People group profile · PG011619
The Mesmes of Ethiopia
The Mesmes of Ethiopia, numbering about 26,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a largely assimilated Gurage-related ethnolinguistic community of Ethiopia whose original language, Mesmes, is now extinct. They are unusual because the ethnic identity has survived to some degree even though the language has disappeared.
They are an indigenous people in the Ethio-Semitic people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity, and they primarily speak Hadiyya.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 26,500
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Ethio-Semitic
- Primary language
- Hadiyya (hdy)
- Primary religion
- Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ region: Gurage, Hadiyya, and Kambaata zones
Where they live
Gospel status
The Mesmes are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 Mesmes
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Tewahedo Orthodox Christianity · Christianity
40% adherents
Primary language
Hadiyya · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Hadiyya
Gospel resources in Hadiyya
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Hadiyya)
Bibles
- 1992 Bible Society of Ethiopia · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Mesmes
- 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.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
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