The Yarawata people live in the Madang Province of Papua New Guinea in what ethnologists consider one of the most linguistically diverse places on earth, with some 200 distinct languages. As the population in Papua New Guinea grew, they migrated out of the highlands and spread to the interior of the island.
The Yarawata are isolated from surrounding people groups by dense rain forests and significant valleys. These natural geographical barriers have allowed them to maintain their distinct culture and language. They are largely engaged in agriculture, and their communities are based on kinship.
Despite being isolated, the majority of the Yarawata have been exposed to missionaries and consider themselves Christians. Like other islanders, many continue to engage in traditional ethnic religious practices, including an emphasis on animism and appeasing ancestral spirits.
The Yarawata would benefit from a fresh wave of either indigenous or cross-cultural missionaries who can disciple them and help them come closer to Jesus Christ.
Pray for a revival in the church of the Yarawata and for workers who will invest themselves in disciple making and church planting.
Pray that some will be called and sent to the unreached in nearby Indonesia.
Pray for the Lord to show them the way to improve their economy.
References
Scripture Prayers for the Yarawata in Papua New Guinea.
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
