After years of missional labor, the hearts of a few locals opened to spiritual things; but without any form of Christian background, the Truth of the Gospel remained challenging to comprehend.

The Lahu people are animistic. Fearful of the spirit world, they worship animate objects, seeking to appease the wrath of the “hungry ghosts” who torment their families.

Because of their fear of the spirit world, they gravitate toward every kind of “god” out there, hoping that one might protect them. This causes difficulty for our local missionaries. When explaining Gospel truth, they readily “accept Jesus,” but merely as one more of their many gods. The cultural hurdles the must be overcome are superfluous and extreme.

In July, we traveled to 26 Tribes with a visiting American team. We joined Within Reach Global local missionaries on a day trip to the Lahu village.

A remarkable breakthrough occurred! Eyes opened. Hearts warmed to Jesus. Salvation arrived.

A young woman in her mid-thirties told us that her daughter had never stood or walked since birth. Doctors could not find a solution. She did not have the money to pursue other medical avenues. This pressure caused her husband to leave her after months of physically beating her. She was at her wit’s end. Seated on small, wooden stools, we gathered around her as the smoke of the fire pit billowed around the room, creating an inky atmosphere that perfectly portrayed her mental, emotional, and spiritual state. She began to cry. We hugged her and told her of a Father’s love—an unconditional affection she had never noticed before.

Suddenly, it seemed as if the shackles on her heart cracked in two and fell to the bamboo floor in her stilted home.

Her eyes closed and heart wide open, she asked Jesus to save her, to be the Lord of her life!

Her friend also gave her life to the Lord. The advent of salvation permeated the Lahu home, replacing sadness with joy, hurt with healing, powerlessness with potential. After reiterating the Gospel in detail, we baptized her and her friend, singing and praising God for the incredible breakthrough among an unreached people group.

As we write, our local missionaries continue to follow up on her, disciple her, and walk with her in her newfound Christian faith.

The Gospel is only good news if it gets there in time, they say.

God arranged a providential sequence of events that led to the salvation of a family in the forgotten hills of Southwest China, and we rejoice that her name was penned in the Lamb’s book of life.

To support the ongoing ministry efforts of our local missionaries at 26 Tribes outreach center, please give here. Pray that the Holy Spirit continues to soften hearts and open doors.

The post Salvation in an Unreached Lahu Village After Six Years of Outreach appeared first on Within Reach Global.

He has been working with us at Within Reach Global for over 13 years, planting churches in hard-to-reach regions. Zhang Rong and his family serve at The Edge outreach center, rescuing abandoned children whose parents have been jailed for drug abuse. They also hold weekly Sunday school classes and Bible studies and are shining the light of Jesus to families who know nothing of God’s love.

This week, Zhang Rong sent us an update about their ministry in Myanmar. This is what he says:

What an honor it is to share our story with our brothers and sisters around the world!

We have four children, two of our own, one who we have legally adopted after rescuing her from a child trafficking gang (read the story here), and another who we have recently taken into our home. This is the story of the latter, Ye Mei, a 14-year-old girl whose parents abandoned her after they were jailed for drug abuse.

Ye Mei is actually the first daughter that we adopted in Myanmar. The eastern part of Myanmar is the epicenter of narcotic production and abuse, a dangerous place to live under the ongoing Burma Conflict. Because this issue runs so rampant in our region, Ye Mei’s parents quickly became two of the many victims of this abusive lifestyle.

See The Edge outreach center in a danger zone of the Burma Conflict, child rescue, drug rehabilitation.
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In fact, her parents lost their land and their home when it was seized by narco traffickers. Homeless and dejected they began sleeping on the streets, rummaging through garbage with hope to find discarded bottles that they could recycle for a few coins.

Their drug addiction grew so severe that they began stealing from nearby homes, plundering the place like pirates. Ye Mei’s father and mother were seized by the police and jailed for their crimes. The little girl now had no one to fend for her life.

Ye Mei had nothing to eat. Her clothing was worn and tattered and she near froze every year because of the extreme cold.

When we learned about Ye Mei’s family situation, our hearts were touched and saddened. How could we simply stand idly by while such horrific abuse was happening right outside our doorstep?

If you have children, you understand the feeling that panged our hearts. We desire that our own children are fed and clothed, that they are able to go to school, grow up with hopes and dreams, and experience the love of a family.

We rescued this precious little girl, took her into our home, and she began to experience not only the tender care of a loving family but the deep love of her Heavenly Father as well.

We are so thrilled that Ye Mei just gave her life to Jesus Christ, accepting Him as her personal Savior! We baptized her and are witnessing her grow in her love for God and people.

14-year-old Burmese girl rescued, baptized, growing in her faith in Jesus!
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Every day she listens to worship and teaching on the Gospel mp3 player that we use to share the Jesus with our community.

I recently asked her what she wants to be when she grows up. Her answer brought such joy to our hearts.

“I want to be a teacher, or maybe a doctor so that I can help a lot of people know God.”

Abandoned Burmese child rescued, now wants to be a teacher/doctor to tell people about God!
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We are homeschooling her now, and will soon begin the Good New Series and School of Workers, our discipleship curriculum. She is excited about that! She has the heart to learn and grow as a child of God.

Ye Mei has become a blessing to many people around her. They have seen the transformation of a young life. She is a little lamp in a dark region of Myanmar, shining the love of Jesus to those who have never heard of Him before.

She is one of many more children to come as we continue to cast the light of the Gospel to the community we serve.

Do you want to bless Ye Mei? You can sponsor Zhang Rong and his family’s ministry in Myanmar here.

We also encourage you to sow into The Edge outreach center where they continue to rescue abandoned children in drug-infected areas of Southeast Asia.

The post 14-year-old Burmese girl rescued, baptized, and growing in her new Christian faith appeared first on Within Reach Global.

This has all been pioneer work, bringing the Message only to places where Jesus was not yet known.
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Enter the Within Reach Global local missionary team.

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This band of ragamuffin misfits and fiery church planters comprise of the most unassuming type: former AK-47-brandishing child soldiers, sons of voodoo witch doctors, foaming-at-the-mouth demoniacs whose demons have been exorcized, the poorest of the poor, and marginalized tribals.

But their stories did not conclude with hopelessness. Today these persecuting Saul’s-turned-Paul’s and impoverished untouchables cast the brilliant luminance of the Gospel of God’s grace and glory into regions that know nothing more than darkness. Their newfound passion: honoring God by reaching the unreached people groups of the 10/40 Window.

These persecuting Saul’s-turned-Paul’s cast the brilliant luminance of the Gospel.
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The following vignettes are modest glimpses of Within Reach Global outreach among peoples who have still never heard of Jesus.

Week after week, we strap on our hiking shoes and hit the precipitous mountain ranges where the unreached reside. Our indigenous missionaries serve among the Miao, Yi, Yao, Wa, Hui, to name only a few ethnic tribes. God’s love the motivating force behind our missional passion, we reach out to the poorest of the poor, the unreached, underprivileged, elderly, and orphaned. Many of these are the “left-behinds” abandoned by mother, father, son or daughter in search of the “Chinese dream” in urbanizing cities. Whole villages are unreached, clutched in the claws of an age-old dragon, forgotten and without a witness of the Gospel.

Of these regions, 19th-century missionary Robert Moffat said,

“In the vast plain to the north I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been—villages whose people are without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world.”

In other villages, among the Miao tribe, for example, there exists a shred of Gospel witness: old government-run churches where the presence of the Holy Spirit is no longer allowed to occupy. We visit these vast regions to kindle revival, spark true repentance, and cultivate spiritual growth.

The shoddy roads to these villages are a steep, slippery incline of mud and gravel. Come rainy days, these narrow paths become treacherous. Landslides are common and whole roads have disappeared into gaping valleys as the torrents rip tree root from rock. We have often dodged boulders and stones as they hurl from above to the roads we travel. Night travel—a necessary evil of arduous jaunts in China’s agrarian countryside—is a grave endeavor. With every step near sheer cliff, we pray God’s protection over our missionary team. That and courage. Missionary work of this sort is not for the weak of heart. But our missionaries are unwavering in purpose, thankful for God’s divine leading and the promise of protection.

We believe in faith in action, an expression of the holistic Christian Gospel. When we travel to these unreached regions to share the Gospel message we often bring rice, vegetable, spices, and basic necessities. Hearts open when we reach out in love by meeting physical human needs.

We believe in faith in action, an expression of the holistic Christian Gospel.
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This tribal grandmother takes care of her mute and deaf granddaughter. The child’s parents have abandoned her in search of a better life in the nearby county. Whenever we visit her we sense a spark of hope and joy arise in this elderly woman. It is natural for people to feel the love of God radiating from the body of Christ! We took this photo as we were leaving her dilapidated home. She didn’t want us to go and so she continued standing outside her house, begging us to stay longer. We promised to return and visit her.

It is natural for people to feel the love of God radiating from the body of Christ!
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This elderly woman lives alone in a ten square meter mud hut. Her poverty was evident, eating nothing but wild greens on a daily basis. Once while we were praying for and ministering to her, she suddenly fainted. We were alarmed, concluding that old age and her meager diet had weakened her body over time. We helped her to her bed, worshipping together around her bedside and reading passages of scripture. A single light bulb hung over us, casting faint light. But the light of the Gospel in the face of Jesus was radiant!

Upon further visits, we marveled that her strength slowly began to return. She now listens to God’s word and worship on an MP3 player that we gifted her. This small dose of generosity has been a lifeline to her. The last time we visited this granny she said “I am getting older and weaker. I’m not sure how much longer I have. I’m afraid that the next time you come back to visit me, I won’t be here anymore.” We pray for the seed of truth to bloom in her heart and pray that we will someday see her dancing on streets of gold.

Brother Liao is one of our new “Timothy’s”. His first encounter with the Gospel was when we shared about God’s glory during an Easter outreach. After a week of discipleship, he was baptized with the Holy Spirit! We strive to make disciples who live like Jesus. Our greatest desire is to see Him glorified through our lives despite the difficulties and challenges of being a Christian in this country. And so it is with our new Brother Liao. Every day we spend time together with him, praying, reading the Bible, sharing meals, and serving the Lord so that he might see the full life that we have in Jesus! We continue to hope and pray that he hears the call of God to minister alongside us in reaching the unreached.

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Timothy 2:2

One of the most life-giving outreaches at Within Reach Global is caring for orphans in the mountainous regions where we minister. Although most of them have lost their parents, they have found new hope after realizing that their Heavenly Father loves and cares for them.

Our prayer, one which we invite you to join us in praying, is that these children will grow in the love of God and bear lasting fruit. Please pray also that God will provide us with the finances and co-laborers to establish a “Father’s House” children’s home for these precious little ones.

There is not enough time to share all the incredible stories of God’s grace with you! We have been encouraged by the many testimonies of changed lives among these orphaned children. Many of them are growing in their spiritual lives and, even at a young age, are learning to preach the Gospel! These bold little prayer warriors are standing in the gap for people around them, finding deep joy in prayer, and crying out to God for the lost.

These bold little orphans are prayer warriors, crying out to God for the lost!
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In our China context, street preaching and overt outreach are highly illegal. Still, we often stand in the city square, singing worship songs and openly preaching the Gospel! When the Holy Spirit leads us into seemingly precarious situations, we have no choice but to gladly obey Him. We lay hands on perfect strangers and pray for their needs. Once while we were preaching openly on the streets, a police officer pushed his way to the front of the crowd. Initially, we presumed that we were in trouble and another long interrogation at the police station would soon follow. Instead, the police officer had come to hear the Gospel message! We prayed for him and for his family.

When the Holy Spirit leads us into precarious situations, we gladly obey Him.
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During yet another time of public street preaching, a middle-aged man came to the city square to hear the Gospel message that we were sharing. That day, he had been planning to commit suicide, but after hearing the message of Jesus he repented, burst into tears, and told us the depths of his difficult life journey. We ministered to him long into the evening. We are to be a light in the midst of darkness! Praise God for his grace!

We also regularly go to the hospitals to pray for the sick. This missional outreach has opened many doors for the Gospel to take root and countless lives have heard the Gospel for the very first time—many just in the nick of time as they lay on their death beds!

This is the advent of the Kingdom of God. God’s grace and glory know no boundaries. Geographical coordinates are a trivial notion to a God who dwells outside the restraints of time and space. Christian outreach in Seattle or Dallas or Boston is as meaningful to God as Kingdom ministry in Bangkok or Beijing, Copenhagen or Cairo.

This is the advent of the Kingdom of God. God’s grace and glory know no boundaries.
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Our prayer is that you are encouraged and inspired to join us in reaching the unreached and taking the Gospel message to places that have never heard.

To love the things of God—to adore God Himself—is to care about the things He cares for, namely people. People everywhere, not just at home. Souls on the brink of eternity at every geographical juncture of our planet.

And as Jesus is lifted up, men, women, and children are mysteriously drawn to Him only to find the source of true life.

The post Vignettes and glimpses of Within Reach Global outreach appeared first on Within Reach Global.

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Bags packed, vehicles loaded with 20 Americans from The Rock of Roseville church, we began our journey from megacity toward the bucolic landscapes of Southwest China.

Outside the window, the milieu shifted: expansive rice fields, precipitous mountains, then cavernous valleys bejeweled with occasional packed mud homes and ramshackle residences. These hills are home to numerous unreached people groups.

One week prior, the view that our short-term team witnessed was altogether different: long stretches of smooth Western highway, vehicles magically driving in their proper lanes, here and there a Walmart, Starbucks, In-N-Out Burger.

Now, criss-crossing the mountain ranges, up we ascended, higher, higher into the plains and plateaus that the global Church, in large part, has long overlooked and even forgotten.

One of our three vehicles cannot make the uphill journey. We alight, walk the rest of the way, lightening the load for the gutless-wonder-of-a-van.

 

“The Bible talks about going out into the world and preaching the Gospel. That doesn’t always mean comfort. In fact, the Gospel often spreads quicker amidst discomfort and where there is hardship. That’s the culture that Christianity blossomed in.” — Brandon

The unreached are unreached for a reason. They dwell on silent mountaintops where trickling streams tucked between craggy ranges flow along lofty elevations. The sporadic clucking of chickens and clanking of rice pots in these village settings startle birds overhead; a pig squeals, a water buffalo stirs beneath stilted hut.

It’s remarkable how the advent of the Kingdom of God is much less subtle than we might have expected—quiet at first, a fiery flicker, like kindling, a spark that will soon become a blazing flame among those who have never heard of Jesus before.

“Do you know who Jesus is?” I ask. A blank stare is the only response, often followed by, “Jesus? Is that some kind of soap?”

They do not know. The Gospel, still a fantasy in these parts is shrouded in secrecy—an unthinkable travesty. And how can they find out about the heart of God unless we go? That is why we’re here today.

“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” — Romans 10:14-15

 

“The reality of unreached people groups is such an injustice. The Church should be sending people to these villages. We should be going. We should care more. My heart really opened up and realized that it is a huge deal that people still don’t know who Jesus is.” — Morgan

All day, we lounge (uncomfortably) on six-inch stools, breaking sunflower seeds with our molars, chatting, listening to the village chatter. We lend a hand to the locals and slaughter a goat, some chickens, slice and debone fish. We sense the Spirit of God hovering over these mountains. The advent of God’s Kingdom is nigh. A scaly dragon, long keeper of these hills, shifts restlessly, knowing his time is short. For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.

In our going, hearts slowly awaken to the reality of God’s grace and glory. The going is slow—reluctant, we think, perhaps even sedated according to our monochromatic manner of time. But where seed is sown, a harvest is sure to come; the harvest is in the seed.

 

“Unreached peoples are no different than Americans; they’re just normal people. This realization demystifies missions. We find that they are not an obscure, nameless, faceless conglomeration of individuals. But it is heartbreaking that the Gospel may never reach them.” — Faith

At Within Reach Global, we long to see salvation spring up among those who have never heard the Gospel message before. We desire to see new disciples, churches planted, local leaders emerge, revival fire fall. This happens as we lay down our own frivolous and myopic desires, die to self, and take the Kingdom news to regions still waiting at the other end of our obedience.

Smoke billows from the fire pit, cloaking the decrepit living space in soot and darkness. But suddenly a light breaks forth as we stretch out our hands, praying for the locals, empowering the two lone indigenous missionaries to thousands across these sprawling mountain ranges. Tears of joy fall, Christian love arising in a most unassuming spot.

A twelve-year-old girl starts crying. Little did we imagine the impact our seemingly menial presence had upon her little heart. One-by-one, the girls from The Rock of Roseville team hug her. I cup this little sister’s face in my big brother hands. “No matter where you go, no matter what you do,” I begin, “Jesus loves you with all His heart! You are God’s princess! You are precious! You are valuable.”

Instances like these are not as mysterious as they might seem. To demystify global missions, think on this: We, the body of Christ, carry around the all-surpassing power of the Kingdom in cracked and leaky jars of clay. And thank God for the fractures in our weak selves! How else might the glorious power of God flow out to those who are waiting to understand the love of God?

These unreached regions—these places and peoples who have long been overlooked and under-prioritized—the time has come for them to find out about our Savior Jesus! If Revelation 7:9 is to come to pass—every nation and tribe and people and language standing before the throne of God—do we not have a part to play in partnering with God to make this a reality?

John Piper is fond of saying, “Go, send, or disobey.” I, too, find no other alternative to the command of Jesus.

So choose your response today. Countless lives hinge upon your decision to join God’s epic redemptive plan in the nations.

To hear more incredible stories of travels among the unreached, buy The Space Between Memories: Recollections from a 21st Century Missionary by David Joannes!

The post A short-term American team’s journey to unreached regions appeared first on Within Reach Global.

God on mission to redeem his people from every corner of the planet.
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We have seen a number of supernatural healings take place in our outreach centers. When the residential guard outside The Hub church fell ill, our local missionaries prayed over him, and he was completely healed! He was so grateful that he immediately joined our local house church and is growing in his new Christian faith.

Another Chinese woman who recently came to know the Lord suffered from leg paralysis for 3 years. Her family abandoned her (for she brought shame to their household) and she was living alone without any family support. She came to our church complaining of extreme pain in her leg. Sleep eluded her and her misery was evident. Before the church service ended, our local missionaries prayed for her. Immediately, she felt the release of pain from her legs and walked home without discomfort! Watch the video here!

Soon after that, as one of our local missionaries was walking back home, they realized that their neighbor’s child was sick. They prayed for her, and the following week, they saw the child well and active. The parents marveled at this and gave testimony that after they prayed for the child, she was instantly healed! The family then gave their lives to the Lord and are now attending our local church!

She was instantly healed! The family gave their lives to Jesus, attending church!
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One of our dear Chinese missionary wives recently feel ill. She lives and ministers with her family on the China/Vietnam border at Pilot outreach center. Her husband took her to the nearby city to see a doctor because of a large lump that formed on her throat. The doctor informed her that she required immediate surgery. But because she had just given birth to her baby 3 months earlier, she was uncomfortable taking the doctor’s advice. Our whole missionary team (both foreign and Chinese) began to pray for her. The next day, the lump on her throat shrank! She returned to the hospital and the same doctor who wanted to operate on her her now said informed her that she no longer needed a surgery! We continue to pray for her complete healing. Please join us in prayer for our dear sister.

Your prayers make a difference! E.M. Bounds said, “Give your best hours of your day to prayer.” And A.B. Simpson said “Prayer is the mighty engine that is to move the missionary work.”

Prayer works! It doesn’t mater where you are at present. There’s no need for a change of geographical coordinate or magical airplane ride to an exotic land. You don’t have to be a missionary, you just have to be linked to the heart of God! Time spent on your knees creates powerful shifts in the world of the divine. It is the linking of our hearts with the heart of God for the souls of men.

Time spent on your knees creates powerful shifts in the world of the divine.
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Will you like your heart to ours as we seek to make Jesus known among unreached people groups?

The post Supernatural healings are taking place in China appeared first on Within Reach Global.

Sure, you might be missing the bowls of spicy fish, the explosive chaos of fireworks, the family gatherings and overall festivity that marks the lunar calendar. But you can still play a part by making a special donation to our missionaries at Within Reach Global.

Make a special donation to our missionaries at Within Reach Global! @within_reach
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Red packets (also known as red envelopes or 红包 in Chinese) are monetary gifts which are given during holidays and particularly during Chinese New Year.

It’s the perfect time to make a special donation to our missionaries at Within Reach Global. And we’ve decided to make it easy for you by embedding the form below for you to give right now! Please, no pressure… although this is a cultural norm you don’t want to miss!

Giving a red packet 红包 is a cultural norm you don’t want to miss!
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Here’s why we invite you to give: our missionaries are taking the Gospel to regions where it has never gone before. They are seeing salvations, baptisms and revival among unreached ethnic tribes. There is fruit in this ministry, and we invite you to sow where the Kingdom is at hand!

There is fruit in this ministry, and we invite you to sow where the Kingdom is at hand!
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Millions of Chinese have returned home to their provinces or villages to spend time with family and friends. This year, the year of the rooster, the number of travelers have increased dramatically. Check out this incredible post by CNN.

Post highlights include the following: 

• Chinese authorities expect 2.5 billion trips by land during the “chunyun” mass migration; 
• Total distance traveled is 1.2 billion kilometers—equivalent of traveling from Earth to Saturn!

Happy Chinese New Year from all our missionaries at Within Reach Global!

The post Give Your Red Packet (红包) For Chinese New Year appeared first on Within Reach Global.

Watch these orphaned children give gifts to impoverished kids in China! #unreached
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At Orphan Home outreach center, we are discipling over 200 orphaned and underprivileged children who live in the rural regions of China. They are surrounded by extreme poverty, brokenness, and many times, deep despair. But if there’s one thing that we know God loves to do it is cause beauty to arise from the ashes.

An excerpt from David Joannes’ new book, The Space Between Memories: Recollections from a 21st Century Missionary, says it best:

I’ve heard it said that God gives beauty for ashes. So, too, He evokes holy calling from unassuming spots, pulling passion from the profane, wringing vision from vile waters. He is in the business of transformation, of altering atmospheres, taking the squalid and making it exquisite.

During the final few days of 2016, our missionaries gathered the orphans they are caring for and the children gave gifts to kids in the surrounding regions. They passed our school supplies, clothing, and smiles. But more than that, they shared the love of a Heavenly Father who is passionate for these little ones. He watches over the orphan and the widow. He is intimately concerned with these precious souls.

It’s a powerful image: orphaned children giving gifts to impoverished kids! It’s a challenge for us—we who have so much—to step out of our comfort zones to bless those in dire straights.

It’s a powerful image: orphaned children giving gifts to impoverished kids!
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This is fertile soil! This is where revival is taking place! This is where the Kingdom of God is permeating the atmosphere. So with that in mind, will you consider sowing financially into this ministry? Perhaps God is leading you to make a special donation to help reach these children. Or even better, you are being led to join our Monthly Prayer and Financial Support Team.

May your soul be stirred to understand another dimension of the Father’s love for His creation.
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In any case, may these images stir your soul to understand another dimension of the Father’s love for His creation. He will stop at nothing to see these young ones gathered under His wings. And you are a part of this powerful narrative! Join us as we bring hope to those who have never experienced the presence of God before.

The post Orphaned Children Give Gifts To Impoverished Kids In China appeared first on Within Reach Global.

• went to a new village
• shared the Gospel with over 50 people
• saw a handful of salvations
• and planted a new church!

This small church is growing in harsh climates where the name of Jesus has never been known before. It’s a powerful breakthrough!

Would you pray for these new believers as they learn of God’s grace and glory?

Would you pray for these new believers as they learn of God’s grace and glory?
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We are so thrilled to see these incredible things happening!

What’s your response? We encourage you to sow where the soil is fertile. We need your prayers and financial support on a monthly basis to help us go where the Gospel has never gone before.

The post Unreached Village, Gospel Presentation, Salvations, & Brand New Church appeared first on Within Reach Global.

Have you heard nothing of the mass genocide taking place among some of Asia’s ethnic tribes?

Have you heard nothing of the mass genocide taking place among some of Asia’s ethnic tribes?
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I know. You’re not to blame. The media machine feeds us a looping sketch of only that which (supposedly) directly applies to your life. And meanwhile, millions of monumental stories go unnoticed as our severely ethnocentric newsreel distracts us from the needs of real people.

The Karen. The Kachin. The Wa. The Rohingya. That’s just to name a few of the ethnic tribes who are being forced to flee their hometowns as the nightmare of war, torment, and torture ensues.

Image by: Partners Relief & Development

They are the displaced peoples of the 21st century. They are the helpless ones. They are the marginalized, forgotten, and voiceless, and we as the Christian community are doing little to speak on behalf of their plight.

We as the Christian community are doing little to speak on behalf of their plight.
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This morning I received a disturbing text message in Mandarin Chinese from Zhang Rong (not his real name), one of our Within Reach Global local missionaries at The Edge outreach center:

“David, please pray for us,” he said. “The situation here in Wa State, Myanmar is very tense. The Burmese army and the United Wa State Army are firing upon each other right outside our door. They are actually inside our courtyard right now. Over 20 soldiers were killed this morning. Please pray for wisdom for us. We are considering crossing the border back to the safety of China.”

Bullets are flying over the heads as we speak. I hate the thought of it. As their leader and mentor, I hate that I can do nothing to protect them

Zhang Rong has been faithfully planting churches with us among Asia’s least reached people groups for nearly two decades. He is a pioneer, an apostle, a pastor, a mentor, a husband, and a father. He and his wife have 2 children of their own, and 3 adopted Burmese kids. He has been loving the marginalized peoples of Southeast Asia for years.

You can read more about Zhang Rong in my book, The Space Between Memories: Recollections from a 21st Century Missionary.

“Our clothes are packed,” he continued. “We’ll let you know if we need to flee to war zone or not.”

Image by: Partners Relief & Development

Image by: Partners Relief & Development

These displaced peoples are no stronger to me. I’ve been traveling among them for nearly 2 decades. In fact, I once snuck across the border from China to Myanmar to translate for Time Asia and was caught by 100 child soldiers with Ak-47s (you can read about that crazy story in The Trouser People by Andrew Marshall).

Maybe you’ve never heard of the Kachin, the Karen, the Wa, or the Rohingya. That’s because they don’t live in your zip code and barely ever (never?) cross the headlines of the daily news. You are not to blame for being unaware of these people. But because they are precious in the eyes of God, you and I both have a responsibility toward them. The first step: pray!

Pray for their safety: many of them are war refugees.
Pray for their salvation: many of them are unreached.
Pray the Lord of the harvest sends more workers into the harvest fields.

And finally, don’t stop with empathy; find compassion for them, for compassion is love in action, empathy with wheels, love which knows no bounds.

Compassion is love in action, empathy with wheels, love which knows no bounds.
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Then you might want to give financially to help Within Reach Global bring the life-changing message of the Gospel to these tribes.

In an ever-increasingly ethnocentric media reel, there are some voices out there. Listen to some of the stories at Partners Relief & Development, Free Burma Rangers, Within Reach Global.

More importantly, listen to the heart of God for people he loves. Let’s not let their cries go unheard. Let’s stand together to bless the nations with the blessings we ourselves have received. After all, isn’t that how the Kingdom of God works?

The post Bullets Are Flying Over Our Missionaries’ Heads In The Ongoing War In Myanmar appeared first on Within Reach Global.

Heroes who risk their lives and well-being to rescue perishing souls from the “dragon” and then impart healing and Sprit-life into them.

They do it through midnight hikes, shining hope and carrying living water to women who are devalued and persecuted by their husbands. These women escape under the cover of night to drink of the life flowing from these heroes.

These heroes do it by rescuing neglected, starving, and “sold” children, bringing them both real and spiritual food. Then they bring these precious ones into the loving arms of a family.

These heroes are rescuing neglected, starving, and “sold” children.
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The suffering and traumas these heroes face are counted as joy if only they can see their Savior’s glorious face.

Yet, even heroes need an occasional break and encouragement from the Christian family. They need new equipment to use in their daily “search and rescue” missions. They need to know that they are not alone.

On July 15, some of these heroes came together in the sticky, humid air in the jungles of Southeast Asia. They came to fellowship together, learn of their Heavenly Father’s love and receive new trainings. It was a joy to be one of the teachers—and humbling at the same time.

I looked into one man’s tearful eyes as he poured his heart out about the multitudes of starving children at The Edge outreach center he oversees. As he spoke, he held a baby he had just adopted out of human trafficking. I thought to myself, “He should be teaching me how to have more faith and love!” Yet all he sought was a listening ear and encouragement that he was on the right track. “Don’t ever give up,” I said. “God is using you mightily!”

For 2 days, these heroes learned about deliverance, forgiveness, how to involve communities in stopping human trafficking, and also learned a very impactful curriculum about God’s heart and plan for women. They were delivered from lies and also had prophetic words of encouragement spoken over them.

In a world filled with so many distractions, let’s not forget to pray for these dear brothers and sisters, who die daily to love the broken and bring salvation to unreached places. Let’s listen to the voice of our Heavenly Father. Perhaps we might just step out of our comfort zones, bring help to Christian heroes, and entertain angels in the process.

step out of your comfort zone, bring help to Christian heroes, entertain angels.
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We will continue to bring new trainings to these missionary heroes. But it costs money. If you feel led to give towards this joyful cause, donate here.

The post Anti-Human Trafficking Training For Southeast Asia’s Heroes appeared first on Within Reach Global.