People group profile · PG011647
The Suri of Ethiopia
The Suri of Ethiopia, numbering about 99,500 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Nilo-Saharan ethnolinguistic group indigenous to the southwestern plains of Ethiopia.
They are an indigenous people in the Nilotic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Tirmaga-Chai Suri.
Fast facts
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Population
- 99,500
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Nilotic
- Primary language
- Tirmaga-Chai Suri (suq)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- 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: Bench-Maji zone, toward Sudan border; west of Mizan Teferi
Where they live
Gospel status
The Suri 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 Suri
- 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
Animism · Ethnoreligion
80% adherents
Primary language
Tirmaga-Chai Suri · Surmic family
100% speak Tirmaga-Chai Suri
Gospel resources in Tirmaga-Chai Suri
- Bible available, published 2023
- JESUS Film 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 Suri
- 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.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
Suri in other countries
The same people (ROP3 109622) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suri | South Sudan | 1,600 | Unengaged and Unreached |
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.