People group profile · PG023034
The Sasawa of Indonesia
The Sasawa of Indonesia, numbering about 400 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a small indigenous Papuan ethnolinguistic community of the Apauwar River region in Sarmi Regency, Papua, Indonesia. They are associated with the Sasawa language and are part of the broader network of small interior peoples inhabiting the Apauwar basin.
They are an indigenous people in the New Guinea people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Kwerba.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 400
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- New Guinea
- Primary language
- Kwerba (kwe)
- Primary religion
- Protestantism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 50% or Greater but Less than 75%
- GSEC ?
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority ?
- Significantly Reached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Papua province: Apiaweti, Aurime, Munukania, Tatsewalem, and Wamariri villages in Apauwer river headwaters
Where they live
Gospel status
The Sasawa 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 Sasawa
- 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
Protestantism · Christianity
65% adherents
Primary language
Kwerba · Greater Kwerba family
76% speak Kwerba
Gospel resources in Kwerba
- Bible available, published 2001
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings 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 Sasawa
- 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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