Chaungtha - Un-Reached People Group Of Myanmar

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Population : 121,700 or more
Religion : Buddhism, ethnic beliefs
Language : Shan, Burmese
Location :
Nationality Race : Tibeto-Burman group, sub-group of proto-Myanmar
% of Christians in this country : unknown
Scriptures in their own language : none
Jesus film in their own language : none
Christian Radio broadcast : none
Gospel audio recordings : none
Mission agencies or church planters working : 0

Estimations say that as much as 50% of the world's illegal opium is produced in Shan State where Chaungtha people belong, which is part of the infamous "Golden Triangle."

Because Chaungtha has been heavily influenced by both the Shan and Burmese, many groups are bilingual. While Shan is the favored language for trade, most still speak their native languages at home.

Their principal occupation is rice cultivation. Some plant rice on mountain terraces, which is the ideal; while others practice "shifting cultivation," moving from one plot to another. Some of the other important crops grown include maize, cotton, tobacco, and opium poppies. The amount of tobacco supplied cannot meet the demands made by the many smokers of this region.

Most of the Chaungtha villages a re located on hilltops, high mountain ridges, or slopes where they are protected from the mountain winds. The basic family unit is exogamous, which means that they only marry within their own groups. However, inter-tribal marriages do exist. The tribes are patrilineal in nature. This means that the line of descent is traced through the males.

Buddhism was introduced into Myanmar in the fifth century; and today, most of the Chaungtha are Buddhist. However, they have also maintained their traditional ethnic belief in evil spirits, or nats. They believe that these spirits can do almost anything in nature, such as prevent floods and other natural disasters.

Unfortunately, Chaungtha has no Bible or even portion of the Bible in their languages, and no missions agencies working among them. A greater effort must be made to reach them with the Good News. Prayer is the first step toward breaking down the barriers that separate them from the Light of the Gospel.

Ask God to grant wisdom and favor to the missions agencies that are targeting the Chaungtha of Myanmar.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth additional laborers into Myanmar.
Pray that God will reveal Himself to these precious people through dreams and visions.
Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Chaungtha bound.
Ask God to raise up prayer teams to begin breaking up the spiritual soil of Myanmar through worship and
intercession.
Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among each of the Chaungtha.