Genesis 1:1 - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Thus saith the Tai Dam: "God created the Tai Dam, when He put a hot poker into a dried gourd!"

It is not uncommon for different people groups to have their own version of creation passed down verbally. Just hearing their stories can give you much to pray about for the people and insight into how they view themselves in relation to the work of creation.

The Tai Dam believe that the earth and the heaven were held close together by a cord. But the sky was so low, so close earth, that it made everyday activities difficult. Even the upturned horns of the buffalo got entangled in the low hanging sky. To bring an end to this, The Bent Over Grandfather of the sky and the Bent Over Grandmother of the earth together cut the cord between sky and earth. This allowed the sky to float well above the earth, so it could be seen far and wide. It also permitted freedom of movement on the earth.

Soon the earth was in turmoil. People were fighting and a drought covered the whole land. The ancestral Grandparents interceded again on behalf of the people. They performed a ceremony that caused rain to fall incessantly upon the earth completely covering the mountains. No dry land was seen, and all life died.

In the Heavens, four gourds as big as a house were readied and placed on the receding waters. In them were placed 550 clans of Tai, 330 clans of hill people, many varieties of rice, fish, and every kind of bird and animal. Also, there was a book for the Shaman, the astrologers, the fortune tellers, as well as a book of laws, customs, and festivals.

After 3 months, the water receded and the gourds settled on dry land in Vietnam, Laos, and China. New societies were governed by wiser men, while the police and Shaman established and upheld the customs and laws. They kept the rivers clean and the land was peaceful for all the descendants.

The story ends with this declaration: IT IS OUR DISTINCT LANGUAGE WHICH IS THE ROOT AND FIBER OF THE TAI DAM NATION. OUR FAME, LIKE A LOUD DRUM, WILL RESOUND ALL OVER THE WORLD.

Please pray:
1. That the Tai Dam people would know that their desire to be important has already happened. They are special to the Creator God.

2. For more open doors, to that more Tai Dam will hear the truth of creation, God's love and sacrifice in order for them to always have peace with God and mankind.

3. That more Tai Dam will seek the truth about life.