Monday, November 22, 2010

Pray for Montenegro

* We value your feedback. Please leave a comment of reaction at the end. Also note Presonal Prayer request at the bottom. *

Montenegrins are hurting.

UNHCR will advocate for the resolution of the legal status of some 24,000 displaced people in Montenegro whose current status impedes their full enjoyment of economic and social rights. This lack of status hinders their integration in the country.More than 2,000 Roma (Gypsies) who fled Kosovo during the conflict in the 1990s still live in Konik refugee camp near Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro.

1) There was many displaced people during the Balkan wars of the 1990s. Lord, we know these people are not forgotten by You. Let us pray that these refugees would raise their heads up from their severe poverty and have hope in God.
2) Lord, we pray first that angels would comfort them; second that Montenegrin Christians would reach out to the refugees. May the compassion of Jesus burn in the hearts of those to be sent to this harvest. Lord, we join with You in prayer to see Your love extended.

A week ago there was heavy rains for four days that caused floods in central and northern parts of Montenegro, causing severe damage, especially in three municipalities up north. 270 families were evacuated (around 1350 persons), and are in need of basic emergency relief items. The Red Cross of Montenegro has already assisted the evacuated population with some of these items, and plans to continue with the distribution, according to the development of the situation in the field.

3) Let us also pray for those that suffered from these heavy rains. Lord, may they look unto You for relief. May they enter into the principle of Your restoration where their rags are turned to riches.

Through Montenegrin banks there is reason to believe that bad loans of 1.2 billon Euros were made with no intention to be paid back.

4) White collar crime, blue collar crime, it is all robbing hope from the people. There is just so much corruption in Montenegro; the flow of drugs and prostitution is wrecking lives. Lord, we just look to You.
5) Lord, first we ask that criminals would be exposed. We pray that police, judges and prosecutors would not look the other way. If they do expose them also.
6) There is little or no standard of righteousness in Montenegro. Lord, start with the churches and purify Your people. May the institution of the church in Montenegro rise up as a place for people to find a hope of justice.
7) Lord, we pray for intercessors for Montenegro. Especially Montenegrins that will cry out for their nation to be saved. Oh, that they would cry out for a visitation from You, Lord.
8) Give boldness and wisdom to the Christians to speak and stand against injustice. Lord, I feel that there are three evangelist being raised up for this purpose. The country will need more than three but these three will be set apart to spearhead evangelism in Montenegro.

9) Lord, let us not forget the children. Let them not go the way of their fathers, but actually be changed and bring their fathers with them.
10) Lord, we just thank You for Your love for Montenegro. Help us to feel it in our prayers.

Personal prayer need: Pray with me about a trip to Romania in January 2011. There is a group going to the gypsies of northern Romania to distribute coats and blankets for the cold winter and my daughter and I are praying about going. I will probably follow up with more information in a week or less in a separate email.

1 comment:

Jerry Low said...

Be Blessed Jerry!

I and we have been working among the Roma refugees in MNE for about 10 years.

The biggest refugee camp in Konik, Podgorica (named Konk1) had 1700
refugees at the most. Many of these have moved (to other countries, to
outside the camps gradually becoming MNE citizens, back to Kosovo). I
would estimate that less than 50% are left of these in the Konik 1
camp.
The other ref camp in Konik, called the Konik 2 or the Gjakovar camp,
since almost all are from Gjakove / Djakovica, had on its most 300,
but is also reduced to about 50% of this from the same reasons.

Most of these staying behind, not going back to Kosovo, do so for
material reasons. Even some are offered houses, most of them have no
way of finding any employment / securing daily bread for their mainly
numerous children. In MNE almost all have black market / unregistered
work w very low payment, because they do not have a refugee status.
MNE was considered as Kosovo part of former Jugoslavia. A refugee
needed to have fled to another country, which the MNE gvt say these
have not done.
Most do not have a passport or proper citizenship. So they have no
permission to get a proper job. Still there is more money and stray
jobs in the MNE economy than in Kosovo. Many have had great numbers of
children born while living in MNE. Most (I would guess from own
observations) of these children are not registered in any birth
register, are not citizens any where...

Numbers: A rough guess is that no more than 2000, likely less, Roma
refugees live in camps or camp-like sites in all over MNE. About the
same number are really refugees, but have tried to mix w the
population, or live outside camp like sites / camps.

Dag Rane Schjelderup
Albania