Pray for Reunion Island

Réunion is an island located in the Indian Ocean.
It is located east of Madagascar and southwest of Mauritius

Réunion is one of the overseas departments of France.

Saint Denis is the capital
The population is 840,974

FACTS
Reunion is the largest of the Mascarene Islands, which include Mauritius.

Réunion is an outermost region of the European Union.

The name ‘Réunion’ was given to the island in 1793 commemorating
the union of revolutionaries from Marseille with the National Guard
in Paris

DEMOGRAPHICS
59.4%  Creole
28.2%  South-Asian
4.4%   European
8%     Other

84.9% Christian (Catholic)
6.8%  None
6.7%  Hindu
2.15% Muslim
0.07% Bahai

HISTORY
Until the 16th century the island was uninhabited.
It was occasionally visited by Arab, Swahili and Malay sailors.

During the 16th century the island was discovered by the Portuguese.

France claimed the island in 1642.
The first colonists arrived in 1665.
The island was named Île Bourbon after the royal House of Bourbon.

Until 1869 the island was an important stopover to the East Indies.
From the 17th century until 1848, slaves were brought in from Madagascar
and other regions of Africa.
When slavery was abolished indentured servants were brought from southern India.

During the 19th century, travelers from China and Muslim India (Gujarat)
settled on the island.

During the 1960’s more settlers came from mainland France.
During the seventies settlers came from Comoros and Mayotte.

In 1946 the island became a French overseas department.

From 2005-2006, Réunion was hit by an epidemic of chikungunya,
which is spread mosquitoes.
255,000 people contracted the disease
The neighboring islands of Mauritius and Madagascar were also hit
A few cases also appeared in mainland France through airline travel.

CONDITIONS
The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture.
Sugarcane is the main crop and makes up to 85% of exports.

The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry

The population is very ethnically mixed.

The years of slavery left a dark legacy.
The Creole population is still the “underclass” and poorer than
Europeans and Asians.

There is a huge gap between the well off and the poor.
This has resulted in many social tensions.
In 1991 there was severe rioting.

More than 40% of the population suffers from unemployment.
Over half the population suffers from poverty.

Among the poorer population there is a large degree of alcoholism,
dysfunctional families and high illegitimacy.

SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS
84% of the population claims Christianity, mostly Catholic
For many church attendance is a purely cultural/tradition.

In many churches there is syncretism with Hinduism

Due to poverty many churches are dependent on outside help.
Leadership training often has to be pursued outside the country.

6.7% of the population are Hindu
2.5% are Muslim
6.8% are agnostic/atheist

Many are still unreached.

PRAYER NEEDS
Pray that the economy improve.

Pray that the people be protected from disease.

Pray that there be peace and reconciliation between the different classes

Pray that everyone be treated with equality.

Pray for those suffering from poverty and unemployment.

Pray for those suffering from alcoholism.

Pray for those born out of wedlock.

Pray for those living in broken homes.

Pray that the Gospel spread.

Pray that churches exercise discernment and sound Biblical teaching.

Pray for an increase in leadership training and church resources.

Pray that Catholics look to Jesus alone.