Day 21: The Miao People

Who are the Miao?
The 8 million Miao spread across southern China have a turbulent history of persecution and suffering. Epic poems and genealogies exist as oral records preserving the history of numerous campaigns to eliminate the Miao from China. The worst ethnic war took place in the mid-1800's, leaving less than 10% of the Miao in the region alive when it was over.

The Miao people adhere to Animism, believing in a wide array of spirits who can either harm or help them. Ritual and sacrifices are used to ensure protection from demons, who are believed to have free reign over the people if they are not appeased. When a baby is born, friends and relatives will often loudly proclaim how ugly he or she is, in an effort to trick the demons into thinking the baby is not worth harming.

The Miao people group is actually made up of as many as 100 separate language groups. Christian materials have been translated into four Miao languages, but there are still about 7 million Miao in China who have never heard the name of Christ, and only one language group that is able to understand the "Jesus" film.

Points of Prayer:
1. For Christian material to soon be available to every Miao in his or her mother tongue.

2. For the Lord to reveal Himself to the Miao as the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, and the Sovereign God of the Universe.

3. That Christian workers will be willing to do whatever it takes to find culturally relevant ways to share the Gospel with the Miao.

4. That God would be glorified as multitudes of Miao give their lives to Him.