Peace
Encounters
Our Peace Encounters share God's unfailing love, revealed through Jesus Christ, with unreached peoples around the world. Through a unique approach rooted in friendship, peace, respect, and reconciliation, we bring the Gospel to people of every culture and background—including Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, animists, and others who have had little or no opportunity to hear the message of God's grace in Christ.
By partnering with local churches and believers, Peace Encounters unite entire communities around a message of hope, peace, and God's love. These gatherings have welcomed audiences ranging from thousands to more than 150,000 people, creating opportunities for countless individuals to encounter the peace of God and hear the good news of Jesus Christ.
Pastor Jakob Wendesten comments:
"I am deeply grateful to Dr. Peter Youngren and World Impact Ministries (WIM) for the opportunities I have been given to serve and share the message of Christ's grace among the nations. Much of my ministry journey has been shaped by Pastor Peter's belief in me and his willingness to entrust me with the role of Missions Director for WIM. Through that opportunity, I had the privilege of organizing and preaching at Friendship Festivals around the world. His mentorship, encouragement, and confidence in me opened doors that ultimately led to the founding of Grace for All Nations. For this, I remain profoundly thankful."
Antananarivo, Madagascar
Although Christianity is the predominant faith in the city, with Roman Catholicism as the largest denomination, many people in the central highlands and surrounding areas follow traditional indigenous beliefs. An estimated 35% to 50% of the population practices ancestor worship and other indigenous spiritual traditions alongside or apart from Christian affiliation.
Antsirabe, Madagascar
Traditional Malagasy spiritual customs has a strong influence on daily life and religious practice. Many people maintain cultural and religious traditions that emphasize reverence for ancestors and their ongoing role in the lives of the living. An estimated 40% to 50% of the population participates in ancestral rites and other traditional practices. As a result, it is not uncommon for Christian beliefs and indigenous customs to coexist, with ceremonies such as the Famadihana ("turning of the bones") remaining an important expression of cultural identity.
Arba Minch, Ethiopia
The city has a diverse religious landscape, with Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity representing the largest Christian tradition alongside a growing presence of various Protestant sects.
Bago, Myanmar
94.2% of the population adheres to Theravada Buddhism, and the city is predominantly inhabited by the ethnic Bamar people. Its religious identity is reflected in a diverse landscape, featuring more than 700 Buddhist monasteries and pagodas—including the renowned Shwemawdaw Pagoda—as well as mosques and Hindu temples.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Islam is the largest religion in the city, accounting for an estimated 55% to 70% of the population. Our Peace Encounter took place in a district where approximately 95% of the residents are Muslim.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Dar es Salaam is the largest city in East Africa and the fifth-largest city on the African continent. The city is home to a diverse Muslim population, with Sunni Islam representing the majority tradition, alongside established Shia, Ahmadiyya, and Ibadi communities.
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Faisalabad, located in the Province of Punjab, is an overwhelmingly Muslim city, with more than 97% of its population identifying as Islamic. While Punjab has experienced periods of political unrest and security challenges over the years, including separatist violence in parts of the broader region, we believe the gospel will prevail over organized crime, narcotics trafficking, extremist networks, and emerging radical political movements.
Fianarantsoa, Madagascar
The city is a major religious and educational hub, serving as the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Fianarantsoa. At the same time, traditional Malagasy beliefs are widely practiced and continue to shape local culture and spirituality. Many residents—including some who identify as Christian—also participate in indigenous practices rooted in ancestral veneration and animistic worldviews.
Jimma, Ethiopia
Jimma has an overwhelming Muslim majority – 86% are Muslim. This demographic is rooted in the region's history as the 19th-century Kingdom of Jimma, which formally adopted Islam and became a major center for Islamic learning in southwestern Ethiopia.
Kakuma, Kenya
Muslims constitute the second-largest religious group in the area, largely made up of refugees from Somalia, Sudan, and parts of Ethiopia residing in Kakuma Refugee Camp. The camp is home to an estimated population of nearly 300,000 people, forming one of the largest refugee settlements in the world.
Katoro, Tanzania
Katoro is home to a substantial and growing Muslim community, alongside smaller minority populations who practice animist traditions and other indigenous African religions.
Lodwar, Kenya
The Turkana people of Lodwar maintain an indigenous belief system connected to their nomadic pastoral lifestyle and the harsh arid environment they inhabit. Central to their worldview is Akuj, the supreme creator believed to govern rainfall, fertility, and the overall well-being of the community. In this context, rain is especially significant, as it sustains pasture and livestock; when Akuj is appeased, he is understood to provide the rains that ensure survival.
Alongside belief in Akuj, Turkana also acknowledge the presence and influence of ancestral spirits, who are believed to play an active role in the fortunes and challenges of the living. Spiritual life is mediated through ritual specialists known as emeron (diviners), who interpret dreams, diagnose illness, forecast events, and conduct rituals, including ceremonies associated with rainmaking and communal well-being.In times of drought, illness, or crisis, sacrificial offerings—typically involving cattle, goats, or sheep—are performed to seek favor from Akuj and the ancestors. These rituals often include the interpretation of omens and the use of parts of the sacrificed animal in communal blessing practices. Within this worldview, the sacred and the everyday are deeply interconnected, with little distinction between spiritual and material life.
Natural features such as trees are also regarded with reverence, particularly because of the life-giving shade they provide in the desert environment. Elders commonly gather under trees to deliberate, resolve disputes, offer prayers, and perform rituals directed toward Akuj.
Magu, Tanzania
Many residents practice a syncretic form of faith, blending elements of Christianity or Islam with traditional ancestral customs and indigenous spiritual practices, including beliefs commonly associated with witchcraft.
Mahajanga, Madagascar
Mahajanga features one of the highest concentrations of Muslims in the nation. Sunni Islam is the dominant and most visible tradition in the city. The community consists of ethnic Malagasy converts, alongside descendants of Comorian immigrants, and ethnic Indian and Pakistani populations. Mosques and Islamic schools are prominent across Mahajanga's urban landscape.
Malindi, Kenya
Muslims make up a large portion of the population (nearly 50% in central areas). They are primarily composed of indigenous Swahili and Bajuni communities, as well as Arab settlers, with the majority adhering to the Sunni. Malindi is located in Kilifi County, which is noted for its notable proportion of residents who identify with no religion. The county has also received international attention in connection with the Shakahola massacre.
Manado, Indonesia
32% of the population identifies as Muslim. Smaller religious communities include Hindus, Buddhists, and Others. The city is also home to a historic Jewish community, which maintains the only active synagogue in Indonesia, making it a unique center of Jewish life in the country.
Mandalay, Myanmar
The vast majority of Mandalay's population—approximately 96%—adheres to Theravada Buddhism, making the city one of the foremost centers of Buddhist life and learning in Myanmar. Mandalay is home to a large monastic community, with nearly 100,000 monks residing in the region, representing approximately 18.7% of the country's total Sangha.
Manokwari, Indonesia
Approximately 38% of the population in the capital of West Papua Province identifies as Muslim. This substantial Muslim presence is largely the result of internal migration and government-sponsored transmigration programs that brought people from other parts of Indonesia to the region. At the same time, many indigenous Papuan communities, including the Arfak people, have a Christian heritage that traces back to the arrival of missionaries in the late nineteenth century.
Mapuru Jaya, Indonesia
Mapuru Jaya is primarily populated by migrant families from other regions of Indonesia who have relocated to the area in search of economic opportunities associated with nearby mining operations. These newcomer communities are predominantly Muslim. In contrast, many of the indigenous peoples of the surrounding lowland regions identify as Christian, although traditional animist beliefs and cultural practices continue to play a big role in their spiritual and community life.
Mbeya, Tanzania
Approximately 30% to 35% of the population identifies as Muslim, with the vast majority adhering to the Sunni tradition, alongside smaller Shia and Ahmadi communities. An estimated 5% to 10% of residents continue to practice indigenous spiritual traditions. Traditional beliefs also exert a broader cultural influence, and it is not uncommon for both Christians and Muslims in the region to incorporate elements of ancestral customs and local spiritual practices into their daily lives.
Merauke, Indonesia
Merauke has a religiously diverse population, with Christianity and Islam comprising the two largest faith traditions in nearly equal proportions. Roman Catholics make up 37% of the population, representing the largest Christian denomination in the region.
Meru, Kenya
Historically, the Meru people embraced a monotheistic worldview centered on a supreme creator known as Murungu, or Baaba Weetu ("Our Father"). While Christianity is now the predominant faith, many Meru continue to preserve aspects of their traditional spiritual heritage, resulting in a distinctive cultural expression of faith that reflects both Christian and indigenous influences. The region is also located not far from the area that gained international attention following the Shakahola massacre.
Mwanza, Tanzania
Islam makes up about 40% of the population.
Nabire, Indonesia
The indigenous Melanesian population predominantly practices Christianity, while the significant migrant population—largely stemming from government transmigration programs—is predominantly Muslim.
Shashemene, Ethiopia
Shashemene's religious demograpgics are dominated by the faith of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, followed by Islam (31%) and Protestantism.
Sorong, Indonesia
The demographic is primarily Christian, accounting for roughly 55-60% of the populace (split between Protestants and Catholics), followed by a significant Muslim population (40%).
Taunggyi, Myanmar
Taunggyi is a religiously diverse city, though Theravada Buddhism is by far the dominant faith, practiced by approximately 95% of the population. Smaller religious communities include Muslims, who make up around 4% of residents, as well as Christians and Hindus.
Timika, Indonesia
Islam accounts for approximately 28% of the population. Over the years, the region has experienced significant migration from other parts of Indonesia, largely driven by employment opportunities associated with the mining industry. These migrant communities comprise a substantial portion of the local Muslim population.
Toamasina, Madagascar
An estimated 35% to 40% of the population continues to practice traditional spiritual beliefs rooted in ancestral veneration. At the same time, the Roman Catholic Church plays a significant role in the religious life of the region. Toamasina serves as an archiepiscopal see and is home to the Cathedral of St. Joseph. Catholics are estimated to comprise between 25% and 34% of the population.
Toliara, Madagascar
About 30% to 40% of the local population incorporates or primarily adheres to traditional Malagasy beliefs. This primarily involves Fomba Gasy (ancestor reverence) and animism, often practiced syncretically alongside other religions.
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Zanzibar is overwhelmingly Islamic, with Muslims making up over 99% of the archipelago's population.
Ziway, Ethiopia
The population is approximately 51% Ethiopian Orthodox, 25% Muslim, 22% Protestant, and 2% practitioners of traditional faiths.
Shashemene, Ethiopia
Shashemene's religious demograpgics are dominated by the faith of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, followed by Islam (31%) and Protestantism.
