In the United States Christianity is the number one religion. From different congregations to different denominations, we see how Christianity spread out throughout the nation. It’s almost as if we live easy lives here, not really worrying about our religious freedom. But that’s not the case in all countries. Many countries such as North Korea, Japan, and Europe as a whole, are almost described as unreachable nations.
In third world countries, there is a hunger and a thirst for the Gospel of Jesus. And in some cases, it is almost a crime to spread the Gospel. Living here, we are the opposite. We are sometimes ashamed to even go and do a simple thing like sharing the love of Christ or just being kind to people, which is what Christ calls us to do.
In an interview with Heritage Christians very own 11th grade bible teacher, Mrs. Oyama, she gives us a first hand account of the mission trips she’s been on. She’s been to various different countries such as Tanzania, Mexico, Columbia, Nicaragua, India, Jericho, Palestine, and so many more. Her passion for mission work didn’t just come from nowhere.
Nick Vujicic, a motivational speaker, came to speak at Heritage’s Spiritual emphasis week. She recalls how he told her she was going to be a missionary. “And then, the next day I came into the chapel and as I was walking in, he was like ‘hey, what’s your name?’ And I was like, uh, and then he started to just prophesy over my life and was like, ‘I couldn’t sleep last night and God just put it in my heart to say you’re going to speak to the nations,’ and all this crazy stuff. And I was like oh my gosh, I had never experienced something like that.”
On a mission trip to India, Oyama remembers visiting an orphanage with very young children. “In India, I remember we stayed at an orphanage and these kids, they woke up at five in the morning and they prayed for like an hour and a half. We wouldn’t dream of doing that here, and I think there in those places, you see like a deep faith in these kids, and here its kinda shallow.”
When asked about what in the United States is persecuting us she says, “I think for us, it’s just our comfort. There’s the orphanage where I was in India, they would pray daily and ask God to provide them for food for that day and crazy stuff happens where it’s like they’re out of food and then they get a knock on the door and somebody delivers a big old massive bag of rice and it’s like here. They literally are relying on God for every single need that they have. Here, it’s like my last resort will be to let me pray about it.”
Missionaries around the world put their lives on the line just to get the Gospel to maybe a tiny group of people who probably don’t even speak the same language. But, its the passion in their hearts thats a driving force for them to do such dangerous things.
In an interview with Pastor Alex Aguila of Rock Church LA, he gives an account of his time in Haiti. In his early years he made many mission trips to different countries. “Haiti is a third world country that is in constant famine and oppression.” He accounts a time when he visited an orphanage of albino children. “The albino children possibly had parents or grandparents or aunts or uncles that could have taken them in, but due to their skin tone, they were abandoned by their families.”
“An American missionary and her family were caring for all of the children, the number grows every year. The missionary leading the orphanage receives death threats from officials and militias for helping the children. The organization I travel with sends resources to bless the missionaries and children,” says Aguila.
Missionaries around the world sacrifice their lives for something so brave and courageous. The hardest country to reach or even have communication with is North Korea. Because of strict government laws, nobody can get in or out. And in 2023, the country strengthened its border with China, so nobody could escape. Escaping, or trying to escape, is equivalent to believing in the Gospel. Both are punishable by death.
Many developed countries are also struggling to get the Gospel out. Almost being unreached. Or the people not being receptive towards it. On the Joshua Project, a site that coordinates the works of missionaries around the world, it shows a global dashboard of unreached people around the world. It emphasizes all the people who have not received the Gospel. Currently, there are 42.4% of the world’s population that have not been reached.
Another similar site is Open Doors, which focuses on people around the world who are being persecuted around the world. It gives statistics of how many churches were attacked by anti-religious groups, believers forced to leave their home for their faith, and so much more information.
According to the Open Doors website, persecution of Christians is worsening every year by the millions. In 2023, 13 Christians a day were being killed for their faith. Nigeria remains the deadliest with 82% of the murders happening there. 1 in 5 are persecuted in Africa, 2 in 5 in Asia, and 1 in 7 worldwide.
Missionaries should have a special place in our hearts for the courage they have to do the hard work that could get them killed. According to UMC Missions, across the world, there are over 60 countries with missionaries based. They work to develop new works, churches, orphanages, schools, and just hope for people suffering from hunger or persecution.
In the United States, it’s so easy for us to be comfortable or even forget to have a heart for others. Sharing the Gospel is almost impossible because of the shame we can carry or how we could be perceived by others. Being judged by others while people around the world put their lives on the line for the Gospel should empower us to not be ashamed.
“Well, it’s something that’s so foreign to us…, that’s why our faith here is very shallow, just as a country, you know. If there is any faith, it’s shallow. But then you have these places like India and even China, where it’s a crime. It’s a crime to worship Jesus, and then you see this, and just the depth in these people’s faith where it’s like, you know, they’re not lukewarm,” said Mrs. Oyama about the comparison of peoples outward faith toward God.
An ending story with Mrs. Oyama, she shares how she went on a mission trip to Indonesia. It’s a dangerous place to spread the Gospel because of the radical Muslims that are surrounding them. When asked, why does God allow people to suffer persecution? She answers, “There are so many amazing stories about God sparing people from persecution. I know a man from Indonesia whose villa was attacked by radical Muslims in the year 2000. As his village was under attack , he was shot several times, he looked down to see bullet holes in his clothing, but his body was untouched.”
Stories like these give hope and shine a light on the great things God can and has done. A type of faith and belief where people are willing to die for, should deepen our faith in Christ and not be afraid to talk to others about Christ.
Paul, considered the first missionary of the Gospel, helped establish churches anywhere he went because of the conviction in his heart to do so. His works across Asia minor and the Roman Empire gave us his Epistles in the New Testament. It helped shape the modern christian church we have today, with all of his teachings and corrections and heart for the people.
In Matthew 28: 19-20 it says “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
According to Mission Guide Global Organization, in America alone, there are 2 million participants that go out each year to different fields to evangelize. Christians are called to make disciples all over the earth.
This section is called the Great Commission, and is one of the greatest commandments Jesus gives us. The greatest thing we can do as Christians is spreading the Gospel like Jesus intended. People all around the world risk their lives for Christs message to be shared to the most oppressed and abandoned people.
If you want to help donate to these causes, there are many places where you can make a difference. Organizations such as the:
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