Ramadan

Is this season of Ramadan more in the news and media this year than usual? Or is it that I just came back from the Arabian Peninsula and Ramadan is more on my radar screen? It seems I read about it in the paper, see newscast about it as well as local events in my community.

Last Friday I attended an event at the Islamic Cultural Center that was open to the community. The imam shared about Ramadan, trying to educate "us" about what it is and why. He was quite humorous and very welcoming. The Cultural Center served us a delicious buffet dinner at which time we broke the fast with the Muslim people. There are 14 of those events at the Center scheduled during the 30 days of Ramadan and I hope to go back next month.

One of the aids that I have gotten is a booklet called 30 Days of Prayer for the Muslim World. It's very informative as well as giving specific prayer requests for the Nine Rooms in the House of Islam. Knowing these "rooms" is key, because to pray more intelligently for the Muslim world, we need to see it in all of its cultural diversity. You can check out this prayer guide at: http://www.30daysprayer.com/

The House of Islam can be divided geoculturally into nine distinct regions or "Rooms." They are West Africa, North Africa, Eastern Africa, the Arab World, the Persian World, Turkestan, Western South Asia, Eastern South Asia and Indo-Malaysia. They are each different in culture and theology. But the main prayer is the same: Ask God to pour out His Spirit on the Muslims of these Rooms, making them aware of their need for salvation in the person of Jesus Christ.

Please join me in praying.

for His glory,
Cathleen