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Editorial Feature of the MonthRECORDS AND SUBSCRIPTIONSFrontier Ventures1605 East Elizabeth StreetPasadena, CA 91104-2721Tel: (626) 398-2249 subscriptions@frontierventures.org

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFKeith Carey

ASSISTANT EDITORPaula Fern

WRITERSPatricia Depew Patti EdigerWesley Kawato Ben KluettArlene Knickerbocker Esther Jerome-Dharmaraj Christopher LaneAnnabeth Lewis Karen HightowerTed ProffittLydia Reynolds Jeff Rockwell Jean Smith Jane W. SveskaChun Mei Wilson

DAILY BIBLE COMMENTARIESKeith CareyDavid DoughertyRobert Rutz

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GRAPHICSGarrett Inouye

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WEB SITEwww.globalprayerdigest.org

ISSN 1045-9731Contents of the Global Prayer Digest © 2016 Frontier Ventures1605 East Elizabeth Street Pasadena, CA 91104

Contents of this booklet may be reproduced if appropriate credit and subscription information are given.

For subscription information, call (626) 398-2249.For comments on content, call (626) 398-2241.

AUGUST 2016

Dear Praying Friends,I’m starting to see a pattern. The other day I was in a place on our campus we call the “War Room” where we pray for unreached people groups. No one else came, so I picked up a GPD from 2009 about north India and

started to pray through it. I read about the Bhojpuri people who are currently experiencing a movement to Christ. We have prayed for the unreached peoples in the Himalayan Mountains before. This month we will pray for many groups in the area that are unen-gaged, meaning that they don’t have a gospel wit-ness at this time. But we are also praying for people groups that are experiencing the work of the Holy Spirit and being drawn to Jesus Christ. There is a monk in Nepal who was healed from a back inju-ry sustained during last year’s terrible earthquake. As a result, Buddhist monks are now reading the Scriptures. A member of an unreached people group on India’s side of the Himalayan Mountains found the Savior, and is taking Christ’s love to Nepal. Christians are able to enter Nepal to help with the aftermath of the earthquake, and Hindus are wondering why they are willing to do this. The question is: what spiritual breakthroughs will we see because of this month’s prayer efforts for the peo-ples in the Himalayan Mountains? That might depend on our faithfulness in prayer to our faithful God!In Christ,

Keith Carey, editor-in-chief, GPDGlobalprayerdigest.org

Editorial Feature of the Month

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Pray for a Disciple-Making Movement Among Every People in the Himalayan Mountains

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Nepal Is Being Shaken By Earthquakes and by the Holy Spirit

On April 25, 2015, the ground shook and buildings rumbled; a magnitude 7.8 earthquake had hit Nepal. People ran for their lives in the city of Kathmandu as

buildings crumbled. On Mount Everest 19 mountain climbers were killed by a quake-triggered avalanche. In all 8800 people died in Nepal. The quake injured thousands and left many homeless. Fear gripped Nepal. Numerous aftershocks kept people on edge. Some of the aftershocks exceeded magnitude 6.0. Experts believe one third of Nepal’s economy was destroyed by the disaster. Nepal was already one of the world’s poorest countries, and the disaster made living conditions even worse.

On May 12, 2015, a huge aftershock hit Nepal. This one was a magnitude 7.3, and the epicenter was on the same fault line that caused the April 25 quake. This quake killed 153 people in Nepal. Many of these people died when buildings damaged by the first quake collapsed.

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The two quakes left many survivors in danger of death. Each fall Nepal experiences heavy monsoon rains. After that there are heavy snowstorms. Many people who had been left homeless by the first quake now lived in tents or under tarps.

At the time of the disaster Nepal’s government was in turmoil. The nation’s king had recently been deposed, and the country’s parliament was in the process of writing Nepal’s first constitution. To make matters worse, Maoist guerillas had been terrorizing the country for years.

Christian Relief Agencies Spring Into Action

Shortly after the first quake, Youth With a Mission, better known as YWAM, went to work. YWAM workers dug people out of the rubble of collapsed buildings. Later on they provided food, water, and shelter for the earthquake survivors. Another Christian relief agency active in Nepal was Samaritan’s Purse. That organization provided food, water, shelter, and medical aid for the people who had survived the earthquake.

Acts of love opened the door for Christian relief workers to talk about Jesus Christ, the only true source of salvation. Most Nepalis are Hindus or Buddhists. Only time will tell how many people these missionaries will bring to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Many Christians died in the April 25 earthquake. It had struck on a Saturday, the day of worship for Christians in that country. It flattened many churches, killing the people who had been worshipping inside. Many churches lost their pastors.

Life wasn’t easy for Nepali Christians even before the disaster. For many years Nepal has had an anti-conversion law. People who converted to Christianity could be sentenced to prison. Such people also faced many forms of persecution from their neighbors.

A Brief History of Christianity in Nepal

Catholic missionaries made the first attempt to preach the message of salvation to the Nepali people in 1628. In 1769 the King of Nepal expelled all Christians from the country. Shortly after the expulsion, Nepal closed

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her borders to all foreigners. That year a European Catholic priest led his 57 Nepali converts to India.

The country remained closed to foreigners until 1950. That was the year Nepal decided to develop her tourist industry. There were many foreign-ers eager to climb Nepal’s high mountains. Christian missionaries took full advantage of this new openness. There were fine medical mission efforts, but the Christians were not allowed to share the gospel. All they could do was post Bible verses on the walls for people to read. Before long the common people craved the spiritual riches of these foreigners who came from across the globe to help them in their times of need. Though it was illegal to embrace Christ, it began to happen anyway in this Himalayan nation.

Today Nepal has one of the fastest growing Christian populations of any country in the world. In 1951 there were no Christians in Nepal. In 1961 there were 458 Christians in that country. By 2001 there were nearly 102,000 Christians in Nepal. The 2011 census reported 375,000 Chris-tians. Experts feel this number is conservative. Many Nepali believers are reluctant to reveal themselves for fear of being arrested. Today Christ followers make up 1.5 percent of the country’s population.

The big increase in the number of people worshipping Jesus Christ hap-pened during the 1970s and 1980s. This revival was sparked by miracles of healing. Penbadup T. is typical of the converts from this era. In 1984 his wife became sick. Neither the Hindu shaman nor the Buddhist lama (ie, a Tibetan spiritual leader) could heal her. In desperation Penbadup carried his wife to a neighboring village, so the lone Christian living there could pray for her. Penbadup’s wife was immediately healed the moment the believer prayed for her. As a result, Penbadup put his faith in Christ. Today he is a church pastor, and all 106 families in his village worship Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The church in Nepal needs our prayers now more than ever. The recovery from the 2015 earthquakes has barely begun in Nepal. There are still many Nepalis who have yet to hear the message of salvation. Let’s remember that our prayers can change all that.

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Let’s Pray!• Pray for openness in Nepal to Jesus Christ, the King of all nations.• Pray for the defeat of rebel groups that cause turmoil in Nepal.• Due to a quarrel between India and Nepal, India has blockaded all

fuel shipments to Nepal. Ask God to lift this blockade.• Pray that the church in Nepal would be protected from persecution.

In September of 2015 Nepal adopted a new constitution, one that guaranteed religious freedom. Hinduism ceased to be Nepal’s state religion. But the new charter had an anti-conversion clause, a carry over from Nepal’s royalist past. Reports from Nepal have said that the police have stopped enforcing the anti-conversion law after the new constitution went into effect, but there is no guarantee that this will remain the case in the future.

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Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.Meditate on this verse.

Resham Raj Poudel was a member of the high Brahmin caste and a Hindu priest. He

committed his life to Christ in the 1960s after reading a copy of the New Testament. At the time there were fewer than 100 Nepali Christians in this country that did not allow gospel preaching. Undaunted, Resham began traveling by foot in Nepal, personally preaching the gospel in 72 of the country’s 75 districts. He was imprisoned, tortured, and beaten, but as Resham recalls, “those times in prison, even though difficult, were most precious because Jesus was so near.”

Resham married his wife Sita, who has her own testimony of suffering persecution for the gospel. Because he was gone for so long at the time reaching remote tribes, Sita encouraged Resham to begin collecting the names and addresses of people he had visited along the way. She was afraid that after he moved on they might forget the teachings that he brought. As she received names, she began writing to people, and in 1984 she began a Bible Correspondence Course, enlisting volunteers and working out of the bedroom of their home. In 1992 they formally started an umbrella ministry for their work called Nepal Gospel Outreach Center (NGOC).

Today, more than 550,000 people have enrolled in their Bible Correspondence Course. Many of those have been members of higher castes within the Nepalese society.

Pray that this ministry will extend their reach to every Brahmin community in Nepal.

(http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=e82d63363f522f91aa9e93c77&id=4bf83f27ed&e=9f7c7ad4b1)

Day 1James 1:2-4, NIV Missionary Biography, Resham Raj Poudel

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If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.Pray for these believers to rely on the wisdom of God.

T hose completing the correspondence course (which ends with a declaration of one’s faith in

Christ) are invited to participate in discipleship and leadership training classes. At this time more than 10,000 people have received various levels of training. God has opened the eyes of countless thousands more and brought them into the Kingdom of light. NGOC has been responsible for pioneering more than 250 churches throughout Nepal. There are approximately 60 full-time workers and 40 part-time volunteers with these churches.

In the last six years NGOC has deliberately held all of their training classes in local churches. Many of these churches are very poor and lack adequate facilities. When a gospel worker comes to the village, believers sit on the church floor learning about Jesus for days at a time listening intently, taking notes, and making their beds for the night in a small area. NGOC has prioritized follow-up work to their students and trainees in the districts worst hit by recent major earthquakes. They are trying to reach about 50,000 who have completed the correspondence course through mail. In the five districts they have visited so far, they have been encouraged to find many who came to Christ through the correspondence course still following the Lord, and some who have become pastors, elders or deacons in their churches.

Pray that the efforts of Resham Raj Poudel and NGOC will result in church planting movements throughout Nepal.

Biography Continued, PoudelDay 2

James 1:5-6, NIV

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For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.Pray that believers will be peacemakers in the Himalayan regions.

When Sita Poudel, wife of Resham, was a girl, she had an experience that left an indelible

impression on her. She witnessed a woman, whose husband had recently passed away, crying out, “Who is going to look after me and my two daughters?” The woman’s husband’s family was cursing her, and they beat her until she became unconscious. Sita made the decision to help those kinds of people when she grew up.

Over the years Sita and Resham have taken orphans and lepers into their home and been advocates for the voiceless. They feed the hungry, connect single women to vocational training, and provide scholarships for orphans.

Sita Poudel now heads up God Loves Orphans and Widows (GLOW). GLOW’s mission is to provide support and vocational training for widows. They also support educational opportunities for orphans. GLOW’s highlighted skill-based project training women to sew and make clothes has allowed such women to become self-sustaining. Currently they have centers in four locations.

GLOW is also helping in three areas affected by the earthquakes that hit Nepal in 2015. They are installing water supply pipelines, helping to construct and repair toilets, and educate and raise awareness about basic health and hygiene issues. All of these relief and service projects would be incomplete without sharing the hope we have in Christ.

Pray for the workers of GLOW to be filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit so that those who meet them will give praise to the Father.

Biography, Sita Poudel Day 3James 3:16-18, NIV

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Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains.Pray that many in Nepal will see last year’s earthquakes as a sign that they must repent and run to Him.

“When my brother Jon and I travelled anywhere in

Nepal,” Dan told me, “We were either going up a steep slope or down another. The roads were narrow and often treacherous, and we could only travel so far by bus or motorbike. Many remote villages could only be reached by hiking.”

Jon and Dan hiked all over Nepal, making evangelistic recordings in the local languages

for Global Recordings Network (GRN). But there was one area they could not visit. The Darchula Region was off limits for political reasons. They knew about the Daurukhi, Rung, and Sauka people who had never heard the gospel and were locked away in that region, but there was no way to reach these indigenous caste groups. For over 30 years the brothers and others continued to pray for the day when these people would hear the gospel.

The news finally came. Niranjan and Raj, two GRN recordists, were able to enter the region and find native speakers willing to help. They recorded messages with titles like “Good News” and “Words of Life.”

But how would they get these messages to the people scattered throughout the hills and valleys of Darchula? They found a local radio station with an estimated 150,000 listeners that agreed to play the messages over a ten-day period. The prayers of 30 years were answered.

Pray that the gospel message will reach the Daurukhi, Rung, Sauka, and many other people groups hidden in remote villages throughout Nepal.–Allan Starling, GRN.

Global Recordings Work in Nepal Day 4

Mark 13:8, NIV

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But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?Meditate on the meaning of this verse.

(This story is intended to illustrate aspects of life for this people group.)

T he long procession of happy people came down the heavily wooded path. They came laden with

bamboo baskets filled with bread and fish. A rooster that was being carried by one of the Barhamu brothers crowed uneasily as if he was aware of the fate that awaited him. He was being carried upside down, his feet tied with a cord.

They descended the steep mountain path and ascended the gentle path that led its way into the heart of the village. As they entered the village more people joined the wedding party. Everyone slapped the shoulder of the bridegroom as he walked with his brother who carried the rooster. They neared the house, their destination, where the coy girl lived who would soon become a wife.

The rooster was slaughtered, the baskets of bread and fish were prepared, and the alliance between two families was forged. The Barhamu bride and groom were wed amid the music of traditional drums.

The Barhamu people group inhabit the mid-hill regions of Nepal. Today they are found mostly in Gorkha and Tanahun. Even though they are forced to call themselves Hindus, they are essentially animists who worship the sun, the moon, and the land. (http://www.ncard.org.np/categorydetail/barhamu-or-baramu.html)

Pray that God would raise up His people who will take the gospel of Christ to the Barhamu. Pray that soon there will be a Christ-ward movement among them that will transform Nepal.—EJD

Barhamu (aka, Baramu) People of NepalDay 5James 2:18-20, NIV

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R ajesh was overcome with joy as the

church members marched around the hillside praying until four in the morning. They proclaimed the name of Jesus of whom they had only recently learned. With the power of His

name, they battled against the spirits of Hinduism and Buddhism that oppressed and blinded the north Indian Himalayan community.

While confident that by their prayers the Holy Spirit would be victorious in the region, Rajesh worried about the Jerung community in Nepal from which he came. The rest of the Jerung tribe remained entrapped by the lies of Hinduism combined with animism.

The Jerung people group number only about 2,600. They live in a hilly region southwest of Kathmandu, speaking the language of their tribe – Jerung. No Scripture, Christian literature, JESUS Film or Christian media exists in their language.

Rajesh’s family had moved to the Indian Himalayas where they learned of Jesus from a Himalayan witchdoctor-turned-pastor. The Spirit of God had proved to the witchdoctor to be far more powerful than the tribal spirits. But Rajesh’s community in Nepal still lived in spiritual blindness. Rajesh interceded with prayer for his tribe, but he knew that someone must go tell them. Would it be him?

Ask God to send a Christ-proclaiming messenger to the Jerung people, whether through dreams, power encounters, or someone in Rajesh’s family. Pray for a powerful disciple-making movement among them.—LR

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Pray for joy and peace for the Jerung believers as they seek to bring Christ to the Himalayan Mountains.

Jerung People of Nepal and IndiaDay 6

Philippians 4:4-7, NIV

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Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.Pray that as the gospel thunders forth in Nepal, that demons will flee, and people will be set free from fear and spiritual death.

As the former Lohorung witchdoctor trudged up the steep mountain path, he prayed in

power. He knew from his sorcery days that spirits are powerful and even deadly. He also knew from his conversion that the Spirit of God is more powerful and even life-giving. The village at the end of the path hadn’t heard about Jesus yet. People there lived in fear of angry, vengeful spirits. They needed spiritual healing, and he was the doctor to bring the healing knowledge of the Savior Jesus to them.

It was this former witchdoctor who entered the village from yesterday’s story about Rajesh. His prayers bound the spirits that worked through the local witchdoctor, so he could show Christ’s power. Indeed, he is a witchdoctor turned church planter!

He belongs to the Lohorung people. They number only about 1200, and live in Nepal, next to the tiny Indian state of Sikkim. Some in the tribe have migrated to Sikkim’s villages and cities, although they mainly live in Nepal’s small mountain villages. The Lohorung tribe worships their ancestors and animistic spirits, but they are classified as Hindu. At least 30 Lohorungs living in Indian villages have put their faith in Jesus, but no Lohorung in Nepal has embraced Christ yet. Christianity spreads quickly when believers demonstrate the power of praying to the loving, all-powerful God.

Pray for a church planting movement to spread from the Lohorung people living in India to those in Nepal.—LR

Lohorung People of NepalDay 7Matthew 10:8, NIV

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Chhulung People of NepalDay 8

Luke 12:5, NIV

(This story illustrates attitudes and beliefs of this people group.)

A pproaching an idol of the goddess Chamma, Kaili, a Chhulung woman, presented the idol

with an offering of pungent flowers and prayed for her upcoming wedding. She thought about the idol; the mirror in the idol’s left hand represented purity and the ability to be compassionate. The vase held in the idol’s right hand represented the essence of hope. She promised deeper loyalty to Chamma so that this goddess would keep away demonic forces of anger, hate, and sadness. She was concerned that unclean spirits would upset the life she would have with her husband whom she hardly knew, as her parents had selected him to be her husband.

The majority of the 2,200 Chhulung people live in eastern Nepal. The primary religion practiced by the Chhulung people is an ethnic religion based on the Bon philosophy. Bon is mainly a shamanic religion blended with animism, and it is often mixed with Tibetan Buddhism. Many believe that Bon deities originally came from Chamma, whom they say is the compassionate and wise mother of all. Legend explains that Bon was started about 3000 BC. Although Wycliffe is attempting to translate Scripture portions into their language, there has been no Christian outreach to them, and they remain unreached.

Pray that Scripture portions will soon provide hope and truth for the Chhulung people. Pray that prepared believ-ers will soon lead the Chhulung into God’s family.—PD

But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear Him.Pray for a healthy fear of the Lord to permeate Chhulung communities.

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Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.Pray that the Dumi people of Nepal will gladly abandon their god of death and embrace the God who gave them life.

(This story illustrates attitudes and beliefs of this people group.)

“W hile I was in Nepal I spent time with the Dumi Raji people who were celebrating

Gaijatra, a type of Hindu ritual which lasts eight days.” A Christian worker from China was sharing with his church. “The festival is in honor of Yama, ‘the god of death’ which they deeply fear. Families in which deaths have occurred during the previous year will send a cow or a young child masquerading as a cow, in a procession around the streets of the city as a tribute to the deceased and to assist their entry into heaven. Unfortunately, they have no reassurance that Yama will accept their dead into heaven.”

There are over 5,000 Dumi speaking people living in northern Nepal. They are a subgroup of the larger Rai peoples. Their traditional religion is based on ancestor-worship and animism. Having been previously conquered by both Hindu and Buddhist rulers, they also recognize many of the deities associated with these religions.

The Dumi people are beginning to speak Nepali, and their native Dumi is rapidly becoming a lost language. Global Recording Network has done a series of programs for the Dumi people known as “Good News Dumi People/Language Movie Trailer.”

Pray that God will open the minds and hearts of the Dumi people to His Word so they will know His saving grace in Jesus. May they no longer live in fear, but know the joy and hope found in the Lord.—PD

Dumi People of NepalDay 9Genesis 2:7, NIV

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Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me. Answer me, Lord, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.Pray that the Kyerung people will soon look to the God of Heaven when they face life’s difficulties.

(This story illustrates attitudes and beliefs of this people group.)

N o light could be seen yet as Maya, a Kyerung woman, began her early morning chores of

brewing tea and cooking rice for her husband and four children. After eating a small portion of the food and cleaning her house, she joined some of the women in her village. They began a difficult climb to join the men who were working on the rice terraces.

Finally reaching the first terrace the women were met by the men. They looked nervous and upset. Maya’s husband told her the heavy rains from the last few days had washed away the rice plants and many of their crops. He said, “I do not know how we will be able to feed our children. Only the prayers to our gods can help us!” Tired and discouraged, Maya fell on her knees and began to pray to an impersonal spirit.

The 1,400 Tibetan Kyerung can be found in remote villages throughout the Himalayan Mountains of south central Nepal. They depend on farming for their livelihood, and problems like flooding often make it difficult. Like many poor people in Nepal, they face many trials including health problems, lack of education, and lack of food.

Pray that the compassionate God will help them in their physical needs. Pray that their spiritual eyes will be open to see the true nature of the God of heaven. Pray that soon Christ’s ambassadors will go to them with His good news.—PD

Kyerung People of NepalDay 10

Psalm 69:15-16, NIV

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But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”Meditate on the meaning of this verse.

(This story illustrates attitudes and beliefs of this people group.)

N eelila, a Lumba-Yakkha woman,

shouted to her husband as he was leaving their house,

“Be sure to buy two birds.” Hisi, her little daughter, asked, “Why do we buy birds for the Buddha’s birthday and let them go free?” Neelila explained, “It was Buddha who showed us the path of being kind to animals. We celebrate his birthday to show him how much his teachings mean to us. We will take a large bowl of rice and fruit to the temple for poor families. At the temple we will pray to Buddha, give him flowers, light candles, and listen to the monks tell stories of Buddha and remind us of his teachings.” Hisi asked, “What is the story?” Buddha was born on a night of the full moon. He could already speak, and he told his mother he had come to free all mankind and animals from suffering.”

There are about 1,600 Lumba-Yakkha people living in the southern Himalayan region of Nepal. They are devoted Buddhists who reverently celebrate Buddha Jayanti which marks the birthday of the Lord Buddha dating back to 543 BC. It falls on the full moon night of either May or June. Lumba-Yakkha people do not know about the glorious birth of Christ and the wonderful teaching that He gave us on how we can become part of God’s family.

Pray that soon the Lumba people will experience Christ’s glory.—PD

Lumba-Yakkha People of Nepal Day 11Jonah 4:10-11, NIV

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Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.Meditate on this verse.

(This is a fictitious account highlighting key prayer points.)

Yeshe’s tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. Beautiful Dawa was laughing and talking with

him, joking about his quiet nature. He simply couldn’t speak he was so in love. Yeshe knew she was the girl for him. He told his parents who arranged for a male relative to deliver one rupee and a bottle of liquor to the girl’s parents. This is the traditional wedding inquiry gift. Dawa’s parents invited the relative in and served food and drink to show their assent to the wedding. Yeshe and Dawa would soon start a new household together.

This couple is from the Northern Ghale of Nepal; they number only 4,000 people in scattered villages in the remote Buri Gandaki Valley. Their dialect is the most distinct in the region; it is so rare that it is considered to be threatened with extinction.

The Northern Ghale, or “Lila” as they call themselves, are entirely Buddhist. Eighty-eight percent have never heard the gospel, and the rest have rejected it.

Pray that the hard ground of the Ghale hearts will be penetrated by the love of the true Bride-goom who longs to gather them as part of His bride. Pray for the Holy Spirit to woo them as believers speak the truth of the gospel about the one true Savior. Pray that the Buri Gandaki Valley will be inundated with churches filled with people who live for the glory of God.—PE

Northern Ghale People of NepalDay 12

James 4:13-17, NIV

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You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.Pray that when the Puma people come to know the Lord that they will put this verse into practice.

(This is a fictitious account highlighting key prayer points.)

Neighbors trickled down the mountain trails surrounding the village to say farewell to Jiju.

Soon she would hike miles further down the ravine to the bus that would take her to live and work in a large Nepali city. As was Puma custom, she received three types of gifts: the Mala, fresh flowers woven into a necklace, the Tilak, a mark of sandalwood paste on her forehead signifying a blessing, and a Khata, or white scarf for safe passage. They were given as loving mementos of a caring village.

As Jiju left the 4000 Puma speakers, she will became one less Puma speaker. She will gradually assimilate into a new culture and language. Puma is a seriously endangered language and may soon become extinct like other tribal tongues in Nepal. This may be the only time that the Puma speakers may be reached by the gospel in their heart language – fully understood in all the nuances and idioms of their lives and experiences. Despite the breathtaking beauty of the region and the loving kindness of the people, there still lacks an important thing: Jesus as Lord of their lives. In their hearts Buddha sits on a throne that only Christ should occupy.

Pray that other people like Jiju who go from their village to the city may return carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ to their family, friends, and neighbors. Pray that the veil will be lifted from their eyes, and truth will dawn in their hearts.—PE

Puma People of NepalDay 13James 2:24-26, NIV

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Then you will know truth and the truth will set you free.Meditate on the meaning of this verse.

T he Tsum Valley northeast

of Kathmandu is breathtaking to see, with towering waterfalls, a glacier-fed river flowing through the center of the verdant valley, stone walls with ancient writings, and

two historic Buddhist monasteries. It is a five day walk to the nearest road across treacherous narrow mountain paths. Outsiders were completely restricted from the area until 2008, and it has remained one of the most isolated regions of the world. Using simple hand looms, 2400 native Tsum speakers toil among the rice paddies.

The word Tsum means “vivid,” and that word is descriptive of the setting. It is known as the “Valley of Happiness.” The name, the setting, and the sight are all lies. When you look deeper the Tsum people suffer with constant stomach problems brought on by drinking rice liquor from morning to night. Their livers are damaged, and they live with agonizing pain. They practice Buddhist chants and prayers for the suffering, but find no relief.

Pray that their eyes and hearts will open to the saving knowledge of the truth of Jesus Christ. Pray for the minis-cule number of Tsum believers that exist. Pray that their faith will soar and come alive, and that they will be filled with the Holy Spirit as they preach the Word to neighbors who are perishing and separated from God. Pray that the Tsum people will no longer listen to the lies of Satan.—PE

Tsum People of NepalDay 14

John 8:32, NIVPuma People of NepalPr

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Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.Pray for believers in the Himalayan regions to persevere under trial so that the Lord will have a great victory through them.

(This story is intended to illustrate aspects of life for this people group.)

Atul yearned to leave home. A teenager now, he had known nothing but poverty. His parents,

part of a people group called Athpare Rai, have never grown enough food to support themselves and their family, and Atul saw no improvement anytime soon. His family was no different from any other family in their village in Nepal. None of the other farmers grew enough food. Atul had a feeling it was because their knowledge was limited, and they weren’t using their resources efficiently. But tradition is hard to break, and these Athpare Rai had no way of acquiring new farming techniques.

Atul had a plan. He would run away and join Nepal’s army. At least he could be assured of steady meals in the army. If he were really talented, he could join the prestigious Gurkha soldiers. He had heard that the selection process to become a Gurkha was incredibly difficult. One round of testing involved running uphill for 40 minutes while carrying a wicker basket filled with 70 lbs. of rocks. His family would be proud of his bravery, discipline, and tenacity if he could pass the test. Twenty-eight thousand youths would be trying out for 200 spots in Gurkha units. It was worth the try.

The Athpare Rai number around 6,000 and are mostly Hindu. Pray that those who migrate to the cities will have hearts ready to hear the gospel and meet missionaries ready to tell them about Christ.—CMW

Athpare Rai People (aka, Ath Pahariya) Day 15James 1:12, NIV

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There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.Pray that the Tamang people will understand the power and the compassion of the Lord.

Day 16Matthew 28:2, NIV

T heir name means “horse trader”; but

nowadays they might be called the “Unknown Climbers” of Mt. Everest. These are the Tamang people of Nepal. If you go on a trek in

the Himalayas, chances are that a Tamang village will be included on your route. Your guide is probably going to be a Tamang.

Although they live in a Hindu region, the Tamang people are Buddhist. Each sizable village has a monastery, priests, and shamans. All Tamang belong to clans, and their names end with the honorific Lama (not to be confused with the Dali Lama of Tibet). Until the 1950s and 60s, the Tamang were considered low caste and suffered from marginalization and exploitation. Prior to that time, they could be killed or enslaved without recourse. Even today many live in poverty, and their children suffer from malnutrition.

The April 2015 earthquake in Nepal brought great devastation to this people group. One third of the dead were Tamang, and the majority of them lost their houses. Medical aid is hard to attain, as health facilities are far out of reach. The nearest help can be a 30-minute walk for up to 40 percent of the Tamang.

A mission agency has been helping to rebuild villages following the earthquake. Pray that as Christ’s followers help to rebuild homes and schools and serve in other practical ways, that they would have a profound spiritual impact on the Tamang.—CMW

Tamang of Nepal

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Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.Pray that last year’s earthquake will help the Hindu and Buddhist populations in Nepal to see that God is sovereign, but also loving enough to send His faithful servants.

O n April 25, 2015 the earth moved beneath the nation of Nepal, trembling and shaking

in a quake of magnitude 7.8. It laid waste to not only buildings and infrastructure, but to life as usual. In the midst of devastation and loss, however, hope shone all the brighter. YWAM teams within Nepal responded quickly to the crisis and began to distribute aid.

In Kathmandu a visiting YWAM team from Chiang Mai found themselves caught in the quake, and soon set out to help by distributing available food to displaced families. Soon they were purchasing and distributing tarps and tents for shelter, as well as clearing debris from the streets. In the days following the quake, teams traveled from other parts of Nepal and even from outside of the country to help those hit the hardest.

The first on-scene in many locations, often in places overlooked by aid agencies, YWAM teams have been working alongside the people of Nepal to not only survive the disaster, but to recover. The work has been relational as well as physical, and the teams hope to bring not only short-term relief to the areas where they have responded, but long-term transformation as well.

Pray for continued restoration in Nepal that will provide open doors for the spread of the gospel. Pray for strong relationships through which the love of God can be displayed. Pray that YWAM efforts will continue to receive the support they need to aid in rebuilding.—BK

Youth With A Mission Work in NepalDay 17Revelation 16:18, NIV

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My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.Pray for the Holy Spirit to work in the Raute people so that they will not be overcome with anger as they deal with injustice.

Like a page out of history transposed into the modern world, they reject assimilation into an

agricultural lifestyle, remaining hunter-gatherers in the 21st century. Who are these 650 people? They are the Raute people of western Nepal.

Known for subsistence hunting, the Raute also regularly gather wild tubers, fruits, and greens, living off the forests in which they live. Their only form of commerce is to trade hand-carved bowls and boxes to local farmers for grain, iron, cloth, and jewelry.

Up until 1979, the Raute people were nomadic. In that year, however, they were forcibly resettled in the hills by the Nepali government. Though given land, most lost it to wealthy landowners, and moved back to the forest and their traditional lifestyle. But through these changes, many Raute bands intermarried with surrounding groups, taking on new names and identities. Despite this assimilation, these people are largely looked down upon in Nepal and find integration difficult.

There are no known followers of Christ among the Rautes, and no biblical resources are available to them. They are truly, in every sense, an unreached people group.

Pray that avenues will be opened for exposure to the gospel, and that the nomadic Raute would find their home in Christ. Pray that the Lord will make a way for these people to have their physical and spiritual needs met. Pray that soon there will be a disciple-making movement among the Raute people.—BK

Raute People in NepalDay 18

James 1:19-21, NIV

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T he devastating earthquake in Nepal last year was highlighted in the news around the world.

Over 2,000 were killed in the 7.8 magnitude quake; 6.6 million people were affected. Many villages were completely cut off for months; and even though many countries tried to fly in supplies, access to heavily damaged areas was limited. Nepal was a prime example of a country that may have had access to earthquake building codes, but they were not implemented.

Last year we read of many Christian groups in this Hindu majority nation that made rescue and care for the injured and homeless their priority. One Christian organization that has reported success in reaching people with the gospel message is Every Home for Christ International (EHC). Their name is their goal in all the countries where they operate. They report that in one recent month EHC Nepal received 219 response cards from people who were reached during home-to-home evangelism and wanted to learn more about Jesus. EHC established contact with all of them and sent them follow-up Bible correspondence courses called “The Way to a Happy Life.”

Pray that every one of these people will have a much stronger understanding of Jesus that will affect them for eternity. Ask God to strengthen every effort made by believers in Nepal to reach their Hindu and Buddhist countrymen with the hope of the gospel. Pray that the efforts of EHC will result in vibrant disciple-making movements in Nepal.—JS

Every Home for Christ (EHC)Day 19Ezekiel 38:19, NIV

In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.Pray that the Hindu peoples of Nepal will understand that God is not to be trifled with.

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Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.Pray for the people of Nepal to take this verse to heart and know that the Lord will not allow His children to be persecuted forever.

Nepal has one of the fastest growing Christian populations in the world. A decade ago

the country transitioned from a Hindu kingdom to a secular-led government, which supposedly guaranteed religious freedom. When it opened to foreigners, Nepal’s unique mountain climbing opportunities attracted Western enthusiasts. Enter Climbing for Christ (C4C). This evangelical group’s goal is, “Taking the gospel to mountainous areas of the world where others cannot or will not go.” After the devastating April 2015 earthquake, they began distributing food and clothes for people, who then began listening to them.

Megh Gurung began delivering aid provided through relief funding by C4C to his home village. While there, Megh and his wife Bhim attended a meeting about water supply in the village. A witch doctor and his son were there, and the son received an emergency call from his wife. Megh and Bhim accompanied the son to see if they could help. The wife was writhing in pain. The couple asked if they could pray for her, but the witch doctor refused their help. The wife then cried out, “I can destroy all of your family and you.” Megh recognized it as demon possession. When finally allowed to pray, Megh cast out the demons, and all were amazed. The next day the healed lady gave her heart to Christ.

Thank the Father for the efforts of C4C to reach remote villages with His Word. May His Holy Spirit continue to work miracles, healings, and deliverance from demons in Nepal.—JS

Climbers for ChristDay 20

Acts 16:26, NIV

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The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.Pray that the people of Nepal will understand that the Lord works in ways that are gentle as well as ways that demonstrate awesome power.

J esus reached out to the marginalized

people in society: the lepers, the blind, and the deaf. Surely it is still the concern of the faithful in every society to reach the poor and the disadvantaged. The

goal for International Nepali Fellowship (INF) is “to demonstrate God’s love and concern and restore people’s relationships with God, each other, and creation. Thus, they can live dignified lives to the full” (https://www.inf.org/inf-nepal). They achieve this by providing sustainable improvements in health, quality of life, and peace and harmony to communities. INF is headquartered in Nepal’s second largest city, Pokhara, and employs over 300 workers. It runs programs across Nepal, covering health and development issues.

Nepal is a beautiful country with magnificent mountains and breathtaking scenery; but it is plagued with tuberculosis, HIV/Aids, and drug addiction. INF goes to Nepal’s downtrodden and sick with mobile medical teams. They provide nourishment for malnourished children. They provide prostheses for those without limbs; many of the people are victims of the 2015 earthquake. Their goal is to help people help themselves. To accomplish this they provide vocational training so people can be employable, support their families, and have pride and dignity.

Praise God for INF and its efforts to reach the sick, the diseased, and the downtrodden of Nepal. Pray for their efforts to treat and help the poorest of the poor to see Jesus and become children of God.—JS

International Nepali Fellowship (INF)Day 211 Kings 19:11-12, NIV

Mar

rs

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…the Lord Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.Pray that last year’s devastating earthquake will shake up the peoples of Nepal and give them a desire to seek Him.

When disaster strikes, time is of the essence. Even minutes can make the difference

between life and death. The devastating earthquakes that struck Nepal in April and May of 2015 required that kind of response, and they got it through several Christian aid organizations: the Fellowship Bible Church, the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA), and Samaritan’s Purse. Some are structured to act instantly when needed.

Such is the case with Samaritan’s Purse. They launched an emergency response, supplying over 50,000 families with relief items such as food, tarps, blankets, and kitchen kits. They also provided temporary shelter materials, clean water, and hygiene supplies for schools and tent camps.

Fellowship Bible Church partnered with Asian Access, an on the ground agency. They state that they respond in the following way: “We pray, we give, we wait, and we evaluate.” When the situation becomes clear, they identify and they act.

What they do not do is act immediately. Why? Communities are often overwhelmed by well-meaning, but often disorganized efforts. When mobilization is called for, they work with their partners on the ground such as Asian Access. The EFCA first cared for the caregivers who are often overworked and neglected. They provided transitional shelters, community and livelihood development, and then addressed the issue of fighting the increased pressure for human trafficking and the risk to women and children due to economic instability.

Pray for God to strengthen these agencies with the fund-ing and Holy Spirit-led volunteers they need to respond to emergencies in the name of Jesus.—JS

Crisis Response EffortsDay 22

Isaiah 29:6, NIV

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At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.Pray that the Mustang people will understand that their spiritual survival is even more important than their physical survival.

Tyler’s YWAM team hiked to the

village in Mustang, Nepal. A Buddhist monk approached them and said, “I’m Jems,” in perfect English. “Would you like to come inside our monastery?” Tyler and his teammates sensed it was a

God-moment. They entered the monastery, met the lama, and proceeded to continue to converse with their new friend, Jems, who studied under the Dalai Lama in Dharmsala, India and learned English there.

“We are followers of Jesus,” Tyler told the monk.

Later Tyler and his team returned to the monastery. One of the team members asked, “Was anyone injured in the earthquake?” The monk’s eyes widened.

“Yes, I was injured and my back is in pain,” he replied. The YWAM team prayed for healing, and the monk exclaimed, “It feels as though this major blessing has entered into me!” He was completely healed. The monk said he had heard of Jesus 15 years ago when a man came to his village and told stories about Jesus. Tyler commented, “Thankfully, we had a translator. She explained the entire gospel to him and gave him a Bible. He told us he was going to pray and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to him. We handed out more Bibles to monks and joyfully skipped down the mountain remembering with gratitude the day Jesus visited a Buddhist monastery!”

Pray for this to be the beginning of a Christ-ward move-ment in Mustang.—Tyler Connell, guest writer.

Mustang People of NepalDay 23Rev. 11:13, NIV

A Buddhist Monk

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Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited, like sheep without a shepherd.Pray for the Dakpakha people to find the Good Shepherd.

(This is a fictitious account highlighting key prayer points.)

The arthritic old man huddled in the cold, damp

monastery, painfully clutching his worn prayer beads as he repeated the mantra he had learned as a child to gain favor with Chenrezig, the so called “lord of compassion,” and to be like him. This god is said to have 1,000 arms and 11 heads, because he tried so hard to help

suffering people that he was overwhelmed by the magnitude of them, and his head burst into arms and heads.

There is a tiny shop and small monastery at Phongme where the Dakpakha people live. It is less than 150 years old. No monk is there, and the caretakers are elderly women. These dear people are secluded much of the year by avalanches and mudslides.

Few people have ever heard of the Dakpakha people because most publications list them as part of the Brokpa people group. Their population is approximately 1,600. They are 100 percent Buddhist. There has never been a follower of Christ among them. They have not heard the gospel; there are no resources for them…yet.

Pray for tearing down of ancient strongholds of alcohol-ism and sin among the Dakpakha people. Pray for believers, full of God’s mercy, compassion, strength, and love to brave the severe elements to reach them whatever it takes. Pray for a church planting movement to emerge among the Dakpakha people.—KH

Dakpakha People of BhutanDay 24

Matthew 9:36, NASB

CHINANEPAL

Bay ofBengal

CHINA

NEPAL Kathmandu

BANG.INDIA

BHUTAN

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Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.Meditate on this verse.

Gonduk People of BhutanDay 25James 1:22-25, NIV

R omans 6:23, NASB: The payment for sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in

Christ Jesus our Lord.

One hundred percent of the Gonduk people are Tibetan Buddhist, though they add animistic spirit worship to their beliefs. The gospel has never entered the hearts of these spiritually needy people. They believe that no god punishes sin, and that the sum of your actions in this life cannot change your fate.

Outsiders knew nothing about this small ethnic group until a Dutch linguist discovered them in 1991. He reported, “They are a dwindling people in a remote enclave, speaking an endangered language. It is a two-day journey up the dangerous Manas River, which accounts for the fact that they have remained largely unknown…”

Approximately 2,400 Gongduk people live in a few extremely isolated villages in Bhutan’s Mongar District. The Gonduk people may have been one of the earliest people groups in Bhutan, which was completely closed off to outside influence for centuries until 1960 when the king allowed more freedom. Little has changed in rural areas for centuries.

The Gonduk people live in isolated villages, and access to them is hindered by extreme weather and landslides. One must wonder how many other small tribes and language groups exist in the hundreds of isolated valleys of the Himalayan Mountains, all of which must be reached with the truth before Christ comes.

Pray for all people groups in this region to be discovered by Christ’s followers. Pray that God will open doors for the gospel despite daunting difficulties.—KH

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For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “You shall not commit adultery,” also said, “You shall not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.Meditate on this verse.

It has been said that, “If you don’t know where you are going, any direction will get you there.”

These precious people have no direction in their culture, except toward eternal separation from their creator God. The Lakha people of central Bhutan are directed by teachings of Gautama Buddha that deny the existence of sin and have no answers for problems and suffering in this life. They customarily turn to alcohol called cheng, a common Tibetan beer made from barley. The enemy of our souls is very creative in all cultures to show his captives methods of how to make destructive alcoholic drinks from all kinds of things.

Approximately 10,000 Lakha people live in central Bhutan; nowhere else. They are descendants of pastoral yak herd communities. The Lakha are an unreached, unengaged people, with an unwritten language. There are no resources in their language, nor is there a radio station that plays anything in their language.

Pray that Global Recordings Network recordists will be called to visit them and record God’s Word in their language. Pray that the Lakha people will listen with understanding, and that the Lord of mercy will open their hearts to see their need for forgiveness of sin. Pray for the Lord to open the way for a church planting movement among the Lakha people of Bhutan. Pray for a movement of the Holy Spirit that will give them a hunger and thirst for His righteousness.—KH

Lakha People of Bhutan Day 26

James 2:10-13, NIV

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The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.Meditate on this verse.

A re you the kind of person who enjoys a challenge? Reaching the Lhokpu with the

gospel and establishing disciples among them falls squarely into that category!

Living in Bhutan, one of the most isolated countries in the world, this people group has no Bible in their language and no known followers of Christ.

Though their name means “kindhearted,” their current spiritual condition might better be described as “blind-hearted.” The Lhokpu have been followers of Buddhism for centuries and continue to be bound in the traditions and beliefs of this religion.

Engaging this people group will require Bible translation work, strategic efforts in a remote part of the world that is currently a Buddhist stronghold, and on-the-ground discipleship. But the most important part of this process is prayer. Will you make a point of praying for them today?

Pray for an acceleration of accurate translation work so the Lhokpu can read and experience the Word of God in their own language. Pray for God to prepare the hearts of the Lhokpu people to respond to the gospel message. Ask God to tear down the traditions and strongholds of Buddhism that keep them blinded to the truth. Pray for mission organizations to find ways to reach the Lhokpu with the good news of Christ. Ask the Lord to establish His kingdom among the Lhokpu. Pray for a church plant-ing movement that will transform the Lhokpu people into Christ’s likeness.—CL

Lhokpu People of BhutanDay 27James 3:6-10, NIV

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(This story is intended to illustrate the attitudes of this people group.)

“What is the purpose of this project?”

a young man asked. He was one of about 10 who had gathered at the request of the old monk. “We are Nyenkha,” the monk said. “We have lived in the Black

Mountains of Bhutan for centuries. During this time we have always followed the ways of Buddha. Until now.” “What is happening?” another man asked as he hurried to join the group. “Deceivers have infiltrated our communities,” the monk said. Then he said confidently, “We will root them out. We will start with the children. We will ask which of them are Christians. They are young and will not lie. When we have exposed them, we will deport them, along with their families. We are a Buddhist people and a Buddhist nation. And we will always be.”

The 10,000 Nyenkha people living in Bhutan will indeed remain Buddhist until the gospel is shared with them in a way they can understand and that pierces the lies and darkness of their false religion.

Pray for God to soften the hearts of the Nyenkha people and prepare them to receive the seed of His Word. Pray for translators to provide the Nyenkha with the Bible and oral gospel messages in their own language. Ask the Holy Spirit to do a powerful work among the Nyenkha that will lead to an unstoppable disciple-making movement.—CL

Nyenkha (aka, Nyenpa) People of BhutanDay 28

James 4:7-8, NIV

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.Pray for the Nyenkha people to submit to God and resist the devil.

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As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm—when they come and pray toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. Do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel, and may know that this house I have built bears your name.Pray for the Lord to raise up faithful intercessors for those spiritually lost in the Himalayan Mountains.

I f you didn’t believe that prayer changes the world, you wouldn’t be praying through the GPD each

month. Did you know that there are people who are mobilizing prayer specifically for the lost in the Himalayan Mountains? One of them writes, “2016 is the year of worship across the Himalayas. Will you join us? As church planters, we have a sense that something historic is getting ready to hit these mountains. Whatever you can bring to the Lord will help. Your partnership is linked to the outcome.”

We are seeing breakthroughs, as indicated earlier in this prayer guide. Believers are going to Nepal to help the people as they recover from the earthquake. Others are reaching out for Christ. One man in the Himalayan region is reaching out to 14 unreached people groups, and he has planted 500 house churches! He has key leaders in place to continue a disciple-making movement. Another reports that in a spiritually dark area, the Lord healed 3,000 people and 25 of the people healed began to go to a seeker’s class to find out more about Jesus, the healer.

Pray for God to accelerate efforts to make disciples and transform the people of this region into Christ’s likeness. Pray about whether or not the Lord would like you to regularly pray for those who are spiritually lost in the Himalayans.—KC

To get more prayer fuel for the Himalayan peoples, go to: http://www.highplacesprayer.com/

Prayer and Church Planting MovementsDay 292 Chronicles 6:32-33, NIV

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When I saw the film about the Kumaoni people I

wondered, are they East Indian or American Indian? He wore a cowboy hat, and she had on something like a plains Indian dress and boots. It was India, as other scenes showed the same woman in a sari, and later in a traditional Indian dress. Had I paid more attention to the music, I should have known not to wonder in the first place.

The Kumaoni people, speaking a dying language, are to be found in a number of Indian states in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains and India’s Assam State. Others are found farther south, even in Delhi. The Kumaoni people often belong to the upper castes of Hinduism.

Their lives are ordered by festivals. Festivals are tied to the harvest and the progression of sun and moon through the zodiac. Although basically unreached, the church is reaching out to them via radio (Trans World Radio, 7320 Hz short-wave) and some have become believers as is evidenced by a Kumaoni Christian Matrimony Web site. Most Kumaoni also speak Hindi, and evangelistic materials are widely available in that language.

Christians in India believe the Kumaoni people are on the verge of a breakthrough that would be facilitated by prayer. So please pray for a breakthrough that will lead to a large harvest among the Kumaoni people.—TP

Kumaoni PeopleDay 30

James 4:4, NIV

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.Pray for the Kumaoni people to put God first and forsake all others.

BANGLADESH

MYANMAR

Manipur

Meghalaya

MizoramTripura

Assam

Bay ofBengal

ArabianSea

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Day 31

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Seeking the Unseen Spiritual Realities in the Buddhist World

Buddhism claims no god, yet spiritual realities abound in popular practice. What are these realities? What do they mean to the practitioners? How can understanding these realities inform Christ-followers seeking to communicate the good news of Jesus in ways that all can understand and relate to? In answer to these and other questions, SEANET proudly presents its twelfth volume, Seeking the Unseen: Spiritual Realities in the Buddhist World. Christian practitioners from thirteen different Buddhist cultures share insights gained from their wideranging experiences and perspectives. From Sri Lanka to Japan, from China to the Philippines, these women and men, Asian and Western, present on a topic that is often missing in mission literature today. And for readers seeking personal insight into the growing spiritual complexities of their own place in the postmodern world, lessons from these authors will guide you with practical principles from engaging, firsthand cultural encounters.

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PA U L H . D E N E U I , E D I T O R

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SeeKinG theSeeKinG the u

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Buddhism claims no god, yet

spiritual realities abound in popular

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do they mean to the practitioners? How

can understanding these realities inform

Christ-followers seeking to communicate

the good news of Jesus in ways that all

can understand and relate to? In answer

to these and other questions, SEANET

proudly presents its twelfth volume,

Seeking the Unseen: Spiritual Realities in

the Buddhist World. Christian practitioners

from thirteen different Buddhist cultures

share insights gained from their wide-

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the Philippines, these women and men,

Asian and Western, present on a topic that

is often missing in mission literature today.

And for readers seeking personal insight

into the growing spiritual complexities of

their own place in the postmodern world,

lessons from these authors will guide you

with practical principles from engaging,

firsthand cultural encounters.

Paul H. de Neui holds a PhD in intercultural studies. He has spent over twenty years enabling indigenous organizations in holistic ministry to Buddhists in Asia. He serves as professor of missiology at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.

12

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WILLIAM CAREY LIBRARYDon’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The judge is standing at the door! Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.Pray for patience, mercy, and love for Kashmiri believers.

K ashmir is caught in a tug-of-war between

India and Pakistan. The people tend to be peaceful, but peace eludes them. Recently a Christian Kashmiri was killed by Muslims who believed that his murder

would gain them entry into heaven.

What happens when Kashmiri Muslims read the Bible? This Muslim background believer who was martyred started to believe in Jesus after reading it. He wanted Muslim background believers to be gathered into churches, and that they be educated in the Bible and job skills. Unfortunately, not knowing whom they can trust, churches are often closed to those from an Islamic background; hence the need for Muslim-background believers to form their own Christ-centered communities.

Then there is the Kashmiri diaspora. There are Kashmiris in Kathmandu, Nepal. They have acculturated well into that Hindu nation. They have their own mosques and separate social centers. Others, like a colleague of mine at Theological Research and Communication Institute (TRACI) in New Delhi in the 1970s, lived in India outside the Himalayan Mountains. Their numbers have increased ever since the 1990 turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir.

Pray that the ongoing turmoil will cause people of conscience to question and abandon Islam for Christ. Pray that the Bible reaches persons of peace who will spread it throughout Kashmir and among the Kashmiri Muslim diaspora. Pray that Kashmiri believers will find Christian communities. Pray for protection of believers and missionaries alike.—TP

KashmirisJames 5:9-11, NIV

Kashmiris

Wit

hers

poon

www.missionbooks.org1-800-MISSION

Seeking the Unseen Spiritual Realities in the Buddhist World

Buddhism claims no god, yet spiritual realities abound in popular practice. What are these realities? What do they mean to the practitioners? How can understanding these realities inform Christ-followers seeking to communicate the good news of Jesus in ways that all can understand and relate to? In answer to these and other questions, SEANET proudly presents its twelfth volume, Seeking the Unseen: Spiritual Realities in the Buddhist World. Christian practitioners from thirteen different Buddhist cultures share insights gained from their wideranging experiences and perspectives. From Sri Lanka to Japan, from China to the Philippines, these women and men, Asian and Western, present on a topic that is often missing in mission literature today. And for readers seeking personal insight into the growing spiritual complexities of their own place in the postmodern world, lessons from these authors will guide you with practical principles from engaging, firsthand cultural encounters.

S p i r i t u a l r e a l i t i e S i n

t h e B u d d h i S t W o r l d

PA U L H . D E N E U I , E D I T O R

DE

NE

UI

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SeeKinG theSeeKinG the u

nSeen

unSeen

Buddhism claims no god, yet

spiritual realities abound in popular

practice. What are these realities? What

do they mean to the practitioners? How

can understanding these realities inform

Christ-followers seeking to communicate

the good news of Jesus in ways that all

can understand and relate to? In answer

to these and other questions, SEANET

proudly presents its twelfth volume,

Seeking the Unseen: Spiritual Realities in

the Buddhist World. Christian practitioners

from thirteen different Buddhist cultures

share insights gained from their wide-

ranging experiences and perspectives.

From Sri Lanka to Japan, from China to

the Philippines, these women and men,

Asian and Western, present on a topic that

is often missing in mission literature today.

And for readers seeking personal insight

into the growing spiritual complexities of

their own place in the postmodern world,

lessons from these authors will guide you

with practical principles from engaging,

firsthand cultural encounters.

Paul H. de Neui holds a PhD in intercultural studies. He has spent over twenty years enabling indigenous organizations in holistic ministry to Buddhists in Asia. He serves as professor of missiology at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.

12

List Price: $17.99

Our Price: $14.39

ISBN: 9780878080465

Paul H. De Neui (Editor)

WCL | Pages 340 | Paperback 2016

WILLIAM CAREY LIBRARY