Musi People Group Profile

"Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the LORD have created it” (Isaiah 45:8, ESV).

The 600,000 Musi [moo-SEE] people have deep roots to their homeland in Southern Sumatra. Many of them live and make their living along the banks of the mighty Musi River. Others make their living as rice farmers, and by growing various varieties of fruit. They also work on rubber plantations and in mining operations.

The Musi language is a part of the Malay language family. And, like the Malay peoples, the Musi tend to have close ties to their community and don’t often move far from home. Musi women pride themselves on keeping neat, tidy homes so that their husbands can say, “My home is my heaven.” The Musi believe that sons are the guarantee of a strong country and a continuing family heritage. Therefore a typical Musi family prefers to have boys more than girls.
 

Most Musi are Muslim. Many Musi people will say they are Muslim because their ancestors were Muslim. In reality the Musi follow Islam together with a form of ancestor worship. They have many sacred grave sites where they go to consult the dead for wisdom, protection or other blessings. They also believe in the occult powers of the dukun (shaman). Most communities have a dukun to help people with various life issues through magical, spiritual treatments.

There is no indigenous Musi church, and there are very few Musi believers.

Pray that:

Believers living among the Musi River will be bold to share the Gospel.

The Musi will realize that they don’t have to stop being Musi in order to receive the Lord into their lives.

Those seeking to share the Gospel will be led to Musi people already softened by the Holy Spirit.

New Musi believers will be obedient to baptism shortly after they receive the Lord.

Musi villages will allow new believers to remain within the community.

New Musi believers will pray continually, learn the principles of God’s word, and be obedient to the Lord in all things. Pray this for all the believers on Sumatra!

New Musi believers will be successfully grouped into rapidly multiplying, indigenous churches.