"Coconut People of East Asia"

There are 1.3 million Coconut people living in East Asia today, with only 400 known believers. The Coconut people live in small communities ranging from 400 to 800 people, and most villages are only accessible by dirt roads. The Coconut people are poor peasant farmers who grow crops or raise livestock for income and food. The Coconuts’ homes consist of humble brick or mud structures with thatched roofs. Education and illiteracy is a problem among older Coconut people. The older generation has a sixth-grade education, while the younger generations are receiving the same education as the mass population. They can be classified as animistic coupled with ancestral worship. Generally speaking, they believe in the spirit world but do not have an understanding of ghosts or gods that make up part of their belief. When one looks at the Coconut language, there is not even a word or concept of the Creator God or the Most High God. Moreover, there are no words for love or peace or hope. This is one of the common barriers to reaching the Coconut people. Other barriers include restricted access to their villages, current beliefs in spirit and ancestral worship, and Christianity being seen by many as a foreign religion. Please pray for the evangelization of the Coconut people.