“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”
Please take a moment to pray for the light of Christ's love to reach the Kurdish people.
Each photo is a prayer point.
For the past five centuries the Kurds of Central Asia have been forced to live under oppressive regimes and to seek refuge out of their traditional homeland. The oppression the Kurds have experienced has led many of them to believe that they are among the most hated peoples of the world. The Kurdish proverb, “Kurds have no friends,” expresses that sentiment. Despite the suffering the Kurds have endured, they remain a culturally distinct people. Please pray for the Kurdish people to find their worth and home in Jesus Christ. Pray also that God would provide redemptive friendships for the Kurds that they would come to know the Lord intimately.
While there are an
estimated 25 million Kurds throughout the world, over 5 million live in Iran. Primarily located in the northwest region, the Kurds are a marginalized group of shepherds, farmers and merchants. Kurdish children have limited access to education and many remain illiterate. Illiteracy among the Kurds creates an obstacle to sharing the gospel with them. In addition to literacy issues, the Kurds of Iran speak four different dialects of the Kurdish language, making it difficult to share the gospel of Jesus with them. Please pray that oral methods of sharing the gospel, such as audio Bibles, Christian radio broadcasts, and praise and worship music translated into the Kurdish dialects will reach the ears of Kurds in Iran.
Life for a Kurdish woman is centered in the home. As a young bride she must move into her mother-in-law's home and take on every chore—drawing the family's water, milking the family goat, preparing each meal, cleaning the house and raising the children. She often endures verbal and physical abuse from her mother-in-law and other members of her husband's family. Please pray that the hope of Jesus Christ touches the hearts and lives of these women. Pray that they will have the opportunity to feast on the Bread of Life even as they care for their families.
A small sect of religiously distinct Kurds, called Yezidi Kurds, live in the mountainous regions of Armenia. The majority of Kurds are Muslim, but Yezidi Kurds fear and worship Malaki Tawis, Satan, rather than Allah. Yezidi Kurds believe that God, as a disinterested creator, gave them over to Satan. Yezidi Kurds live their lives in fear of Malaki Tawis, to whom they make sacrifices and build monuments, like the one in the photo. To walk through life as a Yezidi, is to walk through life in spiritual darkness. Please pray that the light of Jesus Christ will pierce through the darkness. Pray that the Yezidi Kurds will put their hope and trust in Jesus.
Many Yezidi Kurd children attend schools that look like this one. The children go to school only for two or three hours each day because it is too cold in the buildings to stay any longer. Families cannot afford to send lunch for their children. Such poor conditions make learning nearly impossible. Development projects, food relief, and health education programs teach Yezidi Kurds how to help themselves, but a lack of resources prevents many communities from improving the quality of life. Please pray that God will provide resources for the Yezidi Kurds to improve their communities. Pray that God's provision for their physical needs will open many doors to share the good news of Jesus with them.
Kurdish children love to listen to stories. From an early age Kurds tell their children stories about family history, morality, and about cultural traditions. In an oral culture story-telling is an excellent way to share the gospel. Please pray that many Kurdish children will hear the story of Jesus. Pray that the children will remember the Scripture-based stories that they hear in order to share them with their families.
In Kurdish culture it is an honor to witness the slaughtering of a sheep for a meal, and it is only bestowed upon those the Kurds respect and trust. One man has gained the trust of many Kurds in Armenia by investing many years in building relationships with them. As a result, some Kurds have already accepted the good news of Jesus through the testimony of this Armenian follower of Christ. Please pray that God will provide for this Christian worker and his young family. Pray that he will continue to be welcomed into Kurdish homes throughout Armenia. Pray that he will be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit as he shares the gospel with the Kurds.
There is a small church of Kurdish believers in Armenia. These former followers of Yezidism meet together each week in village homes to study God's Word and to worship the Lord. Some of these young believers are experiencing persecution from family members and neighbors because of their new belief in Christ. Please pray that these believers will have the courage to keep meeting together and to keep sharing their faith with others. Pray that this fledgling church will flourish as a testimony to God's power and faithfulness. Pray that new churches of Kurdish believers will spring up throughout Kurdish villages in Armenia, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria.
New believers need discipleship and leadership training so that they can grow in their walk with Christ. Please pray that God will raise up Kurdish men to be the spiritual leaders in their homes and churches. Pray that God will provide discipleship training for them. Pray also that the Holy Spirit will call out men to take the gospel to fellow Kurds throughout the region.
There are a few Kurdish followers of Jesus. Most Kurds are like lost sheep without a shepherd. The Muslim Kurds of Iran are among those lost sheep. Please pray for Kurdish believers in Jesus to develop a vision to share the gospel with their fellow Kurds in Iran. Pray that the Kurdish believers would be relentless in their pursuit of these lost sheep. Pray that the Kurds of Iran would recognize Jesus as the only way to salvation.
“I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture ... I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
—John 10:9-10
The Kurdish people need to experience the hope of the life-giving message of Jesus Christ. The Lord desires that all Kurds come to know Him. Pray that God would be glorified among the Kurds of Armenia, Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Pray that the Kurds themselves would become advocates for the gospel of Christ throughout the world.
While there are an estimated 25 million Kurds throughout the world, over 5 million live in Iran. Primarily located in the northwest region, the Kurds are a marginalized group of shepherds, farmers and merchants. Kurdish children have limited access to education and many remain illiterate. Illiteracy among the Kurds creates an obstacle to sharing the gospel with them. In addition to literacy issues, the Kurds of Iran speak four different dialects of the Kurdish language, making it difficult to share the gospel of Jesus with them. Please pray that oral methods of sharing the gospel, such as audio Bibles, Christian radio broadcasts, and praise and worship music translated into the Kurdish dialects will reach the ears of Kurds in Iran.
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