Pray for Peru, Panama, Papua, Paraguay, Poland, Philippines

Last week we prayed for Pakistan, and on Friday for peace in Palestine.  Having returned back to our regular worship place we continue our prayer for the world.

Today we pray for Peru, where nearly 2% of population are Adventists!  Home of former Inca Empire, today indigenous people are exploited by foreign companies for oil and minerals.   The Quecha word “peru” means abundance.  Pray that the local people would have access to the abundance.  It is frequent that we hear news reports of Peruvian miners trapped underground.   Pray for the protection of human rights and humanitarian care in that country.  Adventist church operates 3 clinics and over 300 educational institutions there.   Majority of the church members are young, under 35!  Pray for leadership wisdom in this rapidly growing church.

Sunday we will pray for Panama, with Adventist population of 3%.  Popular tourist place it is also strategic trafficking place causing diversity of cultures, secularism, materialism and crime.  Adventist church is very young.  More that 60% are under 30.  Pray for continuing mission through education and medical services.

Monday we lift in prayers Papua New Guinea, where 4% of people are Adventists.  It is common to have Adventists occupy high government positions, even Governor General.  Adventist church is very influential, yet tribalism still exist and church officials often are involved in settling political disputes among warring factions.  Pray for spiritual growth, for individuals to grow in Christ and be transformed by Christ love.   Tribal groups on the island speak more than 800 languages, and until recent decades were disconnected through tribal animosity.  This territory was known for cannibalism in the early 20^th century.  Today the power of the Gospel is transforming the land and its people.  Continue praying for miracles of the Holy Spirit there.

Tuesday we lift in prayer Paraguay.  A country that is listed in “horrible histories” as a unique for loosing 80% of its population during a tyrannical dictatorship in the 1860s, and then being resettled with foreigners from Western and Eastern Europe.  Native Guarani Indians are using their language and preserving their cultural heritage amidst Spanish culture, where books and Bibles are in Spanish.  Pray for ethnically clustered churches to reach out to the native population with mission.      

Wednesday & Thursday we will lift Poland in prayer.  Two days – not just because they are co-hosting the Euro football (soccer) cup with Ukraine J, but for the size of its population.  Predominantly Catholic country it has a very small evangelical presence, very small Adventist church.  Jehovah’s Witnesses outnumber Evangelical Christians 2:1!  There are as many Polish emigrants around the world as there are citizens in the country. Pray that as Polish emigrants learn progressive truth they would share with their relatives in the homeland.  There has been not much growth in the church during the past 10 years.  Since it became a part of European Union, materialism has been the greatest obstacle to spiritual search.

Friday we will begin a 5-day prayer for Philippines, where Adventist church is nearing 1% of population.  Home of the Adventist University training workers for the Southern Asia and Pacific regions of our church.  In 1980s these islands experienced phenomenal growth and by 2005 were reporting over 1 million members.  However in recent years the membership audits confirm only half of the numbers.  Pray for retention of believers.