Day Eight: The Dai People

Who are the Dai?
Over 800,000 Dai make their homes in Southern Yunnan Province in Southwest China. Most Dai people adhere to Buddhism, although some of the rural Dai are Animists (believing that everything in nature has a soul or a spiritual force). These two religions have a strong hold on the people. During the annual Water Splashing Festival, small cups of water are emptied over the heads of others to symbolize cleansing from the sins of the past year and a fresh start for the New Year which begins in March according to the Dai Lunar Calendar.

Although the Dai people as a group are resistant to the Gospel, there are an estimated 1,000 Dai believers. Recently, some of these Christians have been traveling in teams through mountain villages proclaiming the Good News with some success. Although portions of the Bible have been translated into the Dai language, the work is still ongoing.

Points of Prayer:
1. That all unbelieving Dai will have the opportunity to hear of Christ and receive true inner cleansing from their sins.

2. For the Lord to break the chains of Buddhism and Animism that are on the people.

3. That Dai evangelists will be fully equipped to bring the Gospel to their own people, and that their ministries will be fruitful.

4. That the entire Word of God would soon be available in the Dai language.