24-7 Prayer: Undercover in the Desert

Published: June 1st, 2007

This brief report has just come in from friends of 24-7 working in a muslim country somewhere in North Africa:

We live in a country situated in North Africa. Just so you get an idea of the environment we live and work in, ours is a country with a population of over 10 million in which there are an estimated 300-500 people who follow Jesus.

National Christians are often persecuted, imprisoned, interrogated and sometimes tortured. Then they are forcibly emigrated out to other parts of the country where they are isolated and closely watched. This is reported to be the second most monitored country in the world after China with 1-in-5 being a paid or forced informer for the police. Their "job" is to rout out any anti-government activity and extremism of any kind.
 
We work as development workers for the only recognised Christian organisation in the country that has been given access to the most marginalised and vulnerable people in this society (single mothers, abandoned babies and children, people with disabilities and learning problems, young criminals, abused minors, etc.).
 
We live as part of a team in the south of the country, we do our best to live as a community within the community, our co-workers, a team of 8 adults and 5 kids, are also our friends and family and fellow worshippers... as you can imagine, it's not always easy!  We also meet with a very small handful of local "home grown, 1st generation" believers.
 
Feeling challenged by the 24-7 "virus" that's going around we de decided as a team to do a "24 hour prayer experiment", and see what happens.  Here’s a snapshot of what we 'tasted'.
 

"I left the prayer room feeling very disappointed, My two hours felt like 5 minutes, I had barely begun and it was time to leave! It was the easiest, most natural time I've spent with my Dad in my whole life"
 
"There was a surreal moment when I had just put on my "prayer mix" cd and our neighbours, the local mosque, warmed up its very loud PA system and all lungs blazing for the 5am call to prayer.  Just at that moment, Pete Greig came on the CD doing his "come on!!!" prayer call.  The hairs stood on the back of my neck and I joined in with Pete."

24-7 Prayer has injected a new surge of hope into our lives and work.  Simply being encouraged to unite in extended and focused prayer has stirred something deep with in us and yet answered a cry that was coming from each of our hearts. We crave to be salt and light in this place and find that these times of prayer have not only re-energise our personal relationships with God and clarified our vision, but also sharpened up our community life, our burden for prayer and our actual input into the wider community. Our local brothers and sisters are joining with us and also catching the vision. It feels like we are being taken to a new place.

 
Next week sees us doing a joint 48 hours of prayer with a few of our local friends.  Once they have caught the virus, we are hoping for a country-wide seven day "C'MON!!".

Photo for title image and thumbnail provided by Alexandre Baron under a Creative Commons License. 

Post to: Facebook del.icio.us digg Newsvine