Answers to Prayer

1 Praise God for dramatic initial growth since 1966 when the French Assemblies of God and then from 1970 AEF/SIM missionaries arrived

Challenges for Prayer

1 The dark legacy of slavery which was abolished in 1848, overshadows the present

2 Although Catholicism is the professed religion of over 80% of the population, the Malabar religion - a synthesis of Hinduism and African witchcraft - is the real faith of half the population and probably 90% are involved in some way

3 Mature leadership for the young, growing churches is a priority

4 Young people need prayer:

a) Christians in the churches - that they have high standards of holy living and that spiritual leaders for the future might be raised up

b) The disadvantaged - the gap between them and the sophisticated, educated youth is widening

c) YWAM have a good ministry in motivating youth for evangelism and missions

5 Christian media

a) Christian literature and Bible distribution

b) Radio

Geography

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Area 2,544 sq.km. Rugged, mountainous volcanic Indian Ocean island 700 km east of Madagascar.

Population (2000) 699,406 +1.32%AGR

Capital Saint-Denis 140,000.

Peoples

Creole 59.4%.

South Asian 28.2%.

European 4.4%.

Other 8%.

Literacy 91%. Official language French. Common language French Creole, which is replacing minority languages.

Economy

Dependent on production of sugar and tourism. Unemployment 40%. Income/person $8,880 (13.7% of USA).

Politics

Uninhabited until French settlement in 1642.

Religion

Freedom of religion, but Catholicism is culturally dominant.

Churches in Réunion

Missionaries from Réunion

n.a.

Missionaries to Réunion

18 in 8 agencies from 6 countries.

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