People group profile · PG020435
The Ainu of China
The Ainu of China, numbering about 11,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Turkic-speaking people of Xinjiang known as the Äynu or Abdal who maintain a distinct identity despite being officially classified as Uyghurs and whose heritage reflects long interaction between Central Asian, Persian, and Uyghur populations.
They are an indigenous people in the Ural-Siberian people cluster of the Turkic Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Ainu (China).
Fast facts
- Country
- China
- Population
- 11,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Ural-Siberian
- Primary language
- Ainu (China) (aib)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC ?
- No Evangelicals, Churches or Resources
- Lostness priority ?
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Ainu 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, there are no evangelical Christians or churches among this people group and there is no access to evangelical print, audio, visual or human resources.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Ainu
- 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
100% adherents
Primary language
Ainu (China) · Turkic family
70% speak Ainu (China)
Gospel resources in Ainu (China)
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Ainu
- 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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