The Rahanweyn are one of the major Somali clans in the Horn of Africa. One theory regarding their name is that it means “old family” and refers to their ancient origins. Some believe that they may have been the first Somali group to migrate to modern-day Somalia back in the 2nd century B.C.! The Digil-Rahanweyn are a subclan that consists mainly of farmers residing in the fertile lands of southern Somalia and on the banks of Somalia’s two major rivers, the Shebelle and the Jubba. They’re also found in the coastal city of Mogadishu. In their ancient history, the Rahanweyn had wealth and power. But in the Somali civil war of the 1900s, the peaceful Rahanweyn suffered more than other clans. Their land was used as a battleground, and they were the objects of human-rights violations, even genocide. Hundreds of thousands died. Thousands fled and relocated to Kenya and Ethiopia. The Digil-Rahanweyn are virtually all Muslim, with very few believers in their communities. The spread of the gospel is challenging since outsiders who enter Somalia are always in danger. Pray that the Rahanweyn who live in Ethiopia and Kenya will come to know Jesus and take the gospel to their people in Somalia.