Food for Thought

Today marks the last day of Ramadan, the month of prayer and fasting for Muslims. Most Muslims observe Ramadan, and are more careful to pray five times per day toward Mecca during this month, as Islam dictates. Muslims observing Ramadan fast from sun up until sun down every day in order to understand the sufferings of the poor and appreciate Allah's blessings. Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam, and fosters a sense of community among Muslims around the world. Please pray for Muslims around the world today at the end of Ramadan, specifically that those who have been sincerely seeking God will be led to Jesus. You can learn more about Ramadan at www.30-days.net.

Here are some additional facts about Islam, courtesy of Janee's August prayer letter and the web site mentioned above:

• 1 out of every 5 people in the world is a Muslim
• 9 out of 10 Muslims have never met a Christian
• Islam is the most practiced religion here in Belgium
• There are 53.7 million Muslims living in Europe; there are 2.4 million in the United States
• More than half of the world's poor and needy are Muslims
• 75% of the world's refugees come from Muslim nations