Pray for Muslim refugees in Austria

“I only have one saviour,” my little neighbour, Shayla, randomly comments to me. “My saviour is Allah,” she adds proudly. I think for a moment and then answer: “I also have only one Savior and that is Jesus.” Questioningly, Shayla looks up, “Who is Jesus?” And so a long conversation follows about who Jesus is.

Many children have migrated from Muslim-majority nations to live in Austria. Many of them have had traumatic experiences in their home countries and during their journey. They often do not fit into the school system and have had few educational opportunities. But they love it when someone takes time to get to know them and play games with them. In the process, they always ask questions about what Christians believe and they love to talk about God.

Shayla and many other Muslim children think about God and about their Muslim faith. “Praying is so exhausting,” says one girl. “You always have to wash, change and say the right thing and I don’t even know what to say.

How do you pray?” she asked a co-worker who follows Jesus. It is encouraging to see the hunger with which many children listen to the stories of Jesus and how they desire to know more about who Jesus is and how He loves them.

How to Pray

• Pray for refugee children in Austria to recover from their trauma and find peace and security in their new home nation.
• Pray for refugee families to come to know Jesus as their Savior.
• Pray for them to have the resources they need to learn new languages, cultures and ideas, and for those who work with them to have patience and compassion.