The Tibetans are an unreached people group who live on the 'Roof of the World', the 'Land of Snows' at an altitude of between 4,000 - 5,000m (12,000 - 16,000 ft) in far-flung west of China. Tibet is a vast, remote area surrounded by an aura of mystery and magic. Tibet, the size of Europe lies on the great Himalayan plateau between China and India.

High mountains and harsh bitter weather have proved to be an almost impassable barrier to missionaries. As a result, millions of Tibetans are yet to hear the 'Good News' about the Lord Jesus Christ.

WHO ARE THE TIBETANS ?
They are simple-minded, warm-hearted, generous, very spiritual and nomadic people. Tibetan nomads roam the grasslands while the settled population live in fertile valleys, growing barley and raising sheep, yaks, goats and horses. In the villages, Tibetans live in flat-roofed mud houses. When rural Tibetans greet each other, they stick out their tongues and hiss loudly. This shows the other person that you are human and not a demon, who are believed to have black tongues.

In 1959 China annexed Tibet. It is now known as Tibetan Autonomous Region. About 2.5 million Tibetans live in Tibet and the Chinese provinces of Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan and Yunnan. They are strongly nationalistic, venerating and worshipping the exiled Dalai Lama regarded as 'god-king', spiritual and political leader. Tibetans have long resisted any attempt to bring the Gospel.

WHAT DO TIBETANS BELIEVE?
Behind their smiles lie a religion full of idol and demon worship -Tibetan Buddhism. Orthodox Buddhist teachings are mixed with the native aninistic Bon religion (Bon is an occult religion which practices human sacrifice and the worship of spirits, gods and demons). Buddhism adopted many of the Bon rituals like the flying of prayer flags and the turning of prayer wheels. These rituals combined with the esoteric practices of Tantric Buddhism evolved into Tibetan Buddhism called Lamaism. A typical Tibetan's life consists of flying prayer wheels, offering of incenses, and the recitation of mystical phrases. The goal is to accumulate as much merit as possible for a better life in the next reincarnation.

ARE THERE CHRISTIANS?
There are a few Tibetans who are Christians in Tibet and about 200 in India and Nepal. There are one or two house churches in Tibet pastored by Chinese Christians and a few churches in India and Nepal pastored by Tinetans and Ladakhis. It has proved to be a tough spiritual battle to share the gospel to the Tibetans.