Bua in Chad

People Name:	Bua
Country:	Chad
10/40 Window:	Yes
Population:	26,000
World Population:	26,000
Primary Language:	Bua
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	0.10 %
Evangelicals:	0.08 %
Scripture:	Translation Started
Online Audio NT:	No
Jesus Film:	No
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Adamawa-Ubangi
Affinity Bloc:	Sub-Saharan Peoples
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Bua are nomads who live in the middle or Sahel section of the central African country of Chad. They are traditionally herders of animals and subsistence farmers. The Sahel is a dry grassland region south of the Sahara Desert in the north of Chad and north of the agricultural region with abundant rainfall in the south Chad. The Sahel receives between 12 and 30 inches of rain each year. The Bua in the Sahel face starvation and the death of their animals during the draught years with no or little rain. The country of Chad became independent from France in 1960. Unfortunately, since that date, civil wars, the assassinations and arrests of political leaders, coups and wars with Libya and Sudan have been the norm in Chad. A quarter of Chad's income is aid from the UN, NPOs, France, China, and the USA. International agencies consider Chad to be a failed state. Less than 40% of the people are able to read and write. The two official languages of Chad are French and Arabic. Chadians speak over 100 languages and dialects. In 2003 Chad became an oil exporting nation. Most of the revenue from the oil went to buying weapons and for the salaries of the Chadian military, not for the welfare of the Chadian people.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Most Bua roam central Chad searching for water and green plants for their camels, goats, cattle, and sheep. If the Bua cannot find water and grass for their animals as during draught years, they have no other way of supporting themselves. The nomadic lifestyle of the Bua makes them particularly difficult to reach with the good news of Jesus Christ. Most Bua children do not attend school. From an early age children work with their parents to support their families. Some Bua live a settled life. Since no irrigation water is available, farmers are totally dependent on intermittent rainfall. Cotton is a cash crop. The Bua sell raw cotton, clothing, and rugs to obtain cash to buy things they cannot make for themselves such a cell phones, appliances, radios, and TVs.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Bua were forced into becoming Muslims at the beginning of the 20th century. Most Bua now practice folk religion with some following a mixture of Islam and animism. A tiny fraction of the Bua claim to be followers of Jesus Christ.

What Are Their Needs?

There has been some useful contact between the Bua and the Chadian government workers who are Christians. There is a need for Bible translation. They speak their own Bua language. Only Audio Bible Recordings are currently available in the Bua language. There is an ongoing project to translate the Bible into Bua.

Prayer Points

* Pray that the Chadian Christians the Bua are in contact with will lead them to Jesus Christ. * Pray that God will give the Bua dreams and visions leading them to salvation. * Pray that Bua parents will be able to provide for their children. * Pray that modern medical care and schools become available to the Bua. *Pray that every Bua person will have the opportunity to hear a clear presentation of the gospel. *Pray that many will respond to the one, true God and become His forgiven children.