March - 07

COUNTRY :BENIN Population 5,573,000 Peoples About 57 ethnic groups. Southern Peoples 69.4%. Fon 1,400,000; Yoruba (8) 465,000; Aja 360,000; Gun 320,000; Ayzo 227,000; Mina 126,000; Wachi 110,000; Mahi 66,000; Tofin 66,000; Xweda 54,000. Northern Peoples 30.2%. Bariba 460,000; Fula (Fulbe-Borgu) 280,000; Ditammari (Somba) 119,000; Burba 70,000; Boko 70,000; Pila (Yom) 70,000; Lamba 60,000; Gurma 50,000; Nateni (Tayaku) 45,000; Tem (Kotokoli) 43,000; Lokpa (Dompago) 42,000. Migrants from Niger and Burkina Faso may be 3% or more of the population. Mainly Dyerma (Dendi), Hausa, Mossi. Other 0.4%. French 0.3%. Literacy 28%. Official language: French. Trade Languages: Fon in South, Dendi in North. All languages 52. Languages with Scriptures 5Bi 8NT 4por. Cities Porto Novo 188,000 and Cotonou 501,000. Urbanization 38%. Economy Poor and underdeveloped with most people engaged in subsistence farming. Virtually a satellite economy of Nigeria. The stagnation during the years of Marxism is changing with the switch to a free-market economy. Public debt/person $230. Income/person $380 (1.8% of USA). Politics Independent from France in 1960. The seventh coup after independence brought a repressive Marxist government to power. The worldwide collapse of Communism in 1989/90 led to the multi-party elections of March 1991 and the first democratic replacement of an African head of state in mainland Africa. Religion The application of Marxist ideology between 1972 and 1985 was not harsh, but it bred a spirit of uncertainty and fear that restricted Christian witness and missionary initiative. There is now complete religious freedom. Tribal religions 54.8%. Strong in all but seven of the peoples in the country -- especially the Fon, Lokpa, Boko, Bariba and Egba. Muslim 17%. While only the Nago, Tem, Dendi and Anii of the indigenous peoples are predominantly Muslim, most northern peoples have a significant minority that is Muslim, and the immigrant Nigerian and Burkinabe are largely Muslim. Christian 28.2%. Affil 24% Growth 5.5%. Protestant 4%. Affil 3.3% Growth 9.9% Roman Catholic 21.7%. Affil 18.2% Gr 5.3%. Foreign Marginal 0.2%. Affil 0.17% Growth 8.8%. Indigenous Marginal 2.27%. Affil 2.2% Gr 1.6%. 1. Praise God for significant changes in the 1980s. These include the liberation of the country from the ideological bondage and fear of Marxism; the beginnings of a gospel breakthrough among the Fon people; rapid church growth in the country since 1987; and the expectancy of a great harvest in the '90s. 2. The civilian government faces an enormous task of reconstructing and developing the country. Pray that an ethnically fair and ethically just democracy might take root in the social fabric of the country, and that the leaders may work for the good of the people rather than for enriching themselves. 3. Church growth is a new phenomenon. Historically, the southern Methodist churches have stagnated, and growth elsewhere has been slow. But since 1987, both Evangelicals and Catholics have seen new advances and more rapid growth: in AoG churches in the north (Natimba, Burba, Belime, Fulbe, etc) and south (Mina, Nago, Aja, Gun and now the Fon); UEEB/SIM in the north and centre (Lokpa, Bariba, Cabe, Fulbe, etc. and now Boko, Ditammari and Fon); SBC in the south (the Yoruba-related peoples); and Evangelical Baptists in the far north (Dendi and Gurmantche). Pray for: a) The raising up of more leaders of maturity and vision. b) All pastoral training -- the AoG Bible Institute (32 students), the ICI Correspondence School, UEEB with one French and seven vernacular primary level Bible Schools (100 students) and 250 studying in a TEE programme. c) The vision to reach out to every unreached people and community, and the strategy to implement it. 4. Unreached peoples. Only a handful of peoples have a Christian majority, and just five have over 5% Evangelicals. Benin has Africa's highest percentage of followers of traditional religions and is the least evangelized non-Muslim country in Africa south of the Sahara. Specific peoples for prayer: a) The Fon -- a strategic, well-educated and influential people but in bondage to a fetishism that has remained, until recently, unchallenged by the gospel despite the fact that 20% of the tribe is nominally Christian. The long-awaited breakthrough appears to have begun with rapid church growth since 1987 through the ministry of six missions/churches (including AoG, SIM, SBC). There are now 24 churches with 1,500 adherents; yet this is still but 0.12% of the population. b) The Togo border strip in the west, where the unreached Aguna, Ica, Anii Foodo, Ife, Kabiyu and Anufo total some 130,000. UEEB(SIM) have started work among the 9,000 Soruba. c) The middle strip in the south, where the Mahi, Ayzo, Weme, Idaca and Seto live, and among whom there are no indigenous churches. Total population: 350,000. d) The southwest corner with a complex medley of peoples, including the Wachi, Xweda, Xwla, Ko and Ci totalling 220,000 people. e) The Muslim peoples. No work is being done among the indigenous Tem and Anii, nor among the more urban immigrant Dyerma, Hausa and Mossi. Islam is extending its influence among many of the central and northern peoples, but among the Fulbe (Fula) there has been a breakthrough with nearly 2,000 coming to Christ (SIM, AoG). f) The 800,000 urbanites of the two capitals. There are 17 evangelical churches with 4,000 adherents and a further 60,000 in African Independent Churches, but the majority have not been reached. Nearly a fifth of the population is Muslim, and no one is working full time for their evangelization. 5. Missions. Only since 1946 has the centre and north been penetrated by missions. The largest of these are SIM (70 missionaries in 12 peoples) and EMS-Nigeria (11), SBC (20), SIL/WBT (13), Evangelical Baptists (11), AoG (6). Considering the need of the country, the small church-planting missionary force (only 35 in the country!) must be increased. SIM runs the only evangelical mission hospital in Benin and has a useful ministry of rural development. 6. Young people are a vital part of present advance. Conversions in the towns through youth centres, camps and the extensive use of the Jesus film together with good follow-up have often resulted in churches in both towns and rural areas. Pray for adequate resources to be committed to these ministries at a time of unprecedented openness. 7. Bible translation is a major unmet need. There are 24 languages without a New Testament. SIM translation teams are working in seven languages and SIL in five. Other literature is being translated and printed -- TEE materials, Bible commentaries, etc. Pray for a biblically literate Church to be the result. Literature sales are increasing. There are four Christian bookstores. 8. Media opportunities abound in the new day of freedom. Pray for: a) The effective use of audio recordings in evangelism and teaching. GRn has made recordings in 34 languages. b) The wise and strategic use of the Jesus film in French, Fon and Bariba. c) Radio. The loss of ELWA (SIM) radio station in Liberia has forced the churches to look for alternatives. Radio Parakou broadcasts the gospel daily in Fon and Bariba, and weekly in French, with encouraging response (UEEB).   COUNTRY :BERMUDA Population 60,000 Peoples About 25% of the population is foreign-born. Afro-Caribbean 63%. Euro-American 35.4%. Mainly from UK, USA, Canada and Portugal. Other 1.6%. Literacy 97%. Official language: English. Cities Hamilton 6,000. Urbanization 100%. Economy Its superb climate and geographical position makes it a tourist paradise and a lucrative tax haven. There are over 4,500 offshore companies registered in Bermuda. Income/person $26,040 (123% of USA). Politics A British Colony; parliamentary democracy. Religion Non-religious/other 10.1%. Baha'i 0.5%. Christian 89.4%. Growth 0.5%. Protestant 71.7%. Growth 0.2%. Roman Catholic 15.5%. Growth 1.3%. Marginal 2.2%. Growth 3.5%. 1. Bermuda is a materialistic Eden, but spiritually shallow. The islands are crowded with churches, the airwaves filled with gospel broadcasts, but the message is largely ignored. Pray that the believers may live lives worthy of the Lord, and contribute more to world evangelization.