Morrocan Muslims took the fortress from the Portuguese in 1769. The Muslims gave the city the name “El-Jadida” which is simply Arabic for "new." The city now has about 150,000 inhabitants.

Summer in the City

El-Jadida truly comes alive in summer. The many fine beaches in the area (Oualidia Haouzia, as well as Sidi Bouzid, Lalla Fatna and Jorf) attract primarily Moroccans on holidays, but there are also a few Western tourists. Holidaying Moroccans are about as relaxed and easygoing as one could wish for anyone to be!
For more info see the site: www.ariseshinemorocco.org

Arab Spring

Influenced by protests elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa, thousands of Moroccans in February 2011 rallied in Rabat and several other major cities to demand constitutional reform and more democracy and to protest government corruption and high food prices. A number of similar demonstrations and marches continued through March. Police response to most of the protests was subdued compared to the violence noted in protests elsewhere in the region. In early March, in response to demonstrator demands, King MOHAMMED VI announced the formation of a commission to reform the country's constitution.

Flag of Morocco

Map of Morocco

Prayer Starters:

• Over the decades many Moroccans in El Jadida have heard and been influenced by the Gospel either through media or by direct contact with believers. Many need to commit/recommit their lives to the Messiah. Some need to reconcile themselves with other believers (See James 1:6-8 and 4:8).
• Pray for the handful of scattered believers in the area that they would grow bold and have a yearning in their heart to share their faith with others and meet together. The Moroccan believers often do not regularly meet together because of fear (See 2 Timothy 1:7).
• Pray for Moroccans on holiday to discover the Messiah. He is the only one who can bring real peace, joy and rest. Years ago the Apostle Peter was staying on the coast of Israel. Some dramatic events happened which led others to encounter the Messiah a little further up the coast (see Acts 10:1-48). Pray for God’s interventions!!!
• Pray for this coastal region from Azemour to Jadida to Safi to Essaouira. May the wind of the Holy Spirit blow in from the sea and further inland to the heart of the nation.

Listen to the Podcast - DAY 08 - El Jadida, Morocco

Video: Mission Morocco (1:41)

Jesus in the Qur’an

Jesus is usually referred to in the Qur’an by the name Isa. Various titles, roles and activities are attributed to Jesus. Here are a few examples:

• Jesus is the word of God: Sura: 3:45; 5:46, 110 and 57:27
• Jesus is Messiah: Sura: 3:45; 4:171; 5:17, 72, 75
• Prophet or a Messenger from God: Sura: 3:49; 6:85; 19:30; 57:27
• Raised the dead and healed the sick: Sura: 3:49; 5:110
• Pure, sinless: Sura: 19:19

Even if the Qur’anic ideas listed above are the same or similar to Biblical ideas, Muslims never think of Jesus as being divine or as saving us through his death and resurrection. They think of him as a prophet who brought a book called the “Gospel.”

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Some History of the Souss in Morocco

The original inhabitants of North Africa are known to the western world as Berbers and those of south-central Morocco call themselves Ishilhayn. With a population of more than three million, the Ishilhayn are 99.9% Muslim and one of the largest unreached people groups in the world today. Currently without any known church meetings in their language they are among the twenty largest people groups with only a small population of Christians.

The Ishilhayn or Souss lifestyle in Morocco

The Ishilhayn are predominantly light-skinned rural people with a solid work ethic, they have strong ties to extended families and traditional ways of life. Hundreds of thousands of Ishilhayn have migrated to Western Europe and to Moroccan cities like Casablanca, Marrakesh and Agadir, in search of employment. However many still live in thousands of small ancestral villages scattered throughout the Souss River valley, the High Atlas and Anti Atlas Mountain ranges, and the surrounding foothills and plains. A typical village is a huddle of packed earth or rough-hewn stone homes with flat roofs, many still without electricity.

Most Ishilhayn are farmers cultivating barley, corn, wheat, potatoes, or vegetables. Fruit trees, nuts, and olives provide subsistence farming for the family and much needed cash when traded. Many keep a cow and chickens to supplement their diet which is most frequently composed of tajine, an oil-based stew of vegetables cooked with a bit of meat and sopped up with bread. Another favourite dish is couscous. Some Ishilhayn keep sheep or goats and live a semi-nomadic life during summer months when they accompany their animals up to distant high mountain plateaus.

Many enterprising Ishilhayn come primarily from a single valley and have managed to establish a near monopoly of the small grocery stores throughout Morocco.

The Lord is at work and in recent years the Jesus Film video was translated into their mother tongue, Tashilhayt, and distributed widely in Morocco. In 1998 the entire Tashilhayt New Testament was published. The number of missionaries who speak Tashilhayt has grown but the task is enormous.

Flag of Morocco

Map of Morocco

Prayer guide for the Souss peoples in Morocco:

* Pray for the Churches around the world to adopt the Ishilhayn people and that prayer, people and resources will be channelled to see these people reached with the Gospel.
* Pray for the Ishilhayn to have an open heart and mind to receive the Good News.
* Even though these people live in quite remote areas, pray that God will call forth labourers into the harvest field, people who can learn the Tashilhayt language and be able to relate to them in a daily level.
* Pray for the Ishilhayn to come to know Jesus and for His church to be established.

Background on Morocco (World Factbook)

In 788, about a century after the Arab conquest of North Africa, successive Moorish dynasties began to rule in Morocco. In the 16th century, the Sa'adi monarchy, particularly under Ahmad AL-MANSUR (1578-1603), repelled foreign invaders and inaugurated a golden age. In 1860, Spain occupied northern Morocco and ushered in a half century of trade rivalry among European powers that saw Morocco's sovereignty steadily erode; in 1912, the French imposed a protectorate over the country. A protracted independence struggle with France ended successfully in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier and most Spanish possessions were turned over to the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the 1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature, which first met in 1997.

Influenced by protests elsewhere in the Middle East and North Africa, thousands of Moroccans in February 2011 rallied in Rabat and several other major cities to demand constitutional reform and more democracy and to protest government corruption and high food prices. A number of similar demonstrations and marches continued through March. Police response to most of the protests was subdued compared to the violence noted in protests elsewhere in the region. In early March, in response to demonstrator demands, King MOHAMMED VI announced the formation of a commission to reform the country's constitution.

Economy of Morocco

Poverty has increased due to the volatile nature of GDP, Morocco's continued dependence on foreign energy, and its inability to promote the growth of small and medium size enterprises. Unemployment runs at 20%. Morocco's financial sector is rudimentary. Moroccan authorities understand that reducing poverty and providing jobs is key to domestic security and development. Long-term challenges include preparing the economy for freer trade with the US and European Union, improving education and job prospects for Morocco's youth, and raising living standards, which the government hopes to achieve by increasing tourist arrivals and boosting competitiveness in textiles. Morocco's trade and budget deficits widened in 2010.

Statistics on Morocco

Population: 31,968,361 (July 2011 est.) World Rank #38

Life Expectancy at Birth: 75.9 World Rank #74

Ethnic groups: Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

Religions: Muslim 98.7%, Christian 1.1%, Jewish 0.2%

Languages: Arabic (official), Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy

Literacy: total population: 52.3% , male: 65.7% female: 39.6%

School Life Expectancy: 10 years

Sights and Sounds of Morocco: Video

Beautiful Morocco from Michael Rissi on Vimeo.

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In spite of his efforts a large proportion of the population is very poor, as often rich and powerful persons work for their own advantage and are inconsiderate of the rights and needs of their compatriots. Here some examples:

Promises Promises

A woman lives in a shanty town with her family. Unfortunately she is the only one who is able to work. She works at cleaning houses, helping with preparations for celebrations and the cleaning up afterwards, making bread dough for bakeries, ironing in factories and other odd jobs. Often she does not have any work for several days. The people employing her sometimes do not pay her in the evening, but ask her to come back another day, promising her that she will be paid later.

Another man has long hours of work and low pay. He and many of his co-workers wait for weeks for their promised salaries. They need to borrow money to support their families or even borrow for special expenses such as the beginning of the school year, the added food needs during Ramadan and the feast of the slaughtering of a sheep during the Aid El-Kabir. They must accept the unjust treatment, because their employer can send them away whenever he likes.

Another very skilled person easily finds people who will employ him. However, employers with villas and big cars tell him repeatedly that they do not have the money to pay him and he must come back several times before receiving his salary.

Flag of Morocco

Map of Morocco

An additional concern for people without regular jobs is that they do not have any health insurance, any pension or unemployment benefits. Some hope for political solutions to these problems but the ultimate solutions to injustice are in the hands of the Lord.

Prayer Requests

• Pray that the king may continue to lead his country in a wise and godly way. Some authorities have persecuted Moroccan believers, many have been threatened and some jailed. Many more Moroccans need to discover the forgiveness and new life which is found in the Messiah.
• Authorities and employers need to consider God’s wisdom in dealing with employees: "Pay the hired man his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and counting on it. ..." (Deut. 24:15 and Col. 4:1). The employees need to discover God’s plan for their lives and do their jobs faithfully and well (Col. 3:22-25).

Video: Sights and Sounds of Morocco (3:55)

Dirham from Filippo Chiesa on Vimeo. Filmed on Canon EOS 5D MK II.

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Algeria: population: 33.8 million

According to some estimates, there are possibly 25,000-50,000 Algerian believers of all denominations (Catholic, Protestant, Pentecostal and other). Some believe that the numbers are greater and there are various degrees of commitment to Christ which are manifest among them. Many Algerians have discovered Jesus through visions, dreams and supernatural events. Many more have discovered the Messiah in recent years through meeting other Algerian believers as well as through radio, satellite TV and films. Significant numbers of people have come to faith. As a result, in 2006 a law was passed opening the door to official persecution of Algerian believers. Several have been arrested, detained and tried for various offenses. While the situation is not as grave as in Iran or Saudi Arabia, Algerian believers are under increased supervision and have experienced the beginnings of significant governmental persecution. They have been courageous and generally continue to affirm their faith. Proselytising is a criminal offense. Any individual trying to convert a Muslim either through education, health, social, culture or financial means can be sentenced up to five years in jail with a maximum fine of $7,000. Pray along the lines of Acts 4:29-31. See more details at persecution.org.

Tunisia: population 10.5 million

Tunisia has the appearance of being a Muslim country, however the number of committed Muslims is limited. The vast majority of Tunisians are pursuing their dreams of having a better lifestyle. Tunisians need to reflect more on the meaning and the brevity of life. Tunisian believers number less than 1,000. Pray using Matthew 6:24-34.

Morocco: population 33.8 million

A very small number of Moroccan believers exist (possibly only a few thousand). Their numbers are slowly increasing, but knowledge of the Gospel in Morocco is very limited. Believers have suffered significant threats and mistreatment by relatives and some government officials. Pray along the lines of Isaiah 40:9-11; 52:7. Pray for King Mohammed VI and the royal family. Hassan, the Crown Prince, is six years old.

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He almost died in Morocco

Towards the age of eight years Mohammed suddenly fell ill with severe fevers. It was a problem with Meningitis or typhoid fever but his family did not have the finances to call for a doctor. After almost dying the little boy's health recovered but not without after effects. He was now profoundly deaf, no longer able to talk and handicapped for life. This happens often leaving children seriously disabled to the great distress of their parents.

In Morocco one finds many disabled people yet their condition is not only due to disease. There are also accidents. Many accident victims do not have access to a hospital and therefore they suffer much more significant consequences to their accident than would be normal. There are also genetic reasons for handicaps. In Morocco and many other Muslim countries relatively close cousins are encouraged to marry. These marriages where relatively close blood lines cross can give birth to disabled children through genetic deformation.

Problems to be faced in Morocco

There are also problems during pregnancy and childbirth which may handicap someone for life. Unfortunately secretive abortion practices after rape sometimes cause a disabled child to be born. The young girls who attempt such practices are often terrorised by the thought of being discovered pregnant knowing that in some countries it is a crime to be found pregnant outside of marriage.

Flag of Morocco

Map of Morocco

In Morocco there has recently been increased concern over the plight of the disabled. They are presently doing a national census in order to identify all the nation's disabled. The magnitude of the problem is well beyond the ability of the government to react to and they are also welcoming outside aid agencies to help improve the life of the disabled and handicapped.

Prayer Guide for the disabled of Morocco:

* May God's consolation come upon those families who are suffering. Pray especially for mothers who often have the daily responsibility of caring for their disabled children.

* May God intervene to help eliminate old traditions. There is an urgent need for a decrease in the number of close kin marriages (consanguine marriages). Close-kin marriages introduce genetic weaknesses which actually destroy family lines.

* May the testimony of Christians who work in aid organisations be fruitful impacting whole families by the love and compassion of God.

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Morocco Expanding in every direction

Almoravid chieftain Abou Bekr and his cousin Youssef Ben Tachfine founded the city in the 11th century AD. Religiously motivated and seeking to spread their own fanatical forms of Islam, their Almoravid descendants made Marrakesh the capital of an empire that extended east to Algiers and north almost to France. Marrakesh is one of the four imperial capitals of Morocco, the others being Rabat, Meknes and Fes.

Located on a semi-arid plain near the foot of the towering snow-capped High Atlas Mountains, Marrakesh today is a rapidly growing city of almost one million people that has become Morocco's prime tourist destination and an economic centre second only to Casablanca. Approaching from a distance, the pink colour of the city walls and buildings of Marrakesh is gradually unveiled as the 70-metre tall minaret of the 800-year-old Koutoubia mosque rises from a vast expanse of date palms.

The city is comprised of a walled "old city" or "medina", a French-built "new city" called Gueliz, and huge new neighbourhoods expanding in every direction. The medina, with its Jemaa el Fna Square, splendid ramparts and fascinating colourful markets, is the focus of the bustling tourist trade. The French provincial atmosphere of Gueliz, with its broad boulevards, street cafes, and stylish boutiques, is a pleasant backdrop for Marrakeshi "sophisticates". Some more recent neighbourhoods provide homes for former medina dwellers, many of whom are now moving upward economically. People from the surrounding area are still flocking to the city in search of employment. Despite a growing economy, the rapid population growth and other factors contribute to high unemployment and under-employment in the city.

1 for 10,000 in Marrakesh, Morocco

Flag of Morocco

Map of Morocco

As in all Morocco, the house churches in Marrakesh have gathered and repeatedly been scattered by persecution over the years. Growing maturity of church leadership, increasing unity among the brethren, and expanding vision for outreach bode well for the future of God's kingdom in Marrakesh. Despite encouraging developments, the number of national believers in the city remains less than one for every 10,000 people.

Prayer Guide for Marrakesh, Morocco:

* Pray for the over 870,000 Muslims of Marrakesh. Pray that God will reveal Himself to them through the lives and testimony of national and expatriate Christians, through Christian radio and satellite programming, and through dreams and visions. Ask the Lord to enable every Marrakeshi to hear the Good News in a way he or she can understand.

* Pray for the Church in Marrakesh. May love and unity abound.

* Pray for believers to find Christian spouses, and for Christian marriages to prosper.

* Pray for Christian households to become the base of new church fellowships.

* Pray especially for gainful employment for all believers seeking work.

For more information about Marrakesh or Morocco, visit the Arise Shine Morocco website at www.interum.org/ASM

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Dating back to the ninth century, the famous Kairaouine University and mosque sit at the centre of the old walled city and have made Fes a renowned centre of Islamic learning. This heritage has helped Islam become deeply rooted in the hearts of Fessi people and religious pride permeates their society and culture. Many Fessis hold influential positions in government and commerce throughout the country.

Folk Islam among the Fes of Morocco

Beneath the veneer of Islamic orthodoxy in Morocco lies animistic superstition that manifests in practices that are referred to as "Folk Islam". Amulets, charms, the evil eye, divination, witchcraft and sorcery abound. Entering a taxi in Fes, one may notice the hand of Fatima, a symbol displayed as a protection against the evil eye. The cab owner and driver hope the amulet will ward off misfortune and bring good luck. Tombs of Muslim "saints" (holy men) in and around Fes are pilgrimage and festival sites for the needy. People believe such saints have a certain "baraka" (spiritual power) and visit their graves to ask for a miracle or favour. The unmarried long for spouses, barren wives seek to be pregnant, and the unemployed look for work.

Marocain Muslims are often more cognisant of the spirit world than are western Christians and most believe in these folk practices. Since they don't have the Holy Spirit who is greater than the prince of this world, they must take what they consider necessary precautions to protect them from spiritual evil.

The City of Fes, Morocco

Flag of Morocco

Map of Morocco

This city of one million people has yet to see cohesive bodies of Christ become firmly established. Over the years, groups of believers have come together for a season and then been scattered due to pressure from authorities, internal conflicts, and fear. In faith, this situation is now changing.

God is at work and doing some exciting new things in Fes. May this be the year that He establishes a Fessi church that will endure, a year in which Fes will become a renewed spiritual centre that will shine the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the rest of Morocco and to the whole world.

Prayer Guide for Fes, Morocco:

* Pray against the religious pride that binds the people of Fes (Isaiah 2:17).

* Pray that believers in Fes would grow in faith, love and unity.

* Pray God will free Marocain Christians from the fear and superstition that plagues their countrymen and will protect them spiritually.

* Pray that God will manifest His power over evil by bringing real healings wrought in and through Marocain believers living today.

* Pray to break the power of Satan and his dominion over Morocco (Ephesians 4:2).

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Population Explosion in Casablanca, Morocco

Casablanca's population literally exploded in recent decades up from two million in 1985 to five million people in 2001. Vast numbers of people live in badly conceived shantytowns in the city's suburbs. Many public services have not been able to follow the city's rapid expansion. Often the relatively difficult conditions in the shantytowns do not allow many to realize their dreams of a better life.

Discouraged Youth of Casablanca, Morocco

All of Casablanca's youth are seeking to reconcile their Islamic Arab/Berber origins with the emerging global youth culture. It is not uncommon for young Moroccans in Casablanca to watch MTV and try to copy Western fashions. Others return to their cultural roots and seek to integrate their more traditional Islamic values into the modern world. Exposure to Western culture and wealth through satellite television and the Internet encourages millions of young Moroccans to dream of coming to Europe. Already tens of thousands have paid small fortunes to cross the Strait of Gibraltar illegally from Morocco's Northern Coast to Spain. It is not uncommon for the Spanish authorities to intercept 200 or more people per night as Moroccans attempt to cross the Strait in small boats.

Flag of Morocco

Map of Morocco

The daily realities of living in Spain's big cities like Barcelona, Madrid and Malaga do not always measure up with the expectations of immigrants. High prices, cramped living conditions and the constant threat of being deported cause many to long for home. Those who are illegally employed are not always paid correctly however they cannot complain because of their status.

Thousands find themselves in an impasse, hoping for a better life, yet experiencing the harsh realities of being an illegal immigrant in Europe. How many young discouraged and disappointed Moroccan Muslims have not thought of returning home?

Prayer Guide for Casablanca, Morocco:

* Pray for the city of Casablanca. Millions of poor Moroccans living there have never heard the Gospel.

* Thousands of Muslim illegal immigrants in Spain need to hear the Gospel. Often they need a helping hand to rectify their situation with the authorities. Some small groups of Christians are actively seeking to reach out to these illegal immigrants. Pray for wisdom, courage, understanding and strength as these believers seek to help and evangelize Muslims (1 John 4:21).

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