Pray for India (info. from Operation World, 7th ed.)
Population 1.2 billion. Christians 5.9%. Evangelical Christians 2.2%.
Largest Religion Hindu.
Fastest Growing Religion Christian.
• India has more human need than any other nation. We must respond to India’s suffering with intelligent action and sustained prayer!
• Poverty affects hundreds of millions. In India, many people are not just poor but have nothing. The largest cities have enormous slums, but most poor people still live in rural villages. They usually come from the Dalit/ Bahujan/ Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and often end up as “debt slaves” to corrupt land owners. Both their debt and the slavery pass to the next generation, so this will not end without change. Pray that those who suffer might see God’s justice and love demonstrated to them.
• Health concerns affect masses of people. The lack of adequate sanitation and clean water increases diseases, which mostly impact children and the poor. Around 900,000 people per year die from drinking unclean water, or from breathing polluted air. India has the world’s 3rd-largest HIV-positive population and one-third of the world’s tuberculosis cases. Leprosy originated in India, which has over 1,000 leper colonies. Most of the 15 million cases of blindness could be prevented with enough doctors or optometrists.
• Women and children suffer the most. No country can match India’s tragic need. Pray for state programmes and loving Christian ministries to address these desperate needs. Pray that God will change attitudes and practices in society to reflect His care for women and children.
• Children in crisis. Of the 400 million children, possibly up to 35 million are orphans. 11 million are abandoned (90% are girls). 3 million live on the streets. Some families sell children into slavery to pay off family debts. Two-thirds of all children suffer physical abuse, and half suffer some kind of sexual harassment or abuse. Over 1 million end up in prostitution (mostly Nepalis and Bangladeshis).
• Women and girls. Society prefers male children, so some families abort, abandon, or even kill girl babies. The female population today lacks 35 million girls when compared with the male population. Women have lower rates of literacy and education, and domestic abuse is a widespread problem. Some young girls get dedicated to the ancient service of temple prostitution.
• Instability and unrest threaten peace inside and outside the country. India dominates South Asia and the whole Indian Ocean region. Relations with Pakistan are continually tense and at times violent. China also disputes some of India’s northern borders. The armed Communist militant groups within Central and Eastern India continue to grow in number and threaten national security. A number of minority separatist groups in the northeast use violence to promote their various causes. Throughout India, Hindu militant groups follow the ideal that “India is Hindu only”, and use intimidation or violence against Muslims, Christians, and other minority groups.