MENA (MNN) — The International Day for the Unreached (IDU) is Sunday, May 28; a day to raise awareness for one-third of the global population who’ve never heard of Jesus Christ. Most unreached people groups live in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and it’s often dangerous to reach the unreached in these countries with the Gospel.
Yet, the Gospel is still going out. Every year, unreached people across the MENA region are being touched by the Good News of God’s Word!
(Photo courtesy of FMI)
We’ve connected with our partners at FMI who work in these hard places. FMI’s Nehemiah explains, “The countries FMI is serving, they’re some of the spiritually darkest places on the face of the earth. We serve in Muslim-dominant nations. We are in Pakistan, Indonesia, Turkiye, [and] we are in Bangladesh.”
Around 70% of Indonesia’s population is unreached with the Gospel; and Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Turkiye are all 99% unreached.
Also, Nehemiah says, “We are serving in Kenya, which is not really a Muslim country. But we are in Kenya because we see that Islam is storming this African nation like anything. We are there because Kenya is on the base of the Horn of Africa so we can reach out to Muslim nations from Kenya.”
To support Gospel initiatives among the unreached, FMI has trained over 100 pastors, church planters, and evangelists in these nations.
Every Christian leader FMI supports is indigenous to the country they are reaching. These ministry workers don’t need visas, they don’t need to learn the language, and they already have a deep understanding of the culture and Gospel context to reach the unreached in their nation.
“It’s very difficult now — nearly impossible — for people travel to these countries. This is a unique and great opportunity for the people who want to serve God in such areas by praying for these indigenous pastors, church planters, [and] evangelists,…and by giving them financial support, which is about $150 for a month to support a pastor.”
Click here to support a Gospel partner with FMI!
(Photo courtesy of FMI)
“We understand because of the financial realities, $1 goes very far in countries like Pakistan or countries like Bangladesh. When we send $150, that helps an indigenous church planter and disciple maker not worry for the rest of the month so he can perform his ministry in a very effective way.”
As we approach the International Day for the Unreached, Nehemiah asks, “Please pray that God would open the minds and hearts of the unreached to the light of the Gospel. Pray that God sustains the faith of missionaries and indigenous believers through trials, persecution, and pressure they face every day.”
Header photo courtesy of FMI.
