by The Barnabas Fund is, as ever, keeping a careful and caring eye on the situation of believers all over the world. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected poor and persecuted Christians. The following is a summary of recent news published by the Barnabas Fund.
Tajikistan, 31st March 2020
The situation in Tajikistan – a country with a 98% Muslim majority – has never been favourable for believers in the Lord Jesus. A pastor and director of a Bible college in the country reports the following.
A sharp jump in the price of food about two weeks ago has severely affected the poor – many are simply having to eat less in order to save money. This disproportionately affects the largely poor Christian minority. Mosques in the country were closed for a week, then allowed to reopen. Churches were also ordered to close, but as there are a good deal fewer attending churches than mosques, these too were allowed to reopen, provided disinfection and other precautionary measures are taken. Nonetheless, the threat to close down gatherings still hang over the Church in Tajikistan if the crisis continues to escalate.
If the disease reaches epidemic proportions in the country the strain on the health system will be unbearable – there are not enough ventilators in the country’s hospitals to cope with the predicted demand. Christians and the poor in generally are vulnerable, having a poor quality diet and resulting weak immune system.
Nursing homes have been quarantined, curtailing the weekly visits of Christians to these facilities to preach the gospel.
Communication is difficult for the Church in Tajikistan. Only in large towns and cities do believers have access to live-streaming facilities – in small towns and villages, believers are very limited in their ability to communicate with one another.
The pastor concludes his report with this message:
“God controls the whole situation. He loves people and does everything for our good. My opinion is that Christians in this situation should SHINE more and brighter in this world to give people hope for salvation and show that this hope is only with the Lord Jesus.”