South East Asia

Thaipusam Observed

Feb 5, 2025 | Festivals and Holidays, South East Asia

Thaipusam is an Indian festival originating from southern India, celebrated exclusively by the Tamil people. This year it will be observed on February 8.

Within minutes of Frank and his team mates witnessing the event, it became undeniably clear that those who consider themselves devoted followers of these Hindu gods are wholly committed—body, mind, and soul.

This festival demands extreme acts of devotion. Participants pierce their bodies with needles, hooks, or even small jugs of milk, while others carry enormous burdens—such as intricately decorated chariots or gallon-sized containers of milk—on a grueling two-mile trek uphill. This particular Thaipusum journey started at a Hindu temple at the base of a mountain to another at the summit, where offerings were made to specific idols. All this took place in the midst of the sweltering Southeast Asian heat and the throngs of thousands making the ascent together.

Frank and his teammates arrived in the midst of it all, determined to witness the spectacle firsthand and pray for every soul they encountered. The oppressive heat bore down on them, leaving them drenched in sweat and eventually with sunburns that lingered for days. After two exhausting hours, they finally reached the temple at the top.

Inside, the air pulsed with the sound of lively Indian music, yet the atmosphere was oppressive. People offered their life savings to the idols, while those who had pierced their bodies as acts of sacrifice stood motionless while the objects were carefully removed. Hundreds—perhaps thousands—of gallons of milk were poured over the golden and bronze statues, a sacred offering, given the holiness of cows in Hindu tradition.

Despite the intensity of the rituals, something was strikingly absent—joy. No one smiled. No one looked fulfilled. Instead, a heavy darkness seemed to overshadow everything, an unsettling oppressive presence. Amidst all the devotion, pain, and sacrifice, Frank and his teammates saw no peace or sense of hope. It all seemed tragically empty.

Yet, as Frank observed, he couldn’t ignore one undeniable truth: These worshippers, while far from knowing the one true God, willingly sacrificed everything in their desperate search for divine connection. Their faith—though misplaced—was real to them, shaping their actions and defining their lives.

Many participate in Thaipusam out of deep religious obligation, ancestral ties, or fear of displeasing the gods. Pray that Jesus would break any spiritual chains holding them back from experiencing freedom in Jesus. Pray that those participating in this festival would come to understand that Jesus has already made the ultimate sacrifice for them, and they do not need to endure suffering to earn divine favor.

OTHER HINDU HOLIDAYS

SHARING THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD WITH HINDUS
All over the world Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Newar Buddhists will light oil lamps and place them in their homes and businesses to invite the Goddess of Prosperity, read more …

DUSSEHRA
Different parts of India celebrate Dussehra in different ways. Scenes from Rama’s life might be enacted, grand processions may take place or effigies of Ravana burned. read more …

RAKHSHA BANDHAN
Rakhsha Bandhan is an annual Hindu festival celebrating the special bond between brothers and sisters or unrelated persons with a similar familial bond. read more …

Village Revival

Jan 29, 2025 | South East Asia, Stories

*Malai grew up in a small village in Isaan, Eastern Thailand, but later moved to the larger city of Chiang Mai, where she found work with a Christian ministry. During her time there, Malai came to personally understand the gospel and made a life-changing commitment to Jesus Christ. Though she shared her new faith privately with her family on visits home, she kept a low profile, and her family members who believed did so in secret. Given the lack of churches and other believers in the area, Malai worried about the social challenges that Christians who openly practice their faith might face in her village.

However, when Malai returned to her village for an extended period after her mother’s passing, she was encouraged to meet a few neighbors who had also become followers of Jesus. These neighbors even hosted worship and Bible study gatherings in their homes. Inspired, Malai decided not to return to Chiang Mai. Instead, she embraced her village community, regularly visiting neighbors, leading others to Christ, and nurturing new believers in their faith. Now, rather than remaining secret believers, Malai and others are learning to live out a simple, authentic faith that invites others to follow Jesus openly.

*Atid also grew up in a small Thai village, a 15 minute bike ride from the village Malai had grown up in. But like many others, he eventually left for Bangkok to build a career. One day Atid found a Christian tract on the ground, at the time his sister lay dying in hospital. Atid decided to pray to the God (Jesus) the tract spoke of—he prayed that the Lord would heal his sister. He vowed that if God healed his sister, he would visit a church ten times. Miraculously and without medical explanation his prayer was answered! His sister recovered from her illness.

Atid panicked because he could not remember exactly how many times he had promised to attend church. He did, however, want to keep the promise he had made to God. After his second time attending church, he knew the message about Jesus was true and he prayed to receive Jesus as Lord. Atid embraced his new faith, found a church in Bangkok, and even met his wife there. When he and his wife returned to his village years later, he brought his faith in Jesus with him.

Atid’s return aligned perfectly with discipleship training that missionaries were introducing in his area. In a village where most people were Buddhists and churches were nonexistent, Atid’s desire to share his faith inspired him to use his home for simple gatherings. Gradually, other families in the village began praying and reading the Bible in their own homes as well.

When Malai returned to her village, she was encouraged by the gatherings Atid had already started. *Manop, one of the men Atid had discipled to the Lord, had helped Malai while she was grieving for her mom. Malai was so moved by Manop’s kindness and support that she began leading others to faith and opened her home for Bible study and worship. Her involvement brought many women into discipleship, and together, she and Atid are now fostering a growing community of believers in the village, transforming it from the inside out.

*pseudonyms

READ OTHER STORIES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA

BUDDHIST WOMAN HEALED OF CANCER
*Somchai lived in the bustling city of Bangkok. Life for the 26-year-old seemed to be crumbling around her. read more

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Ami found herself wasting away due to her struggles with alcohol abuse. Her days were consumed by card games, read more

A TRIUMPH OVER BLACK MAGIC
*Narong and *Junta were deeply immersed in the occult practices and folk Buddhism of Thailand when they encountered read more

Could a Flat Tire be a Divine Appointment?

Dec 26, 2024 | South East Asia, Stories

*Mulamdon and *Maht had been thriving as disciples under the guidance of *Chai and *Nong for several months within the comforting setting of their house church. Among the fresh faces soaking in the teachings of Jesus and Bible stories was their daughter-in-law, *Tik.

After attending the small house church for several weeks, Tik had to suddenly leave. Her father fell ill in a village some distance away. Without hesitation, Tik, her husband and their young daughter relocated to her dad’s village so they could help with his recovery. Everyone in the group was sad to see Tik leave, just as she was beginning to truly understand what it meant to be a disciple of Jesus.

Yet, amid the trials of life, unexpected blessings often emerge. Mulamdon and Maht decided to visit Tik and her ailing father in the hopes of not just showing support for Tik, but also praying for her family.

On the way there, one of the tires on their motorbike went flat. Eager to get to Tik’s and her dad’s house before sundown, they reached out to Chai for assistance.

Thankfully Chai was able to help, and all three of them arrived at Tik’s house shortly before sunset. This meant they would have to spend the night with Tik’s family. What transpired was an evening of profound connection, even divine appointment, as Chai’s seasoned wisdom complemented the earnest efforts of Tik, Mulamdon, and Maht in sharing their faith. Tik’s extended family found the collective testimony fascinating and showed genuine interest in the Bible stories that were shared. They became eager to learn more about Jesus.

Reflecting on the evening’s events, Mulamdon remarked, “It is amazing how God can take a flat tire and turn it into something good!” He hasn’t yet made it to Romans 8:28 in his Bible learning, but he is eager to get there!

*pseudonyms

READ OTHER STORIES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA

BUDDHIST WOMAN HEALED OF CANCER
*Somchai lived in the bustling city of Bangkok. Life for the 26-year-old seemed to be crumbling around her. read more

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Ami found herself wasting away due to her struggles with alcohol abuse. Her days were consumed by card games, read more

I, TOO WILL FOLLOW JESUS
Buddhist-background Pastor Mii declared in Thai, “Today I have the privilege to reciprocate blessing upon a … read more

A Triumph Over Black Magic

Nov 13, 2024 | South East Asia, Stories

*Narong and *Junta were deeply immersed in the occult practices and folk Buddhism of Thailand when they encountered Jesus and became His disciples.

Narong, in particular, embraced his newfound faith with joy, actively sharing the gospel and leading others to Christ through acts of kindness, personal testimony, and the simple teachings of Jesus.

In Thailand, new disciples of Jesus typically do not face the physical threats and persecution that are common in neighboring communist or Muslim countries. However, a surprising and unsettling threat began to loom over Narong and Junta’s family. Junta fell victim to a mysterious and debilitating illness that grew progressively worse.

Despite multiple blood tests, doctors were baffled by her condition. As Junta’s health deteriorated, the family was forced to make significant adjustments, including changes in their living situation, finances, and ministry. Eventually, her condition became so severe that the church gathered to pray for her, seeking relief from her pain and for her heart to be prepared for what seemed like an imminent death.

During this time of prayer, the wife of their movement catalyst discerned that Junta had been cursed by another woman who sought to take Narong as her husband. Upon investigation, they discovered this to be true. Despite Narong and Junta having been married for over ten years and blessed with two healthy daughters, a well-known shaman had been enlisted by the woman to curse Junta to death.

Narong’s kindness had attracted many spiritually hungry people, but it had also drawn the attention of enemies of Christ, leading to this targeted attack through black magic.

After this revelation, the movement catalyst and his wife led the family in a dedicated season of prayer and fasting. Today, Junta has made a full recovery, and her testimony has become a powerful source of encouragement within the movement, offering hope to those who fear the power of black magic. Narong and Junta’s two daughters have since grown into bold, articulate young leaders within this rapidly expanding movement.

Please pray for their continued witness to the spiritually hungry people they encounter.

*pseudonyms

READ OTHER STORIES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA

BUDDHIST WOMAN HEALED OF CANCER
*Somchai lived in the bustling city of Bangkok. Life for the 26-year-old seemed to be crumbling around her. read more

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Ami found herself wasting away due to her struggles with alcohol abuse. Her days were consumed by card games, read more

I, TOO WILL FOLLOW JESUS
Buddhist-background Pastor Mii declared in Thai, “Today I have the privilege to reciprocate blessing upon a … read more

Ordinary People Making Disciples of Jesus

Nov 6, 2024 | South East Asia, Stories

When Peter and John addressed the Sanhedrin after Jesus’ resurrection, the assembly marveled at their boldness, noting that they were “unschooled, ordinary men.” In a world that often associates spiritual authority with advanced education, Jesus bestowed spiritual authority on ordinary people who had been with him.

Consider the incredible story of *Achara, an ordinary Isaan (Thai) villager who, with boldness and courage, shared her faith.

Achara, a shy woman with a fourth-grade education, embraced Christianity two decades ago. Despite faithfully attending every Christian gathering in her area, she had hesitated to take her faith beyond the confines of these meetings. However, last April, everything changed.

During a village outreach, Achara partnered with some bold Lao women who fearlessly explained the message of Jesus as they visited households. Inspired by their courage and testimonies, Achara, realizing their ordinary backgrounds, decided to continue sharing about Jesus upon returning home. She soon connected with *Jhi, who was grappling with severe health issues and spiritual challenges. Plagued by demonic harassment at night, she suffered from insomnia, leading to mental instability. Additionally, she had diabetes, advanced kidney failure, and swollen aneurysms in her brain.

Four years prior, Jhi’s in-laws had advised her husband, “You need to make serious merit if you expect your wife to live.” Making merit means giving food, money, cloth for robes, etc to monks and temples. Accordingly, Jhi’s husband sought to gain merit by donating six acres of rice paddy land. He raised money to build a Buddhist temple. He organized and led the temple committee and recruited monks to live in the temple. After that, he sold 20 more acres of land to raise money for doctors. Despite these efforts, Jhi’s condition worsened and she grew progressively weaker.

Praise God, Achara felt empowered to share the gospel with Jhi. Daily, Jhi would listen to Achara read the Bible aloud in an outdoor hut, finding peace in the words. With the help of Achara’s husband, they built a shelter by a nearby pond for Jhi, providing a cooler and quieter space for her to rest. Achara continued sharing about Jesus and praying for Jhi’s healing.

After a month, Jhi had gained enough strength to function normally. At this point, she prayed to receive Jesus. The transformation astounded her husband, leading him and their three adult daughters to also become Jesus’s disciples. Jhi’s husband walked away from the temple he had funded and helped build.

A few weeks later, Jhi visited her friend *Peng, who had been in a coma after a severe beating. Just as Jhi had been prayed for, she prayed for Peng’s healing, asking God to stop the trembling hand that had emerged post-coma. God answered the prayer, and Peng’s hand stopped trembling. In response, Peng and her husband decided to follow Jesus.

*Dai, a ministry partner, has trained and actively mentors leaders in the village house church which meets in the home of Achara and her husband. Jhi and Peng’s families and 30 other people regularly attend this house church, started by one ordinary woman who boldly shared her faith in Jesus.

Pray God continues to bless Anchara and Jhi as they share Jesus with other women in their village. Pray that many other women are touched by their testimonies and that God continues to answer their prayers for others.
Ask that the husbands of these women will boldly share their faith as well. Pray for Jhi’s husband in particular to be a bold witness for Jesus. Pray that his parents will become followers of Jesus.
Pray for people who supported the temple. Ask for a change of heart across the whole subdistrict, as there may be unhappy feelings since Jhi’s husband has walked away.
Ask for great joy and love to grow among members of this house church.

*pseudonyms

READ OTHER STORIES FROM SOUTH EAST ASIA

BUDDHIST WOMAN HEALED OF CANCER
*Somchai lived in the bustling city of Bangkok. Life for the 26-year-old seemed to be crumbling around her. read more

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT
Ami found herself wasting away due to her struggles with alcohol abuse. Her days were consumed by card games, read more

IT MUST BE JESUS WHO DID THIS
*Uhn was the town drunk and the senior patriarch of his large extended family. Over a year ago, *Scott’s local partner, … read more