Capital: Vientiane

Population: 6,436,093

Peoples:

• Lao-Tai – 59.2%
• Mon-Khmer – 28.1%
• Hmong-Mien – 4.0%
• Tibetan-Himalayan – 2.7%
• Other – 5.3%

Religion:
Persecution of Christians was extremely harsh between 1975-1978. Although restrictions eased afterward, churches and Christians are still watched and targeted. Buddhism has gained much of its old influence, but is heavily mixed with animism.

• Buddhist – 57.29%
• Ethnoreligious – 34.70%
• Non-religious – 4.20%
• Christian – 3.38%
• Other – 0.43%

How can you pray?

1. Most people in Laos remained unreached, and the gospel has not easily crossed ethnic barriers. Buddhism and tribal religions are often blended together. There are an average of 5,000 temples and only 250 church buildings. Pray for the gospel to shine throughout Laos.

2. The suffering church has recognized that persecution is one factor in its growth saying that it keeps them praying and relying on God. Social pressure and the prevention of new church buildings are the opposition’s primary strategies of attack. Pray for perseverance and grace for those who must endure, and also for those who are singled out by persecutors. Pray for an increased openness to evangelism, church planting and building. Pray for believers and for a continued boldness in sharing the gospel. Pray for the discipleship; that believers would grow strong in their faith and not fall away.

3. Pray for leaders for the churches. Over 90% of all trained leaders left Laos in 1975, and most congregations do not have a trained pastor.

4. Pray for unreached people groups:

The Lao – This is the nation’s most prominent people and there has been major growth among the Lao (more than 40,000 Christians), and they are key in bringing the gospel to the rest of Laos. Anti-Christian bias in both government and society, and pressure to conform to the passive nature of the Laos culture are major obstacles to faith.

The Tai tribes – They are the most unevangelized and have almost no resources in their dialects (over 15 dialects).

The northern peoples – Many have responded to the gospel in China and Thailand but political conditions have never allowed missionary work; pray that this will change.

The information provided is from the book Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation. You can go to the Operation World website to order your own copy here http://www.operationworld.org/

Each month we are going to start highlighting a different country, people groups within the country, and some things you can be praying for specifically for the people of that nation. This month we are going to share some information on the country of Morocco.

MOROCCO

• Capital: Rabat
• Population: 32,777,808
• Peoples:
• Arabic – 55.7%
• Berber – 41.4%
• Other – 0.9%, French 0.3%

Religion:

Sunni Islam is the state religion. The existence of Christians and Jews is tolerated, but the government does not accept the existence of an indigenous Moroccan Church. Authorities carefully monitor all known Christian activity, even though it is legal both to talk about Christ and to invite friends home to discussion. Local believers are often harassed by police, while some have even been imprisoned.

• Muslim – 99.88%
• Christian – 0.09% (around 90% of the Christians are not Moroccan in
• origin)
• Jewish – 0.02%
• Non-religious – 0.01%

How can you pray?

1. Pray that this nation may become open for the good news. Pride in Morocco’s past as a centre of Islamic civilization and learning, and deeply rooted prejudice against Christianity remain barriers to the acceptance of the gospel. Only a small percentage of the population has been clearly presented with the gospel.

2. Pray for peace throughout the nation, for the countries leaders; that policies and planning might establish justice, fairness, and openness.

3. Pray for the church. There is a strong growing network of indigenous Christians throughout the country, pray that this network extends. Pray against divisions in the church, that there would be fellowship and unity among believers. For strength and perseverance for believers under pressure from family, police, or religious authorities. For the discipleship of believers which can be difficult in the context of persecution, isolation and fear. Pray that believers might increasingly engage with scripture, focus on Christ and understand their faith. Pray for the lack of scripture and teaching materials needed to develop and train leaders.

4. Pray for specific unreached minority people groups: The Maghreb Jews – today only a few thousand of these people remain in Morocco, and there is no known outreach among them. The nomadic desert tribes – have little contact with the gospel. Rural Moroccan Arabs – although they are part of a majority people group they are particularly unreached and isolated from the gospel.

5. Moroccans have started to migrate in large numbers due to unemployment, many illegally and dangerously. There are significant numbers of Moroccans in Europe: in France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Britain. Pray specifically for missionaries who are seeking to reach Moroccans in these countries.

The information provided is from the book Operation World: The Definitive Prayer Guide to Every Nation. You can go to the Operation World website to order your own copy here http://www.operationworld.org/