Name: Matses of Peru
Population: 5,300
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions (95%)
Status of Gospel: Unreached; Few Evangelicals (0.20%) and Few Who Identify as Christians (5%)
The Matses are a tribe in the Amazon from Peru and Brazil. Many of them live in the Matses Indigenous Reserve, hunting and selling meat to help earn a living. Currently, they are having problems with poachers and illegal logging. As their land is encroached upon, their living conditions have worsened, and experts believe they could become extinct. Their religion is animist, and they worship human and animal spirits. The Matses practice polygamy and permit cross-cousin marriages and each village has its own chief. As it is difficult to provide medicine for them, a prayer would be that Christian medical groups could establish a relationship to help them with their medical needs.
Prayer Points:
- Pray that the contact they had with SIL missionaries in the past will help bring the Matses to Jesus Christ.
- Pray that the troubles they are having will lead them to salvation.
- Pray that the Matses will not become extinct.