China, Hong Kong, Asia: Church growth, rapid in the 1960s, slowed in the 1980s and again in the 21st Century. High emigration in the 1990s and following (19% of Christians) was offset by new believers coming into the Church. Hong Kong’s high pressure, competitive environment regarding living space, work hours and education as well as many uncertainties about the future often make people open to the gospel. Fastest growing are large churches and megachurches that incorporate a cell group structure. For more information, go to www.operationworld.org.

Chad, Africa: The number of Muslims seeking to know more of Christ continues to grow. Groups of believers from Muslim backgrounds are slowly beginning to multiply. The development of culturally helpful resources such as chronological Bible storying and Chadian Arabic Christian radio makes a huge difference. Challenge for Prayer

The ascendancy of Islam has increased in the last three decades. Its numerical, financial and social advantages are used to consolidate its dominant position, and animist peoples are being steadily Islamized. Increasing numbers of Muslim northerners are found in the south, with mosques and Muslim schools built in predominantly Christian areas to serve them. Pray for: a) The overcoming of many emotional, cultural and historical barriers to southerners witnessing to Muslims. Most Christians are ill-equipped and somewhat ill-disposed when it comes to sharing the gospel with Muslims, since they are used to operating in tribal languages and ministering to animist peoples. Many resent and fear the economic impact and influence of northern Muslim traders and the environmental impact of northern Muslim herdsmen and their herds. For more information go to www.operationworld.org.

Quebec is a unique region that has experienced in one or two generations the secularization and modernization that took France centuries to accomplish. While mostly French in language and culture, it is increasingly multicultural, with an Anglophone minority and growing immigrant communities. Pray for:

a) Political currents that swirl around the issue of separation from Canada. Although such sentiment has waned of late, it is never far from becoming prominent. Pray that Quebec might make a valuable contribution to the redemptive history of Canada.

b) The Catholic Church dominates Quebecois identity and culture (more than 80% self-identify as Catholic), but not attendance. Quebec’s church attendance rate is Canada’s lowest. There is a demonstrably low commitment to community activities; in particular, church and faith are highly personal and privatized.

c) Evangelicals in Quebec. Protestants are decidedly low in number and evangelical churches regarded as nearly cults. While Protestants are very mixed among French, English and immigrant cultures, there are also a significant number of practicing Catholics with evangelical beliefs. Pray for unity, fellowship and even collaboration.

d) Church planting needs to occur in much greater measure. To bring Quebec up to par with the rest of Canada in the numbers of evangelical congregations, 3,000 more churches must be planted.

Cambodia, Asia: The Cambodian Church has survived against all odds. Beginning in 1923, CMA missionaries laboured for 47 years before breakthrough began. Then the Church was nearly extinguished during the slaughter of the 1970s; 90% of Christians died or fled to Thai refugee camps – where a great harvest was reaped for the Kingdom. During the 1990s, churches spread to all 19 provinces. For more information go to www.operationworld.org.

Burkina Faso, Africa: The spirit world is very real in Burkina Faso, where, as the saying goes, the population is “50% Muslim, 20% Christian and 100% animist”. The power of the occult has yet to be decisively challenged and broken in many peoples of Burkina Faso. Few countries in West Africa are more dominated by idolatry, fetishism and secret societies. Even in churches, occult power is wielded, hampering and polluting the message of Christ. The most strongly animist groups include the Lobi, Birifor and Dogosi peoples (WEC), Dagara (Canadian Pentecostals, AoG, WEC), Senufo and Bobo (CMA), Lyele (IMB), Karaboro and several smaller groups. Almost all live in the west and southwest of the country. Pray that the power of the risen Christ might be demonstrated for the saving of many.For more information go to www.operationworld.org.