CAMEROON
Capital: Yaoundé
Major Languages: French, English
Area: 475,442 km2
Population: 27.5 million
HDI Rank: 153 of 189
Major Religion:
Catholic: 10.8 million (39.2%)
Other Religions:
Protestant: 7.7 million (28%)
Islam: 5.4 million (19.5)
Other: 3.7 million (13.3%)
General Information:
Cameroon is often known as "Africa in miniature" because of its geographical and cultural diversity. The region, was originally the home of the Bantu people, at the time when the Portuguese arrived in 1472. Cameroon became an independent republic on January 1, 1960, but has struggled to find peace and unity. The country has been ranked as the second most dangerous country in the world. Thermal springs can be found throughout Cameroon, and the country is one of the wettest countries on earth. The most popular sports in Cameroon are soccer and wrestling.
Religious Background:
The Constitution allows the freedom of religious worship making Cameroon a religion-tolerant country. Catholicism is the most practiced religion followed by Protestantism and Islam. Catholicism was established in 1890 and Protestant Christianity was introduced to the country by the Christian missionaries in the early 19th century. Islam spread in Cameroon around the same time, mostly through forced conversion. Many practice the indigenous African Folk Religion and Animism, and there is a growing number of atheists and agnostics in the country.
Catholic background:
The first Catholic priests were sent into Cameroon in 1890 and received a huge membership between then and the 1930s. In 1935 the first African priests were ordained in Cameroon. The region contained almost 700,000 Catholics by 1960. The Catholic Church has been actively involved in the political and social life of the country. Cameroon’s Catholic clergy have often been divided at times of political turmoil. There are conflicts within the Catholic Church over ethnicity. The Church is composed of 5 archdioceses, 22 dioceses and 740 parishes. Patron saint: None.
Prayer Points
1. Cameroonians to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior
Pray that everyone will get an opportunity to hear the gospel and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
2. Catholics to know Christ
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Pray for the salvation of 10.8 million Catholics in Cameroon.
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Many hold on to tribal spiritist traditions. Pray that they would experience new life in Christ, free from religion, rituals and tradition.
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Pray for widespread renewal and awakening among Catholics to the power of Scripture and the Holy Spirit. Pray that the seed of the word of God may fall on fertile soil.
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Pray that the truth of the gospel will liberate those held captive by idolatry and man-made traditions and that God may work among the Catholics so that they would experience the saving power of Christ.
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Pray for all the Catholics attending the 132 parishes to come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.
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Pray for the cardinals, archbishops, bishops, 1,406 religious priests, 1,019 brothers and 1,958 sisters.
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Pray that those who have trusted Christ as their Lord and Savior would find bible-believing fellowships.
3. Evangelicals to grow and multiply
Evangelicals have grown rapidly in the last 20 years. Along with the growth, there needs to be an emphasis on quality of disciples and development of leadership. Ask God for spiritual growth, unity and cooperation between various denominations. Pray for the Holy Spirit to build and empower the Evangelical churches to be a bold witness for Him.
4. Social evils and issues in the country
HIV/AIDS is one of Cameroon’s gravest health concerns. Other evils include corruption, prostitution, pornography, incest, pedophilia and homosexuality. Pray for those enslaved to these evils, to know Christ and be set free.
5. Other Religions
Islam, Hinduism, Bahá'í and African Folk religion, are other religious groups in the country. Ask the Lord to enable them to hear the Good News in a way they can understand and come to the saving grace of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.