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There’s still work to do... Pray for the Unreached

“How shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” Romans 10:14

The following profiles represent only three people groups out of the approximately 6,500 unreached groups in the world. The Great Commission task is still relevant and urgent today. There are 2.58 billion people that need to hear that God loves them and wants to spend eternity with them. ABWE is celebrating its 80th anniversary, but we forge ahead, because there is much more work to do. Source: The Caleb Project

Fulbe

Population: 20 million
Where: Central and West Africa
Language: Fulfulde—a family of related languages and dialects
Major Religion: Islam

Need: In the first thirty years of missionary activity among the Fulbe, there was not one committed Christian. Now there are a few thousand, but the price of following Jesus Christ is very high. Fulbe Christians are driven out of their family compounds, and their goods and houses are often confiscated. The high level of persecution and death of new converts makes it difficult to have a growing, viable church within their people group.

But in spite of the persecution, there continues to be an interest in spiritual things. The Fulbe are open to the gospel, but have few opportunities to hear it. Workers are needed to go to the hard places—to live, eat, speak, and dress like the Fulbe—so that doors will open to share the gospel. The high rate of illiteracy is a great challenge to evangelism and discipleship among the Fulbe. Evangelism happens through “word of mouth” or “story telling” ministries as Christians take a sincere and active interest in their lives.

Isan

Population: 20 million
Where: Northeast Thailand
Language: Isan—a family of languages and dialects related to Lao and Thai
Major Religion: Animism and Thai Buddhism

Need:  Buddhism is taught in all public schools and most Isan people consider themselves Buddhist, even though they never specifically chose the religion for themselves. Family tradition and customs are major factors in individuals resisting the gospel. Sins of gambling, drunkenness, immorality, and idolatry make many of the Isan people difficult to reach.

Missionary work has been done by various evangelical denominations in the Isan region of Thailand for over fifty years, but many of the churches are still very weak and the number of Christ-followers is very small. Many of the Isan people do not know anything about Jesus. Only a few of the thousands of districts throughout the Isan region have a gospel witness today.

Cham

Population: 500,000
Where: Cambodia
Language: Cham
Major Religion: Islam

Need:  Only in the last eight to ten years has any effort has been made to reach the Chams. Part of the difficulty is that there is no consensus on what language to use—either the Khmer or the Malaysian version of Arabic script. Though the Chams have their own script, many can no longer read it. Nevertheless, a few missionaries have been able to tell the Bible story with chronological teaching, and there has been a significant response from Chams who are mystical in their learnings. There has not, however, been success with those who are more orthodox, because those who turn to Christ are persecuted. No sustaining church has yet been started among this people group.

Missionaries are needed who will spend time to learn their language. Relationships are everything in the Cham culture, and Christians can build relationships with these wonderful people by spending time with them, eating, talking, and sharing. Because many are illiterate, chronological Bible teaching is paramount to evangelism and the establishing of local churches.