Answers to Prayer

1 The National Prayer Movement was launched in 1989 in response to Peru's national crisis

a) The capture of the terrorist leaders in 1992 and 1993 and the virtual ending of warfare

b) A massive turning to Christ – especially among the Quechua of the Andes

2 The growth and maturing of the Church among many of the Amazon Amerindian peoples

Challenges for Prayer

1 Peru needs an effective democratic government with the courage and strength to deal with the real issues

a) The fragile peace

b) The tentative economic recovery

2 The Catholic Church is in a crisis

3 Evangelical churches have grown dramatically since the first evangelical congregation was started a century ago

4 The coming of peace has highlighted serious issues that need to be addressed by Evangelicals

a) Unity

b) Nominalism to be tackled

c) Ministry to victims of war and deprivation

d) Evangelicals to be more prophetic in society

5 The Quechua and Aymara peoples, the descendants of the Incas, have begun to emerge from centuries of oppression, cultural deprivation, grinding poverty and isolation

a) Millions of mountain Quechua and Aymara who are still bound by superstitions of pagan and 'Christian' origin

b) Bible translation which has been a major factor in the Quechua renaissance and church growth

c) Breaking down centuries of pain, resentment and prejudice between Quechua and Spanish-speakers

6 The Lowland Amerindians have responded to the preaching of missionaries

Geography

click to enlarge

Area 1,285,216 sq.km. Three main zones – dry coastal plain in the west where most of the cities and industry are located, high Andean plateau which is more agricultural, and Amazon jungles in the east.

Population (2000) 25,661,669 +1.75%AGR

Capital Lima 7,350,000.

Peoples

Amerindian 54.7%.

Mestizo 32%.

White 12%.

Other 1.3%.

Literacy 87%.Official languages Spanish, Quechua. All languages 92. Spanish-speakers 80.3%. . . . Languages with Scripture 25NT 27por 21w.i.p.

Economy

Climatic changes during the 1990s and the devastation of guerrilla insurgency led to the collapse of the fishing and mining industries and reduced the majority of the population to desperate poverty with raging hyper-inflation. HDI 0.739; 80^th/174. Public debt 32% of GNP. Income/person $2,600 (8% of USA).

Politics

Fully independent from Spain in 1824.

Religion

Religious freedom is guaranteed in the 1978 constitution, but the Catholic Church as the officially recognized state church receives preferential treatment.

Churches in Peru

Missionaries from Peru

362 in 31 agencies to 28 countries

Missionaries to Peru

1,003 in 103 agencies from 28 countries

click for legend

Internet Links