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MalawiHostile
Christian Persecution in Malawi
Overview:
Malawi is a small land-locked country of 20 million people in eastern Africa, located southwest of Tanzania and west of Mozambique. After gaining independence from Britain in 1964, Malawi was governed by a dictatorship until 1994, when a general election resulted in a new democratic government. Though Malawi is a predominantly Christian nation, persecution has increased in recent years. The persecution has coincided with a significant turning to God among the Yao people, a historically Muslim tribe of 2.5 million people in Malawi.
Major Religion:
Malawi is 74 percent Christian and 17 percent Muslim. Traditional animistic beliefs are also common, influencing religious practices in the country.
Persecutor:
Christian converts from Islam among the Yao people are persecuted by their communities, families and friends, but Malawi has an abundance of vibrant churches.
What It Means To Follow Christ In Malawi
In most of Malawi, Christians are free to worship and serve the Lord. But Christian converts among the Yao people face intense opposition to their faith, enduring beatings, death threats, the burning of their churches and more, especially in Yao villages. Some Christian converts from Islam among the Yao people have been driven from their communities, and gospel workers are also sometimes expelled. In some cases, Christians have been told they have 24 hours to leave before a fatwa, a public condemnation from an Islamic leader, is issued against them.
Access To Bibles:
Bibles can be purchased in Malawi, but they are prohibitively expensive for most Christians. Many Christians lost their Bibles in March 2023, when a cyclone dumped six months' worth of rain on Malawi in six days. The cyclone killed more than 1,200 people and devastated the economy, destroying countless farms, homes and churches in southern Malawi. Give Bibles
VOM Work:
VOM is actively supporting Christians in the Yao community by helping rebuild destroyed homes and churches, providing shelter for victims of persecution and supplying Bibles. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry
Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Yao Christians whose homes have been destroyed in attacks by Islamists.
- Pray for comfort for Malawians who lost loved ones in the 2023 cyclone.
- Pray that displaced Yao Christians will have all their needs met.
- Pray that Malawian Christians will reach out to their Muslim neighbors with the love of Christ.