People group profile · PG007421
The Wa of China
The Wa of China, numbering about 370,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a mountain people of the Wa States between the Mekong and Salween rivers, split by the 1960 China-Burma border after centuries as independent warrior-farmers without kings, later forming the United Wa State Party after a 1989 mutiny.
They are an indigenous people in the Mon-Khmer people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Parauk.
Fast facts
- Country
- China
- Population
- 370,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Mon-Khmer
- Primary language
- Parauk (prk)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Wa are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Wa
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
80% adherents
Primary language
Parauk · Austroasiatic family
85% speak Parauk
Gospel resources in Parauk
- Bible available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2012 United Bible Societies · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Wa
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
Wa, Parauk in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110476) is reported in 1 other country.
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