The Matale District is also located in the Central Province. It houses a majority of Buddhists (79%), Hindus (10%), and Muslims (9%). Christians make up less than .4% of the population.Pray that the churches located in the Matale district would thrive.
Kandy District
The Kandy district makes up part of the Central Province.
The Kandy district houses 1.3 million of the Central Province’s 2.5 million people.
Pray for Akurana, which is a Muslim stronghold in the Kandy district.
Pray against the Buddhist stronghold, Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Tooth Relic), where hundreds offer false worship each day.
Central Province
This week our focus for prayer is on the Central Province. The capital of the Central Province is Kandy, located in the center of Sri Lanka. Total population for the Central Province is over 2.5 million people. Pray that this district would be consumed with the Good News of the Gospel, and it would spread out from the center of this country, to the many surrounding districts.
Redemption Through The Blood of Christ
But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:11-14)
Pray that, as the Muslims of Sri Lanka offer up animal sacrifices, someone would share with them that Jesus spilled his blood ONCE and for ALL and that they would believe in Him for salvation!
Korbani Eid
In October, Muslims will be celebrating “Korbani Eid”, observing Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. “Korbani” is the Arabic word for sacrifice. A good Muslim is supposed to practice the act of Korbani at least once in his lifetime and if he can afford it, once each year. It can be offered for an individual, but usually one sacrifice covers an entire family. A few days before “Korbani Eid”, they will purchase an animal in good condition which
is usually a goat, a sheep, a cow or even a camel. The morning of “Korbani Eid” they will dress in their finest clothes and gather in the yard. The leader of the family as well as the other males will place their hands on the animal. The leader has a written list of 7 special family members names (some who could have already deceased). A prayer is said and the names are called out immediately before the local butcher slits the animal’s throat. The family will go into the house awaiting the butcher to divide up the meat for distribution. “Korbani” is the symbolic act where the guilt and punishment of the sinner (man) is transferred by the judge (God) to the innocent (the animal). Pray that many Muslims will hear and understand that God performed a True”Korbani” for all mankind through His Son as a perfect sacrifice once for all.
{a new generation}
Pray for a new generation of believers to rise up out of the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim populations of Sri Lanka.
{leaders}
Pray for Christian leaders in Sri Lanka. Pray for God to do a work in their lives, so that they will be passionate about seeing the same thing happen in the lives of all Sri Lankans.
Persecution
Religious freedom is available to all people in Sri Lanka, according to the laws. However, since 2012 there have been innumerable violent attacks against Christians and churches. These are often in the form of a mob, anywhere from 4 to 800 people.
Pray that persecution would not keep believers silent, but that they would continue to be salt and light to their fellow Sri Lankans. Pray that those who believe from other religious backgrounds (Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim) would not hide their new faith, but would proclaim it, showing the power of Jesus to change lives.
Bodu Bala Sena
The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) is a Buddhist extremist group in Sri Lanka.
According to The Economist, BBS “supports militancy against minorities to preserve the dominance of the Buddhist majority.”
Pray that the actions of this group would turn people away from Buddhism, creating disillusionment, and stir up an interest in the Gospel.
{passion for your Word}
Sri Lankan believers are passionate about prayer, and see God work in miraculous ways as a result. However, they tend to lack basic knowledge of Scripture. Pray that they would begin praying God’s word, learning the stories of the Bible, and sharing truth found in Scripture. Pray that God would stir up a passion in their hearts for the Bible.
