Vietnam has a rapidly developing economy. Over the past 20 years, Vietnam has seen a remarkable improvement in poverty reduction. However, the gap between the rich and the poor continues to widen. In the remote rural areas where over half of the impoverished people live, many still struggle to have enough food and clean water. Children in these areas experience health problems such as malnutrition, respiratory disease, and internal parasites.

In major cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, there is a growing issue with street children who often come to the city in search of work and end up in poverty and exploitation. These children are often overlooked by society and face many dangers—sexual exploitation, prostitution, drug addictions, abductions, and starvation to name a few. Though their lives are hard, the children continue to shine shoes, sell lottery tickets, trade drugs, and prostitute themselves because they can’t find a way out—a way to a better life.

As the children grow up and have families of their own, the cycle of poverty and desperation will continue unless they somehow find a way out.

Learn more about Vietnam’s street children through this video from Radio Free Asia about the street children of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

PRAY FOR THE RICH AND POOR IN VIETNAM:

• Pray that God will save wealthy and influential people in areas such as business, education, government, and healthcare, and inspire them to help the poor.
• Pray for Christians who are working to help reduce poverty among rural people in Vietnam to be allowed to help and to have opportunities to share the gospel.

PRAY FOR THE STREET CHILDREN OF VIETNAM:

• Pray for Christians to treat street children with love and compassion. Ask that God will give Vietnamese Christians ways to offer help to the children of the streets.
• Pray for street children to hear the Gospel and learn about the God who created them and loves them.
• Pray for street children to be able to have identification papers so that they can go to school, get a job, and rent a home in the future.

__________

Throughout the month of May 2015, we are asking individuals, families, groups of friends, small groups, and churches to join with us and commit to pray for the peoples of Vietnam. We will be posting stories and sharing ways to pray daily through the blog, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also download a prayer guide and other resources here.