Merry Christmas from Open Doors!

------=_Part_316914074_958900875.1703523652155 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_316914075_1525834102.1703523652155" ------=_Part_316914075_1525834102.1703523652155 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable [ hurch/] Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 Seven-year-old Roshan* remembers the day his family was told to leave their= home. After they decided to follow Jesus, Roshan=E2=80=99s family was shun= ned by their wider Hindu family, followed by their whole village.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Following Jesus meant that his mother lost her financial security and her l= ivelihood, leaving Roshan and his brother without food, the shelter of a sa= fe home and the opportunity to attend school.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 When we think about the 360+ million Christians in the world who face high = levels of persecution and discrimination for their decision to follow Jesus= , we may tend to think about the men and women who risk so much.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 But persecution is no respecter of age.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Throughout the world, children like Roshan also pay a high cost, especially= if they or their parents left the community or tribal religion to convert = to Christianity.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 This Christmas, will you pray with us for the youngest voices of persecutio= n?=C2=A0 25 prayers for children of the persecuted church [= rg/en-US/stories/25-prayers-children-persecuted-church/] We=E2=80=99re sharing 25 prayers you can pray for kids like Roshan whose ma= in Christmas wish is for safety and peace in their homes and communities.= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 I=E2=80=99m reminded of how vital our prayers are for these children when I= read the words of Ermias, a father in Ethiopia with twin boys (pictured ab= ove) who know persecution firsthand. =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CChildren are the next generation for the gospel,=E2=80=9D Ermias s= ays. =E2=80=9C=E2=80=A6 They are the hope for the Church.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0 Next week, I=E2=80=99ll be taking you on a daily trip around the world to i= ntroduce you to more of these children and share their Christmas prayers. S= o make sure to check your email each day. =C2=A0 Thank you for praying for the hope and future of the Church. =C2=A0 =C2=A0 In Christ, =C2=A0 Ryan Brown CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 P.S.=C2=A0Check out our monthly prayer calendar.=C2=A0It=E2=80=99s a great = way to lift up your persecuted family each day. Click HERE to download! [ht= tps://www.opendoorsus.org/getinvolved/pray/prayer-calendar-nov-dec-2023] =C2=A0 =C2=A0 For more information about Open Doors US, visit www.opendoorsus.org [https:= //www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/] [ [ [ =C2=A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobili= zing prayer, support and advocacy in 22 countries and supporting Christians= in the 70 countries where they face the greatest cost for their faith. If = you have any questions about your donation please contact info@opendoorsus.= org [mailto:info@opendoorsus.org], or call 1-800-896-5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0FAQs =C2=A0 [ e=3DFCM5w39iAc3NVlzj4wpig_D7LZquKGNs1eQ3NLeDrmB6G7TQ5hzH3rEqW8FITOVu&recipi= entid=3Dcontact-cb73e8b21491ed11aad06045bd8a3c0f-2d5c40eaf52245ffb5465e0676= 396eca&utm_source=3DClickDimensions&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_campaign=3DOD%20= US%20Announce&esid=3D51c0f86c-a108-4d17-a0d3-6c590ccd1bc7]| Privacy Policy = [ |=C2=A0Unsubscribe [htt= p://elink.opendoorsus.org/uu/3/eyJhaSI6NDU0NjEwNTQsImUiOiJ0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3= aW44NkBnbWFpbC5jb20iLCJyaSI6ImNvbnRhY3QtZTI5NmE3M2VlOWJjZWQxMTgzZmU2MDQ1YmQ= 4YzU5M2MtZTgyM2IwODljNmE5NDg3ZWE5N2UyNzNkN2VkNDc0ZDkiLCJycSI6InAxLWIyMzM1OS= 0xYjQ5MTE5MTZhNTg0NDdjODRmZDE0MzE2ZWY1NTZkMSIsInBoIjpudWxsLCJtIjpmYWxzZX0/K= -8tKYk7p30ZhHHxBc2kVg] =C2=A0 ------=_Part_316914075_1525834102.1703523652155 Content-Type: text/html;charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 [3D"A](3D") Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 Merry Christmas! I am so grateful for you and your supp= ort this year=E2=80=94your prayers and gifts for persecuted Christians arou= nd the world have inspired me throughout 2023, and today, as I celebrate th= e birth of Jesus, I=E2=80=99m grateful for you, as well. =C2=A0 As we worship freely today and enjoy time with our fami= ly, churches and friends, I hope you=E2=80=99ll take a moment to pr= ay for your family living around the world in places where following Jesus = is dangerous. Christians like Donya*, a secret Christian in Iran, = risk everything for Christ. And yet, they manage to show the joy Jesus brin= gs!=C2=A0 =C2=A0 During a recent online discipleship meeting, Donya put = up a Christmas tree for just a few hours so she could celebrate Jesus=E2=80= =99 birth with other believers. =E2=80=9CI wanted to decorate and celebrate= just like everyone else, even if it=E2=80=99s just for a few hours,=E2=80= =9D she said. =C2=A0 What a powerful witness=E2=80=94and a reminder = of the truth of the season!=C2=A0 =C2=A0 For thousands of years, God's people lived with a promi= se of His coming salvation. At Christmas, we can celebrate a God who keeps = His promises and chooses to be with us as Emmanuel, God with us.=C2=A0= n> =C2=A0 I pray that you will have a few of those moments over t= he coming days and experience the joy and wonder of Emmanuel in a new and r= efreshing way.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Merry Christmas! Ryan Brow= n CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 PS I love the photo at the top of this email! It's of a= boy in Syria and you can see the joy of Christmas on his face. Thank you f= or supporting Christians like him around the world! For more= information about Open Doors US, visit [www.opendo= orsus.org](=3D") 3D" 3D" 3D" =C2= =A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part= of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobilizing prayer, support and advoc= acy in 22 countries and supporting Christians in the 70 countries where the= y face the greatest cost for their faith. If you have any questions about y= our donation please contact [info@opendoorsus.org](3D"mailto:info@opendoorsus.org"), or call 1-800-896= -5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0[= FAQs =C2=A0](3D")| [Privacy Policy](3D") |=C2=A0[Unsubscribe](=3D")= span> =C2=A0 ------=_Part_316914075_1525834102.1703523652155-- ------=_Part_316914074_958900875.1703523652155--