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19th July 2009 |
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Pray for Guatemala
A population of 13 million. Over 120 people per sq km. 97% are Christian. Most belong to the Catholic Church and many belong to different Protestant Churches. Praise God for the signing of the peace accord to end 36 years of war. Evangelical and Catholic Christians played a significant role in achieving this. Recognition of the wrongs committed against the indigenous population over 500 years, and reconciliation after a generation of war with atrocities on both sides has to be faced and carried through to closure of the past. There must be a recognition of the multi-cultural character of the country.
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Mexico’s southern neighbour. A land of mountains, volcanoes and lakes. Natural disasters have been many, eg. 1.5 million people were affected by hurricane Stan in Guatemala, October, 2005. Rural areas were devastated and 2000 people died with mud and landslides burying schools, roads and houses while blocking roads and isolating villages. Pray for the people affected. Agriculture provides 25% of the country’s GDP, but two-thirds of its exports — mainly coffee, sugar and bananas. Just 2% of the population owns 80% of the land, marginalizing and oppressing the largely Maya majority. Nearly 80% of the population live below the poverty line. Only 70% of the population aged 15 and over are literate, the lowest literacy rate in Central America. Pray for this country.
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