Source: Asia Harvest, July 16, 2025
The 7,000 Paku Karen people are spread over three states in eastern Myanmar, with others living in refugee camps across the border in Thailand. There are at least seven dialect groups among the Paku Karen, each wearing different traditional clothing. Some may qualify as distinct people groups.
Paku Karen women hold a respected place in society, probably because of the influence of missionary Ellen Mason, who, along we her husband Francis, first preached the gospel to them in 1853. They found fertile hearts, and by 1931, more than 80% of Paku Karen people were Christians.
Ask God to send Paku Karen believers out as missionaries to the unreached in Myanmar.
Read more. You might also be interested in the story of Ellen Mason.
Asia Harvest is sharing a series of 230 people group profiles leading up to the publication of the book Operation Myanmar. View all completed profiles.
Have a heart to pray that the emerging church would be mobilized for God’s global purposes? In July, the Global Mission Mobilization Initiative calls us to pray for the church in Lebanon, writing, “Today, Lebanon is home to the largest Christian population in the Middle East, predominantly composed of people from Syria.” See prayer points in seven languages and read, What Is Mobilization Prayer?