Feb 16: Angola
Angola
Republic of Angola
Africa
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 1,246,700 sq kmLarge coastal state on the South Atlantic coast. Cabinda is an oil-rich coastal enclave to the north of the Congo River.
Population: 18,992,707 Annual Growth: 2.71%
Capital: Luanda
Urbanites: 58.5%
HDI Rank: 143 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 60 (3% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Portuguese Languages: 41All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 17,870,238 | 94.09 | 3.0 |
| Evangelicals | 4,277,143 | 22.5 | 4.4 |
Answer to Prayer
The consolidation of peace appears to be happening, since the conflict ended and most of the displaced millions have returned home. Reconciliation movements are gaining steam (with the Church at the forefront), and rebuilding the country is an achievable goal, given the country’s natural resources. There are 20 universities today, where there were at most five when the war ended. Roads have improved so much that journeys which previously took two to three days now take a few hours.For an additional Answer to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
The Church, despite great growth, has not emerged unscathed from decades of conflict. Much prayer is needed, specifically for:a) Forgiveness and love in action. The Church must be at the forefront of activities aimed to overcome the longstanding tribal loyalties and partisan politics. Such forgiveness must include many who perpetrated crimes against Christians and Christians who compromised under pressure.
b) The right relationship between Church and state. Religious freedom is a blessing, but Angola has a reputation for having dangerous syncretistic cults that mix elements of Christianity with animistic tribal religions. The government attempts to encourage the work of established and reputable denominations, while limiting the effects of the cults.
c) Christ-like, holy living by followers of the Lord Jesus that commends the gospel to unbelievers and passionately reaches out to their disillusioned, apathetic neighbours – non-practising Christians number in the millions.
d) Unity in the gospel. There is much new growth among Independent congregations and groups unaffiliated with any larger body, but too much work is done in isolation and without partnership. The Angola Evangelical Alliance links 11 denominations and two parachurch organizations for coordinated action. The Council of Christian Churches in Angola (WCC) also draws Christian groups together.
For an additional 7 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
