6 The evangelization of some 27 Amerindian tribal peoples by Evangelicals has been met with opposition and slander by an assorted group of anthropologists, leftist politicians and some Catholic priests

a) The defeat of all attempts to prevent Amerindian people from having a chance to hear the gospel

b) The opening up of the few remaining unevangelized tribes for evangelical missionaries

c) The continued ingathering among the Guajiro, Maquiritare, Yanomami, Panare, Motilone, etc

d) Bible translation work which continues in 14 languages

e) MAF which is serving missionaries living in isolated jungle areas

7 The work of Protestant missions has not been easy

8 The needier sections of society:

a) The upper and middle classes are under-evangelized,

b) Caracas, the capital, is less evangelized than the Amerindian tribes

c) Students have been neglected

d) Prisoners' lives consist of overcrowded jails, deplorable conditions, frequent killings and riots, and a justice system where the accused spend on average 3½ years awaiting sentence

e) Victims of the floods and landslides of 2000

9 The unreached minorities:

a) The growing Arab community (100,000+) has become prominent in commerce

b) The Chinese are increasing in number and are mainly Cantonese-speaking

c) Other immigrant groups, such as Italians and Portuguese, have no evangelical believers

10 Christian literature is in demand

11 Christian radio is a strategic ministry

Politics

Independent from Spain as part of Gran Colombia in 1821; and as a separate state in 1830.

Religion

Religious freedom is still guaranteed in the constitution.

Churches in Venezuela

Missionaries from Venezuela

265+ in 26 agencies to 21 countries

Missionaries to Venezuela

840 in 61 agencies from 21 countries

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Geography

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Area 912,050 sq.km. About 80% of the population lives along the Caribbean coastal belt in the north; the centre and south are grasslands and tropical forest.

Population (2000) 24,169,722 +2.04%AGR

Capital Caracas 4,200,000.

Peoples

Venezuelans 87.2%; Foreigners 11.3%; Amerindians 1.5%.

Literacy 90.9%. Official language Spanish. All indigenous languages 40. Languages with Scriptures 1Bi 13NT 7por 14w.i.p.

Economy

One of the world's largest oil producers. Unemployment 27%. HDI 0.792; 48^th/174. Public debt 33.6% of GNP. Income/person $3,480 (11% of USA).

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