Pray for Bahrain
“In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” Isaiah 42:3b-4
Population: 807,131
Capital: Manama
People: Arab 50%, Iranian 15%, South Asian 15%, Bahraini Farsi 10%
Urbanites: 88.6%
Official Language: Arabic
Religion: Muslim 83.2%, Christian 9.8%, Hindu 6%
Pray:
Bahrain is a small desert island off the coast of Saudi Arabia. It was first to produce oil in the Gulf, but its oil and water supplies are now dwindling. The country is 83% Muslim, but tensions are high between the two main sects of Islam: Sunni and Shiite. Most of the population is Shiite, but the ruling class and royal family are Sunni. In February 2011, the Shiite majority began large demonstrations to demand reform, which resulted in uprisings and violence. On March 15th, King Hamad al Khalifa declared emergency martial law to calm the situation. Pray that God will use this time of unrest to break through strongholds of Islam, political power, and financial gain. Ask that the people of Bahrain will seek justice, peace, and hope and find them in the promised Messiah.
A large number of Saudis, Iranians, and Kuwaitis live in or travel to Bahrain, which experiences more religious freedom than its neighboring countries. There are opportunities for Muslims from places with little to no access to the gospel to encounter Christians and hear the good news. Pray that Christ would visit them in dreams and visions, as sometimes happens among Muslims that come to faith. Ask that many men and women, young and old, would believe in Jesus Christ as Lord.
Praise God for the believing community in Bahrain. Pray for unity despite ethnic diversity. Ask the Lord to enable His servants to speak His word with great boldness, both in Bahrain and in all of Arabia.
Please keep Japan and Libya in your prayers, as well. The death toll in Japan is now around 9,000 with 13,000 missing. Millions are without power, food, and water.
Information provided by Operation World and Joshua Project. For more information, go to http://www.operationworld.org/bahr.