Mru in Myanmar (Burma)

Mru
Photo Source:  Gerald Roberts 
Map Source:  Bethany World Prayer Center
People Name: Mru
Country: Myanmar (Burma)
10/40 Window: Yes
Population: 25,000
World Population: 98,000
Primary Language: Mru
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Christian Adherents: 4.01 %
Evangelicals: 0.40 %
Scripture: New Testament
Online Audio NT: No
Jesus Film: Yes
Audio Recordings: Yes
People Cluster: South Asia Tribal - other
Affinity Bloc: South Asian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Mro are also called Mru. They live mostly in Western Burma or Myanmar in the Chin Hill region. There are two main streams in the region and as a result there can be floods when there are monsoons.
The Mro speak Mru which is a Tibeto-Burman language. Latin and the Mru alphabet are used for reading and writing.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Mro work in cultivation. They believe that a dragon causes earthquakes. When a child is born, bamboos are put on the stream bank, and they kill a chicken and put its blood on the bamboo to worship the Nats who they believe in.
Regarding marriage among the Mro, the son who wants to be the bridegroom talks with his father about the woman he wants to marry, and the father, son and others go to the house of the woman he wants to be his bride. He gives idems to the parents of the bride. The father talks to his daughter about her marrying him and if she agrees, a dowry is given. A marriage promise is allowed to be broken as long as one of them says they do not love the other.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Mro follow Buddhism and animism. Most of them are followers of Theravada Buddhism. There are Christians among them too. In the late 1990s many became Christians due to what happened when Buddhist monks tried to force Christians to become Buddhists. A thunder bolt stopped them. Then lightning destroyed a Buddhist temple. More tried to attack another Christian village and as they went on a raft, fog came. The raft was crashed into by a barge and people on the raft drowned. Many people became Christians as a result. This could help more of the Mro to become Christians when reminded of this.

Prayer Points

Pray that signs and wonders will bring the Mro to Jesus Christ.
Pray for loving and dedicated gospel workers.
Pray for the Mro people to have the spiritual hunger it takes to embrace Christ no matter what the cost.

Text Source:   Joshua Project