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Réunion

SIM has no missionaries in Réunion at present.

A market scene

Réunion is a volcanic island in the Indian Ocean, 406 miles east of Madagascar. The highest point is almost 3,048 m (10,000 ft) above sea level. The one active volcano — Piton de la Fournaise — has erupted several times in the past few years. Réunion is an overseas department and administrative region of France.

Current SIM Ministry

SIM has no missionaries in Reunion at the present time. Eight autonomous churches tracing their roots to AEF (Africa Evangelical Fellowship) missionary work, form a fellowship known as the Evangelical Churches of Reunion (EER).

Unreached People Groups

The largely unreached people are the Indians. No churches exist among the Hindu Tamils or Muslim Gujaratis.

History of Christianity

Following its colonisation in 1653, the island was served by visiting priests and sometimes by ships' chaplains. In 1712, a Map of RéunionLazarist was appointed prefect. The modern era of Catholic missions in eastern Africa was initiated in 1817 with the arrival of sisters from the Congregation of St. Joseph of Clun.

Seventh-Day Adventists began a small work in 1936. Other groups are the Assemblies of God (France) and the Reformed Church.

AEF/SIM missionaries first went to Réunion in 1970. At that time, no Protestant church existed except for a Pentecostal group. A small group of autonomous evangelical churches has resulted from the work of AEF/SIM and a number of other missions. The emphasis now is on local leadership.

Please pray for

  • the churches to have a godly impact on this nation that is plagued with alcoholism, broken family structures, and heavy reliance on a blend of Hinduism and African witchcraft.
  • effectiveness of the bookshop, outreach in prisons, and theological education by extension.
  • the churches and their leaders, that the encouraging recent progress may continue and that the churches may become strong.

Urgent prayer need

Pray for the country of Nigeria - for peace to be restored, and for the Lord's comfort for all those affected by the recent violence.