Expats

Viewpoint: Foreign residents make up over 30% of Saudi Arabia’s population. That’s over 10 million expatriates. Of those, only 100,000 or so are Westerners. The rest come mostly from South Asia, the Philippines, East Africa, and other Arab countries. Many expats take jobs in Saudi Arabia because they can find more work opportunities and higher wages there than in their home countries.

For expat Christ-followers, spiritual life can be difficult in KSA. Since most traditional churches are banned, it can be difficult to find other believers to worship with. Some expat believers are active in sharing their faith, while others want to reach out to Saudis but fear the possible consequences. Non-western expats face greater risks for sharing their faith than westerners do: their job loss or deportation can have a major financial impact on their families, and they may face harsher penalties than westerners if arrested. But non-western believers have the potential to powerfully impact lostness in KSA. There are many of them. Those from Arab countries already speak the language and share similar cultures. And expats who work in Saudi homes have the potential to impact entire Saudi families as they live with them and interact daily.

Prayer Points: Pray that foreign believers in KSA will find fellowship and continue to grow spiritually.Ask that God will give expat believers a vision to reach out to Saudis and wisdom in how to do so. Pray that the Holy Spirit will overcome fear, give them boldness, and protect them.