Pray for Sri Lanka

King Solomon reportedly imported ivory, peacocks, and valuable stones from this “Pearl of the Indian Ocean” off the east coast of India. Arab traders later called Sri Lanka “Serendip,” meaning “an accidental discovery.” Even today, the island continues to reveal treasures. In 2021, workers digging a well uncovered the world’s largest sapphire cluster, worth an estimated $100 million. But Sri Lanka’s riches extend beyond gems. It has one of the world’s longest recorded histories, the oldest democracy in South Asia, and was the first modern democracy to elect a woman as prime minister. It is also considered one of the world’s most religious countries.

The Sri Lankan economy has made great progress since its government defaulted on interest payments in 2022. Yet many people still live in poverty. Financial hardship forces thousands to leave the country in search of work, while others face exploitation and abuse by employers at home. Ethnic tension between the Buddhist Sinhalese majority and the Hindu Tamil minority has fueled decades of instability. A 26-year civil war claimed 100,000 lives, and trust between the two communities remains deeply broken. The Sinhalese government continues to place heavy restrictions on the Tamils and other minority groups.

Ninety-nine percent of Sri Lankans say religion is important in their lives, and the country’s recent civil war reflects those strong beliefs. While freedom of religion is guaranteed by law, the small Christian population faces persecution from both government institutions and their neighbors. Ethnic and denominational divisions also weaken the Church. Yet the Gospel has steadily gained ground through missionaries who reach out to villages and train leaders. The Sri Lankan Church has raised up Christians who have impacted the global Church through their leadership.