AFWIS Joins Operation World in Prayer for the Republic of Botswana - Africa

Published on Operation World (http://www.operationworld.org)

Home > Mar 14: Botswana

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Mar 14: Botswana

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Botswana

Republic of Botswana

Africa

See Prayer Information

Geography

Area: 581,730 sq km
The Kalahari Desert covers 80% of the country. Dry and prone to severe droughts.
Population: 1,977,569    Annual Growth: 1.46%
Capital: Gaborone
Urbanites: 61.1%
HDI Rank: 125 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)

Peoples

Peoples: 51 (2% unreached) All peoples
Unreached Peoples Prayer Card

Official language: English, Setswana    Languages: 40 All languages

Religion

Largest Religion: Christian

Religion		Pop %	Ann Gr
Christians	1,296,494	65.56	1.6
Evangelicals	159,689	8.1	1.2

Prayercast

Challenges for Prayer

AIDS has devastated the country. Botswana has the world’s second-highest prevalence of AIDS after Swaziland. The disease, spread mostly by sexual promiscuity, has stolen 28 years from the nation’s life expectancy and created a situation so dire that a recent president stated, “We are threatened with extinction.” Over 100,000 AIDS orphans exist in the country, a staggering number for such a small population. Pray for the following:
a) The government has fast-tracked a programme that makes anti-retroviral drugs available through the public sector, drugs that will keep many alive. Pray that the government might have wisdom to know and do what is right. Pray that people will make use of these services in a way that effectively prolongs their lives.
b) The many ministries working with AIDS victims and orphans. There are countless opportunities to demonstrate Christian love in this context. Pray for compassionate ministry to those who suffer and for effective preventative work among those not yet infected, particularly youth abstinence programmes.
c) Individual congregations. Not a single church exists whose membership is unaffected by AIDS. Pray for the ending of any stigma toward sufferers and for congregations to work together for mutual support and prevention.
Most mainline Protestant churches were established by Western missions in generations past, but now are generally in decline. Some suggest that the mainline churches’ struggles today are a legacy from the early missionaries’ failure to contextualize the gospel to local culture; this has resulted in pervasive nominalism. Both local congregations and denominational structures are affected. Pray for revival among these historic churches.
     For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.

More Information

The Operation World book, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM provide far more information and fuel for prayer for the people of Botswana.