April - 26

Country : EL SALVADOR Population 5,943,000 Peoples Spanish-speaking 99.2%. An amalgam of Ladino (Mestizo) 92% Amerindian 5%; White 1.7%; Honduran and Nicaraguan 0.5%. Amerindian-speaking 0.3%. Kekchi 10,500; Pocomam 5,200. Only 7% of Amerindians still use their original languages. Other 0.5%. North-American/European 15,000; Chinese 1,300; Turks 500. Literacy 63%. Official language: Spanish. All languages 4. Cities Capital: San Salvador 542,000. Urbanization 43%. Economy The 12-year civil war, earthquakes and the collapse of the price of coffee, the country's main export, impoverished the nation. Economic and social inequalities that provoked the war still remain, and have to be tackled now that peace has come. Over 80% live in dire poverty. Unemployment 24%. Public debt/person $312. Income/person $1,040 (4.9% of USA). Politics Independent from Spain in 1821 as part of a united Central America and as a separate nation in 1838. All power remained in the hands of wealthy plantation owners allied with the military. A long series of corrupt dictatorships and gross inequalities between the rich and poor provoked armed leftist insurrection in 1981. Over 75,000 were killed in fighting, cross-fire or through right-wing death squads. The ending of the Cold War, revulsion over human rights abuses and international pressure forced through a peace accord in 1992. Steps towards disarmament, effective land redistribution and full democracy have been taken. Religion Though Catholicism is the state religion, the Catholic Church opposed the oppression and human rights abuses by the ruling minority. Both Catholics and Evangelicals were martyred. Non-religious/other 2%. Baha'i 0.5%. Christian 97.5%. Nom 3.1%. Affil 94.6%. Growth 2%. Protestant 20.6%. Growth 5.9%. Roman Catholic officially 88.4%; actually 75.1%. Affil 72.2%. Growth 0.8%. Foreign Marginal 1.8%. Growth 9.2%. 1. The fragile peace could easily be broken and civil war break out once more. Pray for magnanimity, forgiveness and a fair opportunity for all to participate in the economic and political life of the country. Pray for the election of leaders who will promote this and freedom for the gospel. Pray for the resettlement of the thousands of refugees. 2. An astonishing spiritual harvest has been gathered from all strata of society in the midst of the hate and bitterness of war. In 1960, Evangelicals were 2.3% of the population, but today are around 20%. Growth among Pentecostal churches has been dramatic. Pray for the consolidation of this work through effective discipling and motivation of believers for outreach. Pray for evangelistic teams now reaching out -- such as the Cristo es la Respuesta team with 40 workers. A big problem is the large number of ex-Evangelicals. 3. Goals for AD2000. The Salvadoran Evangelical Confraternity, representing 50 denominations, committed themselves in 1987 in a DAWN strategy to multiply established congregations from 3,400 to 12,000 by the end of the century. Pray that this may be achieved and that El Salvador may be the Saviour's (El Salvador means Saviour). 4. Suffering and damage to properties, families and lives of Christians was severe. There were many Salvadoran martyrs. The coming of peace gives an opportunity to rebuild, consolidate, grow and reach out to a physically, morally and spiritually wounded population. Pray that there may be no place for bitterness, carnality and division in the Body of Christ. 5. Children and young people have suffered especially. Much could be done by churches and international agencies to both rehabilitate them and win them for Christ. Pray for: a) The 350,000 abandoned children -- orphanage, counselling and educational ministries are vital. b) The 74,000 university and college students whose study years have been badly disrupted and politicized. IFES has a ministry among them. 6. Leadership for the churches must be multiplied. The war, lack of finance, and insufficient staff have crippled what training was available. Pray for the 15 Bible schools, three seminaries and over 12 TEE programmes. Pray for the provision of all material needs for staff and students in this time of economic stress. It is in this ministry that more missionary input is needed. Major missionary-contributing nations: USA (87), Canada (4), UK (4). 7. Missions interest has grown, but most believers still find it difficult to imagine themselves as missionaries. Pray for Salvadoran missionaries who have been sent and that others may follow.