Didoi, Tsez in Russia

People Name:	Didoi, Tsez
Country:	Russia
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	19,000
World Population:	19,500
Primary Language:	Dido
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	Portions
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	No
Audio Recordings:	No
People Cluster:	Caucasus
Affinity Bloc:	Eurasian Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Muslim Didoi people—their language is named ‘Tsez’—have lived on the edge over the past couple decades. First, their location in the southwest corner of Dagestan became "the edge" of Russia when the Soviet Union broke up in 1991. Second, internal power factors in Dagestan left them on "the edge" of Dagestani life, and third, in 2012-13 mysterious fires started breaking out in a number of mountain Didoi villages, devastating whole villages. On top of that, most Didoi have literally built their villages on the edge of ridges, with houses stacked vertically on top of each other. One burned out village, Khutrakh, by translation literally means "The Edge."

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Didoi have traditionally engaged in raising livestock and limited cultivation. Some Didoi have migrated to industrial centers for work.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Didoi practice Sunni Islam. It is an important part of their identity.

What Are Their Needs?

Will this past decade of crisis among the Didoi lead to new openness to the love of Christ? Caring Christians have several times reached out to the suffering Didoi people but were sometimes blocked by Dagestani power structures. If you will continue praying for the Didoi according to Jesus’ compassion in Matt.9:36-38, there is hope.

Prayer Points

In light of the past hostility from Muslim powers in Dagestan, pray for more men and women of peace (Luke 10:6) among the Didoi to welcome the love of Christ.
Pray for the Father to send the right people at the right time into the right relationships, bringing the grace and power of Jesus into the Didoi world.
The Didoi are known as “the Eagle People.” Pray that the grace of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit will help them “rise up with wings as eagles, to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint.” (Isa. 40:31) Presently, there are no known Jesus followers among the Didoi.
The Lord’s Prayer in Tsez is now published on artistic colorful cards. Pray for these life-giving words of the Lord to circulate deep into the Didoi culture and to penetrate hearts.
Pray for a new linguistic open door for the Didoi people. One is arising through academic linguistic research of a gifted Christian. The Didoi live in Dagestan, a land of war. Pray what Satan meant for evil (fighting), God will use for good to bring many people to humility and the saving work of Christ.