Orality Journal Volume 3, Number 1, 2014 | Page 24

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Orality Journal, Volume 3, Number 1, 2014

To reach out to the Sweater
women, we decided the best way
to communicate God’s word would
be through Bible stories to which
the women could relate. We created
a story set that would touch the
lives of the Sweater women as well
as reach out to the men.

Loving the Sweater People
The Sweater People are considered to
be an unreached people group. There
are over ten million people living in
their area: 95% are Muslim, 4% are
Hindu, and only 1% are Christian.

Amber Alexander

Sweater People are incredibly
loving. There are just a few hatefilled radicals who have wreaked
havoc on those living here. When
we arrived to our location we were
excited, but a bit overwhelmed at
the task. The Sweater People live
in a war zone. Tanks and army
bunkers line the streets. The
airport we flew into was painted
camouflage.

I must admit I was filled with
apprehension and fear, but God’s
word spoke to me. Proverbs 3:5-6
says, “Trust in the Lord
Much of the news about Seeing the Sweater with all your heart and
this people group calls People leave Islam
lean not on you own
the Sweater People the and follow Christ
understanding; in all
was an impossible
terrorists. The Sweater
your ways submit to
People have been known task in our strength. him, and he will make
for their radical violence. We could not save
your paths straight.” I
In recent years, Islamic these people.
prayed, “God you are in
violence has grown
control of my life. Lead
rapidly, causing most of the Hindus
me and I will follow.”
who have lived here to either leave
Seeing the Sweater People leave
or be killed.
Islam and follow Christ was an
But Hindus are not the only ones
impossible task in our strength.
who have experienced severe
We could not save these people.
persecution. Christians have put
The only thing that could penetrate
their lives in God’s hands as they
this darkness would be the light of
Christ. We knew our only power
have gone out to share the gospel.
One outspoken pastor’s car was
was prayer and being dedicated in
set on fire. Another was forced to
our own walk to following Christ.
leave because he gave a young man
Sometimes we struggled to do this,
a Bible. Violence is an everyday
but in spite of us God’s grace was
occurrence here, but most of the
sufficient. We rallied our friends