Hot spots to PRAY for:

PORTUGUESE REPUBLIC

POPULATION: 10,7 million

CAPITAL: Lisbon, 2,8 million

RELIGION: Christian 94% (Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant 1,2%, Unaffiliated 15%, Other2,8%), Non Religious 5%, Muslim, Hindu, Jews 1%.

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Portuguese. 190 million Portuguese speakers world wide.

CHALLENGES FOR PRAYER:

• Religious freedom since 1974. Praise the Lord for steady & increased growth of Evangelicals.
• 90% of population consult spirit mediums & witches. Pray that God will set them free and draw them to Christ.
• Pray for spiritual discernment – many are drawn away by Jehovas’ Witnesses, Mormons and The New Age Movement.
• Pray for missionaries to be called and to go and do church planting in the Unreached areas:
  
  • North & north-east: 7 provinces - Strongly traditional Catholic, Very few Evangelical churches
  • South: 4 provinces, Poor, few ever go to church, few Evangelical churches
• Pray for Outreach to Ethnic minorities: ±50 000 African & Arab Muslims and Hindus from Asia
• Youth are often spiritually neglected. Drug abuse is a growing problem. +50% have experimented with drugs. Pray for the ministries of rehabilitation and discipling of former addicts.
• Student work – Pray for Campus Crusade for Christ & Navigators working on several campuses among students.

Missions Focus:

World Day of Prayer for Children at Risk

We come together to pray that children all around the world would know the love of Jesus in their everyday lives, and be able to claim for themselves God's incredible offer of abundant life. We also pray that as a result of our prayers more people will be mobilized to manifest the love of God to this generation.

Pray for millions of children in our midst suffering because of: poverty, hunger, no educational oppor-tunities, abuse, violence, HIV/Aids…

1. In South Africa 407,937 orphans and vulnerable children and 53,607 child-headed households have been identified and receive government services through the Home Community Based Care programme. (Eighty20 Fact-a-Day).
2. Orphans: Pray for children that need a family: 2,2 million children in institutional care, 143 million orphaned by one or both parents.
3. Pray for children that suffer extreme violence: 6 million in Latin America.
4. Child Labor: Approximately 158 million children aged 5-14 are engaged in child labor.
5. Child Trafficking: An estimated 1.2 million children are trafficked every year.
6. Pray for:
   • Greater kindness and love to be shown to those who live in poverty.
   • Ministries, organizations and churches who are working to help children find families.
   • Governmental practice to improve for better distribution of relief, food & resources.
   • Governments to create laws and effectively implement laws in favor of children.
   • More Christians to get involved in support, training and encouraging children who are heads of homes.

Sources: UNICEF & Viva Network

Missions Focus:

GLOBAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR TIBET

The Tibetans are some of the least reached people groups in the world with perhaps 600 Christians among about 7 million people.

Let us pray …

• Lhasa (capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region) is the centre of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetans living here are more resistant to the Gospel than elsewhere. Pray for a spiritual breakthrough in this city.
• Pray for Chinese Christians called to reach Tibetans with the Gospel. Pray that they will grasp the Tibetan language and culture well and reach out to them in love and humility.
• Pray that the ongoing Bible translation projects will progress well.
• Pray for visas for foreigners who are called by God to live and work among Tibetans.
• The recent earthquake in the Yushu area killed 2200 people, injured more than 12000 and destroyed 90% of the buildings in the main town. Pray for comfort and provision for the survivors and that many will find the Lord Jesus.
• Pray for the Christian radio programs. Ask for skilled staff, finances, wisdom in the production of programs, clear reception and wisdom with the follow-up.
• Pray for the Tibetan believers that they will grow in the knowledge of God and reach out to other Tibetan areas.
• Pray that the Tibetan book “Bravery” written by a highly ranked lama who came to Christ, will be read by many.
• Some parents in Tibet send their children to attend schools in India. Pray for them as they grow up without the support of their family. Ask that Christians will be allowed to reach out to them.

Hot spots to PRAY for:

NORTH KOREA

POPULATION: 25 million

CAPITAL: Pyongyang 3,5 million

RELIGION: Non Religious 70%, Evangelical 1,5%, Buddhism & Traditional Ethnic Religions 28,5%

PRAY FOR:

• The worst persecutor of Christians since 2003. Communist country since 1948. Only worship allowed is that of “the beloved leader” Kim Jong Il & his father Kim Il-Sung. Pray for Kim Jong Ils’ conversion.
• Pray for the Christians being detained and tortured in the prison camps, that they will stand firm in their faith.
• Pray for the prison administrators and guards to be converted.
• Pray for doctors to recognize the evil of using prisoners for chemical and biological weapons experiments and stop this practice.
• Women prisoners are raped and abused. Pray for protection and for healing for those that have been assaulted
• Pray for God to strengthen the Christians to be able to bring the love and light of Jesus into these dark prisons
• Pray for greater awareness of these prisons to spread throughout the free world & international pressure to shut the prison camps.
• Pray for the provision of food for orphans & street children, and that authorities allow food to be given to these children.
• Pray that food will reach those who are starving.
• Pray for protection for those risk their lives every day to obtain food for their families.
• Pray for protection for those that manage to get out of the country.
• Pray for the North Korean soccer team – that they will meet with Christians while in SA.