Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of the Arab race and the Arabic language. Saudi Arabia is a massively important country for Muslims around the world because it is home to Islam’s holiest city, Mecca. 1.2 billion Muslims around the world pray towards Mecca five times a day. Every year 2 million people make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to the city. For many Muslims this journey is something they plan for and look forward to all their lives.

Saudi Arabia is world famous for making money through the production of oil. Despite this huge wealth the mismanagement of the government and a rapidly escalating population have meant that the country is struggling. The gap between the rich and the poor is getting bigger and the country’s growing population of young people are finding it harder to get work.

Saudi Arabia probably has the world’s worst record on human rights and Christians suffer higher levels of persecution than anywhere else in the world. Under a strict Islamic law all non-Muslims are forbidden to meet together and worship. Saudi Arabia is possibly the most dangerous place in the world for a Christian to live; they are arrested, imprisoned and face the death penalty for what they believe.

Under a strict interpretation of Islamic law movie theatres, nightclubs and dating are all banned. Teenagers try to leave their cell phone numbers in cafes to try and 'date' people over the phone!

Believing in Jesus carries a death sentence and entry to the country is refused for most non-Muslims. All this makes Saudi Arabia the hardest and most terrifying place on earth for people to hear about Jesus and worship him. BUT God is bigger than any strategy that separates Him from the people he loves. Even in Saudi there are 50,000 people risking their lives to believe in God. This is an amazing testimony to thank God for and at the same a serious challenge for us to pray for change.

Pray for the protection of believers in Saudi who face imprisonment, torture and even execution. Pray that many more would be able to hear the gospel, read the Bible and meet together in safety.

Over a thousand years ago Saudi Arabia had a large Christian population and now it is one of the least evangelised nations in the whole world. Pray that God would break open doorways into this country.