Prayer Challenge: Spain
(From September 2006 Mosaic) Spain is about twice the size of Oregon and has over 40 million people. It has a rich imperial history, but was more recently a dictatorship, and it has only enjoyed democracy for about 30 years. Spain’s economy has grown into one of the most dynamic in Europe but the nation faces challenges of separatist group terrorism and high unemployment.
Prayer Points:
• Despite a strong historical Catholic tradition, Spain remains one of the least reached countries in Europe, and one of the most forgotten in the 10/40 window. Religious apathy is widespread. In Spain, if you were in a crowd of 1,000 people, statistically you would be the only person with a vital relationship with Jesus Christ.
• The island of Ibiza is the party capital of the world, capturing the spirit of hedonism, clubbing and excess. The tiny town of San Antonio has got more bars and pubs per square mile than anywhere else in Europe.
• 300,000 people are addicted to heroin and cocaine, a major factor in Spain’s AIDS epidemic. There are now more AIDS victims in Spain than anywhere else in Europe. Pray for the different organizations and Christian ministries that are caring for rehabilitating drug addicts.
• There are over 1 million students in Spain, and most have never really heard the gospel. There are many university towns with no outreach to the young people living there. Reaching this generation is absolutely critical in impacting the whole of Spanish society.
• Pray that missionaries and church leaders working in Spain would be able to build churches that really reflect indigenous Spanish culture.
[ Sources: Operation World & CIA World Factbook ]