Global Awareness--Ecuador

This is a continuing series of posts from recent talks to the student ministry of our church.

This presentation was done by Molly, a youth leader, who has been to Ecuador and was able to share her experiences while visiting the country.  Molly's family sponsors a child in Ecuador through Compassion.  Thank you Molly for sharing from your heart about the needs of the people in Ecuador.


Statistics

Capital:  Quito
Area:  102,548 square miles
Population:  14.5 million
Religion:  95% Roman Catholic
Life Expectancy:  76 years

Major Exports

-Petroleum
-Bananas
-Coffee
-Wood
-Canned Fish

Prayer Focus
-Pray that those involved in gangs that they would find a positive alternate
-Pray for those in bondage to drugs and alcohol
-Pray for those that have been forced into the sex trade

Prayer Reminder

Ecuador is known for its roses.  Molly asked us to remember to pray for Ecuador when we see roses.

Global Awareness--Indonesia

This is a continuing series of posts from recent talks to the student ministry of our church.

Statistics*

Population:  248 million
Capitol:  Jakarta
Life Expectancy:  72 years
Religions:
     -Muslim:  80%
     -Christian:  16%
     -Hindu:  2%

Indonesia is an archipelago consisting of over 17,000 islands in southeast Asia.  This week I shared briefly about Indonesian culture, including a sport that is popular in many southeast Asian countries.  Sepak Takraw is a sport that requires great athleticism. 

Challenges for Prayer

Indonesia is prone to natural disasters
     -Earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons are not uncommon in Indonesia.  Most the the fatalities from the 2004 tsunami were in Indonesia.

Sumatra is the largest unevangelized island on earth
     -Pray for opportunities to share the Gospel in Indonesia.

Bible translation
     -Many spoken languages require many translations of the Bible.


Prayer Reminder

Natural gas is one of Indonesia's largest industries.  Remember to pray for Indonesia when you use your oven, whether it be gas or electric.

 


*Source:  Operation World by Jason Mandryk  

Global Awareness--Ivory Coast

This is a continuing series of posts from recent talks to the student ministry of our church.


Statistics*

Population:  21.5 million
Capitol:  Yamoussoukro
Life Expectancy: 56.8 years
Religions:
     -Muslim:  42%
     -Christian:  33% 
     -Ethnoreligionist:  24%

*Source:  Operation World by Jason Mandryk


Challenges for Prayer

Animism
     -Many Ivory Coast residents continue to practice traditional religions, including ancestor worship.  Even a number of Christians in the country continue to hold on to some of their animistic beliefs.  Pray that the nation will see that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.


Knowledge and understanding of the Bible
     -The number of theological institutions has grown over the years, but there is still a great need for Church leaders to be properly trained in the Scriptures.  Pray that the Word of God would be taught in the Ivory Coast.


Division
     -Recent civil wars have lead division in the country.  Although not as bad as it was in the early 2000's, there is still a need for peace and stability in the country.


Prayer Reminder
Ivory Coast is one of the largest producers of cocoa beans.  Remember to pray for the people of the Ivory Coast when you eat something that contains chocolate.

Book Review: "The Cause Within You"

I recently finished reading The Cause Within You:  Finding The One Great Thing You Were Created To Do In This World by Matthew Barnett.  Barnett is the co-founder of the Dream Center in Los Angeles, CA.  The Dream Center reaches more than 30,000 per week through its multiple church services and more than 200 need-centered ministries.  It is a beacon of hope for homeless families, addicts, abused women and children, victims of human trafficking, teen runaways, and many others whose lives are filled with brokenness.

Throughout the book Barnett talks about the journey of starting the Dream Center as a 20 year old, how they expanded the ministry, and how they are helping hurting people today.  The journey included steps of faith, lots of prayer, and the shedding of tears.  He also includes several stories from volunteers and individuals that have been helped by the Dream Center over the years.

Our cause may not be to start a ministry that consists of a huge campus that ministers to tens of thousands of people per week, but we all have a cause that we can be a part of.  Whether the leader of the cause, or one of the many volunteers, this book shows the importance of persevering to the cause within you.


Chris

Global Awareness--Sweden

This is a continuing series of posts from recent talks to the student ministry of our church. 

The nation of Sweden is very different from the countries that we have talked about in past weeks.  Unlike the other countries we have talked about, extreme poverty is not something that many Swedes have to deal with.  The purpose of talking about Sweden (which has a literacy rate of 99%, and a high standard of living), is to show that although a nation may be rich in material possessions, they are still in need of a spiritual awakening.


Statistics*

Population:  9.2 million
Capitol:  Stockholm
Life Expectancy:  80.8 years
Religions:
     -Christian:  57%
     -Non-religious:  38%
     -Muslim-3.6%

*Source:  Operation World by Jason Mandryk



Challenges for Prayer
(For the prayer challenge I contacted a friend who is missionary to university students in Sweden)

-Spiritual Decline
     -Pray for a spiritual awakening, and that Christianity would be more than read about in history books in Sweden.

-Pray Against Apathy
     -Many Swedes have zero spiritual awareness.  Pray for a desire to know God.

-University Ministry
     -This generation knows almost nothing of biblical truth.  Pray for openings to minister to university students.


Prayer Illustration

Sweden is known for its heavy machinery industry.  Remember to pray for Sweden when you see heavy machinery.

58: The Book

I recently read 58:  Fast Living, How the Church Will End Extreme Poverty.  For those interested in becoming part of the solution to end extreme poverty, I highly recommend this book.  The book does a great job of showing how the Church, governments, and non-profit organizations can work to see an end to extreme poverty in this generation.

The book has one page that is probably the most powerful page of reading that I have read.  The ironic thing is that it is a totally blank page.  If you read the book you'll know what I'm talking about.

Many times we do nothing because we feel that we cannot help a large number of people on our own.  Through opportunities that I've had to work with Compassion I've learned that we can each make a difference in the life of one child.  By making a difference in the life of one child we will play a part in releasing that child from poverty, and this will give future generations the opportunity to live a life free from poverty. 

To learn more about the 58: book and the Live58 initiative, visit their website at:  http://www.live58.org/


Chris

Thank You for Noticing Me

A fellow advocate in a neighboring town was a guest writer for Compassion's blog.  Here is a link to her article.  Thank You for Noticing Me

Chris