Praying for Mali
- Mali must overcome huge challenges of high child mortality rates, malnutrition, and desertification. Around 10% of children will not survive to the age of five. Out of those who do survive, 1 in 3 will be malnourished. 67% of the land area is desert or semi-desert, and the desert continues to spread. Pray that Mali’s leaders will have wisdom, and will know how to provide health, education, and employment to their people. The country needs long-term stability and foreign investment. Many Christian ministry opportunities exist.
- Islam in Mali tends to be moderate and uniquely West African. The large majority practice a tolerant brand of Islam that incorporates elements of African traditional religions and superstitious folk practices. Large amounts of aid from Libya and Saudi Arabia keep the population further tied to Islam. In Bamako alone, over 3,000 Qur'anic schools and individual marabouts teach about 40% of children. Pray for Muslims in Mali to have the opportunity to hear, read about and experience Jesus and the assurance of salvation He alone offers.
- The number of Christians has not increased by enough to even keep pace with Mali's rapid population growth - evangelicals fell from 0.91% of the population in 1990 to 0.69% in 2020. Most growth is biological, and many who make decisions for Christ return to their former religion. This could be addressed with better follow-up through evangelism activities, discipleship programmes, pastoral training and Bible schools, but lack of funds to train for and support such ventures is a real problem. There are nearly 700 evangelical congregations, but most of them are not actively engaged in evangelism and outreach, despite many in Mali being spiritually open. Pray for boldness, passion and a burden for the unsaved to awaken in the churches and for a new wave of evangelism such as happened in the 1980s.