The excitement was so real you could almost touch it. In the dim light of the single florescent bulb, the circled faces were turned toward Suay, their young relative. She told about God and the gift of His Son. He changed her life and could change theirs too. That night, five Shan prayed to receive Christ. Joy was on their faces and in their hearts. During the next few days they spent time in the Word, in prayer and song and were baptized.
– excerpt from "30 Days of Prayer for the Shan" prayer guide
The unreached Shan-Tai people, related to the Thai of Thailand, number 5-7 million and live in Myanmar (Burma), Thailand, and China.
The Shan are Buddhist. Every year Shan celebrate numerous Buddhist festivals with colorful costumes and traditional dances. The grip of Buddhism is strong. Shan who leave Buddhism to follow Christ are shunned and often forced out of their village.
The Shan are also Animist. They deeply fear evil spirits and believe the only way to avoid harassment and misfortune is to appease them through offerings and rituals.
Missionaries began working with the Shan more than a century ago, yet the Shan church remains small and many Shan believers lack boldness to reach out to other Shan with the gospel. They are still very much unreached.
But God is at work. Over the past decade more believers have begun praying for the Shan and the Lord is raising up workers from multiple organizations to go out into the Shan harvest fields. Still, many more are needed.
We believe that now is a key time for the worldwide church to fervently pray for the Shan. Last October, several churches committed to praying. This year we are asking the Lord to raise up 1,000 intercessors to pray daily for the Shan united with the "30 Days of Prayer for the Shan" prayer guide.
Will you join us? Here’s how:
- Download the 30 Days of Prayer for the Shan booklet (PDF).
- Pray daily for the Shan, October 1-30.
- Consider getting together with believers (a few or many) at your church on October 30 or 31 for a time of intercession for the Shan.
If you’ll be at the Desiring God National Conference, join us in the conference prayer room daily to pray for the Shan.
If you will commit to being one of the thousand, please let us know at prayfortheshan@gmail.com.
The prayer guide, created by several organizations with a heart for the Shan, gives this call to prayer:
Our desire and prayer is that the Shan will be saved (Romans 10:1), and we hope this will become your desire and prayer, too. We want to wrestle in prayer for Shan believers as well, that they “may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured” (Colossians 4:12). We also pray that if you choose to use this guide and really begin interceding for the Shan, God will show you more of His heart—a heart for all people to know, love and worship Him.
Join us now in praying for the Shan, who will one day also be a part of that great multitude worshipping our God who sits upon the throne (Revelation 7:9-10).
