Saturday, October 1, 2011
Today We Join With Operation World in Praying for
Paraguay
Republic of Paraguay
Latin America
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 406,752 sq kmLandlocked nation between Brazil, Argentina and Bolivia. The Paraguay River divides the more fertile and developed east from the scrub forests, marshes and ranches of the sparsely populated Gran Chaco.
Population: 6,459,727 Annual Growth: 1.81%
Capital: Asuncion
Urbanites: 61.5%
HDI Rank: 101 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 39 (3% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: Spanish, Guaraní. The latter is understood by almost 90% of the population Languages: 27 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 6,220,717 | 96.30 | 1.8 |
| Evangelicals | 393,263 | 6.1 | 3.1 |
Challenges for Prayer
Paraguay still suffers from the effects of two centuries of devastating wars and bad government. The nation’s progress has been hindered by the failure of its leaders to govern, through corruption or outright folly. Thankfully, there are politicians on the scene today who seem to be dedicated to changing that. Pray for them, that they might establish a legacy of uprightness and wisdom for the sake of Paraguay’s suffering people.The Roman Catholic Church has long dominated the spiritual and political life of Paraguay. Although it admirably opposes corruption and immorality, there is also much superstitious traditionalism, strong devotion to Mary and occult-related bondage to many pre-Christian deities and customs. These practices keep millions from liberty in the Lord Jesus and must be broken by prayer. The Church often actively opposes the work of evangelicals. Paraguay has never had a true spiritual awakening, and few of the Catholic Spanish-Guaranà majority have a living relationship with Christ.
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 Paraguay.Psalm 32
Psalm 32
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 32
Of David. A maskil.[a] 1 Blessed is the onewhose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the LORD does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.
3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.[b]
5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the LORD.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.
6 Therefore let all the faithful pray to you
while you may be found;
surely the rising of the mighty waters
will not reach them.
7 You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.
8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
9 Do not be like the horse or the mule,
which have no understanding
but must be controlled by bit and bridle
or they will not come to you.
10 Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the LORD’s unfailing love
surrounds the one who trusts in him.
11 Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!
Footnotes:
- Psalm 32:1 Title: Probably a literary or musical term
- Psalm 32:4 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verses 5 and 7.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Today We Join With Operation World in Praying for
Papua New Guinea
Independent State of Papua New Guinea
Pacific
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 462,840 sq kmEastern half of New Guinea, the second largest island in the world, and many smaller islands in the north and east together make up the nation of Papua New Guinea (PNG). A land of high mountains, dense forests, lowland swamps, coral islands, torrential rainfall, many rivers and great biodiversity.
Population: 6,888,387 Annual Growth: 2.40%
Capital: Port Moresby
Urbanites: 13%
HDI Rank: 148 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 879 (0% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language: English, Tok Pisin (Melanesian/English Creole) and Motu Languages: 830 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Christian| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 6,601,830 | 95.84 | 2.4 |
| Evangelicals | 1,773,348 | 25.7 | 3.1 |
Answer to Prayer
Increased Christian influence in Parliament, a result of recent elections. While most members of Parliament confess Christianity, every indication reveals less than half are actively practicing; still, the prayer and pastoral presence is encouraging. For an additional 2 Answers to Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
a) The sheer ethnic diversity and geographic isolation of most groups make attempts to mould a single national PNG identity monumentally complex. Tribal fighting and revenge killings have been ongoing for millennia. Pray for a means to establish both a peace that surpasses the mere absence of violence and an identity that transcends immediate ethnic ties.
b) Economic development is an uphill struggle. The vast wealth of natural resources is hard to access, and is plundered by rapacious foreign companies and their local collaborators, a rich elite. The majority of citizens (>75%) survive through subsistence farming. Corruption dissipates the bulk of foreign aid and a significant amount of the national expenditure meant to help locals.
c) Accelerating urbanization intensifies pressure on the job market, public utilities and health care, ethnic relations and social stability. Violent crime in cities is rising. Traditional structures of village life are not present in urban squatter camps, hence the accompanying social decay.
For an additional 11 Challenges for Prayer see Operation World book, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM.
Challenge for Prayer
The nation faces many crises just to prevent meltdown, never mind to oversee progress. Some groups and governments involved with PNG see an impending failed state and social chaos. Corruption is endemic and hampering progress. Pray for a government that will act with courage and foresight, moral integrity and wisdom.a) The sheer ethnic diversity and geographic isolation of most groups make attempts to mould a single national PNG identity monumentally complex. Tribal fighting and revenge killings have been ongoing for millennia. Pray for a means to establish both a peace that surpasses the mere absence of violence and an identity that transcends immediate ethnic ties.
b) Economic development is an uphill struggle. The vast wealth of natural resources is hard to access, and is plundered by rapacious foreign companies and their local collaborators, a rich elite. The majority of citizens (>75%) survive through subsistence farming. Corruption dissipates the bulk of foreign aid and a significant amount of the national expenditure meant to help locals.
c) Accelerating urbanization intensifies pressure on the job market, public utilities and health care, ethnic relations and social stability. Violent crime in cities is rising. Traditional structures of village life are not present in urban squatter camps, hence the accompanying social decay.
For an additional 11 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 Papua New Guinea.Psalm 31
Psalm 31
New International Version (NIV)
Psalm 31
Psalm 31[a]
For the director of music. A psalm of David. 1 In you, LORD, I have taken refuge;let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
4 Keep me free from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
deliver me, LORD, my faithful God.
6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
as for me, I trust in the LORD.
7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
8 You have not given me into the hands of the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.
9 Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and body with grief.
10 My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,[b]
and my bones grow weak.
11 Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors
and an object of dread to my closest friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
12 I am forgotten as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
13 For I hear many whispering,
“Terror on every side!”
They conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
14 But I trust in you, LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
17 Let me not be put to shame, LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and be silent in the realm of the dead.
18 Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
19 How abundant are the good things
that you have stored up for those who fear you,
that you bestow in the sight of all,
on those who take refuge in you.
20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from all human intrigues;
you keep them safe in your dwelling
from accusing tongues.
21 Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed me the wonders of his love
when I was in a city under siege.
22 In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all his faithful people!
The LORD preserves those who are true to him,
but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
Footnotes:
- Psalm 31:1 In Hebrew texts 31:1-24 is numbered 31:2-25.
- Psalm 31:10 Or guilt
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Today We Join With Operation World in Praying for
Palestine
The Palestine Authority
Asia
See Prayer Information
Geography
Area: 6,243 sq km6,243 sq km comprising two separate parts the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Palestine Authority controls the main towns and scattered enclaves. Jewish settler enclaves and Israeli military authorities control the rest.
Population: 4,409,392 Annual Growth: 3.23%
Capital: Jerusalem (claimed); Ramallah (administrative)
Urbanites: 72.1%
HDI Rank: 110 of 182 (UN Human Development Reports 2009)
Peoples
Peoples: 20 (40% unreached) All peoplesUnreached Peoples Prayer Card
Official language:Arabic Languages: 6 All languages
Religion
Largest Religion: Muslim| Religion | Pop % | Ann Gr | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christians | 70,991 | 1.61 | 0.2 |
| Evangelicals | 4,116 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Muslim | 3,866,596 | 87.69 |
Challenges for Prayer
Pray for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in the following areas:a) A just settlement of the land issue and the future of both Jewish settlements in the Palestinian areas and Palestinians in Israel itself. Both sides feel strong legitimate claims to the land, but their respective national aspirations are mutually exclusive.
b) The improvement of living conditions. Estimates are that 70% of Gaza lives in deep poverty and 80% are dependent upon external aid. Widespread unemployment and Israel’s imposition of economic controls prevent the majority from working their way out of poverty.
c) A fair apportionment of the water resources. Palestine has access to only 17% of the available water resources, with the remainder used by settlers, by Israel or sold back to Palestine. Only 28% of Gaza has regular access to clean water.
d) The political leadership of Palestine and Israel. The Palestinian National Authority is an elected quasi-government which all know has no real power to govern. Pray for a means by which legitimate and effective leadership might govern Palestine.
e) The future of Jerusalem,claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians, each as their exclusive capital.
Palestinian Christians find themselves attacked or betrayed from all sides. They are regarded as Arab Palestinians by Israel and as Western collaborators by extremist Muslims, and they are generally ignored or abandoned by the global Church. Yet they trace their roots back to pre-Islamic times. Their numbers in Palestine itself have declined at an accelerating rate, largely due to emigration. The pull to leave is strong, with a vastly greater quality of life available elsewhere, and with increasing pressures from Israel on one side and Islamists on the other. Pray that those who remain might continue to stay strong in both their Christian faith and in their commitment to live out the gospel in very difficult conditions. Pray that they might also know God’s protection.
For an additional 3 Challenges for Prayer see Operation Worldbook, 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 Palestine.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)