Pray for the specialist Christian ministries in Niger, including:

a) Aid and development projects for one of the world’s poorest countries should ideally uplift and then empower the people. Samaritan’s Purse, Impacting Niger, World Vision, Lutheran World Relief and many others try to invest wisely into the lives of the people by providing for their needs. Pray that such ministry by Christians would demonstrate the love of God and make an eternal difference in the lives of those impacted.

b) Medical ministry is very effective in this deprived nation. SIM runs the Galmi hospital, and TLM runs the SIM-founded Danja hospital, which has the national referral centre for leprosy as well as an ophthalmic centre.

c) The many prostitutes in the capital are the focus of a significant outreach by CAPRO. The problem of prostitution in southern Niger intensifies as shari’a law is enforced in northern Nigeria, but a lack of funds and personnel threatens this crucial ministry.

Media-oriented ministries include:

a) Bible translation and distribution. SIL and SIM workers commit to translation programmes in Tamacheq-Tawellemmet, Kanuri-Manga, Kanuri-Tumari, Fulbe (Fulfulde), Wodaabe and Tubu-Daza; there are active projects in eight different languages.

b) Christian literature. Poverty and illiteracy are severe limitations. Literacy programmes must be a key aspect of development programmes, both Christian and secular. There are just two Christian bookstores in the country.

c) Radio is a recent development in Christian ministry. EBM produces Christian programmes for the national radio station and a commercial station. A Christian FM station, Radio Espoire, launched in Niamey in 2004 and includes spiritually and socially redemptive programming in several languages. Words of Hope is involved in programme development and training.

d) The audio-media ministry is inadequately funded and exploited. GRN has prepared messages in 36 languages/dialects of Niger. Solid-state audio and cassettes are vital in the contexts of poverty and nomadism.

e) The JESUS film is now available in 11 languages.