More than 8,000 Christians worldwide were abducted, arrested, imprisoned or sentenced without trial last year because of their faith, according to the 2026 World Watch List. Many of their stories never make headlines.
Open Doors Canada is asking Canadian Christians and churches to mark June 28 by remembering the people behind those numbers.
The organization's "One With Them: A Day for Christian Captives" campaign draws on Hebrews 13:3: "Remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison." This year's theme moves away from statistics and toward the names and stories of individual believers — fathers, mothers, pastors, students and children — who are imprisoned for following Jesus.
"For many persecuted Christians, prison is intentionally designed to make them feel completely invisible and forgotten," said Jared Vander Meulen of Open Doors Canada. "One With Them is refusing to let them fade into the shadows. It is an active declaration by the global Church that these believers are known by name, deeply loved by God and firmly sustained by our prayers."
The campaign highlights several cases. Hakop Gochumyan was arrested in Iran in 2023 during a family holiday and sentenced to 10 years in Evin Prison. His conviction stemmed from visiting local churches and possessing seven Persian-language New Testaments.
In Nigeria, Leah Sharibu was abducted by Boko Haram at age 14 and remains in captivity more than five years later. She was the only student from her captured group not released after she refused to renounce her faith.
In Cuba, 16-year-old Jonathan David Muir Burgos — the son of a pastor — was detained in March 2026 following local protests. He faces charges of "sabotage," which carries a potential 15-year sentence.
In Yemen, a believer named Magid was arrested in 2026 without formal charges and has since been moved to a restricted prison facility, leaving his wife and young children behind.
Open Doors estimates 60,000 Christians are imprisoned in North Korean labor camps. Possessing a single page of Scripture can result in the lifelong imprisonment of an entire family.
As part of the campaign, Open Doors Canada is launching a six-day One With Them Challenge for individuals, families, small groups and congregations. Daily practices include keeping a Bible hidden for a week in solidarity with North Korean believers — retrieving it to read, then returning it to its hiding place. The package includes guided prayer, daily reflections and other practices.
The campaign culminates June 28 at 7 p.m. EDT with a virtual One With Them Live Event, where Canadian Christians can join guided prayer, worship and updates from the persecuted church. Video testimonies will also be available.
"When believers disappear into prison systems, the world quickly moves on," Vander Meulen said. "One With Them is about refusing to let these Christians be forgotten. We may not be able to sit beside them physically, but we can stand with them in prayer, in remembrance and in faith."
More information and campaign resources are available at OneWithThem.ca.
