Day 16
Tajikistan
Tajikistan is the poorest of the Central Asian nations and it relies heavily on the income that migrant workers send back into Tajikistan from Russia. However, international sanctions against Russia for its war in Ukraine have meant that migrant workers have either lost their jobs or their income is worth little due to the crash of the Russian currency. Pray for provision for people in Tajikistan who no longer are supported by income from Russia. Pray for the government in Tajikistan to develop more innovative income creation ideas. May God bless Tajikistan still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear Him (The Bible, Psalm 67:7).
Central Asia’s poorest nation, Tajikistan has never recovered from the Soviet era. After five years of civil war following the 1991 Soviet collapse, an UN-brokered peace deal resulted. Secular forces dominate, but economic stability hasn’t returned. Tajikistan voted to allow its president to rule indefinitely. Each year greater legislative restrictions oppress the Tajik masses. Secular forces also dictate religious law. Although the constitution guarantees religious freedom, oppression is widespread. Literature confiscation is a primary tool the government uses against Christians. Churches must register to be legal, a near-impossible task. However, both registered and unregistered church gatherings continue to take place.
