The English translation of N'Djamena, the capital of Chad, is "The place of rest". Unfortunately, N'Djamena has been anything but a place of rest for the past few decades: the history of this city is marked by ethnic conflicts, political unrest and even war in the 1980s.
N'Djamena presents a multicoloured mixture of ethnic groups, religions, cults and languages (there are around 120 spoken in Chad), Today, N'Djamena has a population of about one million - and significant urban expansion is still continuing. The city infrastructure has not been able to keep up with the large population increases; the water and electricity supplies are completely inadequate or non-existing in most parts of the city, and an efficient garbage and sewage disposal system is also lacking.
Segregation
Muslims in N'Djamena are politically, economically and religiously powerful, as well as imposing and sometimes even aggressive, making many of the Christians in the city feel inferior. Many Christians are fearful and only hesitantly proclaim the gospel to Muslims. While both Muslims and Christians have lived for years in the same city, geographically they are very clearly separated. The southern part of the city has over 150 evangelical churches, but in the larger northern districts there are only a few churches, which are surrounded by dozens, or even hundreds, of mosques. Thousands of Muslims have moved to the southern part of the city in recent years, while only a few dozen Christians have moved to the northern part. Today, Christians and Muslims live as neighbours in the newer districts: this means there is great potential for religious and ethnic tension, but also for new, God-prepared opportunities for evangelism and church-planting. The Church in Chad is learning to be salt and light in its daily contact with its Muslim neighbours.
In recent years, the Church in Chad has begun to send out missionaries into the Muslim areas of the country. However, the northern part of the capital, with around 700,000 Muslims, remains largely unreached. There are a handful of foreign and Chadian missionaries who work among them, but only a few know enough of the language and the culture to communicate the gospel effectively. Nevertheless, they have started some home groups. The missionaries need a lot of patience and courage.
In 2003, following much prayer and many struggles with the administration, an evangelical denomination obtained authorisation to start a private Christian radio station. Since then, the gospel is proclaimed every day, even in Chadian Arabic, a local dialect of Arabic spoken by most of the Muslims.
Flad of Chad
Map of Chad
Prayer Guide for N'Djamena, Chad:
* Thank God for the official freedom of religion in Chad.
* Pray for more workers to reach the Muslims in N'Djamena.
* Pray that the Chadian churches may overcome the cultural and historical barriers which make it difficult for them to proclaim Christ to their Muslim neighbours.
* Pray for house churches to be established among former Muslims.
* Pray for a powerful proclamation of the gospel by radio and all other available means (personal testimony, audio cassettes, literature, videos, etc).
* Pray for N'Djamena to attain its destiny and become God's place of rest.
Background on Chad (World Factbook)
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured three decades of civil warfare as well as invasions by Libya before a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government eventually drafted a democratic constitution, and held flawed presidential elections in 1996 and 2001. Chad is divided into multiple regions: a desert zone in the north, an arid Sahelian belt in the centre and a more fertile Sudanese savanna zone in the south. Lake Chad, after which the country is named, is the largest wetland in Chad and the second largest in Africa. Chad's highest peak is the Emi Koussi in the Sahara, and N'Djamena, (formerly Fort-Lamy), the capital, is the largest city. Chad is home to over 200 different ethnic and linguistic groups. Arabic and French are the official languages. Islam and Christianity are the most widely practised religions.
Economy of Chad
Chad is one of the poorest and most corrupt countries in the world; most inhabitants live in poverty as subsistence herders and farmers. Since 2003 crude oil has become the country's primary source of export earnings, superseding the traditional cotton industry. Over 80% of Chad's population relies on subsistence farming and livestock raising for its livelihood. Chad's economy has long been handicapped by its landlocked position, high energy costs, and a history of instability. Chad relies on foreign assistance and foreign capital for most public and private sector investment projects.
Statistics on Chad
Population: 10,758,945 (July 2011 est.) World Rank #77
Life Expectancy at Birth: 48.33 years. World Rank #219
Ethnic groups: Sara 27.7%, Arab 12.3%, Mayo-Kebbi 11.5%, Kanem-Bornou 9%, Ouaddai 8.7%, Hadjarai 6.7%, Tandjile 6.5%, Gorane 6.3%, Fitri-Batha 4.7%, other 6.4%, unknown 0.3%
Religions: Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1%
Languages: French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects
Literacy: 25.7%
School Life Expectancy: 7 years
Video: Sights and Sounds of Chad
Des mondes bien différents from Gérard Mouillaud on Vimeo.
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