| 1 Last month the Olympics took place in China. One of the many unreached people groups in China is the Miao (mee-OW). Praise God that as prayers are lifted for the Miao people, many of these people will hear and receive the gospel (Revelation 7:9–10). |
2 The Miao people are sometimes called the Hmong. Usually the term Hmong refers to people both within and outside China who speak the Hmong language. Thank God that He loves the Miao people! |
| 3 Almost eight million Miao people live in China. That’s a lot of people who need to learn that Jesus died to forgive their sins! Pray that Christians will build relationships with Miao people so that they will see Christ’s love and will desire to know Him. |
4 To visit the Miao people, you would need to walk several days into the cold, mountainous areas of southwestern China. Pray that God’s Word will be taken to the remote Miao villages and that the people will listen, understand, and say yes to Jesus. |
| 5 Missionaries went to the Miao people in China in 1904. In 1949, the Communist government declared religion illegal in China. Pray that China will ease restrictions on religion and make it easier for the Miao people to learn about Jesus. |
6/7 What is an unreached people group? Every day, 2.72 billion people wake up in a place where very few people have heard about how Jesus died for their sins. These people are called “unreached people.” Less than 5 percent of the people from these groups are Christians. Pray that Christians around the world will find it unacceptable that anyone on earth remains unreached. |
| 8 There are four main languages among the Miao people. One of these languages has 35 different dialects. Pray that Christians in China will be able to clearly communicate with the Miao people so that these people understand the message of salvation. |
9 The Far-Western Hmong people did not have a written language until 1956. Without a written language, Bible translation is impossible. Pray that every Miao language and dialect will acquire a written language and a complete translation of God’s Word. |
| 10 Among the Miao people, information is passed orally from person to person through stories. Pray that Christians will use creative and accurate Bible stories to communicate the gospel to the Miao people. |
11 The China Inland Mission was founded by Hudson Taylor in 1865. Today this group is known as OMF. Pray that OMF will have the funds and the people needed to take Christ’s message to the Miao people. |
| 12 The message of salvation has reached only a small percentage of the Miao people. Pray that the Miao Christians will boldly share their faith in Jesus with friends and family members. |
13/14 Where do the Miao people live? Most of the Miao people live in China. Find a map of China that shows the provinces. About half of all Miao live in Guizhou; many others live in the provinces of
Hunan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guangxi, and Hubei. Though these people are scattered, God knows where they are; He wants them to hear about Him. Pray that Christians will go to where the Miao people live (Luke 10:2). |
| 15 The Miao people practice animism. They try to make spirits happy and to cast out bad spirits. Pray that the Miao will learn to trust in the power of Jesus over sin and evil and will experience His peace (Philippians 4:6–7). |
16 The Miao people give offerings or animal sacrifices to the local shaman, who claims to communicate with the spirit world. Pray that the people will stop going to the shaman and will turn to Jesus Christ and worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). |
| 17 The Miao people honor their dead ancestors in the hope that the ancestors can help them. Pray that the Miao people will worship God and put their hope in Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17). |
18 The Miao people enjoy music, festivals, and visits from guests. Festivals provide opportunities for young people to meet others and find a potential wife or husband. Pray that Christian young people will reach out to the Miao youth. |
| 19 Because the Miao people live in hilly regions, they live in “hanging houses” that have short stilts on the uphill side and long stilts on the downhill side. Pray that Miao houses will remain safe during landslides and earthquakes. |
20/21 What keeps the Miao people unreached? There are many factors, including animism and fear of spirits, the remoteness of the mountain villages where the people live, a government that has made religion illegal and persecutes believers, a lack of Bibles or Christian materials, and the scarcity of Miao believers. Pray that alll the Miao people will have an opportunity to hear about Jesus and repent of sin. |
| 22 In a Miao “hanging house,” the top level holds grain, the middle level is for living, and the bottom level is for farm animals. Pray that the Miao homes will be places where family members learn about God together (Deuteronomy 11:19). |
23 The Miao people get food by hunting and farming. Some common crops are mulberry, cotton, corn, rice, and vegetables. The people also raise farm animals.
Pray that the Miao people will worship God as the creator of their crops and animals. |
| 24 Most Miao children attend elementary school only; they quit school to work on the family farm. Pray that the children in Miao villages will learn about Jesus and will follow His ways. |
25 Originally the Miao people lived in central China, but over the years they have moved to get away from oppressive governments. They found refuge in the southern mountains. Pray that Miao people will take refuge in God’s love (Psalm 59:16). |
| 26 Distinctive colors, embroidery, jewelry, and costumes distinguish people in one Miao village from those in other villages. Pray that Miao people will want to be set apart to the Lord and will live a life that distinctly follows His ways. |
27/28 What can be done to reach the Miao people? There are no Bible translations for most of the Miao dialects. The Jesus film is available in only three Hmong languages. Though Christian radio programs are broadcast in some dialects, few of the Miao people have radios. Pray that God’s Word will become available to the Miao people in a variety of media. |
29 Miao or Hmong people who live outside China are found mostly in Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand.
Pray that the Miao people will trust in Jesus and will communicate the gospel to their friends and relatives in China. |
30 Most Miao people have never heard the gospel. Please remember to pray that the Miao and Hmong people in China will hear about Jesus and will call upon His name (Romans 10:13). |