Somalia is a nation in the Horn of Africa on the east coast of Africa. It has the longest coastline on the African mainland and beautiful beaches. But it's not a place you'd go on vacation, because the country has been in a civil war since 2009.
A terrorist group called Al-Shabaab is trying to overthrow the federal government and establish an Islamic state.
There are only a few hundred Christians in Somalia, and if they're identified as such, they face severe persecution. 99.6% of the people in Somalia are Muslim, and Imams and other Muslim religious leaders are openly speaking to free Somalia of Christians.1
The civil war in Somalia has been going on since 2009. 350,000-1,000,000 people have been killed and over 2,000,000 people have been displaced. Corruption, unemployment and violence have increased, forcing many people to flee the country.2
Pray for peace in the country, for the protection of civilians and for people to meet God.
There is an entire generation that has never known Somalia without war (all of Gen Alpha). Over half a million children suffer from severe malnutrition.3 Lack of water and food is making life very difficult for many families.
Pray for humanitarian aid for all those in need, for sustainable access to water and food, for protection and safety.
Christians are a minority and are heavily persecuted. You can't be openly Christian, and if you are recognized as one, you are harmed, rejected and even killed.1
Pray for peace and God's protection over His church, that they will know God's comfort and find ways to grow in their faith, that they won't get caught and that the church will spread.
Father God, we recognize the dangers that our Somali brothers and sisters face, simply for following Christ. Cast Your protection over secret believers, and those whose faith has been discovered. Heal those who have been harmed physically and emotionally. Comfort those who have lost a family member because of their faith. Intervene in the hearts of extremists to put an end to the violence and restore peace to this region. Move in powerful, supernatural ways to eradicate fear, intimidation and violence.1
Amen
1 Open Doors. (2023). What does persecution look like in Somalia? Retrieved from https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/somalia/
2 Paradigm Shift. (2021). The Civil War in Somalia Explained. Retrieved from https://www.paradigmshift.com.pk/the-civil-war-in-somalia-explained/
3 Unicef. (2023). Somalia - Situation of Women and Children. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/somalia/situation-women-and-children
4 Stratus. (2023). Country Explorer - Somalia. Retrieved from https://globe.stratus.earth/en/country-explorer/SOM