Study Guide: Filled - Radical

Bhutanb Population: 2.2 million b People-Groups: 11b Main Religion: Buddhist b Languages: Dzongkhab Non-Christians: 99.54% b Christians: 0.46%b Area: 47,000 sq.km. A small kingdom in the eastern Himalaya Mountains.b Briefing: Bhutan is one of the world’s least evangelized nations. The stronglyisolationist policies of the government further reinforce the hold of Tantric Buddhismwith much that is demonic. Pray for true spiritual liberation for this land ofthe Dragon (Druk Yul). Pray for King Wangchuk and his salvation. Bhutan wasclosed to all Christian witness until 1965. There followed 25 years of slight relaxationduring which Indian and other expatriates were able to witness through NGOs. Overthe 1990s restrictions increased because of the success of that witness — especiallyamong the Nepali. There are now a few legally permitted congregations with theirown buildings. Pray for the growth of the Church in this land. The Drukpa majorityis strongly Buddhist, and Christians among them number only a few hundred. Mostof these believers are isolated and scattered with little opportunity for fellowship, andsome have suffered for their faith. Please pray for the emergence of a vital witnessingfellowship in every ethnic group of the Bhutanese. Please pray for Maldives as we equipthem to go into Bhutan in 2016.b Persecution: After 1965, the country stayed open for more than two decades, untilChristianity began making headway. A new restrictive atmosphere has taken hold,and missions have been allowed to operate in humanitarian projects, but they cannotevangelize. Some ministries are being eliminated since leprosy, Bhutan’s greatest problem,has been nearly eradicated. All public worship and evangelism by non-Buddhistsare illegal in Bhutan. When Bhutanese are discovered to have converted to Christianity,they are denied government benefits—including public education. Christiangovernment workers have been fired from their jobs, and others have been expelledfrom country.- 43 -