Pray for: Libya

After the fall of long-time ruler Qaddafi in 2011, Libya became a land divided by civil war between different factions. Radical Islamists such as ISIS and smaller local groups took advantage of the chaos to seize control of some towns. Meanwhile, external powers supported the different factions, and foreign countries, “defence suppliers” and smugglers profited by arming the various combatants. Libya’s people suffered greatly during this time, with many thousands of casualties and 60% of the population malnourished. Praise God for the signing of a permanent ceasefire in 2020. But elections planned for 2021 have been indefinitely postponed, so Libya remains in political and development limbo. May God have mercy upon this land and its people! Pray for a resolution to the issue of governance, for the rebuilding of infrastructure that enables communities to thrive, and most of all, for an opening of these lands and people to the gospel.

Large numbers of migrants come into Libya. Most come from Sub-Saharan Africa, but some come from North Africa and even parts of Asia. A few find work in Libya, but more cross the dangerous deserts and seas in search of a new life in Europe. In the last decade, around 1 million people have made the dangerous crossing to Italy. The current chaos in Libya gives freedom for traffickers to exploit these vulnerable people. Pray that these tens or even hundreds of thousands would find salvation, and not just earthly gain. Some of these migrants are believers; many others find Jesus in the midst of their turbulent lives. Pray that they might have a powerful spiritual impact on Libyans and on fellow migrants.