Lao in Myanmar (Burma)


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Centuries ago, the Lao lived in China. However, relentless pressure by the Chinese gradually forced them southward, and many settled along the Mekong River in the eighth or ninth century. When the Lao Kingdom was replaced by a communist administration during World War II, many Lao fled to Burma, Thailand, and Laos.

For years, Laos was the battlefield for the conflicts of other nations, as well as the object of political competition between Russia, China and Vietnam. After years of invasions, a series of bloody land wars, and possession by French colonialists, Laos entered into good relations with its neighbors.


Where Are they Located?

Most Lao people live in Laos, but some have migrated to other parts of Southeast Asia including Myanmar.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most of the Lao are wet-rice farmers. They also raise cotton, mulberry bushes (for silk worms), coco palms, and various fruits. Cultivation is done with wooden equipment drawn by buffalo. Some of the farmers are also blacksmiths, carpenters or miners. Certain villages specialize in crafts such as pottery, or in the production of goods such as tobacco or charcoal. A number of the Lao are also fishermen.

Lao houses in Myanmar are typically made of wood or bamboo, and are built high on stilts. Family livestock, which includes poultry, pigs, and goats, are allowed to run freely underneath the houses. Nearly every family raises cattle and buffaloes in order to trade the leather and hides.

The Buddhist Wat, or temple, is the center of Lao village life. Village leadership is usually divided; the chief has authority in secular matters, while the Buddhist monk has authority in religious issues. Lao society no longer has rigid social classes. Consequently, there is no longer a hereditary elite class. Their social structure is based on family units, with no widespread lineages or clans. Sexual promiscuity before marriage is relatively common.

The Lao have a variety of folk arts, which include weaving, basket making, wood and ivory carving, and working with silver and gold. They have a variety of musical instruments, of which a bamboo wind instrument called the khene is the most widely known.


The Lao belong to the Tai linguistic group, which began migrating southward from China in the first millennium after Christ, and which now politically and culturally dominate other Laotian groups.
What Are Their Beliefs?

More than half of the Lao are Buddhists. Traditionally, young men enter village monasteries for about three months to study Buddhism. Lao Buddhists believe that right thinking, ritual sacrifices, and self-denial will enable the soul to reach nirvana (a state of eternal bliss) at death. They live in fear of their gods and constantly strive to appease them with religious chants, rituals, and sacrifices. They also believe that existence is a continuing cycle of death and rebirth, a process known as reincarnation.

One third of the Lao are ethnic religionists, combining folk animism (belief that non-living objects have spirits) with Buddhism. They seek help through various supernatural beings and objects. Of major importance to them are the "territorial deities."


What Are Their Needs?

The Lao people in Myanmar need to be freed from the fear of "territorial deities," and other spirits that control their lives.


Prayer Points

Pray that the Lord will give mission agencies new opportunities for entering Myanmar, a closed country.
Ask God to use Lao believers to share the love of Jesus with their own people.
Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Lao towards believers so that they will be receptive to the gospel.
Pray that God will open the hearts of governmental leaders in Myanmar to the gospel.
Ask the Lord to raise up a disciple making movement among the Lao in Laos and in Myanmar.


Scripture Prayers for the Lao in Myanmar (Burma).


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lao_people
http://laoinburma.blogspot.com/


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Lao
People Name in Country Lao
Pronunciation lao
Alternate Names Eastern Thai; Lào; Lao Boc; Lao Noi; Lao Wiang; Lao-Lu; Lao-Noi; Laotian Tai; Laotian Thai; Lum Lao; Phou Lao; Rong Kong; Tai Lao; Ts'un Lao
Population this Country 25,000
Population all Countries 3,958,000
Total Countries 11
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 12989
ROP3 Code 105643
ROP25 Code 304598
ROP25 Name Lao
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Buddhism
Religion Subdivision: Theravada
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
93.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.90 %)
3.00 %
Ethnic Religions
2.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
2.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Lao (25,000 speakers)
Language Code lao   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Vientiane
Dialect Code 12765   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Lao (25,000 speakers)
Language Code lao   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Vientiane
Dialect Code 12765   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Lao

Primary Language:  Lao

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1906-1967)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1926-1973)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1932-2012)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Lao Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Lao YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Lao YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Lao Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Cambodia Research Network 
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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