Philippines : Clarito Dela Cruz (26 July 2011)

26 June 2023

Clarito de la Cruz was a man from the Philippines who loved Jesus and worked hard to share the gospel. He helped his parents with their church’s evangelism programme, which was risky because they lived in a Muslim-dominated area of Mindanao. Christians in Mindanao are often treated badly for sharing their faith with Muslims. They can be kidnapped, beaten, and even killed. Despite this danger, De la Cruz lived out his faith every day by working hard to support his family as a driver.

One day, he was hired by a man and woman who pretended to be a married couple. They asked him to take them to a remote village, but when they arrived, they revealed themselves to be Muslim extremists. They tortured and killed De la Cruz because he was a Christian. They tried to force him to become a Muslim, but he refused.

Even though the Philippines is mostly a Christian country, Mindanao is mostly Muslim. Muslim extremists on the island want to create an Islamic state and often threaten Christians and missionaries. Despite the danger, Christians in Mindanao continue to share the gospel and trust that God will use their work to help people come to faith.

Stay informed

Receive weekly emails with the latest prayer points from the persecuted church

    Submit a Prayer

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recent articles

    Read More

    Remembering Martyrs: Pastor Irianto Kongkoli

    It is God’s will,” Rita Arianti Kopa exhaled. “He gives life.” Her memory flashed back to the last moments her husband, Iri- anto Kongkoli, spent on earth. The two of them and their five-ye...

    Read More

    Seeking the Right Messiah

    Obadiah hated Christians for the way they treated his family. In their Ethiopian Jewish community, which had existed for centuries, they were completely rejected by their Orthodox Christian neighbo...

    Read More

    From Persecutor to Partner in Ministry

    As early as age eight, Ayyub had a desire to know Allah more deeply. Although raised in Kashmir, a majority-Muslim region in northern India, his family belonged to a mystical sect of Islam known as...