Christian leaders in Libya are at present soliciting prayer support from Christians across the globe aftermath of the crisis in that North African country.

This is contained in a report by the Prayer Communications team of Open Doors (www.opendoorsuk.org) adding that in the immediate days after opposition forces took over Tripoli,

Speaking on this, a church leader said it is only 'by God’s grace and because of people’s prayers they are still alive “but we still need to pray much in this crucial time.”

He said that there is a major ongoing need for humanitarian help adding that Open Doors has been able to support the delivery of aid, including food, cooking oil and blankets, to the east of the country.

According to him, two 30-tonne trucks delivered humanitarian aid to Benghazi where it was distributed to those in need. Open Doors also helped bring in Bibles and Christian literature, utilising breaks in the fighting along the borders with neighbouring countries.

"Life is difficult," the church leader continued. "Everything in the city is expensive. Everyone seems to have guns but life is especially difficult for the African believers in Tripoli."

He noted that with their ethnic appearance, many are being mistaken as mercenaries making it very difficult for them to even leave their homes.

He said that many Christians have fled the country since the start of the revolt. "The most recent services were attended by some tens of people instead of the hundreds we were used to. The service in Arabic was totally empty. Many of them will return, I believe. Last weekend there was almost no transport."

It would be noted that Open Doors estimates that there are only about 150 indigenous Christians in Libya, while the expatriate Christian community numbers around 180,000. Most Libyan Christians are forced to live as secret believers and are too afraid to meet with other Christians.

Under Gaddafi’s government, evangelism was criminalised, missionary activity forbidden and the large network of secret police made it difficult to organise church activities. The small Christian communities that do exist consist mostly of sub-Saharan migrants and Western expatriate workers.

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