Elijah Project: Day 4

All of the following information comes from Operation World by Jason Mandryke and is in no way my own work.

Country: Algeria

A Country Unreached

This country has known nothing but war for years. From revolutionary wars to unrest amongst themselves, Algeria has found itself under the hand of many Islamic militants. Freedoms are slowly being taken away, especially that of religious freedom. Persecution has greatly increased since 2008 and Islamic groups are becoming more and more intolerant of any religious expression other than their own. 

What to pray for:

1) Political Climate

·  The country is very war-weary. The violence has never ended and many of the freedom’s promised have not come through or have continued to lessen.

· There is great unrest between secularist who want to embrace a more western way of governing and Islamist who have been gaining more and more control within society. They now have power of schools, mosques, and threaten to murder those who oppose.

2) Persecution of Christians

· Laws have been passed against the practice of “non-Muslim worship.” Pressures for Christians come not just governmentally but through family and friends as well

3) The Church

· Pray for unity and the growth of strong leaders, especially among indigenous groups.

·   Strength for Christian families as many Christians girls are forced to marry Muslim men and hide their faith. Pray for the few Christian couples that they would remain strong.

· Unemployment among Christians is 90%, deeming many churches and pastors with no provision

4) A nation unreached

·  Youth comprise most of the country, as well as most of the Christian population. But many are running to Europe to have more freedom, leaving the country with few believers.

· The nomadic people groups (The Tuareg and Bedouin) are becoming more and more open to the Gospel. Pray for continued growth and strategies to reach these people as well as leaders to disciple.

·  There is no ministry in Algeria geared toward children. This must grow in homes since the children are taught Islam in their schools.

· Bible translation is sparse and slow moving for Algerian Arab as well as in the indigenous languages. 

Heaviest on my heart today:

The Tuareg and Bedouin

Father I pray for these people that you would just continue to give them a thirst for you. That there would be missionaries sent out to them that can tell them the gospel and that you would continue to open them up to hear. Father I pray that this generation would just latch onto it and latch onto you and then pass it on to their children. That the telling of the scripture would become tradition in this culture. Father I pray for immense understanding. That your truth in the gospel would not get missed in with Muslim traditions. I pray for clarity in the Scripture. I pray that there would be accurate translation in their languages and that they would be provided with your Scripture so that there is no question. I pray against the confusion and mixture of religion father. 

*Side Note*

More and more I’m beginning to see the INSANE blessing that it is to have the Bible, not only in our language, but in our hands. This has been a prayer in each and every one of our countries so far.

I’m beginning to see a trend.

We each must have 3 or 4 Bibles in our homes collecting dust. Yet there is fervent prayer and cries in many countries simply for a rough translation of the scriptures, let alone owning a Bible themselves.

And lately I’ve been more and more convicted of memorizing scripture. For so many this is all they have. They are able to get a hold of a page of the word and they read it and read it and read it until it can be recited effortlessly because the words it is speaking to them is the most precious treasure and truth that they hold on to.

Where is this fervent thirst for the word of God in our lives? Where is it in my life?