Buddhism has been deeply ingrained in Bhutanese society for centuries, playing an integral role in shaping the country’s traditions and beliefs.
The vast majority of the population are Buddhist, a smaller segment are Hindu, and only a tiny minority (about 0.5%) have even heard of, yet alone follow, Christ. There are strict laws against proselytizing, and converts from Buddhism face extreme difficulties from both their loved ones and the surrounding community.
Christianity was first brought to Bhutan in the late 17th century by Portuguese Jesuits, but the teachings failed to gain much traction among the devout Bhutanese Buddhists.
Less than a decade ago, a pastoral couple working with Bibles for Mideast felt the call to Bhutan. They began by distributing tracts and Bibles in a small village. While the villagers accepted them initially, when the missionary couple began worship services (secretly of course), someone reported them as trying to convert Buddhists and Hindus to Christianity. Even while anger grew and distraught villagers tried to attack them, the couple stayed to pray and fast for the locals.
More and more people began to attend the services of prayer and fasting, which further provoked those who couldn’t accept the new teachings and practices. The couple’s home was pelted with stones at night, yet they remained and kept praying.
One night, as they slept, some youngsters set their home ablaze with the hope of burning the couple alive. Their home engulfed in flames, the couple had absolutely no way to escape. Until our Lord Jesus Himself rescued them with His mighty nail-pierced hands, and brought them out and safely far away from the fire.
The missionary couple then fled Bhutan, focusing their energies in other places, but their prayers for Bhutan and its people continued.
Seven years later the same dear couple returned to another part of Bhutan, their burden for the evangelization and salvation of the Bhutanese even deeper. They set about their evangelism activities, with prayer and fasting, and began visiting sick people in their homes and praying for them.
They had heard of one particular woman who desperately needed healing prayers. Sonam had suffered with skin cancer for two years. Her entire body itched unbearably, causing her to scratch herself fiercely with her nails and sometimes even with knives. Pus and stench oozed from her many wounds. She screamed in agony but doctors treating her gave up their efforts. Nothing was working. Someone suggested the household seriously consider mercy killing to relieve her agony.
Right about this time, the missionary couple ‘happened’ to visit! While Sonam’s family members did not want prayers for her in the name of Jesus, Sonam asked them to pray for her.
The couple not only prayed, they shared about Jesus and His mighty healing and salvation. They explained how Jesus shed His innocent blood to give us total healing, salvation, victory, and even freedom from death.
Sonam noticed how much better she felt after the prayers, and asked that they come every day and pray for her. The couple of course agreed, and advised her to recite “ye shu'i sku khrag nga yi rgyal kha” whenever the itching and pain returned. The phrase is Bhutanese for: “The blood of Jesus is my victory”. She agreed.
That whole day and night, Sonam kept up her assignment, rubbing her body and exclaiming: “ye shu'i sku khrag nga yi rgyal kha.”
The very next day the missionary couple visited Sonam again, and you can likely guess what they found. Her wounds and scratches had dried up and she was both pain-free and happy. When she saw the couple, she practically jumped from her bed with joy. And within three days, she had utterly recovered.
The good news naturally spread quickly within the village, and soon the missionaries had many requests for home visits with prayer.
