Y’all!! I leave little ole Soddy Daisy in 11 days. My first stop will be Atlanta and then on to El Salvador!! How crazy is that?! For this count down blog I decided to share a little bit about each of the 11 countries I am going to be visiting. I got most of this information from Wikipedia and from the Adventures in Missions page about my route. I do not take ownership of any of the information about the following countries.
Here are the 11 countries. Here is what the next 11 months look like for me.
El Salvador-August
El Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. They primarily speak Spanish. The majority of the population is Roman Catholic (47%) and Protestants (33%). 17% of the population are not affiliated with any religion. The public education system is severely lacking in resources. Class sizes in public schools can be as large as 50 children per classroom. As of 2010, El Salvador ranks 12th among Latin America countries in terms of the Human Development Index due in part to ongoing rapid industrialization. However, the country continues to struggle with high rates of poverty, inequality, and crime.
Guatemala-September
Guatemala is to the southeast of El Salvador and bordered by Mexico. With an estimated population of around 15.8 million, it is the most populated state in Central America. Guatemala faces many social problems and is one of the poorest countries in Latin America. The distribution of income is highly unequal with more than half of the population below the national poverty line and just over 400,000 (3.2%) unemployed. The CIA World Fact Book considers 54.0% of the population of Guatemala to be living in poverty. Guatemala is a highly diverse country, populated by a variety of ethnic, cultural, racial, and linguistic groups. Spanish is their official language. A 2012 survey reveals Catholics make up 47.6%, Protestants at 38.2%, other religions at 2.6%, and the non-religious at 11.6%. 74.5% of the population aged 15 and over is literate, the lowest literacy rate in Central America.
Honduras- October
Honduras was where I went on my first mission trip! Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala and to the southwest of El Salvador. The economic growth in the last few years has averaged 7% a year, however in 2010, 50% of the population was below the poverty line. Honduras is the third poorest countries in Latin America. Spanish is their official language. Although most Hondurans are nominally Roman Catholic (which would be considered the main religion), membership in the Roman Catholic Church is declining while membership in Protestant churches is increasing. About 83.6% of the population are literate and the net primary enrollment rate was 94% in 2004. In 2014, the primary school completion rate was 90.7%.
Nicaragua- November
Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America. Hopelessness, addiction, destitution, and poverty plague many in Nicaragua. The poorest nation in Central America, almost 80% of Nicaraguans live on less than $2 a day. One in four Nicaraguans is either starving or suffering from malnutrition. Entire families live on and scrounge for scraps in city dumps. Spanish is their official language. Religion plays a significant part of the culture of Nicaragua and is afforded special protections in the constitution. Religious freedom, which has been guaranteed since 1939, and religious tolerance are promoted by the government and the constitution. The numbers of practicing Roman Catholics have been declining, while members of evangelical Protestant groups and Mormons have been rapidly growing since the 1990s.
Cote D’ivoire (Ivory Coast) – December
Ivory Coast is a country located in West Africa. With the majority of the population being Muslim and two civil wars in the past decade, the Ivory Coast is in need of the good news. The official language is French, with local indigenous languages also widely used, including Baoulé, Dioula, Dan, Anyin, and Cebaara Senufo. In total there are around 78 languages spoken in Ivory Coast. The country is the world’s largest exporter of cocoa beans, and the fourth-largest exporter of goods, in general, in sub-Saharan Africa. A large part of the adult population, in particular women, are illiterate. Many children between 6 and 10 years are not enrolled in school. The majority of students in secondary education are male.
Ghana- January
Home to the largest waterfall in West Africa and beautiful sandy beaches, Ghana is a popular destination to tourists looking to explore Africa’s natural beauty. The nation has one of the strongest economies in Africa and one the highest school enrollment rates on the continent—over 95% of children attend school. You will find Scripture painted on local business walls and vehicles throughout small villages. While hope is present and the Gospel is being preached, there are still deep roots of tribal religions and witchcraft. This country is a source, transit, and destination country for the human trafficking of both adults and children. There are over 11 different languages, but English is their official language.
Nepal- February
Nepal is a landlocked central Himalayan country in South Asia. Nepal has a diverse geography, including fertile plains, subalpine forested hills, and eight of the world’s ten tallest mountains, including Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth. Nepal suffers from high levels of hunger, poverty, and human trafficking. The overall literacy rate (for population age 5 years and above) increased from 54.1% in 2001 to 65.9% in 2011. However, more than half of primary students do not enter secondary schools, and only one-half of them complete secondary schooling. Nepali is the official language of Nepal. The overwhelming majority of the Nepalese population follows Hinduism.
India- March
With nearly a sixth of the world’s population, India is home to 29 languages, the religious practices of Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and tribal religions, some of the spiciest food on the planet, and a highly segregated rich and poor class. Thanks to the ancient caste system, crimes of social injustice, discrimination, forced prostitution, and human trafficking occur daily. Baby girls are often killed and abandoned, simply because of the financial burden on their families. Lepers are treated as untouchables, and the poorest of the poor live in slums. India has the most people living in conditions of slavery, 18 million, most of whom are in bonded labor. India has the largest number of child laborers under the age of 14 in the world with an estimated 12.6 million children engaged in hazardous occupations.
Malaysia- April
Located in Southeast Asia, Malaysia has one of the most competitive economies in all of Asia. Known for the tallest twin towers in the world, the Petronas Towers, it is a rising power in our global economy. The official national language is Malaysian. Malaysia has a large number of immigrants from India, Thailand, China, and Burma, it is culturally rich, with heavy influences of Hinduism and Buddhism. However, this culturally diverse and rapidly developing nation is mostly Muslim. With 61% of the population practicing Islam and 19% claiming Buddhism, the majority of Malaysians have never heard the Gospel.
Indonesia- May
Composed of over 17,000 islands, Indonesia is the largest island nation on earth. Though it has the 4th largest population in the world, barely a third of Indonesia’s islands are inhabited. The rest are so densely forested that they rival the Amazon jungle in their beauty and inaccessibility. Indonesia’s motto of “Many, yet one,” refers to its incredible diversity as a symbol of its unity. Over 700 languages are spoken throughout the country, which is the largest Muslim nation on earth. The Indonesian National Commission on Violence Against Women noted that more regulations that discriminate against women are being adopted throughout the country than are being repealed. In many parts of Indonesia, local laws compelling women and girls to wear the hijab are increasingly in place in schools, government offices and public spaces. Child marriage is also common, and sustained by traditional norms.
Thailand- June
Behind Thailand’s beautiful beaches, its people’s smiling faces, and the tropical jungles lies a terrible secret: modern day slavery. In Buddhist culture, women work to support their families so men can earn spiritual merit as monks. Many parents send their daughters to work in cities where the only option is prostitution. As the country’s natural beauty continues to draw visitors, sexual tourism continues to grow. It’s estimated 60% of tourists visit the Red Light Districts—and 90% of Thai men visit local karaoke bars for the same reason. In 2014 the literacy rate was 93.5%. Education is provided by a well-organized school system of kindergartens, primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools, numerous vocational colleges, and universities. Thailand is the second largest economy in Southeast Asia.
I cannot possible choose one country that I am most excited about, I am just excited to visit alllll of them. I hope you enjoyed reading about each of these amazing countries and I cannot wait to share with all of y’all how the LORD works in and through me in each of these countries.
Y’all have a blessed Sunday! I’ll just be here watching Shark Week and ignoring all the responsibilities I have.
Niki Ables
