May 1 2022

PRAISE

“Beside the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept as we thought of [Morocco]. We put away our harps, hanging them on the branches of poplar trees. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn…But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while prisoners in a pagan land?” (Psalm 137:1-4)

PRAY WITH CULTURAL INSIGHT

Accounting for a staggering 52% of the nation’s landmass, the lower three regions of Morocco are dominated by the desert climate of the Sahara.  It’s because of this that the regions of Guelmim/Oued Noun, Laayoune/Sakia El Hamra, and Dakhla/Oued Ed-Dahab only house a tiny 3% of the country’s population. Did you catch that? Half of the country supports 3% of the population. The desert is the historical stomping grounds of the Bedouin Saharawi people—traditionally camel herders and nomads. As you can imagine, conditions in these regions are harsh, and access and isolation are big problems. It’s a politically controversial area, and many of these people feel oppressed and impoverished in an area where there are few resources and scarcity is a way of life. In fact, the government offers tax and other financial incentives to Moroccan Arabs willing to move south, set up homes, and run businesses. There are currently no known gatherings or fellowships of Believers among the 1 million that live in these regions.

As we pray for these desolate areas, ask that Father would plant a vision in the hearts of northern believers to move south and bring their testimonies with them, as they will draw much less attention than foreign witnesses. As West African migrants make their way north for work, they, too have opportunities to share their faith with these isolated people. As tourism is being developed, ask that believing tourists would use the opportunity to proclaim boldly about what Jesus has done in their lives. Lift up the translation work that is being done in the Saharawi dialect.

PRAY THE BOOK OF ACTS 

“Now an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip, saying, ‘Arise and go toward the south along the road which goes down…to the desert lands.’” (Acts 8:26)

Lord, mobilize many of Your workers both inside and outside of Morocco to follow the call of Philip into the desert places of this nation, that ALL might have the opportunity to know and choose You.

PRAY FOR SATURATION 

As you can imagine, hot deserts aren’t known for their abundance of water. The preciousness of this commodity is rarely far from the minds of a desert-dweller, and their days are often oriented around finding it, accumulating it, dispersing it, and wanting more of it. So, asking for streams in the desert brings into focus the absurdity of this request for saturation! But we aren’t the first to cry out for this.

“Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs.” Isaiah 35: 6b-7a

These prophetic verses from the prophet Isaiah speak of a total landscape change. As we pray gospel saturation over Morocco, speak these verses out loud over Morocco.

WORSHIP 

God, we worship You because You are the Lord, our Creator, and in Your timing, our barren seasons produce fruit, when we yield to You…

“Isaiah Song” by Maverick City Worship ft. Chandler Moore