Chile lies on the west coast of Latin America. It is a long, thin country, which has the Pacific Ocean to the west and the mountains of the Andes on the east.

Chile’s political history has been violent and oppressive, particularly under General Pinochet’s military dictatorship from ’73 to ’89. Pinochet’s regime was a reign of terror; as many as 80,000 people were tortured or murdered; 1,500 people ‘disappeared’ and many more were forced to leave the country.

In 1989, democratic elections gave power to the Christian Democrat Party. This democratic government is working hard to maintain a lasting stability and to deal with the divisions that still lie deep in society.

30% of the population still live in poverty.

Since 1989, a democratic government has brought stability to Chile.

Chile has seen a steady growth in the number of evangelical Christians, now 16% of the population.

Chile is still a deeply divided nation, struggling to come to terms with the violence and repression of its recent past. Pray that forgiveness and reconciliation will overcome.

The Chilean Church doesn’t have a strong vision for world mission as many churches do not have connections with the bigger picture of the global Church. Pray that God would break this spiritual isolation and give fresh vision.

The Mapuche are the largest of Chile’s native Amerindian people. Years of abuse and oppression have left them with a deep mistrust of outsiders. Although there is a small community of 4,000 Christians among them, old traditions of animism (worshipping and sacrificing to spirits) hold a strong influence.

Drug abuse is a major problem in the cities. Pray for freedom and a lasting recovery for people whose lives have been affected.