MEDIA Alliance International

In the shadow of political unrest and economic collapse, Iranian Christians are holding fast to a hope that cannot be shaken.

Our partners at Iran Alive Ministries, whose teammates participated in our MEDIA Alliance 2024 training, recently shared heartbreaking yet inspiring updates from believers inside Iran—men and women who worship Christ in secret, live under constant threat, and suffer the crushing weight of poverty and isolation.

One woman, Elham*, shared, “In Iran, we believers don’t even exist in the eyes of the law.” Owning a Bible, praying with others, or even whispering the name of Jesus in public can result in arrest—or worse. Still, she says, “In this secrecy, in this darkness, we hear God’s voice.”

Others echoed that same faith under pressure. Azad*, a mother living below the poverty line, described crying out to God in fear and hunger, only to see Him answer with small signs of His presence—“a prayer, a verse, a friend, even a piece of bread.”

In these deeply challenging times—amid ongoing bombings, economic hardship, and surveillance from authorities—Christians across Iran continue to worship in silence, raise their children in faith, and believe that God is near, even when the world has forgotten them.

MEDIA Alliance is honored to stand alongside Iran Alive in equipping believers like Elham and Azad—amplifying their voices and strengthening the message of Jesus through media.

We invite you to join us in praying for and supporting the Iranian Church. Together, we can help shine the light of Christ in one of the world’s darkest places.

*Names and photo changed for security purposes.

In a small town in northern Albania, 18-year-old Flora longed for more than what her culture and circumstances allowed. Living in a place where girls couldn’t walk the streets unaccompanied and opportunities were few, she turned to the only escape she could find—radio.

One night, she stumbled across Radio 7 Nord, a Christian station produced by MEDIA Alliance partner Media 7. Something about the message gripped her—words of peace, truth, and hope that felt personal. As she continued to listen, Flora gave her life to Christ.

But her new faith was met with ridicule and rejection from her family and community. With no church and no other believers nearby, she began to lose hope. Eventually, she was sent into an arranged marriage that took her to Australia, only to be abandoned by her abusive husband and rejected again—this time by her own mother.

Alone in Brisbane, broken and unable to speak the language, Flora remembered the radio voice that once brought her comfort. She sent a simple message back to Radio 7: “Hello, can I talk to you?”

On the other end of that message was Jonida, Programming Director at Media 7 and a longtime MEDIA Alliance ministry partner. Jonida had participated in multiple International Media Leadership Summits and is preparing to teach radio production at our upcoming Balkans Media Training this September in Albania.

Jonida didn’t hesitate. She listened. She prayed. And she acted. Within days, she had mobilized contacts through MEDIA Alliance’s extended network, and a local pastor in Australia was ready to receive Flora, connect her to a church, and help her take her next steps in faith.

One message. One response. A changed life.

This is the power of Gospel-centered media. From a small town in Albania to the streets of Australia, God used the voice of one radio broadcast—and a faithful team behind it—to rescue and restore a young woman’s life.

In a remote church warehouse nestled in the hills of Nepal, a dusty box sat undisturbed for more than a decade. Inside were 52 animated Bible stories for children—translated into the Maithili language, spoken by nearly 50 million people across northern India and Nepal. Most of them have never heard the name of Jesus.

These stories had been created as part of a Mega City Media Campaign with Great Commission Media Ministries several years ago. But after the campaign ended, the hard drives and materials disappeared. For ten years, these powerful resources were presumed lost forever.

A Discovery Like Josiah’s

When the tapes were rediscovered earlier this year, ministry leaders were reminded of the biblical account of King Josiah. During temple repairs, long-lost Scriptures were found—an event that sparked national repentance and revival in Israel. In a similar way, we believe this rediscovery is a sign of God’s timing and purpose for the Maithili people.

With less than 0.001% Christians among them, the Maithili remain one of the most unreached people groups in the world. They face deep spiritual darkness and significant educational barriers. Neither the Indian nor Nepali governments allow institutions of higher learning in the Maithili language. But children understand stories. And stories in their heart language can open hearts.

A New Chapter for the Maithili

These 52 Superbook Bible stories are already dubbed and ready to go. They are a proven tool used in places like the former Soviet Union, Laos, and Central Asia—places where children, families, and even whole communities have come to know Jesus through story-based Bible engagement.

Now it’s the turn for the children of Maithili.

Pray with us that God will use Great Commission Media Ministries and these recordings to impact children and their families and bring hope to this region.

In early 2025, a team from Theovision International’s Kenya office set out on a mission to record the Heiban audio Bible in the remote Nuba Mountains of Sudan. What began as a hopeful journey to bring the Word of God to an unreached language group quickly turned into a life-threatening operation.

Just days after the recording began, full-scale conflict erupted between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The tranquil villages surrounding the recording site were thrown into chaos. Fear gripped the community. Rumors of imminent attacks spread rapidly. Schools and churches were shuttered. Families dug trenches to shelter from incoming gunfire or air raids.

With no guarantee of safe passage home and no stable power supply, the team debated abandoning the mission. But they pressed on, relying entirely on solar energy, recording God’s Word each day under the constant threat of war. For six tense weeks, they lived on high alert—sleeping light, watching the horizon, and praying for protection.

By God’s grace, the team completed the project and returned safely to Nairobi. The Heiban New Testament audio Bible is now in post-production and will soon be available to the 4,000+ speakers of this endangered language.

The Heiban people, like many in Sudan, have limited access to Scripture—especially in a form they can understand. Their language, known locally as Debang or Ebang, is one of Sudan’s many indigenous tongues on the verge of extinction. This audio Bible will not only preserve the language—it will speak life to hearts that have never heard Jesus speak in their mother tongue.

Please join us in praying for peace in Sudan—and for the transformative power of the gospel to take root in Heiban hearts.

When war came to the town of Slovyansk in eastern Ukraine, the world Nataliia Bradarska knew began to crumble. Explosions echoed through the streets, homes were destroyed, lives were lost. She begged her husband, Viktor, to flee with her and their children.

But his response never changed: “I can’t. I am a servant of the church.”

So they stayed—through the fear, the danger, and the heartbreak. Two months into the war, everything changed.

“After Sunday service, we walked outside with other members of our church,” Nataliia recalled. “Armed men were already waiting in the yard. Without explanation, they took several of our men—including my Viktor.”

She was left with silence. No answers. No idea where he had been taken or why.

“I was afraid to leave my house that day. But then I thought, Who, if not the wife, will fight for him? So I went to the Security Service of Ukraine, where I was told the men had been forced to dig trenches. They said they’d be home soon. But the days turned into weeks. And no one returned.”

Thirty-five days passed before Nataliia learned what actually happened to her husband.

“Thirty-five endless days and sleepless nights. Hoping. Praying. And then I was told: all the men had been executed the same day they were taken. My husband’s body was found in a mass grave.”

Viktor was gone.

“I couldn’t believe it. We were the ‘dream family’—kind, loving, with three beautiful children. Nineteen years of marriage. So much we had done together. So much we still planned to do.”

The grief was overwhelming. But in her deepest pain, Nataliia found an anchor.

“The question became: How do I go on? And the answer, I discovered, was that I couldn’t—not without God. Without prayer, the Church, and the presence of the Lord, I would have been crushed. But through Him, I have found strength.”

In the face of unimaginable loss, Nataliia made a radical decision: to forgive.

“I saw the people who did this. My heart broke at the shedding of innocent blood. But eventually, I chose forgiveness. It was not easy. It still isn’t. But I have God. In Him, I find comfort and peace. Looking at my children, reading Scripture, I remember—I still have a purpose. My mission here is not finished.”

“Viktor is already there in heaven. We are on our way. And though the sorrow remains, I know God will walk with me through it. Because only He can wipe away every tear. Only He can heal the soul. Only He can give the strength to forgive the unforgivable. When death brings despair—only He can resurrect hope.”

This story was reported by our ministry partners, Great Commission Media Ministries who has played a significant role in helping provide care for suffering soldiers and their families during the Ukraine War.