Madeira is an island in the Atlantic, 900km from the coast of Morocco. It remains an autonomous region of Portugal, tracing this connection back to the island’s discovery by Portugese explorers in 1419. The first settlers came from the Algarve in 1425. Today Madeira has a population of over 260,000, plus the many more visitors who come to this popular holiday destination.
But the spiritual needs of the island are great. Outside of the tourist areas, Madeira’s population has little access to the gospel, and is spiritually confused by Roman Catholicism. Generations of superstition and opposition to the Reformation have had their effect.
How can you pray for Madeira?
- Pray for Jason and Andrea, who moved to the island in June 2021, to begin planting a new gospel church.
- Give thanks that the Lord has raised up a Madeiran-British couple to be co-workers with them.
- Pray for the evangelistic outreach on Madeira, and that local people will be open to the gospel.
Opportunities to serve in Madeira
- Church planting
- Personal evangelism
GBM stories from Madeira
- The ebb and flow of church planting in Madeira
- A joyful and fruitful week
- Pray, Prepare, Plant
- Mission: Madeira
Madeira – key facts
- Population 267,785 (2011)
- Ethnicity white homogeneous Mediterranean population (from Portugal)
- Language Portugeuse
- Religion Roman Catholic 96%
(Data from madeira-web.com, Wikipedia, Google Maps and the CIA World Factbook, August 2020)