Pnong

  • Pre-Entry
  • Pre-Evangelism
  • Evangelism
  • Discipleship
  • Phase-Out
  • Completed

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

Frontier Stories

Gaining More Than You Lose

Choosing to be a missionary can feel like a huge sacrifice. It is. Only those who experience it know it’s totally worth it. “You gain much more than you lose.”

By: Cristian Jara
December 01 2024, 10:23 am | Comments 0

The Candy Bowl of Kindness

I continue to welcome visitors, to share what I have, and to say “I love you” even when words fail. The children come and go, leaving behind a trail of laughter and memories.

By: Rene Theunissen
December 01 2024, 10:11 am | Comments 0

Medals for Souls

Serving others is our highest calling, and in doing so, we become more like the One who served us all.

By: Rene Theunissen
November 01 2024, 9:33 am | Comments 0

Blessed Are Those Who Have Not Seen

What is it that you still see left undone in your life that, by your believing through faith, God will accomplish?

By: Cristian & Solange Jara
November 01 2024, 9:30 am | Comments 0

Finding My Path: A Missionary’s Story

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

I Never Knew You

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

A Fruitful Misadventure in Cambodia

It turns out that our relationship bore fruit in unexpected ways.

By: Alexia Rains
October 01 2024, 8:22 am | Comments 0

Attack of the Forest Spirits

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

Resilience Amidst Solitude: The Unwavering Spirit of Grandma Sophea

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

Four Gifts for Eternity

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

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