Cru missionaries Hadi* and Lily* knew they had to 
flee their country IMMEDIATELY —
or they would likely be killed. They made it to the border … 
but would God protect them as they went through the checkpoints?

As tense situations boil over into violence we’ve never before seen in our lifetimes, Cru missionaries have continued to work in some of the most closed, challenging nations on earth.

As you give and pray, they have been reaping an extraordinary harvest. Middle East and North African missionaries have been seeing an average of 3,500 people come to faith every month!

But more and more often, life-threatening persecution and disasters are hitting them hard — crises that require IMMEDIATE evacuations, safe houses, urgent medical care and more. 

Cru has a Persecuted Staff Fund set up to deal with situations like this. But as violence spreads, there are simply not enough funds to handle all the emergencies that could spring up at any moment … that seem to appear on the news every single day.

Cru missionaries like Hadi and Lily are just one example …

Hadi and Lily were working in their home country, one of the most closed, dangerous nations on earth.

They were seeing extraordinary responses as they shared the gospel. People were coming to faith. Telling others. Building a solid Christian community in a center of spiritual darkness. But it all came crashing down in only ONE DAY when a group of extremists took over. 

Hadi shares: “They were killing people and there were explosions … Everything turned upside down and broke down … [We thought] maybe we will just die here.”

Although they loved their family of believers and wanted to stay, Hadi and Lily knew they had to flee. 

They had received confirmation that the extremists knew who they were and where they lived. They were going to be hunted down — because they follow Jesus. 

Hadi and Lily moved quickly. But they arrived at the transportation hub only to be greeted by mobs of other desperate people. The sun was incredibly hot. There was no food. No bathroom. And then a stampede began:

“The soldiers were shooting into the air … [they] started to use tear gas and no one knew where their families were.”

Hadi and Lily were separated in the chaos, but they eventually found one another again. 

Not knowing what else to do, they went home. They knew extremists were searching nearby, but they had nowhere else to go that night … they had to trust the Lord for their protection.

Hadi and Lily soon moved to a secret safe house. Supported by US-based Cru teams working 24/7 to try to get them out, they kept trying to escape … but were turned away again and again.

They were trapped for two excruciating, uncertain weeks — meeting new contacts and memorizing code words so they’d know who was safe to talk to, safe to follow. 

Finally, covered in prayer, Hadi and Lily made the trek to the border: “Every road that we were going to had intruders. It was very dangerous.” But they finally made it across!

Their new “home” was still a dangerous place for Christians. Many days they couldn’t even go outside for fear of being captured. But it was so much better than where they started.

Hadi and Lily have had to move around to stay safe. But they continue ministry with their closed nation disciples from their homeland, meeting online several times a week! 

They’ve been reflecting on the Lord’s blessings and the Lord’s deliverance of them in their darkest hours:

“We remember the day and all of the pain and difficulties come to mind … God showed me that God has His plan and he can take something very difficult and make it into something good.”

Hadi and Lily want you to know: “We are very thankful to you.” It was the prayers and gifts of people like you that sustained them during those days of pain. That funded their time in that safe house. Their emergency transportation. Their rent and food and urgent medical needs. 

They are now safe. But many other Cru missionaries are not. Will you come to their aid today?

I’m praying that you’ll consider an immediate, life-saving gift to help rescue missionaries under fire.

These men and women are staying in hotspots as long as possible — because the turmoil has created extraordinary spiritual hunger. They want to reap the harvest they’ve been sowing for years! 

But when situations boil over and threats get too close, we MUST be ready to move them to safety … sometimes just a few cities away, and sometimes several nations away. 

Waiting for just a day or two to scrape funding together — let alone weeks or months — could be catastrophic.

Knowing that they have devoted their lives to sharing Jesus in the hardest places, will you give a special gift to help save missionaries’ lives as evil forces target them? 

Your gift of $50, $100 or even more will help to provide emergency evacuation (including last-minute international airfare), safe houses, critical medical care and more to brothers and sisters who are in imminent danger. 

The need is urgent as turmoil spreads. When extremists hear that people are Christian missionaries … they don’t hesitate. They target them.

Please, help save the lives of those who work to share Jesus in the hardest places. Your care will provide for their emergency needs — and ensure they survive to keep proclaiming the gospel wherever they are.

In all the chaos, God is moving. He has greater plans! But ruthless forces are still hunting for the Lord’s servants, and they need you. 

Please give your best gift to rescue them today.

*Names changed for security