Name: So Tri of Laos
Population: 12,000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions (100%)
Status of Gospel: Unreached and unengaged; no evangelicals (0.00%) and none who identify as Christian (0.00%)
The So Tri live in the south-central part of Khammouan Province in central Laos. They are geographically in the center of the So and Bru people. There seems little doubt that all three groups were once part of the same tribe. Over the centuries, as they split and migrated to different locations, each group developed its own identity, customs and dialect.
Most So Tri are rice farmers. They have borrowed their agricultural techniques from the Lao. Others, living in the mountains, continue to be “slash-and-burn” communities. They clear land in the forests by burning it off, clearing boulders and trees, then living there for several years. When the nutrients in the soil are used up, they abandon their village and move to another location, where the same process is repeated again. This custom leaves the ground barren and provides poor harvests.
Most So Tri are animists, but Theravada Buddhism is growing in prominence because of influence from the Lao and Phutai.
We know very little about the state of Christianity among this group. There may be a few believers, but the majority of So Tri are unevangelized and have no contact with Christians.
Prayer Points
- Pray a strong church planting movement would soon emerge in their midst.
- Pray for Holy Spirit-anointed believers to come into contact with the So Tri.
- Ask God to give the So Tri people an abundant harvest this year as a testimony of His goodness and power.
Source of information is JoshuaProject.net