Adyghe in Germany

People Name:	Adyghe
Country:	Germany
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	2,100
World Population:	680,700
Primary Language:	Adyghe
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.07 %
Evangelicals:	0.05 %
Scripture:	New Testament
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Caucasus
Affinity Bloc:	Eurasian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

There are two main groups of Circassians: the West, or Lower Circassian, who speak Adyghe; and the East, or Upper Circassian, who speak Kabardian. Their original homeland was an area in the northwestern Caucasus Mountains, extending out onto the Russian steppes.
The Adyghe people of Russia represent a relatively small amount of a once large, important group of people. Having lived in the Caucasus area for thousands of years, they had contact with the many peoples who passed the steppes to the north. During that time, the Adyghe knew almost constant warfare with these neighbors. By the mid-1860s, roughly 90 percent of the Adyghe population had been either killed or forced to flee.
Today, they live not only in their own homeland, but also in Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, and a smaller number in Germany. The number in Germany is so small that it is often overlooked.

What Are Their Lives Like?

As Muslims, the Adyghe people have much more social contact with other Islamic people than they do with the German majority. They are probably viewed as just another Turkish or Central Asian Muslim minority.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Christianity was brought to the Adyghe between the sixth and twelfth centuries, but they have been Muslims for the past three or four hundred years. Nevertheless, many pagan relics and some forms of Eastern Orthodox Christianity still exist in their oral traditions and religious practices.

What Are Their Needs?

The Adyghe people of Germany need Christ's ambassadors to live among them. Like many ethnic groups, they are searching for identity. Prayer is the first step towards seeing them find true identity in Jesus.

Prayer Points

Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
Pray that God will use believers in Germany to reach out to the Adyghe people.
Ask the Lord to save key leaders among the Adyghe who will boldly embrace and declare the gospel.
Pray for Christian media to be translated into Adyghe.
Pray for a strong Jesus movement to be raised up among the Adyghe in Germany and in Russia.