Population: 900,000
Hub: India
Religion: Islam
Christians: 0.00%
Hub: India
Religion: Islam
Christians: 0.00%
Resources: WB, JF, AR
Engaged: Yes
Workers Needed: 10
Annual Deaths: 9,000
Engaged: Yes
Workers Needed: 10
Annual Deaths: 9,000
Description: The Odia Muslims trace their origin to a Muslim Bengali invasion of Orissa in the 16th century. Unlike their Bengali neighbors, the Odia showed little interest in Islam and only a small percentage converted. Less than 2% of Oriya speakers are Muslims today.
Prayer Points:
• There was no major Islamic missionary effort among the Odia and as a result those that converted were very syncretistic. There are intentional efforts from several Islamic schools and societies to change this. Pray for the spiritual protection of Odia Muslims from deception and ask God to open their hearts towards the gospel.
• The vast majority of Odia Muslims live in absolute poverty below the standard subsistence level. Little is being done to address this because they are such a small minority. Pray that God might empower local believers to be a blessing to them in Christ's name and for a movement of transformation to begin in their communities.
• There is an emerging church planting movement happening among Oriya speaking Hindus in Orissa. Pray that believers from this movement might be anointed by God's spirit to evangelize their Muslim neighbors and plant churches in their communities.
A Prayer: Heavenly Father, may the Light of the World become the light of the Odia Muslims and the eternal hope in which they trust.
Every year 9,000 Odia Muslims die without Christ, many of whom never hear the gospel in their lifetime. Let's do something to change that.
Prayer Points:
• There was no major Islamic missionary effort among the Odia and as a result those that converted were very syncretistic. There are intentional efforts from several Islamic schools and societies to change this. Pray for the spiritual protection of Odia Muslims from deception and ask God to open their hearts towards the gospel.
• The vast majority of Odia Muslims live in absolute poverty below the standard subsistence level. Little is being done to address this because they are such a small minority. Pray that God might empower local believers to be a blessing to them in Christ's name and for a movement of transformation to begin in their communities.
• There is an emerging church planting movement happening among Oriya speaking Hindus in Orissa. Pray that believers from this movement might be anointed by God's spirit to evangelize their Muslim neighbors and plant churches in their communities.
A Prayer: Heavenly Father, may the Light of the World become the light of the Odia Muslims and the eternal hope in which they trust.
Every year 9,000 Odia Muslims die without Christ, many of whom never hear the gospel in their lifetime. Let's do something to change that.