim world directly from those experiencing it!
Our guests have clung to Jesus no matter the cost — reminding us of the importance of remaining faithful to our calling to Rescue, Restore, and Rebuild.
“Awesome podcast. Thank you, and may God truly bless all that you are doing. I live with Muslims in my homestay, and we have many deep conversations as I attempt to witness to them in my own way. Peace and love.”
A PRISONERS OF HOPE LISTENER, AUSTRALIA
Just one episode:
Evangelizing Al-Qaeda
Hosts Joshua Youssef and Will Carlisle sat down with field team leaders, Salam and Samar. This couple has faithfully served the Church in the Middle East for over 30 years, ministering amongst an unprecedented movement of Muslims turning to Christ.
You’ll hear about their ongoing ministry, including a life-threatening encounter with persecution that forced them to flee to the United States before God paved a path of return to their home country in the Middle East.
“We want to see revival in the Middle East. We want to see Muslims come to Christ and nominal believers coming to know the real God. And in the last few years, we’ve seen that in a way that has exceeded our expectations. For us, this is the hope we’ve been looking for ... and God is encouraging us to keep going.”
SALAM AND SAMAR
Rescuing One
“I am writing these words to you, and I am very frightened. I ask that you erase this letter as soon as you read it, for fear of it falling into the wrong hands ...”
This was the beginning of a long message we received from Egypt ... a persecuted believer named Fauzi was desperate for help.
Fauzi first encountered Jesus in college. When he and his best friend, Wael, gave their lives to the Lord together, they knew their decision to convert was dangerous. Renouncing Islam could cost them their lives. And for Wael, this was the devastating outcome.
When Wael’s family learned of his newfound faith in Christ, they arranged an “accident.” He was followed and run down by a car driven by his own family. Fauzi was inconsolable upon hearing of his friend’s murder and knew he could be next.
Weeks after, Fauzi was attacked by Muslim friends. They brutally beat him...cutting three of his fingers off. “Since that day until now, I have been hiding the truth of my religious belief from the people closest to me.”
Time went by. Fauzi recovered from the attack, got a stable job, and married a fellow Christian convert, Mayadah. They had children and raised them in the ways of Jesus.
One day, while visiting Fauzi’s parents, his young son began repeating some of the Christian songs he had been learning at home. Fauzi’s father, a well-known leader in an Islamic political party in Egypt, was tipped off.
Fauzi knew it was now only a matter of time. He and his family needed to escape. “Please ...” he wrote to us, “save my children.”
Our field team in Egypt jumped into action as soon as they received Fauzi’s message. They helped him escape and prepared a room for him in our Safe House, far away from his persecutors. But his wife and young children, unable to escape the tight grasp of persecution, were left behind.
Despite the danger, our field team members were determined to reunite this family of faith. As Fauzi settled into a new country, preparing a home in hopeful expectation of reuniting with his wife and children, our team made several attempts to bring them to safety.
Weeks after Fauzi received residency in his new country and found a place to live with the help of the local church, the rest of his family was successfully rescued and evacuated by our faithful field team!
The family, now reunited, is surrounded by fellow Christians, worshipping freely, and rebuilding their lives together in the wake of persecution ... to God be the glory.
“Seriously, all the words of thanks have no meaning compared to what I saw from you ... responding quickly to our distress and supporting us throughout. The love of your Field Ministry Team members in Egypt is unmatched.”
Fauzi
Another door Closes…
iraq ministry center
You stood with Help The Persecuted as we entered Qaraqosh in the wake of ISIS to help rebuild the city and bring redemption after such immense suffering.
We faced great risks! Qaraqosh had been the largest Christian city in northwest Iraq but became one of the most dangerous and devastated places in the world. But God gave us a purpose, and we remained.
And God has faithfully brought restoration through our Qaraqosh Ministry Center, pioneering the revitalization of an entire community through...
Rebuilding homes destroyed by ISIS, launching preschool programs and summer school camps, distributing vital food staples, offering vocational and employment training with English and computer
classes, and providing trauma counseling to those who experienced ISIS’s destruction firsthand.
During our time in Qaraqosh, we helped over 8,000 persecuted Christians and those seeking Christ — coming alongside them with long-term care
that enabled them to rebuild their lives from the rubble. Because of your partnership, thousands of men, women, and children are now empowered to revitalize their community, bringing life back into a city long defined by suffering.
We are grateful for the key role God enabled us to play in the revitalization of Qaraqosh, and it is bittersweet to watch this chapter of focused ministry close. But as we seek to be faithful stewards of
what God has given us, we are prayerfully choosing to allocate our resources where there is pressing need.
This is the best-case scenario. It is a joy to close this chapter knowing that lives are restored, hope is sustained, and the persecuted have what they need to stand firm.
Thank you for playing a vital role in Qaraqosh, Iraq, through your prayers and giving!
The city is almost unrecognizable from the one we entered in 2019. The majority of residents have returned to a city literally rebuilt from the ashes ... God is clearly restoring the lives of Christians in Qaraqosh.
Another door opens…
AFGHANISTAN & PAKISTAN
AFGHANISTAN
We are going back in
Pakistan
A new avenue of ministry
The frequent use of blasphemy laws in Pakistan silences and imprisons Christians. Even when there is no actual violation of the law, an accusation of blasphemy can result in incarceration for years without trial — or even a death sentence.
Our efforts to Rescue, Restore, and Rebuild are desperately needed in Pakistan to strengthen and serve the local churches and present the Gospel.
We visited Pakistan to assess the needs of the persecuted…
And hired our first on-the-ground Field Ministry Team member, Rachid.
He is working diligently to identify persecuted believers in need of pastoral care and develop tailored support.
He is also connected with a network of churches to support Afghan refugees who are rebuilding their lives after the Taliban takeover.
LOOKING FORWARD WITH GREAT EXPECTATION
“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think...” EPHESIANS 3:20
New Field Ministry Team members are expanding into new cities, strengthening the Church as many face imprisonment, torture, and unemployment.
Our new regional presence has opened doors for ministry in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan.
We are deepening our presence in Syria, hiring new field staff to encourage believers facing unending suffering.
Our goal is to increase our activity to help more persecuted Christians rebuild their lives in the wake of civil war, famine, and poverty.
Encouraging Words from partners like you
“My original involvement with Help The Persecuted was somewhat experimental as I didn’t have more than the vaguest idea about the persecution of believers in the Muslim world. Seeing what you do has moved my heart for the plight of these people — people the Bible calls my brothers and sisters. It’s personal. It’s challenging.”
united kingdom
“Help The Persecuted is a wonderful organization, enabling us to fulfill the command of Hebrews 13:3 — to support our suffering brothers and sisters in Christ. Without the ministry of organizations like Help The Persecuted, we would struggle to help the suffering Church throughout the world. Keep up the good work!”
united kingdom
“My wife and I pray daily for the persecuted Church and that others
will be won over to The Kingdom from the testimony and commitment of
those being imprisoned and otherwise persecuted. May God continue to bless you and your most worthwhile ministry.”
united States
“I had no idea these things were taking place, and although it tears at my heart for the suffering, it also gives me a purer spiritual strength in my walk with the risen Christ. May the Lord bless you and yours!”
united states
“I just donated online but wanted to
share that it came from my 8-year-old son, who felt compelled by Christ to
help our brothers and sisters in places
of persecution. This was completely unprompted, and we hope that it will help your ministries.”
australia
“Thank you is not enough! What you are doing for persecuted believers is worth something far greater than a thank you! Your support is miraculous.”
Adib, IRAQ
