Ali* and his wife, Inju* love the Lord and want to serve Him wholeheartedly. Part of a minority people group in Eastern Europe, they heard about the love of Jesus and became believers. They have been growing with Christ since then. Now, they are following the Lord’s leadership to Central Asia to share the gospel with others.

Because of your generosity, we have partnered with a network of churches in Eastern Europe made up of Ali and Inju’s people group. Their language and culture are similar to a large people group in Central Asia, making Ali and Inju precious “ambassadors for Christ” here in Central Asia (2 Corinthians 5:20).

We are working with these Eastern European churches to help them see their place in the Great Commission. As they seek the Lord, He is pointing them to people living in Central Asia, where most are unaware of the hope of the gospel. Your partnership enables these believers to work with our local teams to share the love of Christ in a multi-cultural strategy that is a bright witness to the power of the gospel. Thank you for mobilizing the nations to engage lostness in Central Asia.

Please join us in prayer:

• Pray for Ali and Inju as they travel to and share the gospel in Central Asia.
• Pray they find hearts open to the love and joy Christ offers.
• Ask God to work in the hearts of His people so they respond to the Great Commission to “go . . . and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19).

Thank you for joining us in addressing the world’s greatest problem: lostness. Your gifts and prayers for this team enable us to reach Central Asia with the good news. You are a co-laborer with us in the gospel. We value your partnership!

*Names changed for security

Thank you so much for your generous support of our work. Your sacrificial gifts are mobilizing local believers to become global missionary partners serving alongside IMB teams as the hands and feet of Jesus. We want to share with you this first-person account of the ways God is working in the life of one of these Global Missionary Partners (GMPs):

I’m from Taiwan, and I’ve served as a Global Missionary Partner in Africa for about six months. During this time, I learned to humble myself and make myself equal to everyone. I learned to love others, identify with them, embrace their culture, and study their language. I’ve seen that when I do, people can feel it. In return, they identify with me.

One of the ways I have seen God work is with my French teacher. She is a Muslim, and my teammates and I have connected with her. We visited her house to share an African meal. We ate in the traditional way, using our hands, even though it was very different for us in our Taiwanese culture.

Because we spent time with her, she felt our love for her and understood that we consider her family. We attended a festival with her in her hometown on a Muslim holiday. It was my first experience of this holiday.

The entire village, nearly 10,000 people, went to a large open area to worship their god and listen to teachings from the Koran. There were rows and rows of men at the front, with women and children at the back.

We had never attended this worship activity before, but I began to sense God was at work in this place. My teammates and I prayed God would have compassion on the crowd. I know God was moving. Why do I know this?

As they worshiped, after not even five minutes, someone suddenly dismissed the whole venue. We asked our teacher why everyone was leaving. She told us the microphone had broken. Because of this, the worship service was over in a very short time.

We absolutely know that God is a God who hears our prayers. So, why did their equipment break in that meeting of 10,000 people that only happens once a year? Isn’t this God’s work? If not, then whose?

To experience God at work, we must go where He is working. When we walk with God, we don’t need to walk out in front of Him but just in step with Him. If we pray to God, He will show us that He is indeed with us.

Thank you so much for your kindness, generosity, and partnership! Your prayer and gifts are truly making a difference through this project!

Min Jae Kim is one of many global missionary partners God is using to share the gospel with those who have never heard. READ MORE!

Hector Cabrera is a global missionary partner who works closely with International Mission Board teams in Uganda. He was sent by the missions agency Cuba to the Nations. READ MORE!

Here is a beautiful article written by a Taiwanese who traveled to Africa to invest his life in learning language and culture so he could share Christ with those who have never heard the gospel. READ MORE!

On Oct. 29 in Kenya, IMB missionaries serving in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asian Pacific Rim signed a memorandum of understanding solidifying the sending of missionaries from Asia to serve in Sub-Saharan Africa. Read more…

While political unrest persists in Cuba, Global Missionary Partner Hector Cabrera, a Cuban, serves Sudanese refugees living in Uganda with the love of Christ and his God-given talents.

Cabrera was sent to partner with IMB missionary Jeremy Taliaferro’s team serving these refugees earlier this summer. The team’s main objectives are humanitarian aid and spiritual aid. He plans to be in the country for a minimum of three years.

Most of the refugees this team works among are from South Sudan. A percentage are from North Sudan, and a handful are from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The majority are animists, who follow traditional African religions. These false religions are also mixed with elements of Christianity. Some of the refugees are Muslim.

Taliaferro’s team partners with Christians within the Sudanese refugee population to strengthen the church there. They focus on trauma healing, evangelism, discipleship and church planting.

The team works on water wells for the community, builds houses for those who are disabled and particularly vulnerable, and delivers food to children in schools.

Cabrera has been helpful to the team, bringing diversity and experience. But one of his most valuable contributions is his background in sports ministry. He responded to the call to missions while still in Cuba, after he heard news reports of teenagers in trouble. He’s served areas of Cuba in various ministry roles, but his heart for youth has always played a major part.

“In the refugee camps, I saw a lot of children. I decided to teach them Bible stories using sport,” Cabrera said.

Taliaferro explained, “There’s a lot of idle young men who are just standing around with nothing to do during the day. Hector being able to get out and get them involved in sports and share the gospel is going to open up lots of doors.”

Cabrera is willing to jump in and serve wherever he’s needed, though. “If they need me to repair wells and houses, I do it. But my favorite thing is to play sports with the kids.”

His time overseas hasn’t been easy, especially as unrest persists in his home country and COVID-19 continues to be a threat.

“Cuba is going through a lot of upheaval right now,” Taliaferro said. “I think oftentimes, we tend to think that because our GMPs are internationals, they’re fine when traveling away from home. But he has family back in Cuba.”

Taliaferro continued, “There are people who have been sick since he’s been here. He’s seen his country break out into rioting and protests throughout. I’ve seen it weigh heavy on him.

“He deals with the same challenges that we do when we’re here, knowing we’re in a different country and far from home,” Taliaferro added. “But knowing that he’s missing out on some things – some important things that are happening in his home country while he’s away serving the Lord – I think that is something that is new and fresh (for Cabrera), and something that we’ve been going through for the last couple months.”

Cabrera – who was sent by Montes des los Olives Baptist Church in Alamar, Cuba, through the sending agency Cuba to the Nations – rests in the knowledge that he’s fully supported by his church during his time overseas.

“Yes, it will be hard, but I’ve already seen God take care of my family, helping them, supplying their needs. Our church supports me. Anything I need or my family needs, they are there, always,” he said, gratitude apparent in his voice.

Taliaferro commended the way the Cuban church has been supporting their missionary, not only “financially and through prayer” but in such an involved manner, even caring for Cabrera’s family in his absence as he helps get the gospel to the nations.

“I think they’ve really gone above and beyond,” Taliaferro expressed. “I’m so grateful for the Cuban church and the sacrifices they’re making and how well they’re doing in sending their people. I think it’s been a great testimony to watch and to listen to.”

The Great Commission wasn’t just given to Southern Baptists or the church in the United States. It was given to the global Church. And if the global Church is to be effective in reaching the 154,937 people who die daily without Christ, it must seek out partnerships beyond the borders of the U.S. Global missionary partners in South America and the Middle East are already changing the face of traditional missions. Read more…