"Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he will answer him from his holy heaven with the saving might of his right hand. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright." (Ps 20:6-8)
Civilisations and countries then and now all seek political, social and economic stability in order to flourish and grow. These are good things, but the Psalmist recognised something else in this Psalm. Israel as God's people was to be different. They knew that their ultimate trust and hope was not in providing for and protecting themselves, but in the name of the Lord. This God hears and saves His people. What will we trust in to save us today?
Pray for France
French Catholic missionaries contributed greatly to Singapore in our early years. For example, French priest Father Jean-Marie Beurel was a priest and missionary who came and founded churches such as the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, and also schools like St Joseph's Institution and the Holy Infant Jesus schools. He ended spending almost 30 years in Singapore.
Since then, France and Singapore have a long history of bilateral relations and cooperation. France was Singapore's second-largest EU trading partner in 2016, and there were more than 1800 French companies in Singapore in 2017. About 15000 French nationals reside in Singapore. French is also offered as a third language in at the secondary and junior college levels.
Pray for the French nationals working and living in Singapore. Pray that they will also be able to hear the gospel and bring it back to their country when they return. Evangelical Christians still remain a tiny minority in France, numbering about 650 000. Pray that the Singaporeans working and living in France can also be an encouragement to French churches and pastors, and the Christians will also be bold enough to start Bible studies in their companies and communities there.
Pray for Argentina
Argentina reopened its embassy in Singapore in 2017, and both nations enjoy good relations. Since 2016, Argentina has been implementing economic reforms geared at opening up their markets and developing their country. Singapore's experience with "port handling and infrastructural projects" make us valuable trading partners with Argentina, and companies like Keppel stand to gain from the opening up of markets.
We were unable to find statistics about the population of Argentinians living and working in Singapore but we can still pray for them! As Singaporeans interact with Argentinians, pray that the Christians will be able to befriend them, and share the gospel when the opportunity presents itself. Argentina is also a country that struggles with corruption, and despite some attempts by the government to crackdown and improve the situation, it is still far from being resolved. Pray that justice and peace will prevail, and Christians in government service will also obey God and make wise decisions.
Pray for Uruguay
Did you know that Singaporeans can travel freely to Uruguay without a tourist visa? Singapore enjoys some trade relations with Uruguay, with trade between both nations standing at a modest $121 million in 2012.
The Christian population in Uruguay numbers about 67%, with evangelicals numbering about 6%. Praise God for the work in the country in Uruguay. Continue to pray for the Christians to remain steadfast in their faith and to grow in knowledge and love for Jesus. Pray that they will also be led to take the gospel to their communities and to the nat
Pray for Portugal
The Portuguese were in the Southeast Asian region in the 16th century due to trade interests. They took control of the sultanate in Melaka in 1511, and as a result, some Portuguese words were incorporated into the Malay language, and some married locals and settled down in the region too. The Portuguese Eurasian community also contributed to Singapore's early development. Today, Singapore and Portugal enjoy modest trade relations.
Pray for the Portuguese that live in Singapore to work or those that visit our island for business or leisure. he challenges of modern living and the idols of a secular, developed nation are things that both Portuguese and Singaporean Christians will struggle with, so pray that we will be able to encourage the Christians in our midst. Pray that we will boldly share the gospel with those that do not know God.