Day 21
Turkmenistan
When the president comes to visit, towns and villages are cleaned up, gardens tended to, houses painted, markets removed to make things look cleaner and more modern. Local residents complained that the effort to present a façade that isn’t the real life of working communities doesn’t endear the president and other officials to the community. While they struggle to make ends meet, the president is presented with an impression that the country is doing better than it is. Pray for honesty and reality to break through in this tightly controlled nation. Pray that the Son of God will shine His light into the darkness (The Bible, John 12:46).
Source: Turkmen Leaders’ Lavish Trips Don’t Sit Well With Civilians Mired In Poverty (Radio Free Europe)
Although a country with mighty oil and gas reserves, in the past two years its struggling economy has resulted in widespread food shortages. Turkmenistan is one of the most isolated and consolidated authoritarian regimes in the world. It lacks basic freedoms, judicial independence, and accountable institutions, and it discriminates against ethnic minorities. Turkmenistan’s dictator seeks to control every aspect of life. The government justifies its tough methods with a need to prevent an escalation of radical Islam. On the World Watch List persecution ranking, Turkmenistan fell from 19 to 25, however, the country is still one of the world’s most oppressive. Christians are often labeled as “extremists” and face persecution from authorities and local communities. There are only about 1000 Christian Believers in this nation.
