When you got the flu last week, why were you ill?   If you live in the Western world, the answer is obvious:  a virus.   The Western, naturalistic worldview, typically splits the world into the realm of the natural and supernatural.   The natural realm (“this world”) operates by scientific laws and seldom, if ever, is directly affected by spirit beings.

 

Hmong society is molded by an animistic worldview.   Why do you get sick?  Perhaps you offended a household spirit.  Maybe the stars were not lined up correctly.   Possibly you did a taboo unknowingly or had a curse put on you.  Then again, when you came to a fork in the trail, the body may have gone one way and the soul another.   Or perhaps you got sick because you forgot to whistle and put a stick down before crossing a stream; your soul had been given no bridge to cross the stream with your body.   In any case, one of your souls left your body, and sickness resulted.   The shaman, who mediates with the spirit world, is called to help learn why the soul is away and call it back.

 

For the animist, the world of daily living is pervaded with personal spirits which control or affect most aspects of human, animal, and plant life.  They can hurt or help you.   Social values are defined in terms of maintaining right relationships with this spirit world.   Fear of offending the spirits and the need to please them is a constant in Hmong life.

 

Pray:

• Thank You, Father, for reaching into our daily world by sending Jesus.  We’re grateful for the love you extend to the Hmong, that You desire good for them, not evil.
• Send messengers to tell them that knowing You, Perfect Love, casts out fear.
• Give Your messengers understanding to know how to present the Biblical worldview in ways that the Hmong can understand--with the Holy Spirit making the truth clear.
• Provide new team leaders to reach the Blue and Small Flowery Hmong groups.
• And, Lord, You also know the additional $10,000 needed to complete printing of the Blue and White Hmong study Bible.   Impress the need on those who have to give.
• Imprint on our hearts the passion You have for the Hmong who have no chance to hear about Jesus; make us passionate in our prayers for them…and even open to going to tell them.