This is my article, originally published in Global Prayer Digest.

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.—Galatians 3:28-29

The 1990s scarred Somalia with civil war, floods, famine, and a drought leading to a major influx of Somalis in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The stable economy and low unemployment seemed like a promise land in comparison to their war-torn homeland.

More than 77,000 Somalis live in Minnesota, the largest population of Somalis in the United States. Most of the Somalis in Minnesota live in Minneapolis. They own stores, restaurants, and businesses; providing a haven for those who were displaced and without work.

It is often said, “To be a Somali, is to be Muslim.” Most Somalis have followed the Sunni branch of Islam for well over a thousand years. This long-standing tradition followed them when they migrated to America. Like most Muslims, the Somalis cannot even imagine turning their allegiance to Christ rather than the Islamic religious system.

Pray the churches in Minnesota welcome and minister to Somalis. Pray that Somalis not be viewed as “Jew” nor “Gentile,” but as beloved children of the Most High. Pray this people group would soon inherit the promises of the Kingdom of Heaven, that they may know the Lord as their protector and provider.—BO