Challenges for Prayer

1 Islam grew from about 45% of the population in 1900 to over 92% in 2000

2 The three Muslim Sufi brotherhoods are well-organized wealthy and politically powerful; over 85% of all Muslims belong to one of them

3 The Casamance in the south has been troubled by a guerilla war – the local Jola feeling disenfranchized and marginalized in the Wolof-dominated capital, Dakar

4 Christians are confined to sections of the Serer, Jola and Cape Verdian peoples

5 Evangelical believers are few, the rate of growth slow

6 Christian leaders are few, but an increasing number of young men are completing theological training

7 Missions in Senegal have struggled for years without much fruit in the adult population, but among young people results have been more encouraging

8 Major areas of the country are still very much pioneer situations

a) Dakar is the home of a quarter of the population of Senegal

b) The Senegal River Valley in the north and northeast is a major development zone

c) The central and eastern areas of Senegal are sparsely populated and unevangelized, as is the territory along the frontier of inland Gambia

d) Young people

9 Unreached peoples

a) Wolof

b) Serer

c) Fulbe who are largely a pastoral people, some nomadic

d) Tukulor. Muslim for 900 years, and considering themselves as the defenders of that faith

e) Jola, speaking 14 major dialects and languages

f) Maures. All are Muslim, with only a few known believers

g) Muslim Mande peoples

h) The smaller peoples on the southern border

10 Bible translation

11 Specialist Christian ministries

a) Literature

b) The JESUS film has been widely used all over the country in 10 languages

c) Cassette tape ministries

d) Christian radio programmes can be broadcast on national and local stations

Geography

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Area 196,722 sq.km. Mainland Africa's most westerly state – arid and with few natural resources.

Population (2000) 9,481,161 +2.62%AGR

Capital Dakar 2,350,000.

Peoples

West Atlantic 88.7%.

Mande (8) 8.4%.

Arab-Berber 0.6%.

Other 2.3%.

Literacy 33%. Official language French. Language of wider communication Wolof; spoken as first language by 44% of population. All languages 39. Languages with Scriptures 3Bi 3NT 6por 19w.i.p.

Economy

Subsistence agricultural economy. HDI 0.426; 153rd/174. Public debt 65% of GNP. Income/person $3,410 (1.7% of USA).

Politics

Independent from France in 1960.

Religion

A secular state with freedom of religion despite the large Muslim majority.

Churches in Senegal

Missionaries from Senegal

44 in 7 agencies to 3 countries

Missionaries to Senegal

482 in 45 agencies from 28 countries

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