Apr 03: Chad
Chad
Republic of Chad
Africa
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 1,284,000 sq kmDesert in the north, dry grassland in centre, thick bush in the south. The sea is 1,000 km distant.
Population: 11,506,130 Annual Growth: 2.81%
Capital: N'djamena
Urbanites: 27.6%
HDI Rank: 175 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 141 (51% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: French (only spoken by the educated), Arabic (perhaps 30% of Arabic speakers are fluent) Languages: 133 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: MuslimReligion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
---|---|---|---|
Christians | 4,425,258 | 38.46 | 3.2 |
Evangelicals | 1,161,358 | 10.1 | 3.2 |
Muslim | 6,079,839 | 52.84 |
Answer to Prayer
Many unreached peoples are being reached for the first time. Labour by both indigenous and expatriate missions has seen the identification of Chad’s least evangelized (97 people groups), and is yielding concentrated prayer and outreach to them.For an additional 3 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
The ascendancy of Islam has increased in the last three decades. Its numerical, financial and social advantages are used to consolidate its dominant position, and animist peoples are being steadily Islamized. Increasing numbers of Muslim northerners are found in the south, with mosques and Muslim schools built in predominantly Christian areas to serve them. Pray for:a) The overcoming of many emotional, cultural and historical barriers to southerners witnessing to Muslims. Most Christians are ill-equipped and somewhat ill-disposed when it comes to sharing the gospel with Muslims, since they are used to operating in tribal languages and ministering to animist peoples. Many resent and fear the economic impact and influence of northern Muslim traders and the environmental impact of northern Muslim herdsmen and their herds.
b) Agencies and denominations that have a vision for Muslim outreach. Other, usually more urgent, issues tend to be higher on the agendas of national churches. But the long-term strategic importance of equipping the Church to withstand Islamization and to reach out to Muslims cannot be overstated. Mobilization and training in how to sensitively and effectively reach Muslims are clear needs; pray for Christians to be burdened for the salvation of their Muslim countrymen.
For an additional 8 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.