This month we hosted 2 short term teams from America, from Victory Faith Fellowship in Spokane, WA and from The Rock of Roseville in Northern California. A total of 19 people traversed the Pacific and arrived in China to help us reach some of the least reached people groups of Southeast Asia.
We traveled 9 hours by bus to 26 Tribes outreach center, a region known for its high number of unreached and unengaged people groups.
We took buses to the Kemei, Lahu and Ake tribes, where there are no known Christians. It was unbelievable to speak to people who had literally never once heard of Jesus Christ before. Again we questioned, how is this happening? Why is the Christian Church worldwide not targeting these precious people groups?
Want to be amazed? Check out There’s A Bunch Of People Who Have Never Heard Of Jesus, And Chances Are, You Don’t Care.
“How was your time in the village?” I asked one of the team leaders. “It was both frustrating and exciting,” he said. “It was hard to communicate with them both linguistically as well as sharing the message of the gospel.”
Our local Within Reach Global missionaries have been traveling to these people groups for years and have seen little breakthrough. But we believe the day is coming soon when the light of the gospel will break forth upon them, and the truth of salvation will awaken hearts.
Salvation is coming! It is inevitable!
Matthew 24:14 says “this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to every nation [every ethnolinguistic people group] and then the end will come.” At Within Reach Global, we believe the fulfillment of the Great Commission hinges upon our response to the call of Jesus to “go”. He can easily do it himself, but God loves to include us in his redemptive salvation plan.
We passed out long balloons twisted into the shapes of swords and cute doggies to the children. We sat in smoky homes as the fire pit bellowed soot into our lungs. We laid hands on young people, praying for blessing and God’s kingdom to come to their lives. We washed the feet of monks.
Whether or not they understood our prayers still seems a mystery. But the fact is, wherever our feet went, we brought the kingdom of God.
Something our short term teams may not even realize: the day they left, our local missionaries baptized 6 new Christians who recently got saved through our ministry at 26 Tribes outreach center! Though we may not realize it, God is always at work.
May the kingdom of God be established in these areas!
May many people get saved!
May new believers be discipled!
May churches be planted!
May salvation come to places where there has never before been a Christian witness!
Please partner with us to reach these people. Your prayers and giving combined create true impact.
