The Somali of East Africa and Diaspora
Population: 16-20 million
Location: Somalis live in East Africa and around the world.
History: Somalis have lived in the Horn region of Africa for millennia. Rock painting found in Somaliland date back 5000 years. Somalia was part of the Silk Road- supplying frankincense, myrrh, and spices to Ancient Egypt and others.
Somali sailors were influenced by Muslim traders across the Red Sea in the early centuries of Islam. Somalis were among the first people to convert to Islam in Africa.
In the Middle Ages several powerful Somali empires dominated regional trade. In the late 19th century, they were able to repel colonial forces for 25 years, until the British used airplanes to bomb the capital in 1920.
The territory was eventually divided among colonial powers: French Somaliland, British Somaliland, Italian Somaliland.
British and Italian Somaliland gained their independence in 1960 and united as the Somali Republic. The Haud and Ogaden, traditionally occupied by Somalis, were ceded to Ethiopia by the British in 1948 and The Northern Frontier Distict, also Somali, was given to Kenya by the British in 1960.
French Somaliland gained its independence in 1977 and became The Republic of Djibouti.
In 1969 Mohamed Siad Barre led a military coup and established a socialistic state. He became an oppressive dictator. War with Ethiopia in the late 70s led to over one million displaced Somalis living in refugee camps in Somalia. Resistance movements against Barre began in the North in the late 80s. He responded ruthlessly- 50,000 people were killed between 1988 and 1989 in the North. Civil war broke out in 1991. 1 million people lost their homes in the war. Many hundreds of thousands fled to refugee camps or abroad. 350,000 people died of disease, starvation, or war. Barre was ousted as President, leaving a power vacuum and civil war continued for a decade.
A Transitional National Government was formed in 2000 with UN peace keepers support. A Transitional Federal Government was established in 2004- 2012. Al-Shabaab opposed the government and began attacking in 2007 to the present. The Federal Government of Somalia was established in 2012 and continues in power.
Culture: The name Somali is derived from the words ‘soo’ and ‘maal’ meaning “go and milk”. Many Somalis are pastoralists, caring for herds of camels, goats and sheep. Somalis love poetry and are known as a ‘Nation of Poets’.
Diaspora: Large populations of Somalis can be found in the UK, Europe, Canada, and the US.
Religion: Islam.
Latest Prayer Updates:
Building relationships through Soccer
Somali of East Africa and Diaspora: Every Monday, some of the team plays football with Somali friends. It started as a way to relax, but it’s now a meaningful way to build friendships and earn trust. As trust grows, we have more conversations about faith. A. is one friend who has been willing to hear the Good News fully. We pray together and talk honestly about faith and life. He doesn’t yet believe, but we know that the Lord is at work! Join us in asking for saving faith in A. as well as for more curious friends like him.
Pray for hearts to be open to hearing about the Jesus of the Bible! Pray for friends who bravely bring their faith-questions, that God would draw them to Himself and reveal truth. Pray for wisdom in every conversation. May we know how to move toward people with grace and truth. On Mondays pray that Soccer will open doors for deeper relationships and Gospel conversations. Pray that God will use these connections to build bridges between our team and the Somali community and that many will come to know the hope found in Jesus.
New Worship Music
Somali of East Africa: God is opening new doors for the Gospel among S friends, both through online conversations and through growing opportunities for believers to gather locally. Online, there have been more conversations with S friends, new ideas for worship songs, and opportunities for digital evangelism. One of the new songs created through this ministry was recently sung at the S Conference in Minnesota. What began as an opportunity to create worship music together is becoming an opportunity for S believers to find their voices and express their faith through song. Please pray that God would raise up more S believers who will sing, write lyrics, and help create new worship music that honors Christ and speaks from their own cultural context. Please also pray for the weekly online Bible study. Pray that those participating would not simply gain knowledge about Jesus, but would truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God and place their trust in Him. Locally, the team is beginning to consider how to establish regular gatherings for S believers. Pray for wisdom as they seek to build a community that is warm, safe, sustainable, and rooted in Christ.
Please pray: For S friends participating in the online Bible study, that God would open their hearts to the truth about Jesus. For new S believers, that they would grow in confidence and discover their own gifts for worship and ministry. For the development of new worship music, that God would use these songs to strengthen believers and communicate the Gospel within S communities. For wisdom in establishing local gatherings, that God would guide every decision and provide the right people and resources For healthy partnerships with local churches, that these relationships would strengthen the growing community of S believers. For a multiplying community of S followers of Jesus, both online and locally, who will encourage one another and make Christ known among their own people. Pray that what God is beginning through conversations, Bible study, worship, and fellowship would grow into a strong and reproducing community of S believers.
