Today continue to pray for the South Korea. Smaller in size but double population to its north neighbour, this country has seen the greatest growth and revival of Christianity in Asia. With early morning and evening prayer meetings every day and all night, prayer concerts on weekends and prayer mountains (retreat centres), the commitment of Korean Christians to prayer is remarkable. One third of people are Christian. Another third are irreligious, and one third is Buddhist or Confucian. Pray for compassion in this nation as they serve Northern refugees and prepare to assist in humanitarian crisis from the North.
Tomorrow we lift in prayer Kosovo, a newly formed independent country since 2008. Located between Albania and Serbia it has experienced a decade of war and civil unrest. More than one million refugees were displaced. The country became crime-central in Europe. Ethnically Albanian but under Serbian political rule they could not join Albania and the way out was independence. Mountainous region adds unique character to its inhabitants. Muslim majority is intolerant of Christians as it is seen associated with ethnic Serbs. There is no Adventist presence there at all. Large financial injections from Saudi Arabia and Iran come with strings attached that pull Kosovo toward more radical forms of Islam. While hundreds of mosques have been erected using this money, hundreds of Christian sites have been damaged or destroyed by angry mobs. Pray for openness to Christ in this land.
Monday we pray for Kuwait, a unique country in the Arab world where tolerance for other faiths is based on the reality that foreigners comprise most of the workforce. South Asians, Filipinos, Indonesians, Chinese and Koreans predominate as contract laborers or domestic servants. A large number of Kuwaiti families leave much of the child raising to the maids and nannies many of whom are committed Christians. Even as they are considered beneath Arabs and there are no official channels handling the mistreatment and abuse that regularly occurs, pray that Christians would witness as servant-leaders.
Tuesday we pray for Kyrgyzstan – the poorest nation in Central Asia. Formerly Soviet republic it witnessed rapid church growth in 1990s. But since 2000 Islam is on the rise. Predominantly Muslim country people are also influence of shamanism and ancestral worship. Pray for Christian witness not to be hindered by ethnic clashes.
Lebanon – formerly Christian country, rapidly becoming Muslim. It is the only country in the Middle East where all are legally free to change their religious affiliation. Christians from other Arab countries come here for training. Pray for freedom to continue.
Latvia, as many post-Soviet republics, has developed hostility toward ethnic Russians, and it is hindering the unity of Christian witness. Pro-Germanic attitudes are combined with anti-Semitism causing difficulties to large population of Jews and Sabbath keeping Christians. Pray for fast growing evangelical church to be consistent with Gospel principles.
Laos - church was persecuted under Communist rule, yet it became the factor for growth, as people prayed and relied on God. Christians lost property, ministers were often imprisoned and killed. Christian presence is very small, but committed. Pray for strength, endurance and safety of Christian mission there.
Pray for the world, so the Gospel Work will go forward!
No comments:
Post a Comment