December 25 is a regular work day, schools are in session, offices are open and business people are making deals. Most people in the Mekong River area have never heard of Christmas. “Christmas? What is that? Is it a name of a store?”

• Mekong workers looking for ways to tell and live the good news of “Peace on earth, goodwill to men”

Dong
“Why did I become a Christian? Why wouldn’t I become a Christian? You get free trips to go play!”

The Dong people are animists. They attach spiritual significance not only to objects such as trees, rocks, or sacred locations but also to the events of their daily lives. The cultural pressure to remain within the teachings of your parents is quite strong. Greed, however, can overcome that pressure. Many Dong will turn from these cultural teachings if they can find something more profitable or beneficial. That is why so many Dong, and other Chinese minorities, can move into town and put aside former "superstitions" (as they have been taught to call them).

In the same way, some Dong can "receive Christ" if that seems to be a better "spiritual opportunity”, that is, if it appears that the benefits of following this new way are greater than the stigma of disobeying the way passed down by their ancestors.

Since it is very hard to reach Dong in their villages, both foreign and Chinese believers are involved in ‘training sessions’ in the cities. Dong are invited to leave their village and go to a city where they can receive ‘training’ to grow and learn how to share their faith.

The problem is many of these Dong people have never been to a big city. When they see the chance to receive an expense paid trip to the city for a training session for Christians, they begin to evaluate if they themselves might not want to become a Christian. Are the benefits enough to allow me to go against my cultural traditions? For many, the answer is ‘yes’. They are more than happy to sit through some ‘training’ in order to receive a free trip to town and back.

• Pray for the small Dong church - for strength to be added to them. Pray they will be wise and bold and creative in meeting together in small house groups for worship and encouragement and teaching.
• Pray for blessing and power and guidance for those involved in the ‘training sessions’. Pray for wisdom in addressing the challenge of reaching Dong in remote village. Pray regarding the strong temptation some Dong villagers face when they are brought out of their local context.
• Pray for "An indigenous, reproductive Dong church solidly founded in Christ and the Bible, living in the freedom that comes through Christ and sharing that freedom throughout their own and other people groups."

Yi Nisu
Many Yi Nisu children only receive an education up to the 5th grade and families are too poor to pay for adequate medical care. But most importantly, Nisu children grow up fearing evil spirits. From a very young age they are involved in the practice of idolatry and worshipping their ancestors. They have not yet heard the name of Jesus Christ.

• Pray that the Nisu people would hear the good news and come to know and worship Jesus as their Savior.
• Pray for 1000’s of intercessors for the Yi Nisu.

Pray for Biblical material recently produced in a Nisu dialect.