Uruguay
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| Statistics Capital: Montevideo Population: 3.5 million Area: 176,200 sq km Life Expectancy: 76 years Average Monthly Income: $511 (19.5% of USA) Religions Around 55% of individuals are Catholic by birth, but only 1.2% are considered practicing. 25% Nonprofessing 13% Spiritist Less than 5% evangelical Christian 1.5% Jewish Literacy: 97.5% Total Languages: 11 Official Language: Spanish, Other Major Language: Portunol/Brazilero Exports: meat, rice, leather products, vehicles, dairy products, wood, electricity | Upcoming events Groundwork is being laid. |
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Notes: Uruguayan society has been characterized by secularism and hope in man for over 100 years. It is considered to be the most secular state in South America. However, interest in spiritual matters has increase recently. The country is still recovering from an economic crisis that ended in 2002. 40% of children are born into poverty. Prayer: Although interest in spiritual matters has increased recently, a lack of knowledge about God has created a gap which has been filled by New Age and Spiritist religions. It is reported that over 1 million spiritists live in Uruguay and many are members of the church. (*See below for a brief explanation of the spiritist movement.) Pray that the power and deceptions of these religions would be broken, and that the people in bondage to them would be set free. Pray for continued and increasing unity among churches and Christian leaders and institutions. Pray for the approximately 20 Bible schools and seminaries that exist in Uruguay. Some have been negatively impacted by liberal theology. Pray that increasing numbers of godly, Biblically-sound leaders would be trained through these schools. Pray for the less-reached groups. Currently there is no church among the Chinese and Japanese communities. Also pray for the upper-middle class, as it is the least evangelized group in this nation. *Spiritism is a doctrine based on religion, philosophy, and science. It began in France during the 19th Century. Although it is loosely based on the teachings of Jesus, spiritists also seek wisdom from “Enlightened Spirits” as well as souls of the deceased. Séances are frequently held by members of this practice. | |
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