En in Vietnam

Introduction / History

There are only 200 En people in Vietnam, and they are likely to be merged with other people groups in the coming decades.

Where Are they Located?

The En people live in the northern tip of Vietnam near the Chinese border.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The En people live like most of the other tribal peoples of northern Vietnam. They grow rice, vegetables, and tend livestock. But unlike the others, they have little chance of remaining a separate people group.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The En people practice an ethnic religion, which is often a blend of animism and ancestor worship. Animism includes the belief that forces and aspects of nature (wind, rivers, trees, earth) are attached to spirits or supernatural beings. They believe these spirits help them find or grow food, cure illness and avert danger. Through sacrifice and ritual, the worshipper tries to manipulate the spirit into helping him.

What Are Their Needs?

As this people group is merged with others around them, they are likely to feel a sense of loss and low esteem. They need to put their identity in the King of Kings who rules the universe.

Prayer Points

Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the small number of En believers. Pray that they will be salt and light to their neighbors.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send Christian medical workers to labor among the En people.
Ask the Lord to bring forth a triumphant En church so that He will be worshipped among this tiny people group.

Text Source:   Keith Carey