Dear Friend of Eurasia:
The nation of Bhutan is a remote, mysterious land. Few people can find it easily on a map, yet this land is of great importance to God.
The problem is, the people of Bhutan don’t yet know it.
Sandwiched between India and China, Bhutan is perched high in the Himalaya Mountains. When storms roll through its deep valleys, thunder bounces against the rugged mountainsides. In times past, this loud rumbling was thought to be the sound of a dragon flying overhead. People named the area Druk Yul, or Land of the Thunder Dragon.
The treacherous terrain and harsh climate have kept Bhutan largely isolated from outside influences. The lifestyles and traditions of its 800,000 people have remained unchanged for centuries. Buddhism is deeply entrenched in the culture, and idol worship is a part of daily life. People live in constant fear of angering the spirit world.
Traditional attempts to share Jesus in Bhutan have failed. Government regulations and cultural taboos strictly prohibit any open communication of the gospel.
The people of Bhutan have heard the dragon’s thunder, but when will they hear the Word of God?
You can help answer that question!
Until recently, the Bible was not available in Dzongkha, the predominant language of Bhutan. A group of believers with close ties to Bhutan have spent 12 years preparing a Dzongkha translation of the Scriptures. The task has involved taking notes and consulting lexicons and commentaries to make sure their work was both biblically accurate and culturally understandable.
The project is finally complete, and Dzongkha-language Bibles are available!
As the believers worked on translating, the Holy Spirit worked in people’s hearts. A few Bhutanese have come to Christ! This past month, 14 people were baptized in an ice-cold river! The need for Bibles is even more critical to help these new believers grow spiritually.
The good news is that you can purchase Dzongkha-language Bibles for these new believers for only $10 a copy. That amount even includes shipping and distribution costs!
The church in Bhutan is in its infant stages, and fear and distrust are major obstacles to continued growth. Believers need God’s Word in their language to learn correct doctrine and present a clear witness to others. With instruction in God’s Word in a language that is easily understood, churches can thrive and even spread to areas where the name of Jesus is unknown. Right now 22 students are participating in a two-year training program in an underground Bible school and are slated to graduate in January 2018.
As you can see, the potential of having Dzongkha-language Bibles is huge for the future of Bhutan!
Restrictions on sharing the gospel in Bhutan are strict, and the punishment for doing so is severe. But a hunger for God’s Word is growing among the people.
One day in Thimphu, Bhutan’s capital city, a parking attendant stopped a believer who was headed into a bank.
“Do you know what it means to repent?” the attendant asked. Knowing the potential risk of engaging in this type of conversation, the believer prayed silently for wisdom. The parking attendant’s method of repentance involved rituals, penance, and self-abasement. What reaction would a different response create?
“To me, it means asking God to forgive my sins and asking Jesus to come into my heart and life. The result is a 180-degree turn in my life. Would you like to repent my way?”
Without hesitation, the parking attendant replied, “Yes!”
There on a main street in the capital city of a Buddhist stronghold, the believer and the parking attendant prayed the sinner’s prayer together!
God is preparing people in Bhutan for the message of the gospel. Will you give so that Dzongkha-language Bibles are available for those who hear and receive that message?
Only $10 will pay the cost to print, ship, and distribute one Bible. What a difference your gift can make! Please be as generous as you can.
P.S. A person with close ties to Bhutan said he was praying for a “light bulb” moment for the nation. “Somewhere within Bhutanese society, God has planted a thread of redemption that we need to discover,” he says. “We need to know how to unlock their hearts.”
Please join us in prayer that the hearts of the Bhutanese people will be unlocked to the gospel. Pray also that the Word of God will be made available so the people who live in fear of the dragon will experience the power of freedom through Jesus.