Day 7

One of the newer cities in Iraq, sulaimaniya is near the Iranian border and has a population of approximately 800,000. It is the cultural center of the Sorani-speaking Kurds and is known for being youthful and progressive.

Politically, the city has been dominated for a long time by the Partiotic Union of Kurdistan. Although Kurdish northern Iraq was considered to be particulary safe, a suicide bomber killed nine Kurdish soldiers in Sulaimanyiya in Octocer 2005. About the same time, the bird flu virus was detected in dead geese around the city of Erbil, less than a hundred miles from Sulaimaniya.

The Southern Kurd have endured much suffering in recent years. Their massive exodus from Iraq brought international attention to their situation as never before. As victims of the region's recent political developments, they have suffered no less than any other oppressed people group since World War II. The Iraqi secret police have often poisoned many of their Kurdish opponents both at home and abroad. Some have even been poisoned in refugee camps. The Kurd need to know that true refuge and safety can only be found in Jesus Christ. Poor health conditions and the scarcity of water are also problems faced by the Southern Kurd. Humanitarian aid workers and medical teams are needed to live and work among them.

We can PRAY:

*Ask God to send Christian medical teams and humanitarian aid workers to live among them.

* Pray that God will supply clean water for the people of Iraq.

*Pray that the Holy Spirit will give the missions agencies strategies for reaching these Muslims with the Gospel.

*Ask God to use the small number of Southern Kurd believers as a clear Gospel witness to their own people.

*Pray that God will raise up qualified linguists to complete translation of the Bible into Kurdi.

*Ask the Holy Spirit to soften their hearts towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.

*Pray that God will raise up a strong local church among the Southern Kurd.

Information taken from 30 Days Muslim Prayer Focus Frontiers Edition and Operation World