When thinking about unreached people groups in the world today,
we immediately think about Muslims, many of whom live in the 10/40
Window.
When the Lord called us from a rewarding and successful ministry in
Ecuador to go to a Muslim-majority Asian country, we had to make sure
that we had heard his leading correctly. He showed us over a period of
time that it was indeed his will and his timing for us to serve in Asia.
One of the first things the Lord did upon our arrival was to challenge
many of the paradigms that we had formed about Muslims and Islamic
countries. We thought we would be held in suspicion and strongly opposed. However, we have found the local Muslim people to be friendly
and interested in foreigners, even if the officials sometimes make it difficult for us to be here.
Our Father has taken care of that too. An example occurred when
I was riding past a mosque on a scooter in our local town. A Muslim
man was in the middle of an announcement over the loudspeaker when
he spotted me and called out, “Hello, Mister” over the loudspeaker. This
friendly attention is repeated on a daily basis from workers in the fields
to city dwellers. It warms the heart and challenges the paradigm of cold,
ruthless Muslims who hate foreigners. Also, the spiritual hunger here defies the image of an impenetrable wall around Islam.
Of course, our observations do not apply across the Muslim world any
more than an observation about New Zealand applies to North America.
We are located in a region where folk Islam is predominant. This is where
Islam has been installed upon a foundation of animism. The underlying
needs of the people therefore are for a practical, relational experience of
their faith.
This is precisely what the ministry, which God has called us alongside
of, offers. A local couple has responded to a call from God to transform
their region with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Enduring a period of intense
persecution, they have established a radio station, a free primary school,
and a home for 20 children in foster care. They have also provided one
hectare (about 2.5 acres) of land each for 100 dispossessed families to
farm and helped the local fishermen buy nets to increase their catch.
They use a farm, on lease from the government, as a base for their operation. The farm is being used, in part, to help fund the ministries and
develop enterprises (such as fruit and vegetable production, poultry,
aquaponics, and bio-gas production) that can be offered to empower
villagers. Emphasis is on an appropria є