Earning Merit
“There are many ways to earn merit in Buddhist culture: giving alms to the monks, chanting mantras, having monks read scripture in your house, hanging pictures of monks and spiritual paraphernalia in your house, making pilgrimages, making animal sacrifices, tying strings, flying strings of prayer flags, etc.
Can you imagine it? It is literally heart-breaking to see the weight of the bonds they willingly bear. Isn't it good to know that we don't earn our way but that Christ has earned it and we need only repent of ever not loving Him totally and thank God that He is after all our Father and not a slave-master.
- Pray for all Mekong workers, that our acts of worship will not become begrudging pilgrimages, our prayers will not be mindless mantras, and our acts of service don't become ‘spinning wheels’.”
- Pray we will be active and effective in “sacrifices of praise”. - A Mekong worker
Mien (Yao)
A Mien city church has decided to make regular evangelistic trips to a Mien village up in the hills.
- Please pray that their ministry both in the city and in the village will produce abundant fruit.
The Mien Bible translation is almost done. Many, many Mien are asking for it and waiting impatiently.
- Please pray that it will be done speedily and well.
A Mien church leader and his wife had a motorbike accident while they were traveling from one village to another to teach the believers. The church leader’s legs broken were broken.
- Please pray they may know that the Lord has not forsaken them, for complete healing and that Mien in the area will continue turning to Christ.
Some Mien are reaching out to Mien in other countries.
- Pray for safety and far reaching fruitfulness.
Shan - Tai
Recently two more people came to faith during a combination literacy and Bible training class in a Chinese city, making for a total of 7 this year! These two come from a remote and poverty stricken village. Originally there were over 20 believers there but it has declined to 10, despite a building having been constructed - or maybe because of a building?
- Please ask for God's love and boldness to refill their hearts with joy and concern for the souls of other Shan people.
- Brother 4 and his wife came to faith in Christ out of an extremist cult. They are a precious couple caring for their severely handicapped child. Brother 4 also has health problems - hepatitis and perhaps an ulcer.
One concern of the Shan - Tai has been the complete absence of young men dedicating their strength and energy to Christ.
- Of seven people making decisions this year, five of them are young men!
Some well meaning believers have urged them not to take the gospel to other villages because of strong opposition. Though there are times it is prudent to temporarily withdraw, it seems that cowardice has gotten the better of the people. When the joy and love to suffer for Christ ceases shining in the darkness, declining results are predictable.
- Pray also for those giving this counsel. Pray they would not fear, but would consider it an honor to suffer for the Lord.
