Answers to Prayer

1 The Church is growing rapidly in a climate of crime, lawlessness, terror, and murder

2 God is reaching the lowest and most desperate

Challenges for Prayer

1 Colombia retains its reputation for being one of the most violent countries in the world

2 Satan's hold on Colombia must be broken by prayer

3 The 1991 Constitution has brought a glimmer of hope with the opening up of the democratic process to those previously unrepresented, reforming the judicial system damaged by the violence of the drug wars, and granting greater religious freedom

4 The Roman Catholic Church has seen the changing socio-political scene radically affect its role and influence

5 Evangelical growth has been significant. In 1933 there were only 15,000 Evangelicals. In 2000, there were almost 2 million Protestant Evangelicals

a) The leadership crisis, which has worsened with the growth of the churches and the continued murders of leaders

b) The disunity crisis

Geography

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Area 1,141,748 sq.km. Northwest corner of South America.

Population (2000) 42,321,361 +1.89%AGR

Capital Santa Fé de Bogotà 6,834,000.

Peoples

Spanish-speaking 98.6%; Indigenous Amerindian 0.8%; Other 0.6%.

Literacy 70%. Official Language Spanish. All languages 77. Languages with Scripture 1Bi 31NT 21por 26w.i.p.

Economy

Coffee and oil are the main export commodities, along with cocaine. HDI 0.768; 57^th/174. Public debt 18% of GNP. Income/person $2,140 (7% of USA).

Politics

Independent of Spain in 1819 as part of Grand Colombia.

Religion

After years of persecution of and discrimination against religious minorities, the privileged position of the Roman Catholic Church was ended in the 1991 Constitution, which accords greater freedom to ethnic and religious minorities.

Churches in Colombia

Missionaries from Colombia

286 in 33 agencies to 28 countries

Missionaries to Colombia

820 in 84 agencies from 28 countries

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