Most Vietnamese people are very spiritual. Though about half of the people identify themselves as Buddhist, the core of Vietnamese spirituality is ancestor worship and honoring spirits of the dead. Nearly every household contains an ancestor altar where Vietnamese pray to the spirits of the dead, burn incense, and offer up food or money to their ancestors. People who decide to leave this traditional lifestyle to follow Jesus face severe persecution from their families and are labeled as ancestor traitors.
For a more in depth look at ancestor worship, check out our blog post titled Worship of the Dead.
Pray that God would destroy the spiritual bonds of ancestor worship that hold Vietnamese people in darkness and reveal his truth to them.
Pray for Christians to have boldness and strength to show love and honor to their families without worshipping ancestors.
__________
Throughout the month of May 2015, we are asking individuals, families, groups of friends, small groups, and churches to join with us and commit to pray for the peoples of Vietnam. We will be posting stories and sharing ways to pray daily through the blog, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also download a prayer guide and other resources here.