The House of Blessing has experienced some especially difficult times as of late. If you are a regular reader, you will have read many stories testifying of great blessings by the Lord through the ministry of the HOB missionaries, but also a great many heartwrenching accounts of tragedy — results of violent attacks by the enemies of the Gospel. Since the beginning of my time writing the Mideast Updates which began in late March 2012, there have been thousands of home-grown HOB missionaries who have paid the ultimate price. The dramatic uptick in losses of life have, however, been quite obvious in the last 18 months or so.
Dr. Nibras, in one of his latest reports, passed on a passage of Scripture that he was reminded of. Note Jesus’ words:
27 ”Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 10:27-33
Dr. Nibras added: “No martyr representing Jesus Christ, the Messiah, ever dies without being recognized by the whole Kingdom of Heaven. God is very attentive to everyone who suffers for the sake of Jesus’ witness. In Acts 7, we find the story of Stephen, his defense to his accusers, and his death by stoning.”
The entire story of Stephen, which most readers are familiar with is found in the sixth and seventh chapter of Acts. That very story, in one form or another, is being repeated in real life (and death) as the House of Blessing shares the Gospel across the Middle East today.
Dr. Nibras went on: Here we see that Stephen was not alone as he faced his accusers; Jesus Christ Himself was all around him! In fact, Jesus rose from His throne to bring Stephen into His presence as he was being killed. Despite the ferocity of the attack and the fact that he was killed by those who had chosen to be his enemies, Stephen was able to forgive them and ask the Lord not to hold them accountable for their sins! And so, he died. A young man named Saul, who would become the greatest enemy of the early church in his time, was the one the murderers entrusted their clothing with as they stoned him to death. God used this event to influence Saul. As we now know, Saul later became the Apostle Paul, whom the Holy Spirit used to write about two-thirds of the New Testament! You don’t know whom you have influenced with your testimony, nor do I, but God knows, and He makes good use of every word and deed done in His Name!
Dr. Nibras then went on to share his interaction with Pastor Abdelrahem after he shared the news of the latest attack. This is what he had to say: “The pastor couldn’t hold back his tears, nor could those with him as I told him the latest news. I told him that 35 widows from the “House of Blessing” were arrested including Hafeza, Mufida, Ferial, Sarah, and a number of other sisters who were killed for spreading the Gospel of Jesus. Most of these widows had been trained by Mufida and the others — some of the earliest members of the “Widow Sisterhood.”
It is important that I clarify some information at this point. I failed to catch a mistranslated sentence in the report I received in my Mideast Update titled: “Well Done, Good And Faithful Servant” on 7/17/2026. It was my error when I indicated that Mufida, Hafiza, Sarah, and Ferial were killed along with others of the sisters. Because I am in contact with HOB several times a day, I was later able to verify that this was not accurate. I sent out a text notice with a clarification to those for whom I had WhatsApp contact information but I did not do so as an official website update, because I was still waiting to receive more information. Quite often I receive updates piecemeal on events that are in process. This is what I later learned:
Yes, many of the sisters were in fact savagely tortured and subsequently executed, but Mufida, Hafiza, and Ferial were not among the dead. The attack on the women was a major attack. Some of the women were severely beaten and thrown into the streets. Others were horribly humiliated and assaulted and eventually brutally murdered as was described in the Special Mideast Update referenced above. Others, like Mufida, Hafeza, Ferial, Sarah, Sharifa, Fadwa and others are still confined in a cave. There are about 25-30 of them left. They have their legs all tied together so they can’t move. They have had no food or water since July 15. These women are so strong in their faith that the militant guards tired of them and so tied them up to let them die. This was of course, after they had already endured many unspeakable atrocities. Many of them, for example, were severely burned on their legs and hands. Others had their faces torched beyond recognition and they died. Mufida and the “Widow Sisterhood” are very well known across the Middle East, especially in Syria, and it seems their captors have decided to now let them slowly waste away and die. Apparently the guards are not there 24 hours a day because brother Kilani, who is keeping a watch on everything as best he can, was able to send in some women dressed in strict Muslim clothing to check on them — although they could not aid them in any way. These women were able to provide the names above and were given graphic descriptions of what the women have gone through. The women that checked on them said that the widows spend all their time recalling the Bible, worshipping the Lord by singing its passages. When I asked how they are able to study the Bible since they have no Scriptures with them, I was told they have long had the Scriptures memorized.
Please pray for these powerful women of God. Only God knows how they are still alive today. Maybe the Lord will bring them HOME, or maybe He will arrange an escape. Only He knows. I asked where they are being held and all I can say is that they are somewhere in the center of the country in the mountains.
Dr. Nibras went on to describe more about 73 HOB men who were executed about a week ago in one of the attacks. He said:
“The 73 men who lost their lives were each described as strong men of God. They were men who proved their worth time and again. They endured horrific trials and witnessed events that most of us couldn’t imagine, even in our worst nightmares. Yet, they also witnessed time and again God’s power to intervene in situations in response to the faith of His people and their sincere prayers. Now, Zakaria and Zalamit, along with their companions, remained in the area near and around the capital (Damascus) during the latest intense attack there. Instead of seeking safer places to minister, these two men, along with the many dedicated missionaries and volunteers who worked with them, stayed and were able to reach a great many who were dying or knew they were unlikely to survive. HOB lost a significant number of its trained missionaries and volunteers to the brutality of ISIS. Around 100 of their widows voluntarily joined the besieged in order to reach as many as possible before they passed on to the hereafter. The psalmist said of the death of God’s people, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” Psalm 116:15
This is the HOB story, repeated time and again. The details differ in each story, but the end result is always the same: more souls. The meeting of HOB leaders that was attacked was intended to plan the most effective ways to spread the love of Christ Jesus among the people this year. Such plans provoke intense anger and hatred toward Christian missionaries. Islam does not tolerate Christianity. Yet, Muslims believe that even if there were no infidels available to slaughter (Christians being the preferred target), one sect of Islam will attack the followers of another simply because they differ in their understanding of Islam. The only hope many of them have is to hear the Gospel message brought by the Blood of Jesus Christ, the true Messiah. This simple message of God’s love for humanity has brought countless lost souls into the Kingdom of God. Hundreds, sometimes even thousands, join them every week!
Despite the tragic attacks on the leadership gathered in and around Damascus, the work of the House of Blessing continues. Sister Mufida and the other widows of the Sisterhood, along with 70 assistants had done their best to integrate themselves into the large crowds trying to flee from one area to another. Safety was impossible to find. They did their best to integrate them into HOB communities of believers so that they could be reached with the Gospel and then discipled – until they were attacked and murdered, or captured. These women have since been quite candid to share their testimonies with the women who checked on them and share what has happened to them in captivity. Each woman has her own story and they are quite moving! These testimonies seem to touch people’s hearts, as evidenced by the hundreds who have since given their lives to Christ. Since last week, their impact has so far reached 3,400 people!
What a great thing God is doing in the Middle East today! The “last day’s harvest” promised in the Scriptures is being fulfilled. In fact, it has been ongoing for some time now! The Bible speaks of the two promised rains, early and late. The early rain began at Pentecost with the first century Christians. He is now working tirelessly with the last generation of Christians!
While I was speaking with Pastor Abdelrahem on the phone, he was about to enter a meeting with over a thousand leaders. He said he needed to encourage them because Satan is trying to paralyze the evangelists with fear. As he met with group after group, he continued to pray for the hundreds of people who lined up to receive his prayers. Today, the line was over 15,000! Let us pray that the Lord will give him the strength and resolve to meet the great needs before him. God will answer.”
His Servant Forever,
Dr. Nibras
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I am going to include one more report in today’s update. It is an email I received from Pastor Abdelrahem today, July 20, 2026. It is a response to an accusation that has been made that unverified accounts are being sent out in reference to attacks on HOB missionaries and subsequent deaths that their contacts could not confirm. Please read carefully. Abdelrahem is sharing his heart…
Peace be upon you, brother Jack. I want to clarify something very important for those who love and support the Lord’s work. Over the past year and a half, many readers of our Middle East News on our website, which is managed by you, have heard stories often described as “unbelievable” and “miraculous” about how God uses humble, unknown men and women to accomplish His purposes and plans in these times. All the stories of sustenance, protection, healing, and salvation, as well as stories of death and martyrdom in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Jordan, begin and end with a firm belief that God continues to work in and through His servants in ways that surpass our ability to comprehend or explain. God does not limit Himself to using only what we can explain with our human powers to accomplish His will — this is self-evident. We also know that wherever and whenever God works to accomplish His purposes, there will be fruit and a harvest, and He will receive glory.
Our common enemy is enraged by this harvest and will attack with all his might to destroy those who work in the fields, both physically and psychologically. He will do everything in his power to hide the truth from believers if it will cause them to lose faith in the God of miracles. Sadly, it is true. God’s work and victories will always face resistance from the enemy, and sometimes from our own brothers and sisters in the Lord. When the enemy comes from the depths of hell, we know that God’s full armor is available to us, and that we are able to withstand Satan’s weapons, which will ultimately not prevail against us, and then we can stand firm. Sometimes, we must remain in his shadow until God guides us to a new path.
The enemy has used a familiar weapon against some of our readers, deceiving some into believing that “unbelievable” and “miraculous” stories that were not personally filmed or documented by them or by deceitful individuals must be false. But this weapon has not weakened God’s ability to continue His great miracles. The missionaries of the House of Blessing (HOB) continue their work of spreading the saving knowledge of Christ Jesus to as many people as possible. They will continue to trust in and experience miracles of healing, help, and salvation until we are all called to our eternal abode. There is no doubt about that.
Let me clarify that the work we do requires a great deal of effort from us, and that disagreements among brothers and sisters do not serve God’s mission, which is the core of HOB’s work. Some of our beloved brothers and sisters have spread false news and have slandered us, but we have committed it to much prayer. As a team, I know and it is a proven fact that HOB’s mission of reaching non-believers has in the past — and is continuing to be fulfilled as people are being converted to the Lord by hearing these stories. This is our sole purpose — to reach souls, whatever the circumstances.
I have never been concerned with fundraising. I sold everything I owned and used it to buy a printing press that cost over $235,000, and we are still struggling with debts of around $14,000. My sole focus is on spreading the word of the Lord and the conversion of souls. Therefore, to avoid upsetting any reader who might feel the stories are misleading people into donating to HOB, let it be known that I would rather not receive any donations that God does not have His sovereign hand in. I do not receive, nor would I accept any funds from the fake Jerusalem office run by brother Talal. I only pray that God guides him and others to the path of righteousness. He had previously broken his promise to me and Pastor Rashid. We have had no contact with him or his office since Pastor Rashid’s death in 2023. While objections to the HOB stories seem to persist, the stories will continue as God works in the lives and ministries of the missionaries. If God inspires you to support other ministries working toward His goals, donate to them according to his guidance. As always, HOB will continue to rely solely on His provision.
As a believer and the official leader of the House of Blessing Fellowship, part of the City of Jesus ministry, I am absolutely certain of the veracity of every story published in these updates. I, along with the elders and brothers, will continue our work until the Lord calls us to Him. I ask you to continue to pray sincerely with me for Ferial, Mafida, Sarah, the widows, Omar, Ma’touq, Aylout Eban, Rabbi Spazi, Al-Saftawi, and their wives, and all the missionaries of the HOB fellowship of believers. Please join me in a special application of 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5:
1 “We pray for the missionaries of the House of Blessing, and especially for the pastor, that the Lord’s message may be spread quickly and honored, as it was among us. 2And we pray that God will deliver them from the wicked, for faith is not in everyone. 3But You, Lord, are faithful, and we pray that You will strengthen them and protect them from the evil one. 4We trust in the Lord that they are doing and will continue to do what you have commanded. 5May the Lord direct their hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ. Amen.
Your brothers, servants of the Lord forever,
Abdelrahem and Dr. Nibras
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Thank you all for your generous gifts for the House of Blessing and especially for your prayers support. I have already received a couple more reports of thousands more being reached with the Gospel and the Lord intervening in miraculous ways in response to the prayers of the people. I will have to include these reports in another update in 2-3 days.
The harvest of souls seems to multiply each week that passes. It is hard to fathom — especially in such a difficult location in this world. Dr. Nibras added this:
“Please join me in continued and sincere prayer for Pastor Abdelrahem, and the dedicated HOB missionaries. A shipment of 20,000 teaching booklets arrived in Iran yesterday (7/20/2026). The work of the House of Blessing is ongoing and effective, but they need the prayers of their Christian brothers and sisters around the world. These missionaries are always in danger. They often suffer from shortages of food and water, and sometimes fall ill. They also experience times of discouragement. The demands they face are often overwhelming. But you are invited to intercede for us before the throne of God.”
1Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is with you, 2and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith. 3But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3
If anyone has questions or comments, please feel free to contact either of the email addresses below.
Forever in His Service,
Jake (aka Jack)