Pray for Suriname
The capital of Suriname, whose old wooden centre is a World Heritage Site.
Photo: LLs, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
About Suriname
The capital is Paramaribo. People speak Dutch, Sranan Tongo, Sarnami Hindustani, Javanese and others. Christianity is the largest faith, with large Hindu and Muslim communities.
Source: Wikipedia, with the cited sources it lists.
Prayer briefing for Suriname
Last updated October 2026. Facts come from the sources listed below.
Current events
In September the head of TotalEnergies visited, and the state oil company says first oil from the offshore GranMorgu project is still planned for 2028. In early October Suriname sent about 55 tonnes of rice as humanitarian aid to Venezuela, and it is preparing to chair CARICOM from January 2027.
We pray for: Immediate relief, safety and urgent help.
Leadership and politics
Suriname is a republic whose president is elected by the National Assembly. Jennifer Geerlings-Simons of the National Democratic Party became the first woman president in July 2025, leading an alliance of six parties, and Gregory Rusland is Vice President.
We pray for: Wisdom, integrity and justice for those in authority.
Economic health
Growth was about 1.5% in 2025 and is forecast at about 4% in 2026, with a large rise expected once oil flows from 2028. Inflation was about 13% at the end of 2025 and about 8% in August 2026, and the IMF warns that debt and deficits need careful management.
We pray for: Provision for families and honest stewardship.
Social and cultural issues
Suriname is a nation of Hindustani (about 27%), Maroon (about 22%), Creole (about 16%), Javanese (about 14%), mixed, Indigenous and Chinese communities (2012 census). Indigenous and Maroon communities in the interior say land title policies affect their way of life.
We pray for: Reconciliation, peace and protection of the vulnerable.
Spiritual landscape
About half of Surinamese are Christian, about 26% Protestant and 22% Catholic, with Hindus about 22% and Muslims about 14% (2012 census). About 3% follow Indigenous and Maroon traditional religions. Christians are found across every ethnic background.
We pray for: Spiritual awakening, hope and the spread of truth.
Religious freedom
The constitution guarantees freedom of religion and the right to change religion, and inciting religious hatred is a crime. Faith groups run about half of primary and junior secondary schools, and Jewish and Muslim leaders have issued a joint statement of unity, the US State Department reports.
We pray for: Protection for believers and freedom to worship safely.
Historical wounds
About 300,000 enslaved Africans were taken to Suriname before slavery was abolished in 1863, and indentured workers then came from British India and Java. Independence from the Netherlands came in 1975. The military coup of 1980, the killing of 15 men in December 1982 and the internal conflict from 1986, which forced over 10,000 people, mostly Maroons, to flee, left deep wounds.
We pray for: National healing, breaking old cycles and deep forgiveness.
Let us pray together
Our Father, we come to You together for Suriname. Guard the nation in this season of change, and bless its care for neighbours in need. Give President Geerlings-Simons and all in authority wisdom, integrity and justice. Provide for families facing high prices, and guide honest stewardship of the coming oil wealth. Keep the many peoples of Suriname united in peace, and protect Indigenous and Maroon communities. Let the hope of Jesus reach every community, and keep all free to worship. Heal the wounds of slavery, of 1982 and of the internal conflict, and lead Suriname in forgiveness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Sources
More ways to pray
PrayerCast shares short prayer videos for the nations. Watch its video for Suriname and pray along.
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