People group profile · PG011617
The Meen of Ethiopia
The Meen of Ethiopia, numbering about 244,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Surmic-speaking people indigenous to southwestern Ethiopia whose population includes both highland agricultural communities and lowland pastoral communities.
They are an indigenous people in the Nilotic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Me'en.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 244,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Nilotic
- Primary language
- Me'en (mym)
- Primary religion
- Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 30% or Greater but Less than 40%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Significantly Reached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Bench-Maji zone; highlanders (Banio dialect) in Bachuma area; lowlanders (Koruwo dialect) south; Bodi near Omo river
Where they live
Gospel status
The Meen 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 Meen
- 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
Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
45% adherents
Primary language
Me'en · Surmic family
85% speak Me'en
Gospel resources in Me'en
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Me'En)
Bibles
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Meen
- 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.
- 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.
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