Day 27: Central America

30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening

Verses for contemplation: Habakkuk 2:4-14

Christianity arrived in Central America during the 16th century, along with explorers and colonialists who mistreated and enslaved the native people. Juan de Zumarraga, appointed Protector of Indians, is one of many brave missionaries who fought for their rights and eventually helped establish laws prohibiting slavery. His ministry saw countless baptisms.

Over the past two centuries, revivals have occurred in this region with many coming to faith, even in the midst of severe economic crisis, dictatorships, violence and persecution from cartels and local people groups.

Now, after millions of immigrants from Central America made the dangerous trek to enter the once-open US border illegally, most are filled with fear and uncertainty, as they face returning to their home countries and the hardships they fled or even worse. Pray Christ will meet them in powerful ways, that when they call out to Him, He will answer and save them.

Prayer points to consider:

• Pastors, Christians targeted by cartels
• Brutal attacks against those who convert from indigenous/local religion
• Dictatorships, corruption
• Organized crime, violence
• Secular intolerance of Christians
• Communism (Nicaragua)
• Poverty
• Syncretism (mixing spiritism with Christian beliefs)
• Animism (spirit worship), especially among indigenous tribes
• Abduction of women and girls (nearly 29,000 missing in Mexico)

Prayer starter:

Father God, grow Your church in Central America. Touch every heart with the message of Your love. Where those bent on evil and oppression have resisted You, tear down those walls now and save them. Reach deep into cartels to melt hearts hardened by violence, power and greed, and move them with Your love. Bring Christians into contact with the lost who will show such love and kindness they will not be able to resist Your salvation. Protect believers who are trapped or in danger and show them the way of escape. Let their persecutors see Your angels protecting them and tremble. Where indigenous leaders have forbidden Your Gospel to enter their villages, break the chains to evil spirits and set the people free to seek You. Visit tribal leaders, mediums, spiritists and every person in powerful ways to show them who You are and give them a hunger for Truth. As refugees battle fear and the possibility of deportation, bring Christians to them to share Your Good News and love. In all these countries, as Christians pray for the sick and the hurting, hear their prayers, O God. Perform signs and miracles to turn all eyes to You. Bless Christians so abundantly they will also abundantly share with others. Plant strong, vibrant churches in every village, and ground believers in Your Word, in love and in purity. As they worship, let the lost see their peace and joy and long for You. Raise up missionaries to take the Good News into remote areas where some have not yet heard. Awaken Central America to Your love. Lift the veil from the eyes of the lost so they will see You as You truly are and be free.

Parallel Prayer: Our 30 Days of Prayer for Global Awakening coincides with Ramadan. March 1-30, Muslims throughout the world are fasting and seeking God right now. Let’s pray they find Him! 

Lord, touch the hearts of Muslims in this region with Your love. Let them see the joy and peace in Christians who reach out to them to bless them, and give them a hunger for You. This month as they seek You, show up in such powerful ways they truly find You.

Dinner and a Prayer: Each day during these 30 days, we 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 Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and/or Panama. You can also have your children research some of these countries to find barriers to the Gospel, and then share those together with the family for prayer. Menu suggestions: enchiladas (Mexico), Honduran ceviche salad, tres leches cake

As you research today’s region of the world, check out our post on persecuted Christians in Mexico. 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, Vol 2 book.

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

For Pure-As-Gold Seal books for all ages like the beginning reader ¡Quiero Ver a Jesús! and the guided prayer devotional for the whole family, Listen to Me: Heart Talks with Jesus, visit 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:

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. 

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