“I will establish Gabon as a light for the Gentiles!”
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles.(Isaiah 42:6,NIV)
》 Country Profile
Continent | Africa
Population | 2.34 million
Area | 267,667㎢, Located on the Atlantic coast of western central Africa, near the equator.
Capital City | Libreville (870,000 people)
People Groups | Total 52 Groups, Fang 31.9%, Punu 12.6%, Nyebi 10.1%, Northern Teke 7%, Mbede 4.5%, Mehne 3.7%
People Groups Unreached | 5 (2.3% of the population)
Official Language(s) | French, Fang
Total Languages | 52
Bible Translations | Completed 9, New Testament 5, Partial 9
Religion | Christianity 75.2% (Protestant 16%, Catholic 44%), Ethnic religion 14.4%, Islam 8.6% Evangelical 11.9% (270,000 people)
》 About Gabon
Gabon was first inhabited around the 10th century by Sudanese groups migrating from the north and Bantu-speaking peoples from the south. By the 15th century, when Europeans began arriving, the Kingdom of Loango—a type of federal state—had been established. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Fang people migrated from Cameroon to northern Gabon and became the dominant ethnic group. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1472, Gabon became a key center for the transatlantic slave trade in the 16th century. The country was controlled by colonial powers, such as the Netherlands, Britain, and France. Gabon came under French rule in 1839, was incorporated into French Congo from 1889 to 1904, and later became part of French Equatorial Africa before gaining independence in 1960. President Omar Bongo came to power in 1967 and ruled for 42 years until his death in 2009. His government was plagued by allegations of election fraud, dictatorship, and corruption. His son, Ali Bongo, has remained in power for more than a decade, but political instability continued as strong accusations of election fraud arose during his 2016 re-election.
Gabon has one of the highest income levels and economic growth rates in Africa. However, severe income inequality has left many people struggling in poverty. The country’s economy is more reliant on mining and services than agriculture. It imports food while exporting oil, timber, and minerals. Gabon is a leading global producer of manganese, and since the discovery of oil fields in the 1970s, crude oil has accounted for 80% of the country’s exports. Despite its abundant resources, poor financial management and high unemployment remain major weaknesses in Gabon’s economy.
Gabon’s GDP per capita is approximately $14,400.
》 Scripture Focus
| Isaiah 42:1-9(NIV) 1. “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. 3. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4. he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his teaching the islands will put their hope.” 5. This is what God the Lord says—the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6. “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7. to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. 8. “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. 9. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.” |
》 Prayer Points
1. Though many are baptized Catholics, most Gabonese people practice spirit worship. The number of evangelicals is steadily increasing, and various prayer groups are growing as well. However, occult practices, like Bwiti syncretism, have deeply influenced Christian denominations. Additionally, sermons about prosperity and wealth are common among poor believers. Let us first pray that pastors will deeply experience the gospel of the cross.
Let us pray that the five seminaries in Libreville will stand firm in the Word, reject liberal theology, and raise up godly leaders. May nominal believers come to discover the eternal value of heaven through them and may those who sit in darkness be set free from the power of sin, so that transformation overflows in the church.
2. Evangelical churches aim to increase the evangelical population to 20% by 2025. The churches established by the Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA) in Gabon have a world mission center and a dedicated prayer room for intercession for the nation. Although they are few, they also send missionaries to other African countries.
Let us pray that the churches in Gabon will be captivated by the glory of the gospel, be filled with the Holy Spirit, and rise as a missionary community. May the Christians in Gabon become a light to the nations and spreading life to the world. Let us also pray for the Bongalo Hospital ministry in the jungles of Gabon. May the medical missionaries there serve the local people with the love of the Lord and may many souls in Gabon encounter Christ through this hospital.
3. Islam has rapidly expanded since the president converted to Islam in 1973. Muslims hold great influence in politics and the economy, while missionary work among them remains minimal. Let us pray for a breakthrough so that the gospel may reach the Muslim population. The Pygmy people living in the northeastern jungles have long suffered oppression from other ethnic groups, and only 1% of them are evangelicals. The Fulani, Wolof, and Hausa people are predominantly Muslim, with almost no Christians among them.
Let us pray that the Lord will raise up ministers with His heart—the One who does not break a bruised reed or snuff out a smoldering wick—so that these ethnic groups may hear and receive the gospel.
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