About the People
Far up in the northeastern corner of Cambodia, in Mondulkiri province near the Vietnam border, there are broad, sweeping, forest-covered hills with waterfalls and rivers in the deep valleys. Scattered throughout this woodland area are the Pnong people, who typically live in thatched bamboo, two-story longhouses with rounded ends. These farmers and foresters are known for taming elephants to haul trees and cargo. They practice labor-intensive slash-and-burn agriculture, following a 15- to 20-year cycle, using one site for up to five years before moving to a new location.
The Pnong are animists whose lives center around the worship of many nature spirits and performing ceremonies designed to appease and manipulate them.
About the Project
In the mid-1950s, the Pnong people heard of Jesus and invited missionaries to come and teach them. Mission agencies were unable to answer the call at that time, and the tribe sent another request in the mid-1960s. Then regional hostilities broke out, leading up to the Vietnam War. The Ho Chi Minh Trail ran through Pnong territory, so many fled the bombings and became refugees in Vietnam, where some were finally able to learn the gospel. Now, there are about a thousand Christians among the Pnong.
The Pnong are usually short of food for three to five months a year between harvests. During this time, they forage in the forest, hunt, fish or gather resin to sell. Major tracts of land have been logged, sold or otherwise removed from the traditional owners of the Bunong community, leading to a decrease in basic resources.
Until recently, the Pnong language was only spoken, not written. Many Pnong do not speak the trade language, Khmer, very well. Their ability to interact with the broader society is limited, preventing the adoption of innovations and ideas from the outside. The majority of Pnong people lack math skills and are often cheated in the marketplace. Also, as outside influences encroach with alarming speed and impact, the Pnong people are ill-equipped to adapt.
Most of all, the Pnong are grasping for stability and hope that can only be found in Christ. There is not yet a complete Pnong Bible translation, but one is underway.
People-Group Facts
- Population: 30,000
- Trade Language: Khmer
- Heart Language: Pnong
- Religion: Animism
I am so excited about the future as I continue to serve among these amazing Pnong people!
By:
Silvan Dörnbrack
October 01 2024, 9:46 am | Comments 0
Each of my spiritual struggles was an extension of that thing I was not letting God heal.
By:
Dailyn Patino
October 01 2024, 8:27 am | Comments 0
It turns out that our relationship bore fruit in unexpected ways.
By:
Alexia Rains
October 01 2024, 8:22 am | Comments 0
We hope that this man and his entire family will soon realize the dangers they face by remaining involved in the worship of spirits and will begin to follow the only One who can protect them, that stronger man (Matthew 12:28-29), Christ Jesus.
By:
Cristian Jara
September 01 2024, 12:32 pm | Comments 0
Sophea embodies the spirit of resilience, testifying to the power of community, compassion and the unwavering support that can transform solitude into solace.
By:
Rene Theunissen
September 01 2024, 12:24 pm | Comments 0
From the greatest intellects to the meager yet willing heart, from the fanciest perfume to the cheap elastic hairbands and those three pens, God sees the heart with which each is given, and He beams with love, pride and joy.
By:
Dailyn Patino
September 01 2024, 9:23 am | Comments 0
We were all strangers in a strange land, yet at that moment, our differences melted away.
By:
Deon Theunissen
August 01 2024, 10:59 am | Comments 0
As I continued on my journey, the words of a hymn echoed in my mind, a reminder of the unwavering faith that sustains me: “To the cross, I cling, my hope restored.”
By:
Rene Theunissen
July 01 2024, 2:27 pm | Comments 0
God had taken my pain for a few hours and allowed me to visit the groups and hear this wonderful news.
By:
Cristian Jara
July 01 2024, 2:24 pm | Comments 0
I knew that the future held endless possibilities for This, That and the entire Pnong community.
By:
Rene Theunissen
June 01 2024, 2:22 pm | Comments 0