Restricted
Western Sahara
Western Sahara is a disputed territory and former Spanish colony located along northwest Africa’s Atlantic coast south of Morocco. Spain relinquished control of Western Sahara in 1975, and Morocco has governed most of the territory since 1976. About 20 percent of Western Sahara, along its eastern and southern border, is controlled by a politico-military organization of the Sahrawi people called the Polisario Front. The Moroccan Army and Polisario Front battled for control of the territory until a ceasefire was brokered in 1991. Today the area is divided by a 1,700-mile-long, heavily mined sand-berm border constructed and patrolled by Moroccan military forces.
Major Religion
Western Sahara is more than 99.9 percent Muslim, making it one of the most religiously homogenous places in the world.
Persecutor
The government is the main persecutor. Family, friends and communities also persecute Christian converts.
WHAT IT MEANS TO FOLLOW CHRIST IN WESTERN SAHARA
Unlike the relatively open tourist destinations found in parts of the Kingdom of Morocco, Western Sahara is restricted and closely monitored by Moroccan government authorities. Christians are under tight scrutiny, and Bible distributions and missionary activities are forbidden. The small number of indigenous Christians living in Western Sahara are at ongoing risk of imprisonment for apostasy and proselytization. While two Catholic churches remain from the period of Spanish control, no other churches are known to exist in either the Moroccan or Polisario Front sections of Western Sahara.
Access to Bibles
About 565,000 people live in Western Sahara, but few printed Bibles exist in the country. It is difficult to get a Bible there, but believers can access God’s Word through creative methods such as digital files on SD cards, which they can use on their mobile phones and tablets. Give Bibles
VOM Work
VOM supports various forms of outreach in Western Sahara. Give to VOM’s Global Ministry
Pray for Western Sahara
- Pray for successful and creative means to access God's Word, including SD cards and online availability.
- Using John 16:33 as a guide, pray for the joy and peace of Western Saharan Christians.
- Christians risk imprisonment for apostasy. Ask the Lord to make them wise and resourceful ministers of his Word.
- Ask the Lord to call and equip courageous front-line workers for outreach in the region.
- Only two churches are known to exist in Western Sahara. Pray for Christians to find ways to join together in fellowship.
