Day 18: The Yi People

Who are the Yi?
Living in villages made up of earthen homes that literally hang on the sides of the mountains of southwest China, the 7.5 million Yi live a simple life as farmers and he rdsmen. Traditionally animists, most Yi people worship the spirits of their ancestors and nature. Some adhere to Buddhist or Taoist beliefs, and as a result of the introduction of Christianity at the end of the 19 th century, an estimated 200,000 Christians can be found among the Yi people today. Unity among these believers is hard to achieve however, because of the 6 distinct languages spoken by the Yi people. Language differences also pose hindrances to the spread of the Gospel by the Yi among the Yi.

Points of Prayer:
1. That non-print Christian material, such as Gospel tapes, will be produced and distributed among the two-thirds of the Yi who are illiterate.

2. That God will reveal Himself as the Great Shepherd to the Yi people, and that every unbeliever will trust in Him.

3. For entire families and communities to come to Christ, resulting in the formation of Bible-believing, reproducing churches.