People group profile · PG006434
The Burgher of Sri Lanka
The Burgher of Sri Lanka, numbering about 45,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Eurasian ethnic group in Sri Lanka descended from Dutch, British and other European men who settled in Sri Lanka and intermarried with Sri Lankan women.
They are an indigenous people in the Sinhala people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Roman Catholicism, and they primarily speak Indo-Portuguese.
Fast facts
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Population
- 45,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Sinhala
- Primary language
- Indo-Portuguese (idb)
- Primary religion
- Roman Catholicism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 10% or Greater but Less than 15%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Moderately Reached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Concentrated in Colombo, with smaller communities in Gampaha, Trincomalee, and Batticaloa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Burgher are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Burgher
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Roman Catholicism · Christianity
Primary language
Indo-Portuguese · Indo-European family
78% speak Indo-Portuguese
Gospel resources in Indo-Portuguese
- Bible available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Burgher
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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