Niger seeks answers after world drops it and its uranium.

"I remember it like yesterday", writes a missionary. "I was doing nothing more than taking a morning walk through millet fields, down a sandy path running along the banks of the Niger River. A Songhai man rushed out of his garden to meet me. After a decade of missionary work, this was the first time anyone had run to me, telling me of how Christ had spoken to his heart at dawn. I had given him an evangelistic cassette months before as a gift for allowing my daughter's school group to tour his garden and interview him for a project..."

The missionary goes on to lament, "Who would have thought he would have been one of the many seeds who sprouted but were eventually choked and forsook the Gospel."

Songhai believers

Songhai believers face incredible obstacles to live a life of faith since Islam is so prominent in Niger. This land-locked, sub-Saharan country of over 11 million people is four-fifths desert. Islam came to Niger by way of the empires of the Songhai, also Mali, Gao, Kanem, Bornu and Hausa states. Niger is frequently disrupted by extended droughts and locust infestations. Niger has the world's highest birth rate yet life expectancy is just 43 years and the literacy rate is an alarmingly low 17.6%.

Niger's capital

Niamey was just a few thousand people back in the 1940's and is now home to 675,000 people thanks to the uranium-funded boom of the 1970's, which since collapsed. Shops have pictures or paintings to explain what services or goods they carry. Most of the Christians in Niger live in Niamey which is now the capital.

Flag of Niger

Map of Niger

Notables:

* Niger made headlines as documents came out that Saddam Hussein had sought to buy uranium and subsequently build the bomb. The finger was pointed at Niger.
* Niger banned hunting to save its wildlife, including the lion, the giraffe and the hippopotamus.
* A ceremony freeing some 7,000 slaves was cancelled after the government claimed there was no slavery in Niger. That was in 2005.
* Famine hit hard in south Niger affecting at least 2.5 million in 2005. Late rains in 2006 will cause more problems for the coming years. The BBC reports that the President prayed for rain.

How can we pray for Niger?

* Intercede for Songhai believers and for those ministering to them. Pray they can remain strong in Christ and lead others to the Lord.

* Pray that we as missionaries would respond generously to physical needs with the wisdom of God, without creating dependence. Pray for jobs for believers and ways for them to support their families.

* Ask Him to bless us as we nurture and disciple believers.

* Radio is the most important outlet for news and information, owing to extraordinary low literacy levels. Pray that more Christian radio would be broadcast.

Background on Niger (World Factbook)

Niger is one of the hottest countries in the world. It is also rated as the world's poorest Muslim country. Some have called for Niger to become an Islamic Republic, but this has yet to be established. The government has funded several Muslim-oriented programs, such as a powerful Muslim radio ministry and an Islamic university in Niamey. The government has made three Muslim feasts as national holidays. The majority of Nigerian's are linked to the Tijaniya Sufi brotherhood, who believes its leaders are supernaturally gifted with mystical power. Ahmed al Tijani, an Algerian Berber, founded the Tijaniya brotherhood in 1781, essentially as a missionary order. It has spread in many areas of West Africa thanks in part to its relative simplicity and flexibility to modern life.

Economy of Niger

Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking last on the United Nations Development Fund index of human development. Nearly half of the government's budget is derived from foreign donor resources. Future growth may be sustained by exploitation of oil, gold, coal, and other mineral resources. Uranium prices have increased sharply in the last few years.

Statistics on Niger

Population: 16,468,886 (July 2011 est.) World Rank #62

Life expectancy at birth: 53.4 years. World Rank #203

Ethnic groups: Haoussa 55.4%, Djerma Sonrai 21%, Touareg 9.3%, Peuhl 8.5%, Kanouri Manga 4.7%, about 1,200 French expatriates

Religions: Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christian

Languages: French (official), Hausa, Djerma

Literacy: 28.7% male:42.9% - female: 15.1%

School Life Expectancy: 5 years

Video: The Nomads of the Azawak

* Here is a video to give you an idea of the land and help you pray -

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The whole world heard about Kuwait after the Iraqi invasion of the country in 1990. Kuwait’s oil wealth has attracted people from many parts of the globe and now half of its 2.5 million people are non-nationals! About 85% of the population is Muslim (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%); the other 15% are Christian, Hindu and Parsi (Zorastrianism). The earliest inhabitants of Kuwait were originally from the Al Aniza Bedouin tribes who migrated from central Arabia to escape drought in the early 1700s. Attacks from the Wahhabi tribes in the interior caused them to seek protection from Great Britain. Kuwait eventually became a British protectorate in 1897 and gained its independence again in 1961.

A hundred years ago, Christians came to Kuwait and helped the Kuwaitis through medical services. Positive Christian contributions to Kuwaiti society continue today. In addition the Kuwaiti government not only allows Christianity to flourish, but also provides meeting facilities for Christian worship. On any given week, various congregations amounting to 40,000 people use the facilities to hold church services and other meetings. Christians have freedom to praise and worship, as long it is not outside of the church walls.

Flag of Kuwait

Map of Kuwait

Many Christians in Kuwait believe that the Lord has called them to be a lighthouse showing the way to God to the surrounding nations. Some pastors say the Lord reminds them to be a Bethlehem – where salvation came to the world. One pastor in Kuwait writes, “We have seen that during the last nine years, the Lord started a deep process to fulfil the destiny of this country through gathering the pastors of the many congregations. The pastors are not just concerned with their local congregation, but instead are looking for the godly transformation and blessing of Kuwait.”

Prayer points:

* Many Kuwaitis are seeking the Lord, mainly through watching the satellite television. Local Christians need to be able to disciple, train and equip those who are discovering Christ. May they become imitators of God, as dearly loved children (Ephesians 5:1).

* May the Lord continue to build a mentality centred on the Kingdom of God which is not just focused uniquely on the activities of individual churches (Mt 6:33a).

* Pray for godly Christlike leadership of the major churches (1 Timothy 3:1-13).

* Pray that Kuwaiti believers will exhibit godly values through their business activities with non-believers. (Colossians 4:5).

* Additional committed godly Christian women are needed to minister to other Kuwaiti and non Kuwaiti women (Titus 2:3-5).

* Greater religious freedom by law is desired (Acts 28:30-31).

* May God reveal himself to the younger generations of Christians and non-Christians. Some have opportunities to meet other committed Christians through travel and extensive studies abroad (perhaps a bit like the man in Acts 8:26-40).

* Pray that the Government will give land with permission to build more churches.

* In 1951 many Christian bookshops were shut down. Pray for the opening of new bookshops with permission to sell Bibles.

About Kuwait (World Factbook)

Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961. Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure damaged during 1990-91. The AL-SABAH family has ruled since returning to power in 1991, and reestablished an elected legislature that in recent years has become increasingly assertive.

The country witnessed the historic election in May 2009 of four women to its National Assembly. Amid the 2010-11 uprisings and protests across the Arab world, stateless Arabs, known as bidoon, staged small protests in February and March 2011 demanding citizenship, jobs, and other benefits available to Kuwaiti nationals. Youth activist groups - supported by opposition legislators and the prime minister's rivals within the ruling family - in March of 2011 rallied for an end to corruption and the prime minister's ouster.

Kuwait's Economy

Kuwait is a small, rich, relatively open economy with self-reported crude oil reserves of about 96 billion barrels - 10% of world reserves. Petroleum accounts for nearly half of GDP, 95% of export revenues, and 80% of government income. Kuwait's climate limits agricultural development. Consequently, with the exception of fish, it depends almost wholly on food imports. About 75% of potable water must be distilled or imported.

Statistics about Kuwait

Population: 2,595,628 (includes 1,291,354 non-nationals) (July 2011 est.), world rank: 139

Life Expectancy at Birth: 77.09 years, world rank: 66

Ethnic Groups: Kuwaiti 45%, other Arab 35%, South Asian 9%, Iranian 4%, other 7%

Religions: Muslim 85% (Sunni 70%, Shi'a 30%), other (includes Christian, Hindu, Parsi) 15%

Languages: Arabic (official), English widely spoken

Literacy: 93.3% - male:94.4%, female:91%

School Life Expectancy: 12 years

See also PrayforKuwait.com: special insights and downloadable Word files on the blog section.

+ Google Map Link: Kuwait City, Kuwait

+ Listen to or download Gospel recordings in Modern Standard Arabic.

Kuwait City - Video

Photo story of Kuwait - very nice

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