Who are the Central Yi?

The Central Yi are mostly located in ChuXiong prefecture (pronounced Chew Showng) of Yunnan, an area known for its spiritual resistance and dryness. The Central Yi number nearly half a million souls. Within this language grouping are at least five distinct tribes of people. The largest two groups are the Lolopo (pronounced Low low poe) and the Western Lipo (pronounced Lee poe). Other tribes or people groups include the Central Niesu, Enipu and the Popei. Though they all speak a language in the Central Yi family, each has it's own dialect or sub-dialect.

More Central Yi Info

To get more information about the people groups that make up the Central Yi, go to the profiles of the Central Yi.

He who forms the mountains, created, the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, He who turns dawn to darkness and treads the high places of the earth the LORD God Almighty is His name." Amos 4:13

Pray that the Central Yi peoples would see the wonderful creation around where they live, and know that there must be a Creator, and that the Lord would give them revelation that this Creator is the Most High.

None of the Yi languages have a complete translation of the Bible, and if they did all of the Central Yi would not be able to read it, because nearly 100% of the half-million Central Yi peoples are illiterate in their own language. Pray for projects that are bringing chronological Bible stories to the Central Yi so that all could hear the good news in their heart language.

Pray for a spiritual awakening among the Central Yi. Ask Father for supernatural encounters, that would bring about a movement of the Holy Spirit among their villages, and that the fruit would be uniquely Yi "Great Commission" churches.

Central Yi Journey

Pray for Christian Chinese missionaries already working among the Central Yi, that their message of God's love through Jesus Christ would be received by those that God opens the door to share with.

Intercede for the Central Yi, praying that more laborers would come to the 'roads and country lanes' of the Yi villages, telling of the Home that awaits all people and the Father who will live with them forever there.

Ask that Father's invitation to His eternal home would be accepted among the 16 thousand Enipu people and that they would rejoice in knowing they are members of His household.

Central Yi Journey

"Go out to the roads and the country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full." Luke 14:23

Pray for Christian Chinese missionaries already working among the Central Yi, that their message of God's love through Jesus Christ would be received by those that God opens the door to share with.

Intercede for the Central Yi, praying that more laborers would come to the 'roads and country lanes' of the Yi villages, telling of the Home that awaits all people and the Father who will live with them forever there.

Ask that Father's invitation to His eternal home would be accepted among the 16 thousand Enipu people and that they would rejoice in knowing they are members of His household.

Central Yi Journey

Central Yi Journey

Central Yi Journey

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the LORD, as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23

Pray to the Most High that Central Yi farmers, like these pictured here, would recognize their Master and choose to live their lives in service and devotion to the true Lord of the Harvest.

Pray that God would speak to the Yi working in their fields of the rest they can find in His arms. That those "who are weak and weary" can come to Christ and find that His "burdens are light".

Ask Father to bless projects (in various areas such as micro-business, agriculture, education, and medical) that will open doors and hearts to the Central Yi so that more Christians can come and share the good news and reap the harvest that God is preparing.

Central Yi Journey

"Praise the LORD...Praise Him for His acts of power...Praise Him with the strings...let everything that has breath praise the LORD." Psalm 150: 1, 2, 4, 6

Ask that Yi villagers, whose music is a great part of their culture, soon would make jubilant music in their hearts in praise of the God Most High

Pray that the Central Yi would learn songs of praise in their own languages and would sing a new song unto Him, using their own instruments such as the Yi guitars being played by the men in the picture above.

Intercede for the 1,000 Popei people, of whom little is currently known. They are believed to live on remote mountains in one of the least evangelized areas in all of the Yunnan province. Pray for God to reveal Himself to the Popei and that they would glorify Him with their mouths and their lives.

Central Yi Journey

"...to You the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say, "Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good. Do men make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods!" Jeremiah 16:19-20

Please ask God to reveal to the Yi peoples the worthlessness of their idols, such as the one in the picture fashioned after the tiger god, so they may do away with them for good, and would cease building altars to them.

The word Lolopo, means "people of the tiger" and these people have attached their identity to this creature out of respect. Ask the Lord to show Himself as the only True God worthy of worship, and that the Lolopo peoples would one day find their true identity in Christ.

Intercede to the Father, that He would help to tear down all of the spiritual barriers keeping them from believing and trusting in Jesus.

Central Yi Journey

"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in robes of righteousness..." Isaiah 61:10

Lift up these Western Lipo Yi women who are preparing their costumes for a festival. Pray that Father would clothe Yi women and men with His salvation and righteousness that their souls may delight and rejoice in Him.

Intercede for the Western Lipo that traditional strongholds keeping them from hearing and accepting the gospel of Christ would be broken down, and that many hearts would turn to him as their Savior. Pray that Yi peoples would see how beautiful the clothes of the Lord are and would trade in their earthly costumes for those that will never fade away.

Pray for the salvation of every Central Yi person, that they may come to know the beauty of the Lord's mercy, and delight greatly in Him.

Central Yi Journey

"I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in robes of righteousness..." Isaiah 61:10

Lift up these Western Lipo Yi women who are preparing their costumes for a festival. Pray that Father would clothe Yi women and men with His salvation and righteousness that their souls may delight and rejoice in Him.

Intercede for the Western Lipo that traditional strongholds keeping them from hearing and accepting the gospel of Christ would be broken down, and that many hearts would turn to him as their Savior. Pray that Yi peoples would see how beautiful the clothes of the Lord are and would trade in their earthly costumes for those that will never fade away.

Pray for the salvation of every Central Yi person, that they may come to know the beauty of the Lord's mercy, and delight greatly in Him.

Central Yi Journey

"'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven'." Matthew 18:3

Lift up the Yi children, like this sweet girl pictured in her Yi costume. Pray that their generation will grow up in a Yi culture that gives all glory to the God Most High.

Ask God to change the hearts of the Yi and make them like children who rush into the arms of a loving and protecting Father.

Ask that Yi people would have the faith and innocence of a small child so they may believe in His goodness and hope in His promises.

Central Yi Journey

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground..." Ephesians 6:11,13

Lift up this elderly Lolopo woman wearing her traditional Yi costume. Pray for her and countless other Central Yi people in their "golden years", that they would have the opportunity to hear of Jesus and God's love before they die.

Ask Father to show Yi believers how to put on His armor and protect themselves from the attacks of the devil. Pray also that they would know how to yield the Sword of the Word, so they can gain ground that is currently the enemy's.

Ask that Yi believers would stand strong in the face of temptation, persecution and ridicule, knowing that they are "more than conquerors".

THANK YOU!

Thank you for praing for the Central Yi. Now rest in the promise of John 15:7, that "if you remain in Me, and My words remain in You, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you."

We firmly believe that prayer is what tills the soil in preparation for the seed of the Gospel to planted among the Yi. Check back later on the Virtual Prayer Walk main page as we will be adding prayer walks for other Yi people groups in the coming months.

From Virtual to Reality

For more information about bringing a group from your church or organization to China for a prayer walking tour of Yi areas, contact us at GoYi@pobox.com and find more information about prayer walking and other missions opportunities among the Yi on the Yi Prayer Walking page.