MOROCCO: DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE

We’re joining with others worldwide in praying for all those affected by the devastating earthquake that hit Morocco on Friday night (8 September).

Almost 3,000 people have died and hundreds more have been injured in the disaster that struck below villages in the High Atlas mountains south of Marrakech. Around 5,000 are still missing. According to the World Health Organisation, the total number of people affected by the earthquake – Morocco’s deadliest in more than 60 years – is more than 300,000. 

There are estimated to be around 31,300 Christians in the country – just 0.1% of the total population, which is mostly Muslim – and some are believed to have lost members of their extended family in the disaster. 

Morocco is number 29 on the World Watch List. Believers can face intense pressure for their faith, both from family and in society, forcing many into isolation or relocation. They can even be arrested or fined for nothing more than owning a Bible, and because it’s illegal to ‘shake the faith of a Muslim’, telling others about Jesus can be very dangerous.

It means that as Christians seek to reach out to others with God’s love amidst the disaster, they must do so with wisdom and courage. Please pray for them, and for everyone affected by the earthquake and those seeking to rescue people and provide help.

Use the prayer points below…