Prayer. A loving communication between God and ourselves. Through the action of prayer, we find strength and answers to things we know we can’t do alone. I ask that everyone that reads this to participate with my team in prayer. If this would be your first or millionth, prayer is prayer. There is no right way. There is just communication with the Lord; a Lord who answers every prayer. There is and always will be power in prayer.
With being a missionary comes struggles. Struggles such as running into danger, stepping into the unknown, setting up shop in areas of hatred towards Christianity, etc. Along with my team, the countries we are going to can use some major prayers. I will go country by country below. My team would love for you to take some time on each country and just pray over them. Some information will be next to each country below, so feel free to pray on that. If it is other things you would like to pray over, please do. These countries are plagued with poverty, slavery, and much more that us Westerners can’t even imagine.
Counting this week, there are 11 weeks left until we launch. It just so happens there are 11 countries on our list ??. The rest of this week you can pray on Spain and move to the next country next week. If you only pray one time for us, it is just as powerful. I know that this world needs prayer and an army of us together can be very impactful. Thank you all for following along so far and I hope you join our team in prayer as we get ready to take on 11 completely different cultures.
SPAIN:
Spain sits on the Western edge of the only post-Christian continent on the planet. One of history’s first global empires, its language is the 3rd most spoken in the world. The birthplace of bullfights, the Inquisition, and tapas, this land of deep passion needs new life breathed into their faith. Though 94% of Spaniards would declare themselves Roman Catholic, only 25% of the nation attends a religious service once a month.
MOROCCO:
Known for couscous, iconic architecture, and cities such as Casablanca, Fes, and Marrakesh, Morocco is a land of spice, beaches, mountains, and desert. With rich cultural influences from the indigenous Berber, Arabic, Sub-Saharan, and European nations, its second largest industry is tourism. 99% of the population are Sunni Muslim, which means the entire nation lives without the hope of Christ.
JORDAN:
Considered one of the safest Arab countries in the Middle East, Jordan has historically managed to keep itself away from terrorism and instability. As the conflict increases in the middle east, Jordan has been greatly hospitable, accepting refugees from Palestine and Syria. It has also become a safe haven for thousands of Iraqi Christians fleeing the Islamic State.
ISRAEL:
Regarded as the Holy Land for Jews, Christians, and Muslims, tens of thousands pilgrimage to Israel each year. Because it is deemed a holy place for many religions, religious and ethnic conflict are common.
CYPRUS:
Known for its beaches, Cyprus also has a rugged interior with vast wine regions; making it a hotspot for tourism. It’s also known for its Greek Mythology and houses Mount Olympus. But not everything is as it seems, the religion and nation is divided. With the north being ruled by Turkey, its inhabitants are majority Muslim, and the south being an independent nation, many are Greek Orthodox.
GEORGIA:
The crossroads between Western Asia and Eastern Europe, Georgia has the deepest known cave in the world. Formerly part of the USSR, in 2007 the World Bank dubbed the nation “the #1 economic reformer in the world” due to its developing economy and natural resources, growing tourist popularity, and oil pipeline. 84% of the population are members of the Georgian Orthodox church, which claims to be founded by the Apostle Andrew.
ARMENIA:
This small mountainous nation is bordered by Turkey to the west, Georgia to the north, and Azerbaijan to the east, Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a religion in AD 301. Today the predominant religion is Christianity and was founded by the two apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew. Hundreds of years later, during WWI, the Ottoman Empire targeted Armenians and systematically murdered 1.5 million of them. This horrific event is known as the Armenian genocide or the Armenian Holocaust.
KAZAKHSTAN:
Straddling Europe and Asia, the nation of Kazakhstan is the 9th largest country in the world, yet it is one of the least densely populated. The term “kazakh” comes from an ancient Turk word meaning, “independent; free spirit” – a perfect description for its horseback nomadic culture. Its over 130 different ethnic groups come from both Europe and Asia. The last to declare independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan has the largest and strongest economy in Central Asia due to an abundance of mineral and fossil fuels. With 70% of its population Muslim and 26% Russian Orthodox, it is also a land in need of the Gospel.
KYRGYZSTAN:
Due to its mountainous terrain, Kyrgyzstan is isolated from its neighbors and farther from the sea than any other country on earth. It also has one of the most preserved ancient cultures in the world. As a crossroads of ancient civilizations – from the Silk Road to other commercial trade routes – and a land of nomads itself, its people are an almost pristine picture of the great warriors who walked the land centuries ago. The birthplace of Islam for Central Asia, Kyrgyzs consider themselves more cultural Muslims than devout practitioners.
MONGOLIA:
Founded by Genghis Khan in 1206 and under Communist rule until 1990, Mongolia is the most sparsely populated country in the world. 30% of the population is nomadic. The capital, Ulaanbaatar, is home to almost half of the country’s population. The people of Mongolia are highly independent, used to relying on themselves and their immediate communities as they live and travel throughout the land. The majority are either non-religious or Tibetan Buddhist. Most have never heard of Jesus.
CHINA:
Home to the Great Wall and a sixth of the world’s population, China is one of the most exciting and strategic places to be a missionary. While China has grown in leaps and bounds industrially, intellectually, and economically, it’s still a politically closed nation. Depending on where you travel, you may meet Buddhists, Muslims, and Taoists—but very few Christians.
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” – Ephesians 6:18
