Austria

Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955 ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for Soviet military withdrawal. Following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991 and Austria's entry into the European Union in 1995, some Austrians have called into question this neutrality. A prosperous, democratic country, Austria entered the Economic and Monetary Union in 1999.

CIA - The World Factbook 2006

YWAM in AUSTRIA:
In 1978 a team led by Bruce Clewett from Hurlach, Germany, joined a Slavic Ministries team living in a castle in Reichenau/Rax. Eventually the team relocated to Vienna. The fruit of the ministry is seen today through many spiritually live Catholic Communities spread across Austria.

Through Project Life and Kings Kids, countless children and youth have been reached and discipled. Many more have gone through the many DTS's and other schools. Other outreaches have reached beyond the borders to neighboring countries like Bosnia and Slovakia. Timo Teams led by Reinhard and Birgit Haemmerle have established Bible study groups in Romania.

Besides being a strategic base for Eastern and Central Europe for many years, Austria YWAM has provided leadership and direction to the growing renewal in the Catholic World particularly through Kerygma teams which has helped found Catholic fellowships and training programmes around the globe.

prayer needs:
- for Austrian leadership to develop to meet the "leadership vacuum" in the church in Austria.

- for Austria to become a missions sending country rather than a mission field, and to support missionaries, pastors and workers.

- an alarming trend towards the 'extreme right', as embodied in the Freedom party, led by Jörg Haider.