"God has not abandoned us": Your support at work in Myanmar! (May 9, 2025, Open Doors US)
Your gifts and prayers have made a huge difference in the lives of Christians who lost so much in the recent earthquake. "We see the hands of God in the midst of natural disasters through Open Doors partners. May God bless the givers and the distributors more and more abundantly."
Why Christianity is taking an Asian turn (April 16, 2025, The Economist)
Only the Philippines and East Timor are majority-Christian nations. Yet as the population of Christians declines in Europe and North America, “the centre of gravity of Christianity is shifting…”
Secret Kingdom: An exclusive glimpse inside the fast-growing Nepalese Church (March 4, 2025, Premier Christianity)
Christianity is spreading at an astonishing pace in Nepal. Reports suggest that the Christian faith is spreading across massive mountains and sprawling cities, through small villages and densely populated slums. What does a growing Christianity look like in a former Hindu kingdom?
A $1tn-plus pivot to tourism is unfolding across Saudi Arabia. Can it keep up? (May 15, 2025, Financial Times)
The Red Sea Project is just one element of an even larger plan to make this once closely restricted kingdom a major luxury tourist destination. For a country that has always distinguished itself by sticking to its Islamic traditions, this may strike visitors as slightly odd.
Under the Eternal Blue Sky: How Mongolian Families Are Reimagining Ger Living (May 9, 2025, The Diplomat) (Subscription required)
On the outskirts of Mongolia’s capital city, Ulaanbaatar, lie the ger districts, residential areas filled with traditional dwellings and marked by a lack of connectivity to water and electricity infrastructure. For generations, ger district families like Oyuntuya’s have shaped their lives around coal stoves, often spending upwards of three hours a day just tending to the fire, missing hours of precious time with their families and limiting work opportunities.
UAE to introduce AI classes for children as young as four (May 12, 2025, Financial Times) (Subscription required)
Wealthy Gulf country hopes to become a regional tech hub but has underperformed in education. The country is rolling out an artificial intelligence curriculum from the earliest years in state schools as it seeks to become a regional AI hub and avoid the past “mistake” of not reacting to the spread of social media.
Unpacking the local impacts of foreign interests in Timor-Leste (May 13, 2025, Devpolicy)
Through our Timor-Leste case study, we explored the diversity of foreign interests in relation to police reform and infrastructure development, how these interests were pursued and the impacts at the local level. What we found was a methodological challenge in untangling foreign interests and their local impacts.
Central Asia Planning to Launch Schengen-Like Visa for Tourists (March 20, 2025, ProPakistani)
Central Asia, known for its breathtaking landscapes and ancient cities, could soon undergo a travel revolution. President Japarov’s proposal for a unified visa, reminiscent of Europe’s Schengen Area, aims to simplify travel and enhance regional integration. This ambitious initiative has the potential to redefine how travelers experience the heart of Asia.
How villagers in Kyrgyzstan are dealing with modern impact of smartphones (May 6, 2025, John O’groat Journal and Caithness Courier)
The town has the air of a place that time has deposited somewhere between the shores of tradition and modernity. There is a scattering of new Chinese factories in the outer suburbs, a hopeful tourism complex at the edge of the lake and some older buildings that hint at a more prosperous past when the country was part of the Soviet Union.
Strongest solar flare of 2025 erupts from sun, sparking radio blackouts across Europe, Asia and the Middle East (May 14, 2025, Space)
X2.7-class eruption from sunspot AR4087 disrupts radio signals as the active region rotates toward Earth, raising the risk of more flares ahead.
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Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
Blessing Asia
In October-2022 more than 500 Christian leaders from across Asia gathered in Thailand for the Asia 2022 Congress, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement and various partnering organizations. I had the opportunity to participate in the Congress virtually and was mightily blessed. From Bible exposition to K-pop worship, and through seminars and workshops, the participants were encouraged by the stories of what God is doing in countries all over Asia. Clearly, God is on the move.
A beautiful vision was portrayed in a video of the popular worship song The Blessing, featuring singers from all over Asia. Here it is:
Many of the sessions have already been posted on their website and to their YouTube channel.
One that I found particularly helpful considering all that is going on in China was a presentation titled Church and State Relationship in Asia Today. You can see the video here.
I encourage you to spend some time on their website; there are fantastic resources for understanding God’s work in Asia today.
Original link: https://www.chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/blessing-asia/
Image credit: Andrea Brucker, via Unsplash
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