Day 17

The Western Cham (or Khmer Islam) live near Cambodia's major cities, including Phnom Penh, and along the Mekong River. They speak Western Cham, a Malayo-Polynesian language that uses an old Devanagari script-the alphabet in which many modern Indian languages are written.

Cham villagers are extremely poor, and their settlements convey a sense of impermanence. Homes are made of split bamboo and are elevated above the ground to protect against flooding. Their diet of fish, rice, and vegetables is adequate, but most other necessities of life are severely lacking. The typical home has few adornments and domestic utensils.

The Cham in Cambodia have preserved some of their original traits, such as the position of authority held by the maternal uncle. However, for the most part, they are entirely integrated into the Cambodian lifestyle and many now speak Khmer (Cambodian).

We can PRAY:

*Pray that missions agencies will be granted God's wisdom and favor.

*Ask the Lord to call additional long-term laborers who are willing to go to Cambodia and share Christ with the Western Cham.

*Pray that Jesus will begin to reveal Himself to the Western Cham through dreams and visions.

* Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the few known Western Cham Christians.

Information taken from 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus, Operation World, Joshua Project