Our church has now been working with the Bells of the Big Country (fake name) for over 15 years. The trials have been many, the victories few. I'm reminded of what a missionary once told me; there are reasons why the last groups to hear the Gospel are the last groups. They are hard to reach. Let me share some recent prayer requests to illustrate my point.
One group professed faith, but then said they no longer wanted to believe. They returned to their idols. A missionary says he thinks they are willing to return to faith. He plans to try to visit them soon. Pray.
Believers are often very reluctant to be baptized or to share their faith with others. Persecution is real, not only from the government, but also from dangerous cults which are infiltrating Bell territory. One lady is the only believer for miles around. What are her chances of being able to stay faithful? Pray.
Missionaries who work among the Bells cannot live in their villages. Thus they live as close as they can, and make excursions into Bell territory as best they can. This splits families often, and is hard on home life. Maybe this gives us a glimpse into some of the challenges we face in reaching the Bells. We made a 20-year commitment to reaching them. We have 5 years to go. Pray for a huge breakthrough for the Gospel.
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