Marenje in Mozambique

Introduction / History

Marenje is both a language and a tribe. They live in Mozambique near the Malawi border.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Marenje are mainly an agricultural people. Since they live near the border to Malawi, where produce brings a good price, they take their goods there by bicycle.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The vast majority of Marenje are Roman Catholic, as there is a large Catholic mission there that began in the 1940s.

Many of the Marenje first heard the gospel when they were refugees in Malawi during the war in Mozambique (1980s). There are many small churches, but because of lack of literacy and pastors or others who themselves are mature disciples there is little depth.

What Are Their Needs?

The Marenje language is under severe stress. Fewer and fewer children are learning it, and people prefer Chichewa (Nyanja) or, to a much lesser extent, Portuguese. With no literature in the language, there are no known churches that use Marenje in their services. Most use Chichewa. Milange and Tengua are the Marenje heartland, but since this area is close to the border with Malawi, and the fact that most people fled to Malawi during the long civil war, Chichewa has greater value. Consequently, churches use Chichewa or Portuguese to avoid excluding anyone.

Prayer Points

Pray for solid Bible translations and Bible teaching in Marenje churches.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to bring about a Christ-centered revival in Marenje churches and families.
Pray for them to experience a record high yield as proof of God’s power and goodness.
Pray that there will soon come a day when Marenje workers will take the name of Christ to gospel-starved parts of Africa.

Text Source:   Joshua Project