People group profile · PG014786
The Gabbra of Kenya
The Gabbra of Kenya, numbering about 119,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are one of six major dialect groups of the Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo (Ethnologue 16).
They are an indigenous people in the Oromo people cluster of the Horn of Africa Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo.
Fast facts
- Country
- Kenya
- Population
- 119,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Oromo
- Primary language
- Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo (gax)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Gabbra 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 Gabbra
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
Primary language
Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo
Gospel resources in Borana-Arsi-Guji Oromo
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- 1994 Bible Society of Kenya · audio
- 2007 Bible Society of Ethiopia · audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Gabbra
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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