For centuries, Tibet remained isolated from the rest of the world. But in 1986, its borders opened to tourism, which has provided great opportunities for Christians to visit and share God’s love.

 

Since China invaded Tibet in 1950, more than 1.2 million Tibetans have died as a direct result of the occupation, with more than 6,000 monasteries destroyed, and thousands of Tibetans imprisoned and tortured for their political or religious beliefs.

 

For centuries, Tibetans have resisted the gospel.

Evangelism is made more difficult by geographical barriers in the world’s most extreme terrains.

Many Tibetans, in and outside Tibet, will continue

to die in their struggle for independence without knowing the real Prince of Peace -- Jesus Christ.

 

Tibetan Himalayan People Cluster

 

No. of People Cluster                                                    14

No. of Least Reached People Cluster                             5

No. of People Group                                                   757

No. of Least Reach People Group                             421

% of Least Reached People Group                         55.6%

Population of 14 People Cluster                     89,898,000

Population of Least Reached People           63,9797,000

% of Least Reached People                                     71.2%

 

Tibetan People Group

 

Religion                                                             Buddhism

No. of People Group in Tibet                                      135

No. of Least Reached People Group                          118

% of Least Reached People Group                         87.4%

Total Population of People Group                   7,094,000

Population of Least Reached People               6,477,000

% of Least Reached People                                     91.3%

 

Sa-kya Dawa Festival – Mid June

 

Tibetans celebrate this day as the most holy and religious day of the year. The Tibetans believe it is Buddha’s birthday, enlightenment, death & attainment of Nirvana.

For us Christians, it is like Christmas, Holy Friday, Easter Sunday & ascension of Jesus, all combined into a one day celebration. Tibetans regard this as very special and devote the day to prayers and good works for the benefit of others. Merit from good works on this day is multiplied millions of times over.

 

Some pilgrims *circumambulate from their houses & villages to Jokhang Temple, or at the foot of Potala

Palace. Some pilgrims also spend 4 days circumambulating the 52km circumference of Mount Kailash, which they believe to be the navel of the universe.

 

(*Circumambulating involves prostrating oneself in full-length and inching one’s way on hands and knees to the pilgrimage destination.)

 

 

Recent Tibetan Earthquake  Casualties

 

Thousands were killed as earthquake hit Tibetan areas on May 12, 2008.  Official figures (as of June 6, 12:00 CST) state that 69,130 are confirmed dead, including 68,620 in Sichuan province, and 374,031 injured, with 17,824 listed as missing.

 

Tibetan Casualties (from Kham Foundation)

 

Region                                            Estimated Deaths
Sichuan Mianyang                                         7,395
Deyang                                                           2,648
Chengdu                                                            959
Guangyuan                                                    800
Ngawa                                                           161
other divisions                                                 107
Gansu                                                            213
Shaanxi                                                          103
Chongqing                                                         11
Henan                                                                2
Yunnan                                                              1
Estimated toll:                                          12,400

 

Some Tibetan people lived in cottages on mountains at an elevation of 2800 meters with no road here. Their homes had no steel or cement.

 

23 Tibetan houses completely collapsed at Wabo Town, Yusagou Village in Heishui, Sichuan Province.  Some of the 68 houses had collapsed, if not severely damaged in Zhugeduo Village, Luhua Town.

A woman had just finished her work in the field and was on her way returning to her home over the hill, when she saw a whole village buried in seconds, a scene that she would never forget. It happened suddenly, and there was no time for the people of that village to do anything to save their lives.

 

A local villager said that the mountain looked like it had been bombed and the earth was thrown up and came down here. The mountain spurted out red magma like a geyser, tens of meters high. After the mountain erupted, a huge crack formed and the whole village fell directly into it. People ran out of their houses directly to the river and fell into the newly opened crevasse. A moment later there was a roar and the crevasse closed. The valley which was over 100 meters deep is now filled up with a whole village buried within it.

 

Prayer Points:

 

Tibetan & Chinese believers

Pray that the Tibetan believers and Chinese brethren will know and see the will of God in these trying times

 

10,000 Intercessors

Pray that the Lord will raise-up 10,000 intercessors for Tibet & Tibetans.

 

Break the chain

 

Pray for the Lord to break the chains that hold them in bondage to Buddhism, animism, materialism, immorality and hopelessness.

 

Encouragement

 

Pray for wisdom, favor, God’s strategy, encouragement and protection to those ministering to the Tibetans

 

Tibetan Diaspora

 

Pray for the Lord of the Harvest to raise up & send more passionate workers to the Tibetan Diaspora.

 

Successive generations of Tibetan Christians

 

Pray that the Lord will open the eyes of the Tibetan young people to know Jesus, and raise them up to be worshippers of the Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth and the true Prince of Peace.

 

No more lives will be lost for this Olympics

 

Pray also for comfort to those who have suffered and for the families left behind of those who died recently, Tibetans as well as the Chinese.

 

What Can We Do?   

 

• Pray for the Tibetans
• Challenge your church
• Organize a cell group
• Have a prayer meeting
• Spread the word via SMS or email

More Prayer Requests

 

Ask God to soften the heart of China’s government towards the gospel.

Pray that the doors of China will soon open to missionaries.

 

Pray that Tibetan refugees will find Christ and then return to their homeland and share the gospel with their own people.

 

Ask God to raise up strong local churches among the Central Tibetans.

 

May the Lord instill a heart of compassion among His family for the spiritual needs of the thousands of least reached Tibetans in Lhasa.

 

Continue Praying for Tibet  & Tibetans

 

For more information, please contact:

Frontline Resources <inquiry@frontlineresources.org>