The power of prayer in the Gulf

In the run-up to the World Cup finals, which kicks off in Qatar in November, you may well have read reports highlighting the plight of migrant workers in the Gulf region.

Many migrant workers come from impoverished backgrounds and head to the Gulf to secure work. But when they get there they often find themselves living in cramped conditions and working long hours for little pay.

During the pandemic lots of them lost their jobs and found it impossible to support their families. Many of them lost hope, but a growing number are rediscovering hope through the gospel. With help from Bible Society supporters churches have been flourishing in the region.

The Bible Society in the Gulf now supports pastor training courses and seminars in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain. The kind giving of supporters like yourself makes this Bible work possible.

You can train a pastor serving migrant workers in the Gulf today and open up the power of the bible for more people.
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Many new pastors work in other jobs and don’t have deep theological training. Bible Society seminars equip them with a greater knowledge of the Bible that they can then pass on to their congregations. Many of the migrant believers are illiterate. Some are skilled labourers while others are unskilled workers.

Bible Society conducted the seminar on ‘Why believe in the power of prayer?’ at the newly established Sharon Church in the city of Salmiya in Kuwait.

Bunny, a bus driver who attended, said, ‘We’re passing through hard times right now and there is a big need to pray to God. The seminar confirmed to us that God is so near, hears our prayers and answers them and that is exactly what we need nowadays. Praise God for the Bible Society’s spiritual seminars that meet our needs as Christians.’

The impact of this vital Bible ministry on discipleship, evangelism, church growth and training for pastors in the Gulf is immeasurable.

More than 120 participants headed by Pastor Prasad and other guest pastors attended the seminar. Prasad, who came from India to Kuwait on a domestic worker’s visa, said the pastors were so grateful for the training seminars and Scriptures provided for outreach throughout the region. 

What people said about the seminar in Kuwait:

Rani, a housemaid: ‘As a new Christian coming from a [different religious] background [in India] this seminar was so useful for me for I learned about the importance of prayer and how it is the direct way to communicate with God and God is always happy to hear our voices talking to him. What I learned made me love God more and more simply because he hears and listens to a poor woman like me.’ 

Jay, a mechanic: ‘Many thanks to the Bible Society for its wonderful and encouraging programmes which always motivate us to live and walk by the Bible in this materialistic world. Prayer is a very important topic that all of us need, as it takes us to the presence of God where our eyes and hearts become more open to understand God and his will.’ 

Jessy, a salesperson: ‘Many times I prayed to God for certain things but got no answer. I thought that either he does not hear my prayers or I mean nothing to him. But for my great joy I learned today that God is near, listens, and I am somebody precious in his eyes, and that God has his own time and his own way of answering our prayers.’

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