The northeast African country of Eritrea is situated on the Red Sea coast. Ethiopia, Sudan and Djibouti are the bordering countries. Asmara is the capital city and is famous for structures built during colonial rule by Italy. The country is ruled by a totalitarian regime and people are controlled by stern government norms. It seems to be an apt description of Eritrea that it has been compared to the worst rule in North Korea as “hermit kingdom”. In Eritrea everything is secretive and it is the most isolated country in the world. The Churches operating with approval are under the direct tight control of the government. Even the messages delivered there are constantly monitored. Terrible oppressive rule has displaced many people and many had to flee the country. Christian Believers have faced immense opposition that they had to run away from the volatile places. It is a very sad situation in Eritrea that even while half the population are Christians, extreme persecution is prevailing to the most.

Tibet is a Himalayan state considered a part of China. Many desire that Tibet be its own country in its own right. China massacred more than a million people in its reinvasion of Tibet many years ago, but freedom has never been restored and tensions remain high. Chinese surveillance in Tibet and of Tibetan people around the world is all-pervasive. The region remains very poor, and the Chinese government enforces many laws aimed at diminishing Tibetan culture and introducing Chinese culture. Tibet’s exiled Buddhist spiritual leader is the Dalai Lama. His followers see him as a living god, but China views him as a separatist threat. Tibetan Buddhism is an integral part of the Tibetan identity and it is difficult to penetrate with the Gospel. Alongside Buddhism, the traditional religion of Bon also keeps people in spiritual bondage. Christian missionaries are not free to function in Tibet. However, a small Church continues to grow, and Christian resources continue to be accessed online.

The country of Syria has been shattered and decimated by war, violence, and terrorism for many years. Multitudes of people have lost their lives. Many thousand have been wounded. Millions of them were forced to flee from their homes. This has caused the mass humanitarian crisis of historic proportions. Constant civil war is becoming a much more complex and multifaceted conflict now. The government is facing terrible threats from the many warring factions that are the armed opposition groups, the Islamic State and the Kurds. Numerous war crimes have been committed.  The use of chemical warfare that has been reported on all sides that inflicted unspeakable horrors for the Syrian civilians. Syria’s instability and the prevailing chaotic situation have been capitalized on by the Islamic State and started taking control of huge areas in the country. The Syrians living there are thoroughly terrified. At the same time Christian persecution and violence against Christians have also terribly increased in Syria. Persisting war has caused the displacement of millions of people within the country itself.

Mongolia lies between Russia and China and is a young democracy that affords religious freedom. Rich in natural resources, mining is a huge source of income resulting in a growing economy despite the harsh winters that threaten the traditional lifestyle and income of cattle farmers. In recent years, the Mongolian government has struggled with accusations of corruption and a people’s protest movement grew demanding greater change. A third of Mongolia’s population lives in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, while nearly half of the country’s workforce is nomadic. In the last 30 years, the number of Christians has grown from a handful to more than 100,000. In Ulaanbataar alone, there are approximately 200 Churches. In addition, there are small gatherings of Christian Believers in every province, but few Christian workers are focused on church planting in rural and remote regions.