Liberia
Republic of Liberia
Africa
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 99,067 sq kmHeavily forested coastal state adjoining Sierra Leone, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.
Population: 4,101,767 Annual Growth: 4.23%
Capital: Monrovia
Urbanites: 61.5%
HDI Rank: 169 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 40 (10% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: English Languages:31 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Ethnoreligionist| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 1,699,362 | 41.43 | 4.9 |
| Evangelicals | 600,533 | 14.6 | 4.6 |
| Ethnoreligionist | 1,743,251 | 42.50 |
Answer to Prayer
Peace and stability seem to have arrived for the longer term. The resignation of Taylor, his exile and trial, and the appointment of Africa’s first elected female leader – combined with the return of hundreds of thousands of refugees and acceleration of Liberia’s reconstruction – generate a forward-looking atmosphere of hope, despite urgent and obvious challenges. For an additional Answer to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
a) The president and government.Elections have given legitimacy to the current regime, but wisdom and forward thinking are essential. A culture of graft, patronage and corruption must be overturned. The task force against corruption must achieve – and be seen to achieve – results. Pray for uprightness and justice to characterize Liberia’s leaders.
b) Economic recovery. Almost the entire nation needed rebuilding as of 2005. Already deeply in debt, Liberia must manage its considerable natural resources shrewdly, responsibly, and in its own best interests, not those of foreign speculators. Poverty still affects the majority of the population; unemployment grips the nation.
c) Reconciliation among the ethnic groups involved in fighting, atrocities and massacres – especially the Mandingo and Krahn on one side and the Mano and Gio on the other. Several agencies are doing reconciliation and peacebuilding work.
d) Healing of the terrible physical, psychological and spiritual wounds of war – 65% of the population were uprooted. Almost the entire population are either victims or perpetrators of harsh crimes, some unspeakably cruel.
For an additional 8 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
Rebuilding after two civil wars is Liberia’s greatest challenge. The country was devastated and the people traumatized. War was a blight that also poisoned Sierra Leone and Guinea. Its roots fed on deep ethnic hatreds, greed and corruption, lust for power and Christians’ failure to have a redemptive effect on society, all giving Satan opportunity. Pray specifically for:a) The president and government.Elections have given legitimacy to the current regime, but wisdom and forward thinking are essential. A culture of graft, patronage and corruption must be overturned. The task force against corruption must achieve – and be seen to achieve – results. Pray for uprightness and justice to characterize Liberia’s leaders.
b) Economic recovery. Almost the entire nation needed rebuilding as of 2005. Already deeply in debt, Liberia must manage its considerable natural resources shrewdly, responsibly, and in its own best interests, not those of foreign speculators. Poverty still affects the majority of the population; unemployment grips the nation.
c) Reconciliation among the ethnic groups involved in fighting, atrocities and massacres – especially the Mandingo and Krahn on one side and the Mano and Gio on the other. Several agencies are doing reconciliation and peacebuilding work.
d) Healing of the terrible physical, psychological and spiritual wounds of war – 65% of the population were uprooted. Almost the entire population are either victims or perpetrators of harsh crimes, some unspeakably cruel.
For an additional 8 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
