Railroad to the Top of the World

Dear Jesse,

There's a railroad now to the top of the world! The final leg of the "Sky Train" was completed this year. It runs from a Tibetan city called Golmud to Lhasa, which is known as both the capital of Tibet and the highest city in the world. At 12,000 feet high, Lhasa is often called the Rooftop of the World. Now people can ride trains from Beijing, Chengdu, and other China cities all the way there.

Lhasa is so high that it is hard for many people to catch their breath. Lots of tourists there have to inhale canisters of oxygen to keep from getting altitude sickness. There is even oxygen treatment available on the train running into Lhasa in case someone gets bad headaches from the high altitude. Usually though, the sickness passes quickly as one's body adjusts to the height.

Viewing the scenery from the train windows, you can see that Tibet is a land of majestic mountains and wide open spaces. Yaks -- large oxen with shaggy hair and long horns -- roam freely throughout the land.

With their thick black hair and ruddy cheeks, Tibetan people are very attractive. They are also sweet and friendly. Many of them are eager to talk to foreigners. Sadly though, most of the people in Tibet do not know Jesus, but are Tibetan Buddhists. When you arrive in Lhasa, you will see people of all ages walking round and round the city as they make pilgrimages to honor their false gods. Many of them hold prayer beads in their hands and lots of them carry prayer wheels (metallic sticks with a wheel at the top).

There are many monasteries and temples and Buddhist monuments in Lhasa. Everywhere you look, people are prostrating themselves in worship to false gods. Five-colored prayer flags are strewn about the city and the countryside for good luck. Robed Buddhist monks with shaved heads seem to be everywhere.

Most of the beautiful Tibetan people do not know the God who created both them and the beauty of their land. It is often said that to be Tibetan is to be Tibetan Buddhist. But Jesus said, "I have come that they might have life and have it more abundantly."

Let's pray today for the Tibetan people, Jesse. Let's ask God to make His salvation known to all of these beautiful people.

Love from China,

Auntie D