Day 15: East Africa

30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening

Verse for contemplation: Isaiah 51:14-16

Due to violence, drought, floods, displacement and disease, nearly 50 million people in the Horn of Africa now face acute food insecurity (up from 31 million in 2022). Somalia, Ethiopia and other parts of this region have suffered famine after more than five consecutive rainy seasons with no rain. Due to war and violence in Tigray (northern Ethiopia) humanitarian aid has been cut off from reaching multitudes in need. Then about a month ago, a catastrophic cyclone hit Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi, killing hundreds and displacing hundreds of thousands.

Two of the countries in this region, Somalia and Eritrea, rank among the top four most dangerous countries in the world for Christians. About half the population of both Eritrea and neighboring Ethiopia claim Christianity. And yet, Protestant believers face horrific brutality not only because of Muslim extremism, but also the Orthodox Church. An estimated 500-1000 Christians are currently imprisoned in Eritrea, many of them held indefinitely in shipping containers in the desert, enduring scorching temperatures by day, and freezing by night. Some pastors have been in solitary confinement for over ten years without formal charges. Others have been forced into military service.

This is distressing news, and yet the darker the night, the brighter Light shines. Read this encouraging story of a Christian woman recently released from prison in Eritrea:

Torture Could Not Shake This Eritrean’s Faith

Prayer points to consider:

• Oppressive governments
• Surveillance of Christians, churches
• Islamic extremists
• Orthodox brutality against Protestants
• Imprisonment, torture of Christians (especially in Eritrea) to force them to renounce Christ
• Drug cartels targeting Christian youth workers (especially in Mozambique)
• Christians abducted, beaten, murdered, raped
• Political violence
• Drought, malnutrition, disease, famine
• Poverty, unemployment
• Displaced families
• Flooding and devastation from Cyclone Freddy
• Unreached peoples
• Tribal religions, demon worship

Prayer starter:

Please, Father, awaken Muslim, Orthodox and other radical religious leaders and their followers to You. Break the chains to legalism, religious pride, hatred and violence, and set them free to know the God who is Love. Rescue the oppressed and release the captives. Be a Shield around every Christian in danger. Hide them from those who seek to do them harm. Block surveillance of phone conversations and provide safe ways for Christians to communicate, study the Word and worship together. Protect those gatherings by Your mighty hand. Turn away evildoers, but draw in seekers. Bring the downfall of evil governments, and raise up leaders who love You and who will open the way for hope and freedom in East African countries. Assign angels to guard youth workers from violent drug cartels in Mozambique, and protect the youth they work with, as well. Raise up a generation of young people who will love and serve You all their lives. Provide good jobs for Christian youth. Use them to influence others to know You. So many young people join Islamic extremist groups because they can’t find work or even basic provisions they need for life. Turn the tide of the battle around from violence and terror to a mighty revival. Awaken East Africa to You, O God. Already You have performed many miracles in several of these countries. We ask You for more. Show Yourself strong on behalf of the oppressed. Make a way for every tribe and tongue to hear Your Good News, understand and be saved. 

Parallel Prayer: Our 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening coincides with Ramadan. March 11-April 9, Muslims throughout the world are fasting and seeking God right now. Let’s pray they find Him! 

Heavenly Father, please have mercy on the thousands of Christians imprisoned and mercilessly tortured by Muslims in East Africa, especially in Somalia and Eritrea, ranked among the top four most dangerous countries in the world for Christians. Stop the reign of terror extremists have raged. Shine so serenely and brightly through Christians’ love, joy, peace and forgiveness that their persecutors see the difference in their lives and long to know You. Break Muslims away from Islam by the thousands to turn to Christ. Begin a stirring in their hearts even now during Ramadan. And flood all of East Africa with Your light and love. Make a way for every Muslim in this region to hear Your Good News in a way they can easily understand and be saved.

Dinner and a Prayer: Each day during these 30 days, we will share with you ideas for special family prayer times, including a suggested menu to go with that day’s prayer theme. Today’s suggestions:

Search the internet to choose recipes from Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania, and/or Uganda. Ask your children to research some of these countries to find barriers to the Gospel, and then share those together with the family before you pray. Menu suggestions: chapati bread, spriss (layered fruit juices), Kenyan pilau (spiced rice), Madagascar chicken, Mozambique vegetable stew, Ugandan pineapple nut bread

As you research today’s region of the world for prayer, type in a country name or other subject here in our search engine and see where God leads you.

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You can also go to Joshua Project to discover unreached peoples, and Open Doors and Voice of the Martyrs to see where and how Christians are persecuted.

If you would like to plan ahead for international meals, see the “Dinner and a Prayer” section at the bottom of our 30 Days page or in the back of your 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening, Volume 2, book.

For suggestions on how to have an even fuller experience this coming month, check out our 30 Days and So You Think You Can’t Fast pages here at the Prayer Wall.

Help kids overcome fear and other strongholds through Out You Go, Fear!, 1-2-3 Walk in Step with Me and other Pure-As-Gold Seal books for kids and young adults on living in Truth and following the Spirit’s leading. For these and more books for adults, too, see MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com.

More books for all ages from MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com:

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:

Mikaela Vincent and her husband are missionaries who live by faith, trusting in God to provide for their needs as they pray for and share Christ with the nations. If you would like to help their ministry through giving a donation, shopping at Mikaela’s online bookstore, praying for them or inviting them to speak at your church, retreat or other event, click the buttons below:

Any proceeds this author receives from the sale of the deep devotional Bible studies and other MoreThanAConquerorBooks.com books mentioned in this post go to shining Christ’s light in the darkness and seeing the nations come to Him. 

Thank you for your support! If you have any questions or want to help with this ministry, please  contact Mikaela.