Reaching South Asia

We announced that we were going to be launching an entirely new mission field to South Asia, with the intention of reaching over a billion least-reached people. And then the world stopped.

How are we supposed to reach the least-reached if we cannot leave our homes? The pandemic changed everything, but it opened new and creative opportunities to reach people with the Gospel like never before.

Any attempt to reckon with the sheer size and staggering numbers of the vast need in the South Asian region will naturally leave you feeling small and helpless. But we serve a mighty God, one who reminds us that, where He opens doors, no one can shut them. In fact, Jesus’ words in Revelation 3:8 feel personally directed at us as He asks our churches to stop and recognize the opportunities He has placed before us.

What if we could use the world’s interconnectedness as a tool to reach South Asian people with the Good News of Jesus? What if that calling didn’t belong to a select few international workers but instead belonged to everyday Canadians who don’t have to leave their homes to make a difference? These are the questions that we are asking as we launch an exciting new strategy to reach people in South Asia.

“Hey there! I haven’t heard from you in a while. I’m just checking in because I keep seeing news reports about Covid in your country. Are you and your family okay? I hope to hear from you!”

This is just a sample of an email that we’ve sent to people in South Asia via a digital mentoring platform created and operated by Power to Change Ministries. This platform is the result of a new partnership with Alliance’s outreach into South Asia, one of the world’s largest, most populous, and most needy places on earth.

Many South Asian people feel ashamed to talk about issues like relationship concerns, identity, loneliness, fears, depression, and family dysfunctions. When they search online to find answers, they’ll find a website run by one of our current partner organizations that allows them to request a mentor to talk to.

This is where you come in. You can become a mentor, answer those messages, and introduce spiritual discussions to bring life and hope to somebody that desperately needs to hear it. With training, extensive resources, and a coach to guide you, you have all you need to make a difference in someone’s life.

This is happening now.

People are hearing about Jesus and His message of hope for the first time, because people just like you are making meaningful global connections and talking about personal experiences as mentees and mentors and as the relationships grow, they are receptive to the hope Jesus offers. The model works and there have already been South Asians who have responded to Jesus and committed to follow Him!

It’s one thing to acknowledge the opportunity and a whole other thing to take a step of faith to walk through it. This year, we’re asking you to join us in walking through these open doors in South Asia as we look for even more opportunities that God will surely show us.

Pray for the people of South Asia. Pray that they would hear and respond to hope through this digital mentoring platform. Consider signing up to become a mentor to join with God, who is already at work in this part of the world. Please also prayerfully consider how you can give to this year’s Jaffray Project to continue to take steps of faith as we see them.

This is an article from our Fall 2021 edition of Alliance Connection. Read the full copy here.