Pray for Guyana

European explorers once believed Guyana was the home of El Dorado, a city filled with gold, encouraging European explorers to launch numerous expeditions into its dense rainforests. No golden city was ever found, but Guyana’s tropical climate contains treasures of a different kind. Kaieteur Falls, one of the world’s tallest waterfalls, cascades through the middle of the forest. It is said to be among the world’s most beautiful, but it receives relatively few visitors because of its remote location. Guyana’s dense rainforests are home to jaguars, giant anteaters, harpy eagles, and hundreds of other flourishing animal species. Ninety percent of Guyana’s people live along its northern coastline, away from the jungle. For generations, these people were some of South America’s poorest, but in 2015 massive reservoirs of oil were found off the nation’s coast. Within a decade, Guyana had the highest average income in South America.

Guyana is split between two major ethnic groups: the descendants of African slaves and the descendants of indentured workers from India. Since independence, Guyana’s two major political parties have been closely tied to these ethnic groups, and they have often accused each other of rigging elections. Guyana’s leaders have used oil wealth to provide grants to citizens, but opponents accuse them of using these payments to gain support during elections. The nation’s economic growth has reduced unemployment, but living costs have risen. And since Guyana’s oil wealth often falls into the hands of elites, poverty remains widespread. Skilled workers are moving away to other countries to find better opportunities. For those living in the jungle, access to healthcare and education is limited.

A strong socialist and secular government shaped Guyana for much of the twentieth century, but Christianity has flourished in recent decades, especially in minority ethnic groups. However, religious syncretism, witchcraft, and cultural Christianity challenge the advancement of the Gospel, and workers are desperately needed among these deceived communities. The Church is also in need of greater unity, as churches struggle to work with congregations from different ethnic groups and denominations. Increased partnerships among churches could radically affect outreach to the needy and to Hindu and Islamic communities. The Church could also bring hope to Guyana’s young people, who are struggling to find hope in an economy that serves the upper class.