coong people of vietnam

Introduction/History of the coong people

The Coong or Cong in Vietnam speak Coong and Thai. They originally came from Laos, but all of them are in the Muong Te district of Vietnam's Lai Chau province.

What Are Their Lives Like?

They grow cotton which they trade for textiles. They make mats and baskets among other items. The Coong travel in boats. Their staple cereal is rice.

Pregnant Coong women use herbal medicines. Women sit down when giving birth.

Extended Coong families live in houses on stilts. Though they have a patriarchal family structure, women enjoy high position and respect in their families. Marriages are monogamous, and they seldom divorce. The sons inherit the estate when both parents die, but they are obligated to worship their ancestorial spirits.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Coong worship ancestors and have festivals and ceremonies. When someone dies, they call a ritual specialist to perform the service, believing the soul goes to the ancestors. They like to sing and dance at weddings and other ceremonies. Their children play games with bamboo toys.

What Are Their Needs?

These people need to realize that they cannot please God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They cannot have the Holy Spirit without Jesus Christ.

Prayer: How Can We Pray for the Coong people?

• Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Coong communities.

• Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Coong people.

• Pray for the Coong people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.

• Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Coong people to change their society from within.

• Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.