Scouts in Bhutan march in a parade in honor of the country’s fourth king, King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, whose birthday they celebrate Nov. 11-13. The king abdicated the throne to his eldest son, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, last December. This Dec. 17 will mark the 100th anniversary of the monarchy in the kingdom of Bhutan, a mountainous country of 2 million people nestled between India and China. In 2008, the country will hold its first national elections as it transitions from an absolute monarchy to a two-party democracy. Shown below are school children in Bhutan helping one another prepare for the parade.
Katie Hollingsworth, 21, a nursing student, prays in the background at a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka as a Sri Lankan Christian – who is a former Buddhist – shares about the love of Christ with two Buddhist monks. This was Hollingsworth’s first trip to Sri Lanka. Hollingsworth is a member of Lake Murray Baptist Church in Lexington.