For centuries, there has been trade between the Divehi people of the Maldive Islands and nearby Sri Lanka. During that time, there have been people from each of the two countries settling in the other one.
Though Sri Lanka is primarily Hindu (Tamil) and Buddhist (Sinhalese), there is a sizable Muslim minority, including the Divehi people.
Most Divehi people live in the stunningly beautiful Maldive Islands, but there is a sizable diaspora. Some live in Sri Lanka or India.
There is a fairly new youth center for Maldivians in Sri Lanka. It gives them access to games like foosball, billiards and ping pong. Youths will also be given an academic course on Islam, and taught life skills.
On the Maldive Islands, divorce is a plague on their families. Some men have had 10 wives, and family life is loosely structured. Children live with their mothers, and fathers sometimes support them. Marriages are not arranged, and they do not have much of a wedding ceremony. Most likely this situation also applies to Maldivians living in Sri Lanka.
Maldivian Divehi speakers are noted for being staunch, dogmatic Muslims. However, their loyalties are not to orthodox Islam, but to quirky forms of folk Islam. This means that they blend their Islam with various animistic beliefs. They have a tremendous fear of the "evil eye," curses caused by a fixed gaze, and evil spirits.
Believers can show these people, who almost all suffer the ill effects of divorce, what a Christian marriage can be like.
Maldivians have an exceptionally high divorce rate that leaves their families weak and their people without true love. Pray for them to seek and find biblical answers to this problem.
Maldivians need to be liberated from the bondage to rituals that will not provide them with anything.
Pray for a disciple making movement among Divehi speakers in Sri Lanka and the Maldive Islands.
Scripture Prayers for the Divehi in Sri Lanka.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldivians_in_Sri_Lanka
http://www.mfa.gov.lk/index.php/en/news-from-other-media/4995-youth-center-for-maldivians-in-sri-lanka
http://www.dailymirror.lk/24666/maldivian-girl-fined-for-12-cigarettes
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/17427/IN
Profile Source: Keith Carey |
Global Prayer Digest: 2010-09-10 |
People Name General | Divehi |
People Name in Country | Divehi |
Pronunciation |
dee-VAY-hee
|
Alternate Names | Mahl; Maldivian; Malki; डिवेः, मालदीवियन |
Population this Country | 2,000 |
Population all Countries | 3,400 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 17427 |
ROP3 Code | 112829 |
Country | Sri Lanka | |||
Region | Asia, South | |||
Continent | Asia | |||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||
National Bible Society | Website | |||
Persecution Rank | Not ranked | |||
Total States on file | 2 | |||
Largest States |
|
Country | Sri Lanka |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | Not ranked |
Total States | 2 |
Western 1,800 | |
Eastern 200 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
100.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest Sri Lanka census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Maldivian (2,000 speakers) |
Language Code | div Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Maldivian (2,000 speakers) |
Language Code | div Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Maldivian |
Primary Language: Maldivian
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1997-2017) |
Bible-New Testament | No |
Bible-Complete | No |
Bible-NT Audio | 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 Maldivian | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | LUMO film of Gospels | Bible Media Group/LUMO |
Film / Video | My Last Day video, anime | Jesus Film Project |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Maldivian | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Maldivian | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Jesus Messiah comic book | General / Other |
Photo Source |
(Representative photo) Easa Shamih - Flickr Creative Commons |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Profile Source | Keith Carey |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |