In the seventh and eleventh centuries, Arabs invaded North Africa, causing many tribes and nomadic groups to be displaced. To some extent, these invasions also absorbed communities of black farmers, Jewish artists, and Berber refugees. As a result, many different Arab groups now exist throughout North Africa.

The Turku Arab live across the border from Sudan and share the same lifestyle as that of the Arabized tribes in the area. They are mostly of average height, have black hair, and live in the hot, dry villages of Chad. Their language, Pidgin Arabic, is a Creole form of Arabic.

What are their lives like?
Many of Chad's inhabitants are dependent on farming and animal breeding for their livelihoods. For most Turku Arab, agriculture is the basis of the economy. Sorghum and millet are their staple crops, but watermelons, gourds, okra, sesame, and cotton are also grown. The Turku Arab also raise cattle, sheep, goats, donkeys, and dogs. Cheese and butter are made from the milk of both cows and goats.

Some Turku Arab rely on nomadic herding for their livelihood, traveling with their herds of cattle or camels to better grazing lands and water sources. This reflects the continuance of Arab traditional culture, which first emerged in the deserts among people known as Bedouins, or desert nomads. Other Turku Arab are successful businessmen and merchants in Chad. As such, they are deeply involved in the commercial activities of the cities in their region.

Most of the Turku Arab are peasants who live in permanent settlements or villages in rural areas. Their houses are simple, round dwellings with grass-thatched roofs. The nomadic groups live in temporary camps, seasonally migrating with their herds. They live in portable dome-shaped shelters made of branches covered with grass. The few Turku Arab businessmen and merchants who reside in the cities, however, live in rectangular houses with tin roofs.

The Turku Arab dress much like other Arabs. Long-sleeved cotton tunics, or djellabas, are worn with sandals and cotton turbans or caps.

The birth of children, especially boys, is cause for celebration among the Turku Arab. The first word a baby hears is the word "Allah" whispered in its ear. From an early age, boys go to the fields to help their fathers and older brothers with cultivation. They are taught by their fathers to obey and respect older males. Girls help their mothers cook and help care for the younger children.

Life for the Turku Arab centers around important ceremonies, such as birth, marriage, and death. For boys, the first haircut and circumcision are also important rituals. The most elaborate of all ceremonies is the wedding. Most men have more than one wife, but under Islamic law they cannot have more than four. After marriage, a couple generally lives near the husband's parents; however, in some first marriages, a young couple lives with the wife's family until after the birth of their first child.

What are their beliefs?
The Turku Arab are completely Muslim, following the teachings of the prophet Mohammed, as written in the Koran (Islam's holy book). They pray at the local mosques five times a day and follow all the Islamic ceremonies and laws.

What are their needs?
There are no missions agencies currently working among the Turku Arab. As a result, an overwhelming majority of them has never even had an opportunity to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel. Intense prayer is needed to loosen the stronghold of Islam that is on their lives.

Prayer Points

• Ask the Lord to send laborers into Chad who can minister to Muslims in culturally relevant ways.
• Pray that evangelical materials will soon be translated into the Pidgin Arabic language.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Turku Arab towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
• Pray that God will reveal Himself to the Turku Arab through dreams and visions.
• Ask the Lord to save key leaders among the Turku Arab who will openly declare Jesus as Lord.
• Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that have kept the Turku Arab bound for many generations.
• Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
• Pray that strong local churches will be raised up among the Turku Arab.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Turku Arab
• Country: Chad
• Their language: Turku
• Population: (1990) 11,100
  (1995) 12,700
  (2000) 14,600
• Largest religion: Muslim (Sunni) 100%
• Christian: 0%
• Church members: 0
• Scriptures in their own language: New Testament
• Jesus Film in their own language: None
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: None
• Mission agencies working among this people: 0
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 600 (5%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 0 (0%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 600 (5%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 12,100 (95%)

• Country: Chad
• Population: (1990) 5,553,300
  (1995) 6,360,700
  (2000) 7,306,700
• Major peoples in size order: Shuwa 21.5%
  Sara Gambai 10.9%
  Teda 4.3%
  Daza 3.3%
  Marfa 3.2%
• Major religions: Muslim 46%
  Christian 35.3%
  Ethnic religionist 18.4%
• Number of denominations: 15