Unreached People Groups

PRACTICING BUDDHISM

PEOPLE GROUP*

PROGRESS

POPULATION

UPG DESCRIPTION

SHAMBALYG*

LEARNING MAJORITY LANGUAGE

2,275,000

ZHAU KU*

LEARNING MAJORITY LANGUAGE

554,000

DISCIPLING NEW BELIEVERS

1,700

children are needed at home and don't attend school
many suffer from hunger and live in poverty
due to hardships some children live in monasteries and become monks

MORE INFORMATION

N*

STORIES FROM THE FRONTLINE

Paawni grew up in a rural village. The closest road was a five-day walk. Her parents were very poor and had many children in the quest for a son to inherit their land. The difficulties of village life drove her parents to alcoholism. The future looked bleak for Paawni because education is non-existent for most village children. When she was seven, she came to The Children's Education & Discipleship program, which was her only opportunity to receive an education, where she also came to faith, and experienced God's love. Her family and the villagers did not understand why she had chosen to follow Jesus instead of embracing the traditional beliefs of their village. She was scolded and mocked, but, Paawni continued to follow Jesus faithfully, even though it meant facing many trials.

Upon graduation, Paawni returned to her village as a teacher. Over time, villagers began to see changes in Paawni and how God used her to bless them. She was grieved when both her parents died without proclaiming Christ, and she struggled with her other siblings and relatives rejecting her for her faith. But the Lord strengthened Paawni through these trials.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The N* people live in a mountainous region. Today, there are about 1,700 people who speak the N* language. Across the mountains, though, there are approximately another 6,000-7,000 people that those in the area consider being of the same people group. All practice a form of Buddhism that includes animistic elements. They believe that animals and plants can possess spirits, and evil spirits must be appeased through prayer and ritual. There is an endless cycle of reincarnation, and this means how faithful they are to live properly influences their reincarnation.

For centuries, the lives of the N* people have remained pretty much the same. Growing food in the mountains is hard, and this means many suffer from hunger and live in poverty. They shepherd animals for additional food, clothing, and trade. Most families live in one-room houses. The men often travel into the cities to work for long periods, separated from their families. Children especially face numerous challenges. The infant mortality rate is improving, but it is difficult for children to thrive. They are often needed at home, so many are not sent to school, especially girls. Schools are often so far away that those who do go have to board there for most of the year. Other children are sent to live in a monastery and be raised as a monk, as there is a social expectation for families to give a child to the local Buddhist monastery.