Lesson 1: Welcome to Bhutan The country of Bhutan is small and peaceful. It is green with many mountains, valleys, and forests; it has a cold climate. I live in the capital city of Bhutan, called Thimphu. Buddhism is the main religion of our country. Bhutan is a kingdom that is ruled by a king. The dress we wear is called gho for boys and kira for girls. We wear this every time we go to work and school. In my school we are required to wear it every day. The main food of Bhutan is curry, and the curry we eat mostly is red chilies with cheese, called Ema datsi. It is spicy and cheesy. We eat it with red rice, which is healthy. The tea of Bhutan is butter tea called Suja, which tastes salty and buttery, and I like it. The most popular sport Bhutanese people play is the traditional sport called archery. It is also our national sport. It is entertaining. They like to sing songs while playing and rejoice when they score good points. Our people are very religious, and they pray their long prayers in every school. Buddhism is the main religion of people in Bhutan and affects everything they do in their daily lives. They go to temples to pray and worship their Buddhist gods.
The capital city of Bhutan, called Thimphu Buddhist temple Mountains and forests A typical house in Bhutan
BHUTAN
Lesson 2: Children of Bhutan The children of Bhutan are mostly kind and friendly. They are very hard working and help their parents in the fields. They look after their domestic animals such as cows, horses, goats and sheep. They also sell vegetables. Those who live in villages are concerned about their studies. Children in Bhutan are very religious as they are taught about their Buddhist beliefs from an early age. They spend their holiday time playing games with their friends and helping their parents. They also visit monasteries and temples to see religious programs or dances as well as to receive blessings from their lamas, which means religious teachers. The children have a great time playing around their houses with friends and parents. The children are put in schools at the age of six or seven, and some children are also admitted to monk schools from their childhood. Some children do not go to school because they cannot afford it or because they do not have parents to put them in school. The village and rural children especially are faced with this problem. Children who live in developed parts of Bhutan enjoy participating in games and sports such as football (soccer), basketball, cricket, and other games and activities. In school the children are made to pray their Buddhist prayers every morning and evening. They have free time on Saturdays and Sundays. That s when they play with friends and participate in healthy and interesting outdoor activities like sports and dances. It s very exciting and good to grow up in Bhutan.
The children of Bhutan are mostly kind They are concerned about their studies The children are put in schools at the age of six or seven They play with friends
Lesson 3: Sharing the Gospel The Gospel of Jesus is difficult in Bhutan because of their deep Buddhist beliefs. But some of the Bhutanese children and young people are interested in the Gospel, as are their parents. The children and families face many difficulties in following Jesus because if they do they are treated badly in society and also by members of their family. In the village areas it is even more difficult. The children and youth whose parents are not Christian are scolded by their parents, and it is difficult for them to come to church. I want to share the testimony of one of my friends. His name is Sukraj Majhi, and he is a good friend of mine. His aunt is one of our church members and was the one who brought him to our church. We met in Sunday school and became friends. His parents were not Christian, but he was interested in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We became close and started to play together every Sunday. My friends and I used to tell him the Gospel of Jesus, and our teacher also helped him know more about Jesus. It was difficult for Sukraj to come to Sunday school and church because his home was so far away, and his parents did not want him to go. My friends and I prayed for him, and he has been able to come to church most of the time. Now his two brothers have also believed in Christ because of Sukraj and his aunt. They come to church, and we sing and dance in Sunday school and play. In Bhutan, although it is very difficult for those who choose to follow Jesus, our Lord always makes it possible to influence children and their families to grow and follow Christ Jesus.
A young lady dancing in church Father and child sitting on the floor in church (which is where everybody sits) A boy with Christian leaders from the countryside of Bhutan
Lesson 4: Helping the Church I participate in the ministry of our Friends church in Bhutan in many ways. I am the captain of our Sunday school program. This means helping our teachers with the fun activities for children, arranging the lines and positions of the children and helping them to behave well. I bring new games and jokes to entertain the children and read them the stories of Jesus and the stories of the Gospel. Children have lots of fun when they are entertained by games, stories, and jokes which make them laugh; and it helps in dancing and listening to the Gospel. I also participate in Bhutan Friends Bible School with my older brothers. I like to take photographs of our church events and put them in our church photos. I also like to participate when there is any event going on in our church. I like listening to the Gospel and learning more. I create events for Sunday school children such as fashion shows. The children are excited when they participate. Lots of them come, and they wear very beautiful dresses. They receive gifts and feel special and happy. Children also memorize Bible verses and participate in competitions where they recite the verses and receive awards. I participate with my friends, entertain the church members, and encourage the parents of the children to send their children to Sunday school to learn about our Jesus Christ and his Gospel. These are all the things I do to help the ministry of our Friends church.
Rupak & Pramila with their sons. Kenchola, Samuel (middle), Shiddarth (the oldest, he is also called David) Kenchola helps support the activities of his church in Thimphu The congregation at Thimphu