Day 25
Oman
Oman’s government is keen on promoting the Sultanate as an investment destination globally. New industrial investment opportunities are created. The country will launch a national e-commerce plan to boost the involvement of more investors. It has been decided to develop a general mark for quality and promotion of the plan. Considered a milestone, Oman will be the 100th country to ratify the treaty that protects the rights, pay, and conditions of seafarers. It was commemorated by a ceremony at the headquarters of the International Labor Organization in Geneva. Pray for Christian companies to invest in the Sultanate and make way for sharing the gospel. Pray for the Omani Christian Believers to understand the power in the gospel of Christ and the life-transforming anointing of the Holy Spirit exhibited powerfully through their lives (The Bible, 1 Thessalonians 1:5).
Sources:
Oman is listed in 20th position in the World Watch report 2021 by Open Doors for Christian persecution. The Sultan of Oman is Haitham bin Tariq Al. The standard of living improved dramatically due to the discovery of oil. Omanis highly respect their Sultan and have enjoyed peace and prosperity under his leadership. Morden technology has vastly changed the lifestyles of Omanis. Smartphones, the internet, and social media command a great deal of the time of young and older Omanis. Oman’s population has doubled in the past 25 years and around 50% of the population is under 16 years of age. Traditional family structures are also changing. The conservative and traditional nature of Oman’s Islamic society, combined with material comfort, results in much resistance to the Gospel.
Day 25
Kazakhstan
In January, anti-government rallies that turned violent resulted in the deaths of at least 230 people. Much confusion still surrounds the events, and the tens of thousands of people were detained in the days following. More than a thousand people are still waiting for trials related to the event. Some are bystanders who found themselves in the midst of the rallies and say they were arrested, tortured, and now face trials that could result in prison sentences. Pray for justice to flow. Pray for truth to be found and light to shine into dark corners. Thank you, God, that Your right hand is majestic in power and shatters the enemy (The Bible, Exodus 15:6).
Source: Shot, tortured, facing jail: Can Kazakhstan deliver justice after Bloody January? (Eurasianet)
A large country the size of Western Europe, Kazakhstan is the world’s leading uranium producer and the economic leader of Central Asia. Soviet-era nuclear testing and toxic waste dumping plague the nation as well as elevating drug addiction levels and HIV/Aids rates. Islam had a resurgence after the Soviet era, but more legal restrictions are being imposed on all religious groups. Unregistered Protestant churches and their Believers suffer the most persecution. Political instability and infighting between the ruling party and opposition groups have been the mark of the last two years.
