Day Four: The Ge People

Who are the Ge?
An article in the March 1984 issue of National Geographic brought the previously unknown Ge people to the attention of the outside world. Today foreign tourists often visit Ge villages to observe traditional life and to purchase beautiful handicrafts. Much to their displeasure, the Ge, found in eastern Guizhou Province, are officially recognized as a subgroup of the large Miao minority. Their history, dress, and language are all completely different from those of the Miao however, and the Ge insist that they are a distinct people group. The government, however, refuses to grant them the title "Zu" (meaning "nationality"), and only agrees to recognize them as a "Jia", or "family, household". 

It is likely that the more than 102,000 Ge people of today are the remnants of the Miao who originally lived in eastern Guizhou. The Ge, however, prefer the theory that they are the offspring of a high-ranking Han official and a beautiful Miao girl. Although a union between the two was strictly forbidden, they fell in love. Upon getting married, they were forced to live far away from both the Han and the Miao. Legend has it that over time their offspring formed into the Ge people.

Before 1949 there was only one known missionary to the Ge. M.H. Hutton worked among this people group for nine years before seeing the first Ge come to Christ in 1935. A couple of years later there was a small church, but upon Hutton's expulsion from China after 1949 the Ge seemed to abandon their faith. Today there are only about 100 known Christians among the Ge.

Points of Prayer:
1. That Christians will target the Ge for evangelism and church planting.

2. That many, many Ge will be counted in the family of God.

3. For the encouragement of the small number of Ge Christians. Ask the Lord to strengthen them and burden them for the salvation of the lost among them.