Pray for Bhutan

Bhutan is a landlocked state in South Asia

It is located at the eastern end of the Himalayas.
It is bordered  to the south, east and west by India and to the north by China

The capital and largest city is Thimphu.
The population is 708,0000

FACTS
Bhutan is known as the Land of the Thunder Dragon

DEMOFRAPHICS
50%  Ngalop             (Northern Bhutanese)
35%  Lhotshampa         (Ethnic Nepalese)
15%  Indigenous/Migrant tribes

74% Buddhist
23% Hindu
2%  Other

HISTORY
Bhutan has been inhabited for thousands of years.

It was a patchwork of minor warring fiefdoms until the early 17th century.

Buddhism was first introduced during the 7th century AD.

In the 17th century the area was unified by Shabdrung Namgyal, who had fled persecution in Tibet.

In the early 20th century, Bhutan came into contact with the British Empire.

Bhutan was virtually isolated from the outside world until the 1960's

During the 1990s, Bhutan expelled many Lhotshampa due to concerns about their increasing numbers.
107,000 Bhutanese refugees still live in camps in eastern Nepal.

CONDITIONS
Bhutan is one of the world's least developed countries,

The economy is based on agriculture, forestry, tourism and the sale of hydroelectric power to India.

Bhutan has trade relations with both India and Tibet.
The economy is closely aligned with India's and gains much financial assistance from it.

Most development projects rely on Indian migrant labor.

80% of the population are farmers.

The rugged landscape makes building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive.

Athough slowly modernising the country is almost totally closed to the outside world.
Television and the internet were not allowed until 1999.

Unemployment is still rampant due to lack of economic development

Less than fifty percent of Bhutanese attend regularly.

Discrimination towards other ethnic groups, especially the Nepalese, has remained.


Due to the influx of Nepalese refugees, the government has restricted immigration laws.
This has deepened feelings of racism and bitterness between the two ethnic groups
This has also resulted in protests and violence.

There have been problems with drug abuse among teenagers.     

SPIRITUAL CONDITIONS
Bhutan is officlally a Buddhist state.

The Drukpa people, who make up 68% of the population, are staunch Buddhists.

The country isolation further reinforces the hold of Tantric Buddhism.

Many of the Nepalese are Hindu.

There are only a few hundred Christians.

Religions outside of Buddhism are not recognized

All public worship and evangelism by non-Buddhists is illegal.

Importing printed religious material is banned.
Only Buddhist religious texts are allowed in the country.

Children must attend Buddhist rites and festivals as part of their education.    

To convert to a different faith is a shameful act and often met with discrimination in the workplace.

Most persecution takes place in rural areas.

Christian family members can meet together, but can't meet with other Christian families.

Christians face discrimination from their families, as well as pressure to reconvert
to Buddhism.

Lack of training for believers causes disunity and doctrinal problems in church theology.

Many Christian families struggle with marital unfaithfulness

SUFFERERS
A court sentenced a man named Prem Singh Gurung, to 3 years in prison for
"attempting to promote civil unrest," by showing films on Christianity.

PRAYER NEEDS
Pray that the country's infrastructure improves.

Pray for those facing unemployment.

Pray that the Lhotshampa population be treated with equality

Pray for the Lhotshampa who are in refugee camps.

Pray for those suffering from drug addiction.

Pray for encouragement for believers, who are often forced to meet secretly.

Pray that they would be established in God's truth through the example of their parents.

Pray that church leaders be able to to strengthen Christian families.