The king of Bhutan has proposed sweeping political changes in the tiny mountain nation set in the Himalayas between India and China. Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the fourth king in Bhutan's current dynasty, has sought to decentralize authority for 15 years, but his latest proposal was expected to fall short of the demands of democracy advocates. The country was isolated from the outside world -- and Christian influence -- until 1965. Less than 200 believers are known among the Bhutanese people group, which follows the Red Hat sect of Tibetan Buddhism. While portions of the Scripture have been translated into Dzongkha, the language of the Bhutanese population, the "Jesus" film has not and there are no gospel broadcasts in the language. Ask God to protect Bhutanese believers and multiply their numbers. Pray that political reform would lead to greater opportunities for Christian witness and ministry. Pray that the Spirit of Freedom would deliver the Bhutanese from their bondage to Buddhist powers. Ask God to raise up believers to take the good news of salvation to the Bhutanese.  Advance, September-October 1998