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People group profile · PG009544

The Lahu Shi of Myanmar

The Lahu Shi of Myanmar, numbering about 69,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of the Lahu, a Tibeto-Burman ethnic group indigenous to China and Myanmar.

They are an indigenous people in the Other Tibeto-Burmese people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Lahu Shi.

Pray for the Lahu ShiPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Lahu Shi people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Lahu Shi

Fast facts

Country
Myanmar
Population
69,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Other Tibeto-Burmese
Primary language
Lahu Shi (lhi)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
Less than 2%
GSEC
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority
Expanding Unreached People Group
Also known as
Yellow Lahu
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia

Where they live

Gospel status

The Lahu Shi 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Lahu Shi

  • 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

Animism · Ethnoreligion

80% adherents

Primary language

Lahu Shi · Sino-Tibetan family

100% speak Lahu Shi

Gospel resources in Lahu Shi

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Lahu Shi

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

Download a prayer guide

Lahu Shi, Yellow Lahu in other countries

The same people (ROP3 111024) is reported in 3 other countries.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
Lahu ShiThailand15,500No Longer Unreached
Lahu ShiLaos3,600No Longer Unreached
Lahu ShiUnited States1,500No Longer Unreached

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