The Eastern Kanjobal of United States

The Eastern Kanjobal of United States, numbering approximately 84,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Mayan ethnic group indigenous to the Huehuetenango department of northern Guatemala. They mostly adhere to Ethnoreligion and Q'anjob'al is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Eastern Kanjobal

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Latin American and Caribbean Peoples
Country: United States
People Cluster: Maya
Primary Language(s): Q'anjob'al (kjb)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion
Population: 84,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG043229
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Eastern Kanjobal of United States

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Ethnoreligion
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

50%
%
Ethnoreligion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Q'anjob'al
Language Family: Mayan

100%
%
Q’anjob’al Speakers

Media Resources in Q'anjob'al:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Q'anjob'al:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
1989 Bible Society of Guatemala✓

1 entry

Or check out the Q'anjob'al bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Eastern Kanjobal are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Eastern Kanjobal:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Eastern Kanjobal of United States

I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.
readIsaiah 45:5-6

Pray that the lost among them will be delivered from the confusion of false beliefs and come to know the one true God who alone brings light and purpose to their lives.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
readRomans 1:19-20

Pray that God will use His creation – the “things that have been made” – to spark a fresh and passionate curiosity among them to draw near to the Maker and that, as they seek Him, He will make a way for them to hear the gospel and receive it with joy.

This God - his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
readPsalm 18:30

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will have access to His Word and the ability to understand it, so that they can grow in their faith and find refuge in Him.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
readJohn 1:12

Pray that believers will have the opportunity to clearly share the good news with the lost here, so that all people can be invited to trust in Jesus and become children of God.

Kanjobal, Eastern Across Countries (ROP3 - 102845) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

2 people groups

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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