Ireland
· Population: 4,109,086
· Capital: Dublin
· Surrounding countries: Scotland, Wales, England
Prayer points:
Ireland boasts a heritage of Christianity through Catholicism. Yet the lifeless display of faith reveals that this nation is farther from God than ever. Rampant alcoholism and suicide rates reveal a desperate need for hope. Through sports, children's outreach, street evangelism, pub ministry, and the relationships that just happen along the way, our team will reintroduce a life-giving faith to this beautiful, historic culture.
Ukraine
· Population: 45,994,288
· Capital: Kyiv (Kiev)
· Surrounding countries: Romania, Poland, Belarus, Russia
Prayer Points:
Caught between its past oppression by the Soviet Union and the desire to be accepted by the West, Ukraine is a land of many ups and downs. There’s a substantial orphan population and human trafficking is an issue here. Most people claim to belong to the Ukrainian Orthodox church, which is subdivided into three bodies. Thankfully, there's hope, light, and life spreading like wildfire throughout this nation. God’s desire is to bring hope, peace, unity and authentic relationship with Himself to this beautiful nation.
Russia
· Population: 140,702,096
· Capital: Moscow
· Surrounding countries: China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Finland
Prayer Points:
Almost twice the size of the U.S., Russia straddles between Europe and Asia. Russia has been an intellectual and literary powerhouse, but since the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, has been struggling with myriad of issues like a declining population, human trafficking and organized crime. While 70% of people identify as Russian Orthodox, only 15-20% actually attend church and 10-15% of Russians identify as Muslim.
Mozambique
· Population: 21,284,701
· Capital: Maputo
· Surrounding countries: Malawi, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Madagascar
Prayer Points:
One of the most beautiful countries in the African continent, Mozambique is a former Portuguese colony that is seeing signs of redemption and economic recovery. Because of, or in spite of, the extreme poverty gripping the nation, the church continues to grow. We will be teaching, preaching, and practicing real faith with “the least of these.”
Tanzania
· Population: 40,213,160
· Capital: Dar es Salaam
· Surrounding countries: Kenya, Uganda, Zambia, Mozambique
Prayer Points:
Tanzania has a one-third split between Christianity, Islam, and indigenous religious groups. This diversity creates a colorful landscape of people and beliefs. We will be participating in open-air crusades, door-to-door evangelism and visiting hospitals and orphanages.
Kenya
· Population: 37,953,838
· Capital: Nairobi
· Surrounding countries: Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Sudan
Prayer Points:
The Kenyan people are colorful, musical, artistic and hungry for the love of Christ. As a new era dawns in Kenya, so does the gospel of truth and faith. By meeting needs in the bush and the city, we will join with current ministry partnerships of evangelism, orphan care, and community development, and forge new foundations of future partnerships.
Nepal
· Population: 29,519,114
· Capital: Kathmandu
· Surrounding countries: China, India, Bangladesh
Prayer Points:
Home to Mount Everest, the world's tallest mountain, Nepal literally sits on top of the world. In addition to adventurous experiences we will have here, our team will also visit with widows and orphans in their times of distress and protect the innocent who are prey to human traffickers. This month of our World Race experience will submerge us in a culture that is desperate for an encounter with the living God.
India
· Population: 1,129,866,154
· Capital: New Delhi
· Surrounding countries: Nepal, China, Bangladesh, Pakistan
Prayer Points:
With nearly a sixth of the world's population within its borders, India is a country bursting with people and culture. Home to a diverse array of beliefs from Hinduism to Islam, to a blend of folk religions and other faiths, it is a country of pluralism with twenty-nine languages spoken by over a million native speakers. India struggles with poverty due to the Caste system, crimes of human trafficking, forced prostitution, religious persecution, and more. We will work with local churches to encourage believers and will likely be challenged by their testimonies.
Cambodia
· Population: 13,995,904
· Capital: Phnom Penh
· Surrounding countries: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
Prayer Points:
Cambodia houses one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Angkor Wat, a Hindu temple and monastery built during the Khmer empire in the 12th century. It later became a Buddhist complex a century later, and today, just over 96% of Cambodia is Buddhist. Cambodia is a source, transit point, and destination of human trafficking. Unfortunately, the government is struggling to stop it. The people of Cambodia are thirsty for the hope of Jesus Christ.
Challenge: Asia
Prayer Points:
Throughout the trip, our team will be praying about where we should spend our 10th month, or our “Challenge: Asia” month. We will depend on words of advice from The World Race staff and God’s guidance to decide as a team where in Asia He wants to use us for this month.
Malaysia
· Population: 25,274,133
· Capital: Kuala Lumpur
· Surrounding countries: Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand
Prayer Points:
A people within the thriving metropolis of Kuala Lumpur, many Malaysians still live in ignorance of the Good News of Jesus Christ. As we delve into this culture of works-based religion, strong self-discipline, and uncanny faith, we will have the unique opportunity to deliver hope and point the people to their Redeemer.
