Berti in Sudan

Introduction / History

At one time the Berti people had a language that was closely related to Zaghawa. It has since been replaced by Sudanese Arabic, the trade language of Sudan. There is a dispute as to whether or not some live in neighboring Ethiopia.

What Are Their Lives Like?

They herd livestock and raise crops such as millet, pumpkin, okra, sorghum, watermelon and cucumber. They also raise cattle, goats, sheep and sometimes donkeys. All of this is disrupted when there is fighting.

Sheikh Ishac led 300 Berti families to a refugee camp. They had walked two days and one night through the desert to escape fighting in their home region. One man reported, "We had just left our mosque when the attack started. We just ran. We don't know what happened to those left behind." One young mother with five children ran from the attack with only a little food and her cooking pot. She can't find her husband. One of her children died in the refugee camp. She has no shelter from the mosquitoes at night or the sun by day. They have not joined the violence around them. But intertribal wars have encroached upon their region, and they are now among the thousands of displaced refugees in Sudan.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Like everyone else in Sudan, the Berti people need a lasting peace so they can restore their lives.

What Are Their Needs?

Pray that the Prince of Peace will bring peace and salvation to the Berti tribe.

Pray that justice and mercy will rain down on the internally displaced peoples of Sudan.

Pray that Christian relief workers will show the peace and love of Christ in such a way that peoples will rally to the Sovereign King of Kings.

Text Source:   Joshua Project