Embrace god s love for the WorLd

Transcription

1 Embrace god s love for the WorLd

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3 Embrace god s love for the WorLd

4 Contents Introduction vi Animist peoples Bouyei Nosu Bhil Celebration Story! Transforming Power Hindu peoples Brahmin Bania Rajput Celebration Story! The Eagle and the Cell Phone Atheist peoples Shaozhou Han Ming North Korean Celebration Story! The Secret Muslim peoples Malay Ansari Fulani Celebration Story! The Narrow Escape Buddhist peoples Dai Khamba Lao Celebration Story! God Move Mountains maps and additional resources Mapping the Unreached Further Activities for Older Children Supplemental Activities Prayer Cards & Map

5 introduction After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. revelation 7:9 God s desire and plan is to receive worship from people in every culture on the planet. God promises that one day, people from every culture will worship before His throne in heaven. But currently, about one third of the world cannot worship Jesus because they have never heard of Him. This resource provides simple ways for you to expand your children s view of the world that God loves by giving them a glimpse into cultures that have no access to the transforming gospel of Jesus. Activities will help your family learn: Who these peoples are and where they live What their daily lives are like What they currently believe and how this differs from the truth of God s Word This resource also gives your family a strategic way to partner with God through intercession. Why is cultivating a habit of intercession in your family important? First, by praying for those who do not have any way of learning about Jesus, you join with God in His eternal mission: making Himself known among all the nations of the earth. v

6 Secondly, through intercession, you help God s kingdom advance into new areas where Christ is not known. Jesus said,...the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field (Matthew 9:37-38). Less than 10 percent of goers (workers who serve cross-culturally) serve in areas where people have no access to the gospel. In some cases there are one or two workers per one million people. Only two percent of money given towards missions is used for global work among the unreached. By praying for more workers and resources to go to these areas, your family becomes a blessing to those currently without access to the gospel. Resource Overview How to use this book One Big Vision has three components that complement one another. Each religious bloc section contains background information, worldview activities, stories, and coloring pages. 1. Sections of information, activities, and stories about the five major unreached religious blocs around the world: animist, Hindu, atheist, Muslim, and Buddhist. You can download the 15 coloring pages that go along with these religious blocs and print more copies for yourself. Download at weavefamily.org/visionactivites Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all the peoples. GREENLAND (DENMARK) ICELAND SWEDEN FINLAND RUSSIA NORWAY Use the Background Information the first page of each section to familiarize yourself with the basics of each religious bloc. This page includes a pictograph showing countries with significant unreached populations within the religious bloc. Older children may enjoy reading this background information, and all ages will benefit from mapping the countries in Mapping the Unreached on page 52. ESTONIA CANADA LATVIA DENMARK UNITED KINGDOM NORTHERN IRELAND IRELAND NETHERLANDS BELGIUM LITHUANIA BELARUS GERMANY SLOVENIA CROATIA BOSNIA ITALY PORTUGAL SPAIN CUBA HAITI GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR UZBEKISTAN ARMENIA NORTH KOREA TAJIKISTAN TURKMENISTAN SOUTH KOREA SYRIA CYPRUS LEBANON IRAN IRAQ ISRAEL LIBYA KYRGYZSTAN AZERBAIJAN JORDAN EGYPT ST. KITTS AND NEVIS ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA MALI NIGER PAKISTAN SENEGAL CHAD NEPAL GUINEA-BISSAU TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO UAE INDIA YEMEN ERITREA SUDAN GUYANA COLOMBIA SURINAME TOGO MYANMAR LAOS THAILAND DJIBOUTI BENIN COTE D IVOIRE LIBERIA FRENCH GUIANA (FRANCE) BANGLADESH CAMBODIA BURKINA FASO GUINEA SIERRA LEONE VENEZUELA PANAMA NIGERIA PHILIPPINES VIETNAM ETHIOPIA SOUTH SUDAN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC GHANA SRI LANKA CAMEROON EQUATORIAL GUINEA ECUADOR GABON M A L AY S I A SOMALIA UGANDA REP. OF THE CONGO KENYA RWANDA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO INDONESIA BURUNDI PAPUA NEW GUINEA TANZANIA BRAZIL PERU ANGOLA SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN BOLIVIA SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN BHUTAN QATAR THE GAMBIA NICARAGUA COSTA RICA JAPAN CHINA AFGHANISTAN KUWAIT SAUDI ARABIA OMAN MAURITANIA PUERTO RICO HONDURAS GEORGIA TURKEY TUNISIA DOMINICAN REPUBLIC JAMAICA BULGARIA MOROCCO ALGERIA BELIZE MONGOLIA SERBIA WESTERN SAHARA THE BAHAMAS HAWAII KAZAKHSTAN MOLDOVA HUNGARY ROMANIA MACEDONIA ALBANIA GREECE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN MEXICO UKRAINE SLOVAKIA AUSTRIA SWITZERLAND FRANCE UNITED S TATE S POLAND CZECH REP. LUXEMBOURG NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN PARAGUAY ZAMBIA INDIAN OCEAN MAURITIUS VANUATU FIJI NEW CALEDONIA (FRANCE) REUNION (FRANCE) BOTSWANA MADAGASCAR AUSTRALIA SWAZILAND CHILE SOUTH AFRICA URUGUAY SOLOMON ISLANDS MALAWI MOZAMBIQUE ZIMBABWE NAMIBIA SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN LESOTHO ARGENTINA NEW ZEALAND ILES KERGUELEN Psalm 96:3 Connecting everyday families to the global story of God. Discover more family resources at weavefamily.org Weave is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization. mobilization.org 2. A downloadable full-color world map to help your children locate the peoples you will be discovering throughout One Big Vision. Download at weavefamily.org/visionactivites GREETING; nee shuh tee vah vah law WHERE WE LIVE; Southwest China FUN FACT; Childre n receive candy and gifts for Nosu New Year. WE BELIEVE; Spirits of our ancestors and spirits living in water, rocks, trees, or animal s control our lives. Rajput Then, step into the daily lives of three children from different unreached people groups within each religious bloc. The Stories help you learn about their culture and allow you to pray in specific ways for their needs. Each section wraps up with a Celebration Story of unreached peoples who have come to Jesus. We serve a great God who gives us hope that one day, every knee will bow and every tongue confess Jesus as Lord! At the back of this book, you will find the Mapping the Unreached activity and Supplemental Activities. Malay of Malaysia PRAY; That we will trust in God who created the whole universe and is more powerf ul than spirits. of Ind ia 3. A downloadable set of prayer cards, with a card for each of the 15 unreached people groups your children will meet in One Big Vision. Download at weavefamily.org/visionactivites vi The Worldview activties for each section help your family explore the belief systems embraced by each religious bloc.

7 What is a people group? What did Jesus mean when He commanded His followers to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19)? We often interchange the words nations and countries, but when Jesus spoke of nations, He used the Greek word ethne, meaning ethnic groups. Jesus was not referring to countries like China, Brazil, or India, but to people. People can be grouped by ways they are alike. When families speak the same language, construct similar styles of homes, eat similar foods, enjoy the same kinds of stories, crafts, and games, share the same history, observe common traditions, and hold similar religious beliefs, they are part of the same people group. It is possible for families from many different people groups, each with their own distinct way of life, to live together in the same country. For example, India (pictured right) is one country with more than 2,500 people groups (joshuaproject.net). It is also possible for families from the same people group to live in many different countries. What happens to the green stick figures if we move some from India to Pakistan? Do the green figures stop being green when we move them to the blue background? Of course not! It is the same way with people. Being part of the same people group depends on who you are, not where you live. Families often keep their distinct way of life, even when surrounded by people groups who are different from them. Today, most countries have some followers of Jesus, but certain people groups within those countries are still waiting to hear about Jesus for the first time. God wants families from every people group to have a relationship with Him (Revelation 7:9). Pakistan India India Use what you learned here to explain what a people group is to your children. vii

8 What does Unreached mean? Every community has people who have never really heard the gospel. In some places, it is easy for them to learn about God if they choose to. They have easy access to Bibles, churches, Christian media like TV shows or radio broadcasts, internet, and worship music. They also have the opportunity to be around people who know Jesus people who reflect what God is like by what they say and do. In other parts of the world, learning about God is very difficult. Some people do not have access to a Bible, the main way God reveals Himself to us. They live in places where it is impossible to go to a church where God s Word is taught in their language there aren t any! They have no movies or TV shows that depict what God does or how He relates to people. They have never heard or sung praise songs to the true, living God. They do not know anyone who reflects God not their family, friends, teachers, coworkers, or neighbors. They have no one in their culture to show them what it looks like to follow Jesus in daily life. These people who have no way of hearing the gospel or seeing the gospel lived out in their culture are called unreached. About 6,500-7,000 unreached people groups exist today. We have many ways of learning about God. Will we be a part of bringing the gospel to those who have never heard it before? Use what you learned here to explain what unreached means to your children. some helpful online resources on religious blocs and unreached people groups Joshuaproject.net videos and print information on five religious worldviews, unreached peoples prayer cards in multiple languages Prayafrica.org information on unreached people groups of Africa Prayercast.com prayer videos for regions, countries, religious blocs Peoplegroups.org print information on religious worldviews, unreached people groups by region and country viii Teamexpansion.org downloadable prayer guide for six religious worldviews Weavefamily.org resource section has 12 child-friendly videos on specific unreached people groups Pray-AP.info information and prayer requests for countries in the Arabian Peninsula

9 A Animist peoples 1

10 Animists Animistic groups usually live in isolated areas like mountains, islands, or rainforests. Their beliefs are often referred to as traditional, ethnic, indigenous, or folk religion. Animists believe in a distant Creator who is not interested in knowing them in a personal way. They believe in spirit beings in nature who rule over the earth. They believe that these spirits are powerful enough to control people s daily lives. Since they are often fearful of offending the spirits, they offer them sacrifices of food, plants, or money to keep them happy. Many animistic families also have certain items they use as protection from the evil spirits they believe in. They might hang a charm around their neck or put a special amulet in their home to protect the family. Millions of animists have never had the opportunity to hear about Jesus. They do not understand that God is an all powerful Father who wants to know them personally and fill their lives with hope. Large populations of unreached animists Large stick figures represent 100 million unreached people. Medium stick figures represent 10 million and smaller stick figures represent 1 million. China; 123 million vietnam; 5 million Taiwan; 4 million Mongolia; 2 million Niger; 754,000 < Animistic beliefs & practices HAve existed SInce Old TESTAmENt times. God WArned the IsRAelitES against adopting the practices of the CanAAnitES. (Deuteronomy 12,18) Unreached is defined as no indigenous community of believing Christians (less than 2 percent) with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group (JoshuaProject.net).

11 Worldview What do animists believe? Use these simple activities to help your family understand the main beliefs of animists. Concept #1 Help children understand the difference between a distant unknowable creator and, God, an intimate Creator who desires a relationship with all peoples. Family Activity: During a time when you are outdoors this week, look for and point out birds near your home. Discuss who made and takes care of birds. As you do, talk about how animistic people believe in a supreme being that created the world but has no interest in their lives. Contrast this with what our God is like and how He is interested in everything that happens in our lives. Ask your children about recent events in your family s life where you saw God helping your family. Share Luke 12:6-7 with your children and talk about the character of God reflected in these verses. Emphasize how God created and loves animistic families, too. Pray that animistic families would know that He is not a faraway creator, but a loving Heavenly Father. Concept #2 Help children understand the difference between the nature of spirits that animists believe in and the true God. Family Activity: Have everyone make a muscle with their arm. Talk about what the most powerful things in the world are and take turns naming them. Explain to your children that animists believe spirits live inside objects in nature. Share that they believe these spirits are powerful enough to cause good or harm. Share Psalm 89:8 with your children and explain how nothing matches our God in power. Talk about how God is more powerful than all of the things your family listed. Share how God is more powerful than evil spirits and even Satan. Pray with your family for animistic families to understand that God not only created the world, but reigns over it. Concept #3 Help children understand the difference between the fear-dominated life of animistic peoples and the hopeful life of those who trust in the true God. Family Activity: At bedtime, ask your children to go get something that they might use to comfort them when they get frightened (stuffed animal, special blanket, music, a light, a parent, etc.). Ask them to share how this item comforts them when they are afraid. Explain that animistic families also have certain things they use when they get scared. They use these not only to make them feel better, but as protection against harm from the evil spirits they believe in. Read Isaiah 41:10 with your children. Point out how God does not want us to spend our lives being afraid and that He is our great protector. Explain that God wants the best for us and His plans for us are always good. Share with your children that God wants to replace the fears of animistic families with peace. Spend some time praying that animists will learn to trust in God as their loving Creator who has good plans for their lives. 3

12 Story Bouyei (boo-ye) of China Come with me to the misty mountains of southern China, where yellow flowers carpet the river valleys. In this small village, Bouyei (boo-ye) families worship spirits and make offerings to their ancestors. Children here have never heard about Jesus. Beyond that stone gate is the home of that boy who is feeding chickens Hi. I m Liang (lee-ahng). Welcome to Guizhou (gway-jzoh) Province. My people, the Bouyei (booye), are different from the Han majority in China. We speak a different language and follow our own traditions. My home is made from stones. Together with our neighbors, we built the walls and put on a thatched roof. My chickens and pigs stay on the ground floor. Our stone fence keeps them from wandering off. My parents, sisters, and I live on the second floor, but we cook outside. I gather and chop wood and help Mother light the cooking fire. I also feed the animals. We don t have running water so my sisters wash our clothes in the nearby river. All three of us fetch drinking water. I can carry two full buckets at once. First I attach the buckets to opposite ends of a tree branch. Then I lift the branch, place it behind my head, and balance it across my shoulders. My father is a farmer. He uses our bull to plow the rice and wheat fields. In the evening, he carves wood and drinks rice wine. My mother and sisters prefer tea flavored with sweet honeysuckle flowers. They patiently embroider colorful designs on skirts, blouses, and hats they have made by hand. They even weave their own cloth on a loom. I love sitting around the evening fire with neighbors. The men tell fairy tales and legends of ancient heroes. Not to be outdone, the women recite poems and sing folk songs. Next week is the Ox King Festival, a holiday to celebrate the first day of spring planting. Women make special cakes and steam sticky rice dyed five different colors. In a special ceremony, we offer these foods to our dead ancestors, hoping they will bless our families and bring us a good harvest. Afterwards, half of the rice offering goes to feed our cattle, who get the day off as a reward for working so hard! Pray Pray that God will reveal Himself to Bouyei villagers who work constantly to please the spirits they fear. Pray that their fear will be replaced by hope in their Creator God. Bouyei families have an oral culture, preferring to learn through telling stories and singing rather than reading. Pray that the good news of Jesus will come to them through Bible storytelling, drama, and music. 4

13 Animist Bouyei (boo-ye) of China After a full day of work on their farms, Bouyei communities sit around a fire at night, telling fairy tales and legends of ancient heroes. 5

14 Story Nosu (noh-suh) of China Walk with me through a small mountain village in southwest China where the Nosu (noh-soo) live. You can see many people farming and herding in the distance. Families here fear evil spirits, believing they have the power to harm their families or cause bad harvests. Some worship their ancestors. Most Nosu children have never heard of a God who loves them. See the girl in the colorful headdress? She s getting ready for a special festival this evening... Hi, My name is Aga (ah-gah). Welcome to Sichuan (sish-wahn) Province in southwest China. My people live in small villages perched on the sides of lush, green mountains. Like most homes, mine has mud walls, a wooden door, and a tile roof. Our gardens are nearby and we have a chicken coop in our backyard. My best friend raises pigs instead of chickens. My father and older brother go out to the pastures every morning with the sheep. Mother works alongside other women in the fields, carrying my baby sister on her back in a cloth sling. We grow corn, potatoes, and leafy plants called buckwheat. Mom is teaching me how to make buckwheat bread. First, we grind the buckwheat seeds into a powder similar to flour. Next we add water to form dough. After shaping the dough we cook the round cakes of bread over an open fire. Roasted potatoes and buckwheat bread make a tasty meal. After a hard day s work, we take time to sit, visit, and listen to legends of long ago. Wrapping his wool cape tightly around him, my grandfather puffs on his long pipe. In a steady voice, he begins A long time ago, a strong man from earth beat a strong man from heaven in a wrestling match. The man from heaven sent swarms of locusts to destroy all of our crops, but our people saved our fields by lighting torches to drive them away! We have a yearly festival based on this legend. During the Torch Festival I love wearing my beautiful Nosu costume. My brother enjoys staying up late three nights in a row! After dark, we carry tall, flaming torches and join other families to march around the village. Some villagers place their torches in the corners of our fields to drive away evil spirits who could cause a bad harvest. On the last night of the Torch Festival, we sing and dance around huge bonfires. Pray Most Nosu families have never heard about Jesus. They live in fear of spirits that may harm them. Pray that Nosu families will learn about the true God who loves them and wants the best for them. Many Nosu families are oral learners. Pray that goers will come to their villages and share God s Word through storytelling. 6

15 Animist Nosu (noh-suh) of China Nosu girls like to help their mother make traditional buckwheat bread. They grind the flour, form the dough into round loaves, and bake it over a fire. 7

16 Story Bhil (beel) of India Walk with me down the winding, tree-lined path to a small village in the clearing. Here Bhil (beel) families worship spirits and depend on magic spells to prevent disease and misfortune. Most boys and girls have never heard of Jesus. See the barefoot girl in the red dress Hi. My name is Ananda. Welcome to Gujarat (goo-jah-raht) State in central India. Called the bow people, my Bhil ancestors were fierce warriors. They used bows and arrows to hunt animals and defend our land from outsiders. Today most men are farmers, but some, like my father, still use bows and arrows for hunting. My stick house has a clay tile roof. In the surrounding field, we grow grains like wheat, barley, millet, and corn. Most days, I do chores. Every morning, I fetch water from the well in the middle of the village and carry it home in a jar balanced on my head. Then my mother, sister, and I begin preparing dinner. I grind the corn into flour used to make chapatis (cha-pah-teez), a thick flatbread. While Mother fries the chapatis over a hot fire, my sister grinds spices to make curry powder, a flavoring for our meat and vegetables. We make our own plates by weaving together large, round leaves using sticks. We eat meals on the ground outside our home. We scoop up our food with the chapatis. After a hard day s work, I am tired and ready for bed. I sleep on a charpoy (chahr-poy), a cot-like bed made of wood and rope netting. We have two important people in our village. The headman leads our village and makes important decisions. The witch doctor control the spirits. He protects us against evil spells cast by those who want to bring sickness or bad luck to our family. The witch doctor sells special charms to wear for protection. Even though we work hard, Bhil families love celebrating. During festivals, we sing songs and perform dances that tell stories of brave warriors from the past. I can teach you the Ghoomar (goo-mahr), a women s circle dance. As men sing and play instruments, ladies twirl to the music, colorful skirts billowing out, hands moving gracefully. The dance keeps getting faster and faster. Every year, Bhil families travel to the Banashwar (bah-nee-shwahr) Fair. Hundreds of us camp along the river in homemade tents. In the evening, we talk and sing around the campfire. At this huge Hindu festival, there are magic shows, acrobats, carnival rides, and street vendors. Pray Bhil families mix together Hindu worship of idols, spirit worship of things in nature, ancestor worship, and witchcraft. Pray that God will reveal Himself to them as the one true and living God. Only 1 percent of the 12 million Bhil people have heard of Jesus. Pray for God to raise up goers to live and serve among them. Pray that the few Bhil believers will share their faith boldly with family and friends. 8

17 Animist Bhil (beel) of India These people are experts in handling bows and arrows. The name Bhil was derived from the Hindi word billee, meaning bow. 9

18 Celebration Story Transforming Power God is at work among animist people groups. This is a true story of how one man turned from worshiping spirits to worship Jesus. In a hot, dusty land dotted with thorn bushes live the Tandroy people of Madagascar. Like their ancestors, many think of God as a distant being who is unconcerned with their daily lives. One man, Fomesoa, used to think that too until one day, everything changed. At age 15, Fomesoa became a witch doctor. This happened, Fomesoa says, when an evil spirit came directly to me and guided me to buy a particular type of wood to start making charms. Since that time, Fomesoa earned a living making idols and charms to cure people from illness and other health ailments. Some people in his village came to him seeking help, but others did not approve of his occupation. Almost all were scared of Fomesoa s power. Then something in Fomesoa s life began to change. In the beginning, there was no one who told me about Jesus, but I just started to care less and less about my idols. I think that is when Jesus first came into my life. A few weeks later, a team of Christian workers from the region s capital came to Fomesoa s village. They met with whomever gathered in the shade of the largest tree in the village to build friendships and share about Jesus. On that day, Fomesoa was there. As the team of believers told Fomesoa about Jesus, they also urged him to get rid of his idols and charms. Feeling convicted in his heart, Fomesoa lit a fire outside his house and threw all the charms he had made into the flames. Looking back, he knows that his lack of interest in the charms was God at work. I felt something changing in my life, I felt happy about burning the idols, Fomesoa said. Now this former witch doctor loves and follows Jesus. Formesoa does not sell charms anymore and has found a new way to earn money to provide for his wife and ten children. I feel peace in my life now, Fomesoa says with a smile. Source: Adapted with permission from OM International article by Rebecca Rempel ( 10

19 Animist HHindu peoples 11

20 Hindus Hindus believe in many gods and goddesses who are different forms of one supreme God. Some gods create, protect, and bring good luck, while others destroy. Because Hindus do not believe they can know the supreme being in a personal way, they often worship idols of these other forms of god. These idols are often made from stone, wood, gold, or silver. Hindus go to large temples, small booths along the road, or shrines in their homes and ring bells to wake up their gods. Then, they offer sacrifices, burn incense, worship, and pray. Hindus also believe in reincarnation, a repeating cycle of rebirth. They believe the way they behave now determines what their next life will be like. This connection between present actions and future consequences is called karma. If you behave badly now, Hindus believe you may come back as a poor person, someone with a disease, or even as an insect. Therefore, Hindus strive to behave well by treating others kindly, praying, visiting holy sites, and offering gifts to their gods. They long to break free from the cycle of reincarnation and find eternal peace. Millions of Hindus have never had the opportunity to hear about Jesus. Though some Hindus believe that Jesus is one god among many others, they have never heard the truth that there is only one God who is full of grace, who sees and knows them, and who is all in all. When Hinduism began, God s people were enslaved in Egypt and their future leader, Moses, was growing up in Pharaoh s household. Large populations of unreached Hindus Large stick figures represent 100 million unreached people. Medium stick figures represent 10 million and smaller stick figures represent 1 million. India; 958 million Nepal; 18 million Bangladesh; 9 million sri lanka; 7 million Indonesia; 4 million Unreached is defined as no indigenous community of believing Christians (less than 2 percent) with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group (JoshuaProject.net).

21 Worldview What do Hindus believe? Use these simple activities to help your family understand the main beliefs of Hindus. Concept #1 Help children contrast the Hindu belief in many forms of god and the belief in one God who is all in all. Family Activity: Present a cup of beans or lentils that are all the same color, except for one that you have colored. As you look in the cup with your family, explain that Hindus believe in many forms of God, and that they may even think that the true God is just one among many. Have your child pick out the bean that is different, and share how the true God is different. Read Deuteronomy 6:4 and share that God is one. He is everything we need and we can know Him personally. Explain that God loves Hindus and wants them to know that He is one, and that they can have a relationship with Him. Invite your children to take turns holding the colored bean and pray that Hindus would come to know the one true God. Concept #2 Help children contrast idol worship with the worship of the true God who sees, hears, and has the power to act. Family Activity: This week when you hear an alarm go off, take a moment to explain that in the same way we use an alarm to wake us up or get our attention, Hindus ring bells at their temples to wake up their gods and get their attention. Describe what Hindu gods look like. Read Psalm 115:3-8 to your children and explain that Hindu gods can not see, hear, or act. Then use Psalms 121:2-4 to compare them to the true God who never sleeps or slumbers. Share with your family that God loves Hindus, and wants them to know the true God who sees, hears, and knows them. Make it a habit in your family to pray for Hindus whenever you hear an alarm go off. Concept #3 Help children compare reincarnation multiple lives whose quality is dependent on our good or bad actions with an eternal life based on God s grace. Family Activity: Find a belt in your home and have your children buckle it. As children hold it, explain reincarnation. Explain that Hindus strive to gain good karma and escape the cycle of reincarnation through their good actions. Invite children to unbuckle the belt as you read Hebrews 9:27-28a. Explain that our earthly life begins when we are born and ends when we die. Share that God loves Hindus and wants them to know that when we trust in Jesus, we are given a new future with God in heaven after we die. Take a moment to pray with your family that Hindus would trust in Jesus work on the cross for their salvation. Pray that they would know the grace and forgiveness of the only one who can give them a future with God. 13

22 Story Brahmin (brah-min) of India Come with me to a temple washed in orange candlelight, where the sweet scent of incense fills every corner of the room. Many families in this part of India do not know Jesus. Most practice Hinduism, a religion with millions of gods, ancient writings, and special ceremonies like this one. See that boy sitting cross-legged on the mat Hi, my name is Gupta (goop-tah). Welcome to Hyderabad (high-druh-bahd) in southeast India. Only boys from the highest castes can participate in this Ceremony of the Sacred Thread. Fortunately, I come from a family of Brahmins, the highest ranking and most respected group in India. Down through history, Brahmins were advisors to the king. Today, we have the best, highest paying jobs. My father is a doctor and Mother is a scholar of our ancient Sanskrit language. Hindu priests, our religious leaders, are all Brahmins. This morning I woke up early. I took a bath and put on the new clothes that Mother laid out for this special occasion. After breakfast, Father and I stood in front of the small statue of our house god, praying and offering a sacrifice of rice. Then we walked here to this neighborhood temple. Mother stayed home to prepare food for the celebration following this ceremony. We are expecting many guests. But right now, I sit on this mat, legs crossed, eyes closed, heart racing in anticipation. Father sits on my left. On my right is a guru. This teacher leans close and whispers a Hindu chant into my ear. When I open my eyes, Father loops a white, cotton string around my chest and back like a sash and straightens it across my left shoulder. Like other Brahmin men, I will wear this white string for the rest of my life. It symbolizes my desire to be wise, strong, and honorable in my family and community. The braided string has three strands, reminding me to be pure in three ways in my thinking, words, and behavior. Father smiles. My son, today, you have become a man. Other men surround me saying, Gupta is twice-born. I was first born as a baby, but now I am old enough to begin my spiritual life. I will learn how to come closer to God by being good, studying Hindu scriptures, and following the ways of my religion. Come to my home now for a big celebration. You will enjoy my mother s cooking spicy, vegetable curry and rice along with mango chutney to cool your tongue. Many guests will give me money and gifts on this special day. Pray Brahmins think becoming Christ-followers will lower their spiritual position and rank in society. Pray that they will understand that Jesus offers them eternal life as children of the King of Kings. Brahmins believe they are guardians of Hinduism and were created to instruct people in their spiritual journey. Pray that God will draw Brahmins to Himself and that they will be used to teach many Indian families how to love and follow Jesus. 14

23 Hindu Brahmin (brah-min) of India Brahmin boys participate in a special ceremony that marks their transition to adulthood. They receive a white cord to wear that matches the cords worn by other men in their community. 15

24 Story Bania (buhn-yah) of India Come with me to a bustling, noisy street in the heart of Mumbai (mum-bye), India. Here Bania (buhn-yah) families pray to idols of Lakshmi (luk-shmee), the Hindu goddess of wealth, asking her for success in their jobs and lives. Most children have never heard the good news of Jesus. Do you see the young boy who is stepping off that crowded bus across the street... Hi. I m Aditya (ah-dit-tee-yah). Like most Indian families, mine does not own a car. We get around the city on foot or by bus. For longer trips, we ride trains. Did you know there are enough train tracks in India to reach around the world one and a half times! My favorite way to travel is by tuk-tuk, a three-wheeled motorized taxi without doors. I m meeting my father on Bombay Street. He works to finance the movie industry. Here, movies and television shows filled with drama, singing, and dancing are produced in our Hindi language. Named after Hollywood, the entertainment center in the U.S., Mumbai is nicknamed Bollywood. My father invited me to visit the movie studio with him today. Maybe we will see a famous movie star flying in by helicopter to avoid the city traffic! See all these shops? People from all over India come to Mumbai for work. My people, the Bania, have business in our blood. As bankers and shopkeepers, we are the third most important group, or caste, in India. India s caste system tells us which groups of people are most important and least important. Although laws have been passed against it, we still live our lives according to these groups in many ways. As we are growing up, our families teach us how to gain power, control, and wealth in our dealings with people. Banias have a reputation for lending money to those in need and then treating them unfairly when they cannot pay us back. This is a way to earn money. I hope to have more rupees (roo-peez) than I can count someday, but for now I enjoy playing games with my friends. We shoot marbles, spin tops, fly kites, wrestle, and play Kho-kho (koh-koh), a team game similar to tag. My sisters prefer making jewelry, playing house, and holding pretend wedding ceremonies with their dolls. There is Father. Do you want me to ask if you can join us at the studio? Pray Pray that God would send goers to share Jesus with the more than 27 million Bania across India. Pray that God will satisfy hearts of Bania families as they seek God s kingdom first and submit their lives to Him. Pray that they would be known for serving others. 16

25 Hindu Bania (buhn-yah) of India Banian children love to play! The boys love to wrestle, while the girls prefer to make jewelry. 17

26 Story Rajput (rahj-put) of India Come with me to the Blue City in northern India, where a sea of bright, blue houses surrounds a towering rock formation. This is the home of the Rajputs (rahj-puts). Rajput families worship many Hindu gods. Most boys and girls have never heard about God s one and only Son, Jesus. Do you see that boy running towards the old city wall... Hi. I m Pratap (prah-tahp). Welcome to my hometown of Jodhpur (johd-poor). Our city has an ancient stone fort built high on a rocky cliff. Its strong walls surround a palace where kings once lived. My father arranges tours of the fort, which is now a museum. He loves helping visitors learn about our rich heritage. My Rajput ancestors were important rulers, nobles, and warriors who served the king with loyalty, courage, and honesty. My grandparents have a large home where we live, along with my father s side of the family. Some upstairs rooms are set apart for women only. My older sister, Lakshmi (luk-shmee ), joins my mother and aunties there. They are teaching her how to sew and cook since Lakshmi will soon be of marriage age. In the courtyard, the men discuss important matters. As the oldest son, Father is responsible for big decisions, like arranging a marriage for my sister. Uncle reminds him that Lakshmi s husband must come from a respected Rajput family. I think Lakshmi s husband must also have a cast iron stomach since she has not yet mastered the art of cooking! Even though I sometimes tease Lakshmi, I love her very much. Hindus honor the relationship between brothers and sisters with an annual celebration. Girls buy or make colorful, thread wristbands called raakhis (rah-keez), meaning bonds of protection. Sisters tie them around the right wrist of their brothers, wishing them long life and happiness. In return, brothers promise to protect and care for their sisters. Then we pray to statues of our Hindu gods and offer them gifts of food, flowers, or money. We hope this will please the gods and bring our family good luck. Pray As Hindus, Rajputs believe in millions of false gods and try to behave in a way that will please them. Most have never heard about the true God, or His Son, Jesus. Pray that Rajput families will come to know Jesus, the only one who can forgive their sins. In the past, Rajputs served the kings of India with courage and loyalty. Pray that as Rajput families come to know Jesus, they will love and serve Him faithfully. 18

27 Hindu Rajput (RAHJ-put) of India Long ago the Rajputs were nobles. Today the Rajputs are well respected throughout India. 19

28 Celebration Story The Eagle and the Cell Phone God is at work among Hindu people groups. This is a true story of how one girl turned from worshiping idols to worship Jesus. In 2016, Sarita, a teenage girl living in the soaring mountains of northern India, heard the gospel and trusted in Jesus. Since many people groups in her region have never had the chance to hear the name of Jesus, Sarita became the first known believer in her whole village. This made the Hindu leaders angry. They tried to get Sarita to deny faith in Jesus, but Sarita refused and she continued to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. One day while Sarita was in the forest, a crow suddenly swooped down, snatched up her cell phone in its claws, and flew off! Sarita was deeply upset. Not only did she use her phone to communicate with Christian friends living in other places, but she also depended on it for online Bible teaching. Sarita did not have a Bible and there were no churches or other believers in her own village. Later when Sarita shared what had happened to her cell phone, the Hindu villagers laughed and mocked her. Rather than becoming discouraged by their words, Sarita explained that Jesus is the Living God who controls nature. She told the people that she was going to pray and ask Jesus to do a miracle. This made the villagers laugh even more! Three days later, many of the villagers were outside working in the hot sun. They saw an eagle slowly circling overhead, holding an object in its claws. Then, they watched in amazement as the bird did something that eagles never do. It glided low to the ground, gently dropped the object right next to where Sarita was sitting, and flew off. The people rushed over and were astonished to see that the eagle had returned Sarita s cell phone, still in perfect working condition! This miracle had a powerful effect on the whole community. Instead of opposing Sarita s faith, the people agreed that Jesus is the Living God. They asked to learn more about Sarita s God and the gospel spread to many Hindus who had never heard the name of Jesus Christ. Many put their faith in Jesus and today there is a church in this remote village! God is at work among unreached Hindu and animist groups in India, and He will not stop until His praises sound throughout the peaks and valleys of this beautiful land. Source: Adapted with permission from Asia Harvest (asiaharvest.org). 20

29 Hindu A Atheist peoples 21

30 Atheists Atheists do not believe that God or other higher spirit beings exist. Atheists often put their trust in their own wisdom, skills, and possessions, or in other people. They sometimes believe that depending on God makes a person weak or foolish. In atheistic families, parents may encourage their sons and daughters to study hard and do well in school. They count on their children s own hard work and intelligence to ensure a good future. Some atheists put their trust in their country s leaders, in their police, or in soldiers and their weapons to protect them. Others look to scientists for explanations about the universe. In some countries, government leaders institute and enforce laws that require citizens to hold atheistic beliefs. In these places, people who hold and practice other beliefs face a range of persecution: loss of jobs, property, or privileges; fines; imprisonment; and physical harm. Millions of atheistic people have never had the opportunity to hear about the one true God who created everything, the God whom they can depend on. Large populations of unreached atheists Large stick figures represent 100 million unreached people. Medium stick figures represent 10 million and smaller stick figures represent 1 million. north korea; 25 million china; 1 million russia; 256,000 < mongolia; 96,000 < Unreached is defined as no indigenous community of believing Christians (less than 2 percent) with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group (JoshuaProject.net). Various forms of atheistic beliefs and practices have existed since Old Testament times. God warned the Israelites about trusting in wealth, earthly wisdom, kings, armies, and weaponry. (jeremiah 9:23-24, Isaiah 31:1-3)

31 Worldview What do Atheists believe? Use these simple activities to help your family understand the main beliefs of atheists. Concept #1 Help children understand the difference between believing God is not real and believing in the true, living God who created everything that we see. Family Activity: As a family, explore God s creation outside your home. As you walk, identify things God has made (sun, clouds, plants, animals) and talk about how those things prove that He is real. Explain that even though we cannot see God, we can learn about Him by observing what He made. Share with your children what the Bible teaches in Romans 1: Discuss what atheistic peoples believe about God and compare that to what your family believes to be true. Focus on how God created and loves atheistic families, and how He wants them to come to know Him as the true and living God. Concept #2 Help children compare the belief of dependence on ourselves (intelligence, education, job, salary) with dependence on God. Family Activity: Have your children join you in a room with a large mirror, or use a handheld mirror. Discuss what atheistic people believe about God. Have your children look in the mirror and tell you what they see. Talk about how atheistic peoples put their trust in themselves for their future, relying on their own abilities and knowledge. Discuss what Psalm 10:4 and Proverbs 3:5-6 say about who we should trust most and what trusting God looks like in everyday life. Have your children look in the mirror again. Ask them what God sees when He looks at them. Share how God also loves and cares for atheistic families. Spend time praying they will come to know Him and depend on Him as their source of wisdom and provision. Concept #3 Help children compare the concept of dependence on other people (leaders, scientists, police, army) with dependence on God. Family Activity: Discuss some of the things atheistic people trust in for a good life. Think about someone your family knows who is a Christian serving in a public service arena (politics, police, military, medical) and arrange a time for your children to speak with them. Ask them questions about who they trust in to help them protect people and do their job well. Ask about a time when they were afraid of something in their job or in a difficult situation where they were not sure what to do. Have them share about what they did to get through this. Compare this with how atheistic people put their trust in humans who rely on themselves. Share Psalm 20:7 about God s power and sovereignty. Discuss the difference in trusting in other humans, who will fail at times or disappoint us, and trusting in God who never fails and has the power to do anything. Pray that atheistic families will learn to trust in God alone. 23

32 Story Shaozhou Han (shaow-joh) of China Come with me to a bustling street in Guangzhou (gwan-joh) City. Here, many Shaozhou (shaow-joh) Han Chinese children grow up without ever hearing the good new of Jesus. Their families do not believe that God even exists. Look up at that tall apartment building. Do you see the girl who is leaning over the railing of the third-floor balcony... Hi. I m Li Bao (lee-bow). I live here with my parents and grandmother. Mom works at a large flower market. Father is an engineer. Grandmother looks after me and helps with the shopping and cooking. Each morning, I walk to school with my friends. We begin class with jumping, twisting, and turning exercises to make us alert and ready to learn. We spend the morning studying math and learning to read and write Chinese characters. Characters look like pictures, but they represent words. Near the end of school, we straighten books and supplies, sweep the classroom floor, and tend the vegetable garden outside. Each grade is growing a different vegetable ours is eggplant. On our walk home, my friends and I stop at a fruit vendor s cart for oranges, a yummy after-school snack. At home, Grandmother is chopping vegetables for dinner. I greet her and begin my homework. I must study hard to get into a special high school for students going on to the university. Father says education is the way to a good job and a successful life. At dinnertime, I join the family around a low, round table. Using chopsticks, we eat zhah jiang mian (jaj jiong mee-ehn), a noodle dish with vegetables and ground pork. We are discussing plans for the upcoming Moon Festival. This national holiday falls on the night of a full autumn moon. I am making a colorful paper lantern. That night we will put a candle inside to make it glow. We invited my aunt and uncle to join us for an evening picnic near the Pearl River where we can see the reflection of the moon sparkling in the water. For dessert, we will munch on mooncakes filled with dried fruits, nuts, and red bean paste. Pray Many Shaozhou Han do not believe God exists. They trust in their own efforts to become successful in life. Pray that families will learn about Jesus and trust in Him to meet their needs. Shaozhou Han believers are often treated harshly for worshipping Jesus in ways that are not approved by the Chinese government. Pray for God to give believers strength and courage to live out their faith and share Jesus with others. 24

33 atheist Shaozhou Han (shaow-joh) of China Did you know that the Han Chinese invented fireworks, paper, and toothbrushes? The Han people have a long history of invention and discovery. 25

34 Story Ming (ming) of China Come with me to a mountainous region in southwest China where bamboo bridges span the raging Min River below. Tucked among the cliffs rising from the riverbanks are homes where Ming families live. None of the Ming children have ever heard of the God who created and loves them. See the girl walking up the hill carrying the basket of barley on her back Hi. My name is Jiang (jee-yahn), meaning river. Welcome to my home in Sichuan (sish-wahn) Province. I live in the same region as the giant pandas! Like most houses in my village, ours is made of granite and stone. Come inside and I will show you our chickens that we keep on the first floor. Then, we ll climb the stairs to our living area where Mom is preparing millet and barley grain for dinner! This is my favorite time of year! My family is getting ready for the New Year Festival. We already celebrated the Chinese New Year at the beginning of the lunar calendar. Now it is the tenth month and we are preparing to celebrate the Qiang (chee-ahn) New Year. At the Qiang New Year festival, priests lead everyone in a traditional dance to the beat of a sheepskin drum. I would love to play a drum like that when I get older. My dad says that our people are a mixture of Qiang and Han Chinese. Many, many years ago these two groups were prejudiced against our mixed race, so our ancestors did not fully adapt to either the Qiang or Han way of life. Instead, we created our own communities and villages and called ourselves the Ming Zu, meaning Ming nationality. Even today, I can tell when someone is Ming when I see the distinct white turban on his head. I think our family is very lucky to be Ming because we get to celebrate festivals from both the Qiang and the Han cultures. Sometimes, we even get to celebrate Tibetan festivals. Because so many different cultures exist in this region of China, people here hold many different beliefs. When I walk through the forested area to school, I see many colorful Dao (dow) and Buddhist temples along the way. I think that these buildings are very beautiful, but everyone at school mocks the beliefs these temples reflect. We are taught that Buddhism, Daoism (dow-ism), and belief in spirits are all just superstitions. Even though my ancestors worshipped spirits, Ming people today do not believe that God and spirits are real. Pray Authorities strongly oppose anyone who shares the gospel in areas where the Ming live. Pray that God would soften the hearts of authorities. There are currently no known churches or believers among the Ming. Pray that God would send Chinese believers to the Ming to share the good news of the God who loves them. 26

35 atheist Ming (ming) of China The Ming people live in a mountainous region of China surrounded by many diverse cultures. 27

36 Story North Korean (koh-ree-uhn) of North Korea Come with me to a city where concrete buildings border tree-lined streets. Floodlighted at night, a towering bronze statue of the Supreme Leader is visible for miles. North Korean families trust in their leaders and consider them worthy to be praised. Boys and girls have never heard of Jesus. Do you see the boy stepping off the bus Hi. I am Hwam (waahm). Welcome to Pyongyang (pee-yong-yen), the capital city. My apartment building is 40 stories high. Luckily, my family lives on the 8th floor. The electricity goes out often which means the elevators do not run. It is a long walk up the stairs for families living on the top floors! My parents are at work. Mother works in a textile factory. She is saving money to purchase a sewing machine. Father is an accountant at the bank. Many businesses do not use computers or other office machines so it is fortunate that Father is good at math. My parents and I ride buses to work and school. Most families cannot afford cars, but some have saved enough money to own a bike. I enjoy school. At the beginning of each day, all the students gather outside for exercises set to music. In my class, we are learning writing, math, history, drawing, and music. We are practicing patriotic songs for a festival. On the wall of every classroom hang pictures of two important leaders-kim Il-Sung and his son, Kim Jong Il. After Korea split into two countries in 1948, these men led our nation to become self-reliant. We are grateful and loyal to our leaders because they provide what we need and keep us safe. Come up to my apartment. I hope you are not too hungry. We eat dinner late because my parents must stay after work for government training. Our evening meal is a bowl of rice with cooked vegetables cabbage, cucumbers, or tomatoes with red chile paste. Meat is scarce, but sometimes we have boiled eggs. Later tonight we will have rolling blackouts. There is not enough electricity for all the homes in my city. When the apartments on this side of the street have power, the buildings across the street do not. Our family may be reading or watching TV when suddenly everything goes dark. Then, the lights blink on in the apartments over there. When this happens, we can run across the street to visit my friends. Pray The North Korean government welcomes professionals from other countries who will use their skills to help the people. Pray that God will bring Christian businessmen and teachers who will demonstrate the love and hope of Jesus through their work and lives. Persecution of North Korean believers is harsh. Pray for believers to remain strong in their faith in the midst of suffering. Pray for boldness to share their faith. 28

37 atheist North Korean (koh-ree-uhn) of North Korea Before a festival, North Korean children practice their dancing every morning. They wear bright robes and jingly bells as they perform for all of the villagers. 29

38 Celebration Story The Secret God is at work among atheist people groups. This is a true story of how one girl went from believing there was no God to knowing Jesus. In North Korea, any public expression of faith can lead to prison time or even death. But powerful human leaders cannot prevent the move of God among the people who live there. Kim s parents lived out their faith privately, hiding their love for Jesus from the outside world and even from their own daughter. But one day, when she was twelve, Kim stumbled onto a Bible that her parents had hidden in a cabinet. As she opened the book and began to read, her head was filled with questions: Who is this God? Or what? For fifteen days Kim could not think about anything else. Finally, Kim summoned the courage to speak to her father. At first he was very surprised by her discovery, but then he began to tell her about the God who created everything. In the following days, Mother shared the good news of Jesus and taught Kim to memorize Bible verses. Grandfather showed Kim how to pray. It is just talking to God. Nothing more, nothing less, he said. When Kim began to read the Bible for herself, Father reminded her to be careful. Then in hushed whispers he prayed, Heavenly Father, help the North Korean people to seek Your kingdom first. Soon Kim learned of other believers who met together in a secret location to study the Bible and pray. At these meetings, Kim saw families with children even younger than she was. As they prayed and worshiped, none were aware of the danger lurking nearby. Scattered among the believers were government agents who had come to spy on them and report their activities to the police. Later, one of these government agents became very sick and Kim s father went to visit him. As he lay dying, the man made a startling confession. I know everything about you, your family, and your faith. I was a spy ordered to watch you. Amazingly, this agent never reported Kim s family to the police. Turning to Kim s father, the government agent made a request. You are a good man. I never told anyone you were a Christian. Tell me how I can become a Christian, too. In the final moments of his life, this former spy repented and trusted in Jesus. Source: Adapted with permission from God Reports ( 30

39 atheist Muslim peoples 31

40 Muslims Muslims follow the religion of Islam founded by Mohammed. They all believe in one God, Allah. The Quran (kuhr-ahn) is the Muslim holy book. It describes a future judgment day when Allah will weigh each person s deeds on scales. By having more good deeds than bad, Muslims hope to earn their salvation, but they can never know for sure. In an effort to please Allah, Muslims perform five religious duties taught in the Quran, known as the five pillars of Islam: 1. Reciting the creed, There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet. 2. Praying five times a day at fixed hours using specific body postures and phrases. 3. Giving a prescribed percentage of annual income to help the poor. 4. Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan (rahmuh-dahn) from sunup to sundown. 5. Making a pilgrimage to Mecca (holy city of Islam) once during their lifetime. The Quran teaches that Jesus was one of many prophets. Muslims elevate Mohammed as the final and greatest of God s prophets. They do not believe Jesus is God s Son or that God sent Him to be the Savior of the world, and they do not understand that faith in Jesus is the first action we must take to please God. Millions of Muslims have never had the opportunity to know that Jesus made a way for them to come into a relationship with Him. IslAm WAs founded MORE than 500 years after JEsus DIed On the cross and ROsE from the dead. By 600 AD when IslAm WAs Just beginning, ChRIstianity HAd already spread throughout the RoMAn EmpiRE, including western EuROpe and parts of northern AfRICA. Large populations of unreached Muslims Large stick figures represent 100 million unreached people. Medium stick figures represent 10 million and smaller stick figures represent 1 million. pakistan; 170 million india; 164 million indonesia; 145 million bangladesh; 140 million iran and turkey; 76 million each Unreached is defined as no indigenous community of believing Christians (less than 2 percent) with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group (JoshuaProject.net).

41 Worldview What do Muslims believe? Use these simple activities to help your family understand the main beliefs of Muslims. Concept #1 Help children compare how Muslims view and relate to the God of the Quran with how believers view and relate to the God of the Bible. Family Activity: Tell your children that you have a special treat for them (a small toy or candy), but they must earn it through good behavior and deeds. In order to create uncertainty, ascribe a point value to each deed, but do not tell them how many points they need to earn the reward. Allow children to work for several days to earn the reward. (For younger children, considering doing it in the course of a single day.) After they have attempted to earn the reward and received it, discuss what the experience was like. How did they feel? What was difficult about the activity? Compare this experience to what it would be like to serve a God who requires people to perform good deeds in order to enter heaven, but does not give any measurement of how many good deeds are needed. Emphasize the ongoing uncertainty Muslims feel as they try to please Allah. Read Titus 3:5-7 and talk about how Jesus has made a way for us to be saved that is not based on our own merits. Emphasize the guarantee of salvation we have when we put our faith in Him. Concept #2 Help children understand the difference between earning our salvation by following a set of rules and receiving salvation by putting our faith in the work Jesus already completed. traditions that guide when they pray, how they prepare to pray, and even the words they say. Using a phone or clock, set alarms at five different times during the course of your day. Each time the alarm sounds, stop and pray together as a family for Muslim people around the world. Ask your children if your family s prayer practices that day increased or impacted your salvation. Discuss the differences between serving a God who requires you to earn your salvation and serving a God who has given you the gift of salvation. As you discuss, reflect on John 6:28-29 and Galatians 2:16. Concept #3 Help children contrast the Muslim belief that Jesus is one of many prophets with Jesus uniqueness as the Son of God. Family Activity: Use an ink pad to have each member of your family place their fingerprint on a piece of paper. Examine the set of prints to see if they are the same or different. (If you do not have access to ink, spend time looking at the lines on the palm of each person s hands.) Talk about how each person in the world has a unique fingerprint. Explain that Jesus is unique from any other person who has lived on earth. Read Philippians 2:9-11 together. Discuss aspects of who Jesus is and what He did that make Him the only Son of God. Compare this to what Muslims believe about Mohammed. Pray that Muslims will discover the uniqueness of who Jesus is and what He did for us on the cross. Family Activity: Find a day during the week to talk to your children about the five pillars of Islam, focusing on the pillar of daily prayer. Muslims follow 33

42 Story Malay (mah-lay) of Malaysia Come with me to the Cameron Highlands of East Malaysia, where tea plantations cover the valleys like a bright green carpet. Here Malay (mah-lay) families believe in Allah and follow the teachings of Islam. Most boys and girls have never had the chance to hear about Jesus. See the young girl smelling the fresh strawberries... Hello. I am Aishah (eye-shah). Welcome to my village. Years ago, much of the world s tin was mined here, but now this area is known for tea plantations and strawberry farms. Family is extremely important to Malay (mah-lay) people. Here in our kampong (kahm-puhng) village, many generations live in a close-knit community. Our two monsoon seasons bring lots of rain, so most families build their small wooden houses up on stilts for protection from flooding. Om Saturdays, I go with my family to the night market. I have permission to visit the street vendors with my friends. We head past the brightly colored displays of star fruit, bananas, coconuts, and papaya to the lady selling fresh fruit juice. My favorite flavor is mango yum! Then we stop by the clothing stall and try on colorful sarongs (sah-rahngs), wrapping the pieces of cloth around our waists. I wish we could wear these to school instead of uniforms. When we turned 12, my girlfriends and I started wearing elbow-length headscarves like most Malay women. These headscarves cover our hair, ears, and neck and fasten under our chin. Wearing this head covering is part of being Muslim, and being Muslim is a big part of our Malay identity. In school, we learn about Islam every day. My parents also send me to religious classes after school where I memorize sections of the Muslim holy book in Arabic and recite prayers. We hope these actions help us find favor with Allah. On Sunday, my older brother and I walk to the park. He joins his friends to play sepak takraw (say-pahk tahk-rah), a game similar to volleyball except that players use their feet, knees, and head to get the ball over the net no hands allowed! I play hopscotch and watch some younger children flying their kites. Before heading home, my brother takes me to the cultural center. We buy tickets for the shadow puppet performance that is coming to town next month. Pray Pray that heads of Malay families will come to know Jesus as Savior, opening the way for entire extended families to hear about Him. When Malays turns from Islam to follow Jesus, they are treated very badly by their Muslim family and neighbors. Pray that these new believers will trust in God to protect them and give them courage to share Jesus with relatives and friends. 34

43 Muslim Malay (mah-lay) of Malaysia On weekends, Malay families love shopping at the night markets. Crowds visit outdoor stalls filled with toys, jewelry, clothing, pots and pans, fruits, vegetables, snacks, and many varieties of fruit juices. 35

44 Story Ansari (ahn-sahr-ee) of India Come with me to an ancient city in India, home to one of the largest Muslim people groups in South Asia. The Ansari (ahn-sahr-ee) are traditionally weavers and craftsmen. They are considered low caste by their society. Most Ansari children have never heard that Jesus loves and values them. See the group of boys playing cricket in the park? The one dressed in green is Ahmed... Hi! I m Ahmed (ah-mehd). Welcome to Patna (paht-nuh). This large city began as a fort overlooking the Ganges (gan-jeez) River. As it grew, Patna became a famous center of Indian culture and learning. Two world religions began here Buddhism and Jainism. Today tourists come from all around the world to visit our ancient universities, temples, and monuments. My family lives in a small home eight rooms for 30 people including aunts, uncles, and cousins. The women and older girls clean the house, wash our clothes by hand, and prepare food for the family. Mom is teaching my older sisters to make one of my favorite meals a thick, spicy lentil stew called dal (dahl) served with a platter of chapatis (chuh-pah-teez). We use this flatbread to scoop up the stew. And for dessert, a special treat unsweetened yogurt. In school, my favorite subject is math. I want to be an engineer when I grow up, but Father says the men in our family have worked as weavers for hundreds of years. When I get older, he will teach me how to use his loom to create colorful cloth. After school, my friends and I play cricket. Sometimes we pretend to be soldiers stationed at Patna s first fort, fighting off attacks and planning raids on enemy territory. We also love flying homemade kites from the rooftop. Many people in India follow the Hindu religion, but my family is Muslim. On Friday, the holiest day of the week, I walk with my father to pray at the mosque (mahsk). We remove our shoes and squat down before a row of water pipes. After washing our hands, we rinse our face and hair. Next comes the back of our necks, then our arms, and finally, our feet. Muslims believe that being clean when we pray is a sign of respect for God. Without this, God will not hear our prayers. Pray The Ansari people believe that God is holy and go to great lengths to be clean before they approach Him. Pray that Ansari families will come to know Jesus, the only one who can remove sin and give them hearts that are acceptable to God. Few goers in northern India are reaching out to Muslims. Pray that God will raise up goers who will take the gospel into Ansari communities. 36

45 Muslim Ansari (ahn-sahr-ee) of India Ansari children love to play outside after school. They enjoy sports like cricket and construct their own kites to fly. 37

46 Story Fulani (foo-lah-nee) of Burkina Faso Come with me to the grasslands of West Africa, where the scorching sun beats down on Fulani (foolah-nee) herdsmen in search of water for their beloved cattle. Parents here are proud of their Muslim heritage, encouraging their children to memorize verses from the Quran in Arabic, a language they do not understand. Most boys and girls in this village have never heard of Jesus. See that grass hut near the center of the village. It is the home of the girl collecting kindling Hi. I m Binta. Welcome to Burkina Faso (buhrkee-nah fah-soh). Would you like to help me with my chores? I milk the cows, gather firewood, pound millet grain into flour, and sweep our hut all while carrying my baby sister on my back! Hand me that large pot. We can talk on the way to fetch water. Our huts are arranged in a circle. The cattle gather in the middle at night. Our cows are the center of Fulani life and caring for them is very important. My father and brothers are with our herd right now, looking for water and good pasture. Our cows give us food like milk and yoghurt. They also represent strength and prestige. The status of our family is determined by the size and health of our herd. My friends and I do not attend school, but we learn through stories told by our parents. We are well educated in pulaaku (poo-lah-ku), principles for living. We value cooperation and hard work. Everyone is expected to do his part. Peace is important so we avoid situations that might lead to arguments. We value self-control. Admitting that we have needs or showing our feelings are signs of weakness. We show no emotion, even when we are sad, angry, or hungry. Since hunger is a sign of human weakness, it is disgraceful for a woman to see a man eat. The men go off by themselves at mealtime and women and children form their own groups. We share our millet porridge from a calabash, a hollowed out gourd-like vegetable that serves as a common serving bowl. Using the fingers of our right hand, we form a sticky porridge ball and dip it into slimy green sauce. We normally eat in silence, but burping loudly to show appreciation for a good meal is very acceptable! Pray Pray that Fulani families will come to know Jesus, the Good Shepherd who lay down His life for His sheep. Pray that they will understand that God loves and accepts them just as they are. Fulani families have a mixture of Muslim beliefs and animistic practices. Pray that God would replace their fear of spirits with the joy of a relationship with their Creator God. 38

47 Muslim Fulani (foo-lah-nee) of Burkina Faso Storytelling is a part of the Fulani culture. They love to spend their evenings under trees drinking tea and telling stories, riddles, and jokes. 39

48 Celebration Story The Narrow Escape God is at work among Muslim people groups. This is a true story of how one man learned that Jesus is the Savior of the world. It was the holy month of Ramadan. Outside the city s largest mosque, the street was filled with Muslim men who had finished a time of worship and were now waiting for sunset. The darkening sky marked the end of another long day of fasting from both food and drink. Nearby stood Joel, a follower of Jesus. Joel asked the men near the mosque how their fasting was going, and his questions naturally led to a passionate conversation about religious beliefs. A young man approached the group and listened intently. As the conversation was ending, the young man introduced himself to Joel. His name was Salek. Salek had lost hope in his Muslim religion, but there was one thing that Salek had not given up on. It was a dream from his childhood. Here is how Salek described his dream to Joel. I was on a big path that led toward a wall of rocks. Suddenly the wall started to fall down. I was afraid that the rocks were going to crumble on me and realized there was no way out. I screamed. Then one night, the dream changed. This time, as the rock wall began to crumble, Salek saw a narrow side street leading to a way out. It led to a door where I could escape, he told Joel. And I have wondered about the meaning of the dream ever since. I think I know what it might mean, Joel offered. Slowly, Joel began to share ideas from Matthew 7 where Jesus talks about wide and narrow gates (Matthew 7:13-14). Jesus said that the way to destruction is easy, but the way that leads to eternal life is narrow and difficult, and very few people find it. Joel added that Jesus Christ is the way to escape and find safety with our Heavenly Father. Suddenly Salek s childhood dream began to make sense to him. The big path clearly led to harm, but Jesus could lead him to another way to eternal life. For the next hour, Salek listened as Joel shared more about who Jesus is and His path to eternal peace and safety. Later, Joel reflected, Salek simply took in the truths he was hearing and listened to them with a believing heart. Salek s experience may seem unusual, but God had been preparing Salek s heart, from the time he was a child, to believe in Jesus. Similar things are happening in Muslim cultures around the world. The Holy Spirit is at work, preparing the hearts of Muslims to receive the gospel message by giving them dreams and visions of Jesus the Savior. Source: Adapted with permission from Frontiers USA ( 40

49 Muslim B Buddhist peoples 41

50 Buddhists Buddhists follow the teachings of Gautama. Gautama founded Buddhism in 560 BC in the region of modern-day India and Nepal. His followers viewed him as a wise teacher and called him Buddha which means the enlightened one. Like Hindus, Buddhists believe in reincarnation and karma. The goal of Buddhism is to escape multiple lifetimes of suffering and achieve a state of peace and nothingness called nirvana. According to Buddhism, all suffering originates in our minds. Bad thoughts make us want things we cannot have, things that will never satisfy us, or things that belong to other people. Therefore, their goal is to empty the mind. By meditating and chanting, Buddhists try to release bad thoughts, make their minds go blank, and stop suffering. Buddhists follow a set of rules to achieve right ways of thinking, feeling, speaking, and behaving. They also try to gain merit by praying, sharing food with monks, donating money to build temples, or giving up one of their sons to be trained as a monk. By earning all of this merit, they hope to achieve nirvana and escape suffering. Buddhists do not understand that suffering is the consequence of sin that led to a fallen creation and a broken relationship between humans and their Creator. Millions of Buddhists do not understand that God sent Jesus to remove sin from our hearts and minds, and that He will renew our minds as we read and meditate on His Word. Large populations of unreached Buddhists Large stick figures represent 100 million unreached people. Medium stick figures represent 10 million and smaller stick figures represent 1 million. japan; 123 million thailand; 59 million myanmar; 41 million cambodia; 15 million china; 12 million Unreached is defined as no indigenous community of believing Christians (less than 2 percent) with adequate numbers and resources to evangelize this people group (JoshuaProject.net). WHEn BuDDHIsm WAs founded, Daniel and the people of JuDAh were living As exiles in the kingdom of Babylon.

51 Worldview What do Buddhists believe? Use these simple activities to help your family understand the main beliefs of Buddhists. Concept #1 Help children compare what Buddhists believe causes suffering with what God says causes suffering. Family Activity: Use an empty jar to teach your children what Buddhists believe about our minds. Write the words greedy, selfish, jealous, proud, and hateful on small pieces of paper. Let your children put the slips of paper into the jar as you take turns sharing examples of each word. Explain that just as you filled the jar, Buddhists think our minds our filled with bad thoughts. Share that Buddhists believe these thoughts, and the actions they lead to, cause all suffering in the world. Read Romans 3:23 and Isaiah 59:2. Use these verses to talk about sin and its consequences. Explain that sin ruined the perfect design that God had for the world and people He created. Stress that even followers of Jesus experience suffering because we live in a sinful world. However, we live with hope that God is working out His plan to remove sin and suffering. Explain that many Buddhist families do not know that God created and loves them. Spend time praying that God will change Buddhists suffering into hope. Concept #2 Help children understand the difference between the Buddhist practice of meditation and how God invites believers to meditate. Family Activity: Discuss Buddhist beliefs about what causes suffering. Explain how Buddhists work hard to get rid of bad thoughts and make their minds empty by meditating. Explain what Buddhists hope to achieve through this practice. Read Psalm 77:11-12 and Philippians 4:8. Use these verses to discuss how God wants us to meditate on scripture. Explain that instead of emptying our minds, God invites us to fill our minds with wonderful truths from His Word. Share a personal example of how meditating on God s Word gave you comfort and hope during a time of suffering. Sit quietly for a few minutes and think about how much God loves you and what Jesus has done for you. Spend some time praying that God would fill Buddhists with His comfort and hope. Concept #3 Help children understand how the Buddhist practice of relying on good works to bring about a better future life differs from relying on Jesus work in salvation. Family Activity: Play a game with your family that has rules and involves keeping score. Afterwards, share that Buddhists have a set of rules for how they live their lives. Explain that just like meditation, following rules is a way Buddhists work hard to empty their minds of bad thoughts and lessen suffering. Connect how players earned points in the game to the concept of merit. Share examples of how Buddhists work to earn good points. Explain that Buddhists want to collect enough good points to escape suffering and be at peace. Read Ephesians 2:8-9 and use these verses to talk about the difference between working to earn salvation and receiving it as a gift. Explain that God loves Buddhist families and He wants them to receive His free gift of salvation. Spend some time praying that Buddhists will trust in Jesus. 43

52 Story Dai (dye) of China Come with me to a lush valley in southwest China, where clear rivers meander through rice paddies. Dai (dye) families in this village are proud of their temple with its gleaming gold statue of Buddha. Most boys and girls have never heard of Jesus. See that dirt path? It leads to the home of the girl who is dancing with her friend... Hi. I m Mei Min (may ming). Welcome to Yunnan Province. My friend and I are practicing the Peacock Dance, a famous Dai folk dance. We have been chosen to join the older girls in a performance. Wearing colorful dresses we will move like birds, gracefully flapping our wings, craning our necks to look for water, and shaking off our feathers after bathing. The Peacock Dance is part of our three-day Water Splashing Festival that ushers in the Dai New Year. During the first two days, families line the river to watch teams of up to 24 men paddle their long dragon boats as they race towards the finish line. The third day is filled with activities that bring good luck and ensure a good harvest. Dressed in our best clothes, our family visits the temple to hear Buddhist scriptures. We learn about the causes of suffering in the world our own selfish desires. Afterwards, some women carry a Buddha statue outside and bathe it in water. This good action helps them earn merit, points that give Buddhists a better standing in their next life. Next comes the water splashing. Carrying the biggest buckets and bowls we can find, everyone marches to the area where the water war takes place. Some boys come armed with water guns made from hollow bamboo. Laughing and squealing, we splash or dump water on people nearby. Water symbolizes washing away the mistakes, problems, and bad luck from the past year. My friend sometimes cries when she gets soaked. I tell her, Cheer up. The wetter you get, the more luck and happiness you will receive. After dance practice, I head home. Grandmother greets me. She takes care of my brother and me after school and is busy making dinner. As Grandmother unwraps the roasted banana leaves, the fragrance of bamboo rice fills the air. We will eat this along with pickled vegetables and green tea. My brother has borrowed some bamboo from Grandmother and is fashioning his squirt gun. He must be looking forward to the Water Splashing Festival. Pray Most Dai families do not know the true God. Young people trust in science to explain the world while older people pray to Buddhist idols. Pray for goers to share the good news of Jesus with Dai families. Many Dai families fear powerful spirits and give them offerings so these spirits will not harm them. Pray that as Dai families come to know Jesus, their fear will be replaced by joy and hope. 44

53 Buddhist Dai (dye) of China During the New Year, the Dai throw a Water Splashing Festival. Everyone tosses bowls of water, splashes in fountains, and plays with garden hoses. 45

54 Story Khamba (kham-buh) of Tibet Follow me up to the high Tibetan plateau in southeastern Tibet. The Khamba (kahm-buh) live along the river valleys here. They practice a mixture of Tibetan Buddhism and spirit worship. Most of them have never heard of Jesus. See the boy helping his father hang up colorful prayer flags Hi. I m Choejor (choo-johr). Welcome to Tibet. From our village near the city of Lhasa (lah-sah), we can see Everest, the highest mountain on earth. My father herds yaks, leading them to grassy pastures for grazing. Men depend on yaks to carry heavy loads. Women weave yak hair into cloth for tents, blankets, and coats. One of my chores is milking our yaks. Mom uses the milk to make cheese, yoghurt, and butter. Without these animals, I could not have my favorite drink hot tea mixed with salt and melted yak butter. Yum! My family is traveling to the horse festival, an annual event that reflects our history. Hundreds of years ago, my people raised horses to trade with China. Since the festival lasts for a week, we take our yakhair tent and camp in a grassy valley with hundreds of other families. During the opening ceremonies, women dance gracefully, waving colorful scarves to the music. Men perform dances with long knives. Then it is time for the horse races. Decked out in their finest clothes, riders parade across a great platform where an important Buddhist monk blesses them. We cheer loudly for our favorites. Riders must steer their horses around obstacles as they race towards the finish line. Some perform dangerous stunts, shooting rifles and arrows at targets while galloping at full speed. After the races, men compete in wrestling and weightlifting. I participate in special children s contests like tug-of-war, where teams stand on opposite ends of a rope, trying to pull the other team across a line. Throughout the week, my family will join in religious activities like burning incense, stringing up bright prayer flags, and spinning prayer wheels. We hope the gods will hear our prayers and bless our family for the coming year. Pray Most Khamba have no way to hear about Jesus. They spend much of their day praying to idols and spirits who cannot hear or answer them. Pray that God will use Chinese believers living in Tibet to tell the Khamba about the true God, the one who hears and answers prayer. Although Tibet is officially a part of China, most Tibetan people strive to keep their unique heritage and long to be citizens of an independent nation. Pray that as Khamba families learn about Jesus, they would trust in Him and find their true identity as children of God. 46

55 Buddhist Khamba (kham-buh) of Tibet The Khamba are nomadic. They follow their yak, sheep, and goat herds to find fresh pasture. They move their tents made of thick, black yak hair with them. 47

56 Story Lao (lah-oh) of Laos Come with me to the Mekong (meh-kohng) River Basin in Laos, where emerald green rice paddies stretch into the distance. Here, many Lao (lah-oh) families practice Buddhism, often mixed with spirit and ancestor worship. Most children have never heard about Jesus. See the boy wearing the orange robe Hi. I m Kalani (kah-lah-nee). Welcome to Luang Prabang (luh-wahng prah-bahng), an ancient city built on a peninsula overlooking two rivers. From my home, you can see green mountain ranges and the place where my dad drives a long, narrow boat called a river taxi. When I was younger, I helped Father ferry passengers to the riverside villages. My city is filled with Buddhist temples and monasteries where monks live. Many families send one son to live and serve in a monastery. Buddhism teaches that by this sacrificial action, parents can gain merit, religious points that increase their chances of a good future life. It is also a way for boys like me to receive a free education. When I turned 12, I shaved my head and entered a Buddhist monastery. I joined a group of boys who live and go to school here. We get up early, dress in orange robes, and add a yellow sash to show that we are monks-in-training. Then we meditate in front of a statue of Buddha, trying to rid our minds of bad thoughts. Before joining the other monks, we grab our shoulder bags that hold all of our possessions. We carry them wherever we go. We walk barefoot through the streets to collect food offering called alms. People waiting along the roadside place food like sticky rice or bananas in the alms bowls we carry. We chant our thanks and walk silently back to the monastery. By accepting food from others, we learn humility and contentment with what we have. The collected food will be our breakfast and lunch. Classes take up most of our day. We learn to serve others by cleaning the monastery and doing yard work. In the evening we do our homework. There is no dinner because we fast, going without food until breakfast. In six months, my time here will be completed and I will get to return home. I miss playing music with my family, but know that I am getting a good education here at the monastery. Pray Buddhists believe good behavior and sacrifice will help ensure a future life that is free from pain and suffering. Pray that as Lao families learn about Jesus, they will trust in God s promise to give them a hope and a future. When Lao families trust in Jesus, they face persecution from the government and pressure from their families to return to Buddhism. Ask God to help Lao believers stand strong in their faith and boldly share Jesus with their family and friends. 48

57 Buddhist Lao (lah-oh) of Laos Some of the Lao people s favorite hobbies are weaving baskets, carving wood and ivory, and playing the khene, a bamboo instrument that sounds like an accordion. 49

58 Celebration Story God Moves Mountains God is at work among Buddhist people groups. This is a true story of how one man made the decision to put his faith in Jesus. The towering mountains of southwest China are home to thousands of Kham Tibetans. Among the flat-roofed village homes nestled in the lush green river valleys sits a village of 70,000 people, many who have never heard the good news of Jesus. In this village, a Buddhist temple gleams white in the sun. Overhead, strings of colorful prayer flags flutter in the breeze. Here, young boys live together as monks-in -training. They sit in their long, burgundy robes as their teachers train them in Buddhist scripture and meditation. The man in charge of their education is a Living Buddha. According to Buddhism, a Living Buddha has escaped the continuous cycle of reincarnation. In his time on earth, he is expected to help other people along life s path. This Living Buddha has great spiritual power and authority in the community. For more than 20 years, a small team of goers has made yearly trips to this village. Gradually, they have developed a friendship with the Living Buddha and he has grown to trust them. Although the team has shared the gospel with him, he has never professed faith in Jesus. Then in 2015, the Living Buddha made a surprising announcement. He told the goers that he wanted the 300 monks under his direct control to become Christian! He requested that his monks to be trained in English, Mandarin Chinese, Bible, health, and math. During their classes in 2016, the young monks heard and retold dozens of Bible stories orally, as is their customary way of learning. At the end of the training, one monk named Stephen* seemed to make a profession of faith in Jesus. In the summer of 2017 when the team of goers made their yearly visit to Stephen s village, they discovered that he was indeed following Jesus and had left the Buddhist monastery. Rather than being upset, the Living Buddha was pleased with what his monk had done. The team of goers has been praying for a Chinese believer who will move to this village and continue reaching out with the gospel. God is beginning to answer their prayers. A few local Chinese churches are praying about adopting different Tibetan villages in the area with hopes of sending long-term workers to live there. *Name changed Source: Timothy, a global worker in a nearby city in China. 50

59 Maps & Additional Resources

60 Mapping the Unreached Have you ever wondered where many animists, Hindus, atheists, Muslims, and Buddhists live? Locate the following countries on the map (page 53) to find out! Animist On the world map, locate five countries that have unreached animistic people groups with large populations: China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Mongolia, and Niger. Color these countries yellow. Hindu On the world map, locate five countries that have unreached Hindu people groups with large populations: India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia. Color these countries orange. Atheist On the world map, locate four countries that have unreached atheistic people groups with large populations: North Korea, China, Russia, and Mongolia. Color these countries red. (For countries that are already colored in, use red stripes.) Muslim On the world map, locate six countries that have unreached Muslim people groups with large populations: Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iran, and Turkey. Color these countries green. (For countries that are already colored in, use green stripes.) Buddhist On the world map, locate five countries that have unreached Buddhist people groups with large populations: Japan, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and China. Color these countries blue. (For countries that are already colored in, use blue dots.) 52

61 Niger Africa Russia Mongolia Nepal China India Bangladesh Sri Lanka Vietnam Cambodia Thailand Taiwan Indonesia North Korea Pakistan Turkey Iran Asia Myanmar Japan

62 Further Activities for Older Children For children ages 12 and older, encourage them to go deeper in learning about the five religious blocs through these additional activities. Animist During the Old Testament times, God s people encountered peoples with beliefs and practices similar to those of animistic peoples today. Do your own research online. Look for evidence of animistic beliefs in these cultures: Mesopotamian city of Ur Abraham was born here. Egypt The Israelites were enslaved here under Egypt s leader, the Pharaoh. Canaan God promised this land to Israel, but it was already inhabited by many tribes. God called His people to separate themselves from the practices of these peoples. Read 2 Kings 23:1-15. What extreme measures did King Josiah take to remove animistic practices from the land? Hindu Find out if there is a Hindu temple or shrine in your community. Visit this site and observe how people worship (or do research at a library or online). Study these Bible passages to find out how God is superior to idols: Isaiah 44:6-23 Isaiah 46:5-10,13 Acts 17:16, Why do you think that idol worship grieves God? An idol is anything or anyone that is more important in our lives than God. Think about your culture. Which people or things are lifted up? Here are some ideas to get you started: famous athletes, musicians, movie stars, leaders. Atheist Research the country of North Korea. Use printed information or the internet. How do laws and customs of this culture reflect atheistic beliefs? What human beings have been treated like gods? How? How do North Korean children experience an atheistic viewpoint at home, school, and in their community? How are North Koreans who choose to believe in the true God treated? Read Psalm 146:3-4 and Isaiah 2:22. List reasons why trusting in ourselves and other people is unwise. Read Jeremiah 9: What advice does God give to atheistic peoples? Muslim If you were a Muslim, it would be your duty to fast from sunup to sundown for a month. Find out what God s Word says about fasting: Read Jonah 3:3-9: What is the context for Nineveh s fasting? What kind of heart does fasting reflect in this situation? Read Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, and Luke 4:1-13: Why do you think Jesus fasted in the wilderness? What kind of heart does fasting reflect in this situation? Read Matthew 6:1, 16-18: What did Jesus teach His disciples about fasting? What is to be our heart motivation for fasting? What is the difference between fasting out of duty and fasting from the heart? 54

63 For believers, fasting involves setting aside things or activities we love for a specific period of time and then using that time to focus on God. Make a list of five things you love to do. Beside each thing, record an estimate of the time you spend doing those things each day. No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. Isaiah 64:6, Acts 4:12, Acts 16:29-31, Romans 3:10-12, Ephesians 2: Purity or impurity depends on oneself. Psalm 51:1-4, 7-12; Psalm 119:9-11, Isaiah 1:18, 1 John 1: Choose one item from your list that you will fast from (give up) for a day, a few days, or a week. Use the time you would normally spend in this activity to praise God and pray for Muslims to come to know the mercy and hope that only Jesus can bring. For specific prayer ideas, use what you have learned about Muslims from the family activities, map, stories, or prayer cards. Go further. Learn about world events impacting Muslims and pray that God would use those events to bring Muslims to Jesus. Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. Psalm 29:11, Isaiah 26:3, Isaiah 96:7, John 14:27, Philippians 4:6-7 Buddhist Here are four sayings of Gautama, the teacher who founded the Buddhist religion. Read the Bible verses after each saying to discover God s truth. Rewrite each saying to reflect truth. Nothing is permanent. Psalm 89:2, Psalm 146:6, Isaiah 46:10, Matthew 24:35, 1 John 2:17 55

64 Supplemental Activities Download your own prayer cards, world map, & coloring pages GREETING; nee shuh tee vah vah law WHERE WE LIVE; Sout hwest China FUN FACT; Children rece ive candy and gifts for Nosu New Year. Malay of Malaysia WE BELIEVE; Spirits of our ancestors and spirits living in wate r, rocks, trees, or anim als control our lives. PRAY; That we will trust in God who created the who le universe and is more powerful than spirits. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all the peoples. Rajput GREENLAND (DENMARK) ICELAND of Ind ia SWEDEN FINLAND NORWAY CANADA IRELAND NETHERLANDS CZECH REP. LUXEMBOURG SWITZERLAND SLOVENIA CROATIA BOSNIA ITALY PORTUGAL NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN BELARUS SPAIN UKRAINE SLOVAKIA AUSTRIA FRANCE UNITED S TATE S LATVIA LITHUANIA POLAND GERMANY BELGIUM NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN RUSSIA ESTONIA DENMARK UNITED KINGDOM NORTHERN IRELAND KAZAKHSTAN MOLDOVA HUNGARY ROMANIA MONGOLIA SERBIA BULGARIA GEORGIA MACEDONIA ALBANIA KYRGYZSTAN AZERBAIJAN TURKMENISTAN TAJIKISTAN NORTH KOREA SYRIA CYPRUS TUNISIA LEBANON MOROCCO UZBEKISTAN ARMENIA TURKEY GREECE SOUTH KOREA IRAN IRAQ ISRAEL CHINA AFGHANISTAN JORDAN KUWAIT MEXICO ALGERIA THE BAHAMAS WESTERN SAHARA CUBA HAWAII EGYPT HAITI HONDURAS PUERTO RICO SAUDI ARABIA OMAN MALI NIGER SENEGAL CHAD SIERRA LEONE GUYANA COLOMBIA SURINAME FRENCH GUIANA (FRANCE) BENIN COTE D IVOIRE LIBERIA TOGO CONGO PARAGUAY PHILIPPINES SRI LANKA SOMALIA M A L AY S I A KENYA RWANDA ANGOLA SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN CAMBODIA ETHIOPIA UGANDA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN LAOS THAILAND SOUTH SUDAN CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC REP. OF THE BURUNDI INDONESIA TANZANIA BRAZIL BOLIVIA MYANMAR VIETNAM CAMEROON GABON PERU BANGLADESH INDIA DJIBOUTI GHANA PAPUA NEW GUINEA SOLOMON ISLANDS ZAMBIA MALAWI ZIMBABWE NAMIBIA MOZAMBIQUE MAURITIUS BOTSWANA REUNION (FRANCE) INDIAN OCEAN VANUATU FIJI MADAGASCAR SWAZILAND AUSTRALIA CHILE URUGUAY NORTH PACIFIC OCEAN YEMEN NIGERIA EQUATORIAL GUINEA ECUADOR JAPAN BHUTAN BURKINA FASO GUINEA VENEZUELA ERITREA SUDAN THE GAMBIA GUINEA-BISSAU TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO PANAMA UAE MAURITANIA ST. KITTS AND NEVIS ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA NICARAGUA COSTA RICA NEPAL QATAR DOMINICAN REPUBLIC JAMAICA BELIZE GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR PAKISTAN LIBYA SOUTH AFRICA LESOTHO NEW CALEDONIA (FRANCE) SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN ARGENTINA NEW ZEALAND ILES KERGUELEN Psalm 96:3 Connecting everyday families to the global story of God. Discover more family resources at weavefamily.org Weave is a ministry of the Center for Mission Mobilization. Print & cut out free prayer cards and a downloadable map to familiarize yourself with our world, the people in it, and how to pray for them. Also, download One Big Vision s coloring pages and print yourself more copies! Download printouts at weavefamily.org/visionactivities 56 mobilization.org

65 your family has a part to play in God s big story Don t miss it. Live it out together with The Big Story Series. discover God s purpose in his word through 52 Bible stories that show his love for all peoples. Embrace God s love for the world through interactive lessons on world religions and unreached people groups. Explore your family s role in God s story and learn to live it out in everyday life. Purchase the entire Big Story Series or download for free at weavefamily.org/bigstoryseries 57

66 One Big Vision: Embrace God s Love for the World From the Big Story Series Copyright 2018 Center for Mission Mobilization Published by CMM Press P.O. Box 3556 Fayettteville, AR cmmpress.org Printed in the United States First Edition, First Imprint, 2018 C: M: :35 PM All rights reserved. One Big Vision is a resource of the Center for Mission Mobilization. mobilization.org Weave is a ministry of the CMM that exists to connect everyday families to the global story of God. Weave would like to thank nine global partners who provided valuable feedback and cultural insight in the development of these resources and 14 families from seven different countries who field-tested selected activities in their homes. We desire to make this material available to as many as will use it around the world in a way that honors everyone involved in the work. If you would like to translate or adapt this resource to use in your cultural context, we are very open to collaborating with you. There are guidelines for translators at mobilization.org/translation. Please contact us at resources@mobilization.org. ISBN: Printed in the United States of America.

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68 Help your family learn about people groups who are unreached with the gospel through simple activities that can be woven into your daily life. With stories and coloring pages, your kids can step into the daily lives of children from different people groups. Learn about their culture, what they believe, and how to pray for them. Reflect on the beliefs of animistic, Hindu, Muslim, atheistic, and Buddhist peoples and how these beliefs compare to the truth of who God says He is in the Bible. As your family explores the peoples of the world, you will grow together in understanding the depth of God s love and plan for the nations and embrace His vision for the peoples He loves and desires to redeem. Weave is a ministry of the CMM that exists to connect everyday families to the global story of God. Learn more at mobilization.org