Fulbe in Canada

People Name:	Fulbe
Country:	Canada
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	5,200
World Population:	5,504,800
Primary Language:	Pular
Primary Religion:	Islam
Christian Adherents:	0.01 %
Evangelicals:	0.00 %
Scripture:	New Testament
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Fulani / Fulbe
Affinity Bloc:	Sub-Saharan Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Fulbe people are from the West African nations of Mali, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Senegal. They are part of the much larger Fulani peoples who are among the largest and most powerful in West Africa. In Canada Africans like the Fulbes usually live in cities like Toronto and Calgary. One of the reasons they gravitate to Calgary is the job market.

What Are Their Lives Like?

In deciding which immigrants to admit from developing countries, Canada has favored those with a good education and professional skills. Many of the Fulbe people coming to Canada have advanced college degrees and they are fluent in English. Such people have often excelled economically. They start businesses, work in the IT sector, in law or medicine. Some have excelled as athletes, artists or musicians. Others who aren’t fluent in English face a language barriers, and some are under-employed.

Though they usually live a more prosperous life than they did in West Africa, Fulbe must adjust to many changes in Canada. Personal relationships are different. Many of them must adjust to having a spouse in a different continent and living with a different set of social expectations. Africans assume that the group rises or falls together, but in the West, they must adjust to an individualistic culture.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Fulbe are almost completely Muslim, faithfully believing the teachings of Islam. They believe that Allah is the only god and that Mohammed is his prophet. Most likely they also believe in the spirit world and in ancestral spirits. Efforts to evangelize these people have resulted in only a very small number of Fulbe believers. They are apparently very devoted to their Islamic religion and see it as a fulfillment of their needs. Islam is also one of the cultural things they can take with them in a foreign environment.

What Are Their Needs?

The Fulbe fear being alone or disliked. They often talk with friends to overcome the feeling of solitude. However, this need for company is concealed in public, as the Fulbe tend to hide their feelings. They express such things as love and the need for others through music. Christ followers, especially those with a fondness for Africa-centric music, can reach them for the Christ who offers fellowship with God the Father.

Prayer Points

Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send full-time missionaries to share the gospel with Muslim African peoples in Canada.
Pray that God will give the small number of Fulbe believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
Ask the Lord to bring forth a triumphant Fulbe church for the glory of his name.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to birth a cascading discipleship movement among the Fulbe people for God's glory.