By Katie O'Malley | December 19, 2024

Nigeria (MNN) — As persecution of Christians rises in new places today, remember one country that has been in a firestorm for years: Nigeria. According to data gathered by Open Doors for their 2024 World Watch List, 82% of the Christians killed in the previous year were in Nigeria (data gathered October 2022-September 2023).

Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says the West is missing something about the Islamic militant activity in Nigeria.

“We think, ‘Well, that’s just kind of the way it is over there.’ What we don’t realize is their aggressive pursuit. They’re trying to annihilate Christianity from the entirety of northern Nigeria,” he says.

Boko Haram rampages in northern Nigeria, while Fulani militants are pressing southward. These Fulani herdsmen murder and seize land from Christian farmers to use for their livestock. Kelley calls it “literally a land grab.” The Fulani are an influential people group, he explains, with people in political authority from their number. These leaders tend to look the other way on the violence.

“People in Nigeria, Christians and moderate Muslims, are done with that. They’re just disgusted with the lack of intervention from the government,” Kelley says. (More on that here.)

On top of the killings, Christians are experiencing displacement, incredible loss, and the threat of kidnapping. Nigeria is also the country where the most Christians are kidnapped. One local Christian leader, Kelley says, has lost one of the missionaries in his network every month for the past six years to kidnapping.

“You have over 3 million people that are in these internally displaced [people] camps. There’s over 300 [IDP] camps all around Nigeria. Every minute, people — entire families, every single minute of every single day — are being displaced all throughout Nigeria, and they’re ending up in these camps. They lose everything,” Kelley says.

Pray for endurance for these brothers and sisters, but also pray over a missions gap within the Nigerian church. Kelley says local believers they partner with are pressing north with the gospel. But in the majority Christian south, there’s not always that same missionary drive.

“A lot of the Christians in the southern part of Nigeria, unfortunately, they just don’t have a heart for reaching the north. They’re focused on making more Christians in the south. That’s just the reality of it,” Kelley says.

“We need to pray that God would raise up a remnant, a group of Nigerian Christians that would have a passion for people groups like the Fulani, the Hausa, the Kanuri — who are the three majority Muslim people groups in the northern part — and send local missionaries in there. That is the only way the gospel will be spread throughout Nigeria.”

Header photo of 2020 protests in Abeokuta, Nigeria courtesy of Tope. A Asokere via Unsplash.

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/nigerian-christians-under-fire-gospel-desperately-needed-in-the-violent-north/

By Katie O'Malley | December 9, 2024

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (MNN) — Good luck identifying one group responsible for the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s chaos. More than 100 armed groups are operating in eastern Congo today.

“Congo has been a chaotic situation for decades now, but really one of the big origin or triggers of it goes back to the Rwanda genocide in 1994,” says Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations. He explains that after the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Tutsi people, tens of thousands of the Hutu crossed the border into the Congo and “caused havoc.”

He continues: “Congo is the size of the eastern seaboard of the United States. Think of the capital (Kinshasa) being in Dallas, Texas, and the eastern part — where a lot of the atrocities are taking place — in New York, with zero infrastructure in between and dozens of people groups in between. So there’s not unity, [and it’s] not cohesive. It’s like India from the standpoint of [having] all these different languages. It’s being run by warlords.”

Different groups from within and outside of the DRC plunder its rich natural resources, with little to no consequences. The Congo is the fourth most impoverished country in the world, according to one global finance organization.

There’s also lack of spiritual depth in the Congo. Although the nation is over 90% Christian, Kelley says, “It’s the old adage in Africa where they say ‘Christianity is a mile wide and an inch deep.’

“It comes back to the original instruction [Jesus] told us. He [didn’t tell] us ‘Make converts.’ He said, ‘Go and make disciples’! That’s depth, and that’s what Congo really lacks today. If you were to say, what’s the one issue, it’s that the church lacks disciple-making.”

Pray for that deeper walk with Christ!

“We really need to come alongside the churches that are serious about it (discipleship), and really empower them with the tools they need.”

“You become a product of your environment, and if the leaders who are equipping (the church) aren’t really serious about it, then they’re going to produce a bunch of shallow Christians. It’s no different than anywhere in the world. It really starts at the top. It’s passion for the Word of God. It’s sharing faith with others. It’s not being distracted,” Kelley says.

“Until the main thing becomes the main thing, Congo will continue to struggle. So we really need to pray that there would be unity, and pray that there would be seriousness and creating transformational discipleship.”

Header image of church in the DRC is a representative stock photo courtesy of Johnnathan Tshibangu via Unsplash.

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/discipleship-gap-holding-the-church-in-the-drc-back/

By Abigail Hofland | December 4, 2024

Turkiye (MNN) — A new report by International Christian Concern shows anti-Christian hate crimes doubling in Turkey since 2021. These include property damage, harassment, and violence, the group says.

While Christians make up less than one percent of the country’s 85 million people, they experience the highest number of religious hate crimes. The actual number remains low – just 52 of these occurrences have been reported since 2020. Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says while the numerical increase is not large, the reason for the trajectory is worth noting.

“Any time the Gospel is making inroads, it becomes a threat,” he says.

Especially in Muslim majority countries, the government response will be swift.

“The way they react to it, primarily, is through a lot of foreign workers being targeted and kicked out of the country,” Kelley says.

Still, Kelley is encouraged. He says the Gospel is making progress among a sizable group: the country’s nearly 300,000 refugees. Turkiye hosts more refugees than any other nation, especially from surrounding countries such as Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and Syria.

“We’re seeing people from these majority Muslim countries responding to the Gospel,” Kelley says, “and the Turkish government isn’t nearly as concerned about that activity as they are with their own people.”

Ministries like Unknown Nations work within Turkey to bring the Gospel to Turks and refugees alike. Their focus is currently on Gospel-focused training that equips refugee believers to return to their own countries as missionaries, Kelley says.

While barriers exist to reach the Turkish people, he says there is opportunity to impact them as well. The need for Christ among this group is enormous.

“The Turks are one of the largest unreached people groups in the world,” Kelley says. “You’re talking about 62 million people that are one quarter of one percent Christian. It has to be a priority for the body of Christ.”

In the face of foreign workers being targeted and scrutinized, Kelley believes the key is to raise up and equip the indigenous community. The essential fuel is prayer.

“Jesus said to pray to the Lord of the Harvest to send forth laborers, and Turkey has got to be on the radar of the body of Christ from a perspective of prayer,” he says.

Please pray for Unknown Nations and similar ministries working to bring the Gospel to this difficult place. Pray that the indigenous community and refugees would respond to the Gospel and be equipped to share it. Pray also that believers in Turkiye would be strengthened and encouraged in the midst of persecution.

Featured photo courtesy of Meg Jerrard/Unsplash

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/despite-persecution-turkiye-remains-a-field-ripe-for-gospel-harvest/

By Katie O'Malley | November 25, 2024

Myanmar (MNN) — The Rohingya of Myanmar continue to brutally suffer at the hands of the Burmese military. They aren’t the only ones. Since a military coup three years ago, Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says over 5,000 people have been killed in Myanmar. Just this month, a church bombing by the military killed nine people near the border with China, seven of them children.

“This same group that has been tormenting the Rohingya staged a military coup in February 2021,” says Kelley, “and that has resulted in over 3 million people being displaced other minority ethnic groups like the Rohingya, who have been just savagely targeted, oppressed, beaten, persecuted, killed.”

Forty percent of those 3.4 million displaced people are children. This war zone is where Unknown Nations sees gospel ministry unfold. They have been present there for the past 20 years, and Kelley says the Burmese are one of ht largest unreached people groups in the world.

“It’s not like they’re just targeting Christians, although Christians absolutely are a threat to them (the military) because they have a different worldview. But everyone’s suffering,” Kelley says.

“When you have never had access to the gospel, and this military is so oppressive, you become open to a message of hope. In the midst of this chaos, as crazy as it seems, hearts are open and responding to the gospel.”

Please, become aware and pray for these tragedies in Myanmar. Don’t forget about them in the midst of widespread displacement crises across in the world today.

“Every two seconds, someone is newly displaced in the world because of war, violence, persecution, human rights abuses. The Body of Christ needs to come and lean into these situations,” says Kelley.

“They don’t fit nice and cleanly into a box, like a lot of missions initiatives we try, but that’s okay. Jesus gave His life for these situations.”

“Engage with organizations like Unknown Nations, send out an email or give us a call. We can tell you how you can intimately be a part of bringing the good news of Jesus Christ into this dire situation,” says Kelley.

Header photo Rohingya refugees gathered in Bangladesh for Genocide Remembrance Day (2023). Photo courtesy of Md. Jamal / VOA – via Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. 

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/decades-of-abuse-leave-rohingya-and-myanmar-searching-for-hope/

By Anna Deckert | November 11, 2024

Nigeria (MNN) – In an area of Africa fraught with violence and poverty, God is drawing new believers to Himself.

Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says he recently visited an area of Northern Nigeria that is almost exclusively Muslim. In addition to the lack of Gospel saturation, the poverty is striking. He says, “When you come you feel the depravity of the people’s lives. You see poverty in every direction. You see villages that people are suffering just for daily necessities, drought conditions, and yet God is moving in power in this place.”

Two Villages Turn to God

God’s work has been especially evident in two villages in the area. Despite political and social turbulence a team was able to complete a water project in one village. This opportunity opened the door to sharing the Gospel with the village chief. As a result, he and his whole village turned to the Lord in repentance and faith.

As if that were not extraordinary enough, God miraculously healed a man with epilepsy in a second village.

Kelley says, “It caught the attention of all of the leaders in the area, particularly the witch doctor, who had tried many times to heal this individual, but to no avail. But God healed him through the power of the Holy Spirit. Now both of these villages in northern Nigeria, near the border of Niger, are 100% Christian. It’s just an unbelievable experience for us here at Unknown Nations.”

A Cause for Rejoicing

Believers in these villages are hungry for the Word of God. By their own reports, they cannot spend enough time hearing about their Savior.

“They’re consuming the Word of God. They’re listening to the Treasure, our solar powered audio Bible. The witch doctor himself, he testified. He listens now to the Word of God from sunup until sundown. We are rejoicing in what God is doing in this part of the world.”

Please pray that God will continue to grow these new believers in truth and understanding of the Gospel.

Image courtesy of Tep Ro from Pixabay

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/gospel-miracles-in-nigeria/

By Greg Kelley | November 5, 2024

Visiting Northern Nigeria

First, I recently returned home from Nigeria, a country that has been incredibly impacted by the efforts of cross-cultural missionaries. In 1900, less than 5% of this great country was Christian. Today, the southern half of Nigeria - more than 100 million people - follow Jesus! A celebration indeed! Yet, despite this success, there is still a monumental task required.

In the north, Muslim strongholds are very hostile towards Christianity. Nations like the Fulani, Hausa, and Kanuri - totaling almost 100 million people - are still awaiting their first gospel witness. As we visited these northern tribes, we witnessed our vision and strategy at Unknown Nations in action. God is using this approach to bring His eternal hope and transformation.

Reaching a Hausa Village

Just over six months ago, a village we visited had never heard the truth of the gospel. Gaining access to these communities only comes through building relationship and sharing tangible expressions of Christ's love. These universal forms of communication, allow our gifted network of indigenous missionaries to engage communities.

This particular village faced a very challenging water supply issue. Families were walking more than 3 miles to get water filled with bacteria and parasites. Prior to our visit, our indigenous leader requested a water well be drilled in this community. This act of love opened hearts in this Muslim community, including its most influential leader, the witch doctor!

As this witch doctor eagerly received our Hausa audio Bible, the Holy Spirit dramatically touched his heart. Once he received Christ, the rest of the families followed. One by one, this previously 100% Muslim community has become 100% Christian. Leaders are now being discipled and the indigenous village church is thriving! Community members have already memorized dozens of scripture references. All in six months!

We hope this video gives you joy as you watch this witch doctor and Muslim community come to know Jesus.

Watch Now

In the middle of Islamic insurgent groups and the largest Muslim population in the continent of Africa, nations are coming to know the truth—and the truth of Christ is setting them free. As a country, Nigeria ranks number six on Open Doors’ World Watch List for extreme levels of persecution against believers. And yet, here you’ll find Christians who are sold out for the gospel.

A team from Unknown Nations recently had the privilege of visiting several villages in Northern Nigeria. This area was introduced to the gospel just over six months ago through our network of indigenous missionaries. While visiting, the team met with new Hausa believers and talked to village leadership in different locations.

A Vice Chief, representing one of the villages, shared, “Before the coming of the audio Bible we knew about Jesus, but we didn’t know who He was.” Through the Quran they were taught that Jesus is a prophet, but they didn’t know Him as the son of God, a crucified and risen Savior. He gestured to the area around him and told us that this is where they gather, listen to their audio Bible, and discuss what they’re learning (see photo above).

Education is very limited in this area, so having a tool like the audio Bible is invaluable. We were told they take them wherever they go and listen until the battery dies. The villagers then re-charge their Treasures in the sun, since electricity is scarce. Before leaving, a group of villagers lined up in front of our team. One by one they began sharing with us in their native tongue. When we learned that they were reciting scripture, we rejoiced at the transformation that has taken place in this exclusively Muslim area in just six short months!

Please join us in lifting up these new Hausa believers in Northern Nigeria. The Vice Chief shared,

“We know that there are those who don’t want us, but we endure and pray that they come to the knowledge of Christ. Wherever we go to share about the gospel, we tell people that the only path is through Christ.”

By Lyndsey Koh | October 15, 2024

Nigeria (MNN) — A first-of-its-kind report was just released looking at ethnic and religious violence in Northern Nigeria. The Observatory for Religious Freedom in Africa examined incidents of extreme violence in the region between October 2019 and September 2023.

With 30,880 civilian deaths, the report found Christians were disproportionately targeted. Christians accounted for 16,769 of civilian deaths; 6,235 Muslims were killed. The rest had no known religious affiliation.

Much of the violence in northern Nigeria came from Fulani herdsmen. Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says, “What aggravates it is the constraint of grazing land, and then the fact that the Fulani are Muslim and the farmers are Christian. So you have that religious tension that comes in there too.

“There are a lot of dynamics that are at work here; but fundamentally, Christians are being killed and…the government largely is non-responsive to these atrocities.”

Unknown Nations works with some Christians in southern Nigeria to go into the North with audio Bibles. But Kelley says those with the greatest heart to reach Muslims in northern Nigeria with the Gospel are Christians at risk in the North.

“That’s been our focus is, as we pray…how do we mobilize the Christians in the North? They will be the ones who will reach the Fulani. They will be the ones who reach the Hausa and the Kanuri.”

Pray for the resilience of faithful Nigerian Christians sharing Jesus in persecution. Ask God to open the eyes of Fulani Muslims to the truth of the Gospel.

“Until we get a heart for the nations that we will maybe never meet this side of eternity for the fact that they are separated from Jesus and an eternal presence with Him – until we get that conviction – then things are not going to change.”

Header photo courtesy of Tope A Asokere/Unsplash.

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/christians-disproportionately-targeted-in-nigeria-violence-report/ 

The Joshua Project reports Somalis to be the largest unreached people group in the Horn of Africa, with an overwhelming 99% identifying as Muslim and less than 1% as Evangelical Christians. The Somali people are known for their hardness towards the gospel, a people that are nearly impossible to reach. Using Somali Treasures as a ministry tool has perfectly positioned God’s Word to soften hearts that are hungry for something more. In the words of one of our leaders, “These audio Bibles articulate the gospel best, conveying things that we are often too afraid to share in evangelism...The Treasure is like a full time missionary among the Somalis.”

Abshir (name changed for his protection) is a young Muslim man who encountered the Treasure in his own heart language. When our leaders realized he was genuinely searching for the truth, they welcomed him into their home. They became like family and began sharing their faith with him, often over a cup of spiced tea, which Somalis love. They listened to a Somali Treasure together often. Abshir had many questions, amazed to hear the Gospel in his own language.

One night, after listening to the audio Bible, Abshir said, “I have listened to this radio and I believe what it says. It has taught me things I never knew... I’m ready for anything you tell me to do.” When our leader asked him what he meant by this, he hesitated before saying, “I’m ready to become like you, a follower of CIISE (Jesus in Somali).” To confirm Abshir’s decision, Jesus appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Abshir, you have begun a new life. Do not be afraid. I will always be with you.” This encounter filled him with inexpressible joy! His demeanor changed and his classmates and teachers noticed his glowing face.

As he grew in his faith through the consistent follow up of our leaders, he introduced them to his relatives and asked that they share the gospel with them as well. Abshir faced severe persecution from many, even death threats from his own family. Despite these difficulties, Abshir continues to strengthen himself in the Lord as he listens to Scripture. Our leaders have since had opportunities to share with his family. Let us pray together that the Good News will take root in their hearts and that Abshir will walk in divine boldness as he continues to serve the Lord with his whole heart!

By Katey Hearth | September 13, 2024

Sudan (MNN) — The United Nations Security Council votes to extend current sanctions against Sudan by another year. The bans include asset freezes, travel restrictions, and an arms embargo.

Sanctions have born little success so far in moving either of the warring parties to the negotiating table. An ongoing war between Sudan’s army and rebel forces backed by the United Arab Emirates has uprooted more than 10 million people since April 2023.

“They’re in the midst of their third civil war in the last 50 years,” Greg Kelley with Unknown Nations says.

“When we hear ‘Sudan,’ we associate that with carnage, and what happens is [we] get apathetic. But we should care, as followers of Jesus, because Jesus called us to make disciples of all nations.”

Sudan is facing the worst levels of food insecurity in its history, with more than half of its population in acute hunger. Famine conditions were confirmed earlier this month in several displacement camps.

“Children are dying every single day of starvation. That’s not a pleasant sight, and it’s happening by the dozens in both South Sudan and Sudan,” Kelley says.

Yet amid Sudan’s despair, hope remains. “People are open. They’ve lost every earthly possession, and they’re sitting in a tent in a country that’s not their own,” Kelley says.

“They are asking questions. When you’re in that position, and someone comes with the life-transforming message of the Gospel, that heart is ready to receive.”

Partner with Unknown Nations here to support this work in Sudan.

“We need to be praying for the Christian leaders because they share the Good News in the most difficult of environments. Pray that God would give them strength and courage.”

Header photo depicts Sudanese refugees being baptized in Chad. (Header and story images courtesy of Unknown Nations)

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/hope-remains-amid-sudans-despair/ 

By Katey Hearth | September 9, 2024

Pakistan (MNN) — Torrential rains in Pakistan trigger displacement and suffering in the same areas devastated by monsoon floods in 2022.

Every year, “It’s not a matter of if, but when the monsoons come in,” Unknown Nations CEO Greg Kelley says. “The devastations vary, but this year, it’s been on a dramatic level.”

Some villages remain cut off by snake-infested floodwaters and are only accessible by boat. In one district, farmers lost 80 percent of their cotton crops – a primary source of income – and the floodwaters killed hundreds of animals.

In most disaster zones, Kelley says, “They don’t have access to clean water, so we need to get water, food provision, temporary shelter” to flood-affected areas.

Charity organization Save the Children says more than 150 kids have lost their lives since the start of monsoon season in July. That’s over half of all the deaths recorded so far. Another 200 children have been injured.

Believers walk alongside struggling families with the compassion of Christ.

“Whether I am hostile to the Gospel or I’ve been a follower of Jesus my whole life, I care about the well-being of my children,” Kelley says.

“When my child is suffering, and they want to care for that child and love that child unconditionally, it does something to the heart.”

Support Unknown Nations’ efforts to provide help for today and hope for tomorrow here.

“That act of love does an amazing thing. It takes these people who are hostile to the Gospel and opens their hearts up so that we can deposit the Good News of Jesus Christ,” Kelley says.

Header and story images courtesy of Unknown Nations.

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/believers-pair-help-and-hope-in-pakistan-flood-response/ 

By Katey Hearth | September 4, 2024

Afghanistan (MNN) — A growing number of religious scholars in Afghanistan are openly challenging the Taliban’s restrictions on female education. Even some clerics working for the government have opposed the ban.

Meanwhile, Afghan women sing to protest new Taliban decrees seeking to erase women from wider society. The “vice and virtue” laws, approved two weeks ago, are the Taliban’s first formal declaration since taking power in 2021.

As more voices join the resistance to Taliban rule, some practices carry on just the same. For example, persecution remains at an all-time high.

Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says Afghan partners recently shared the following report:

“A couple of underground workers reached this village, and they had a lot of fruit; people were responding to the Gospel. The Taliban heard about it, they went to that village, and every man, woman, and child was executed. There [are] atrocities like that happening daily inside of Afghanistan.”

The good news? “There was one survivor who we connected with, and now he’s being equipped and trained [as a Gospel worker to Afghanistan,]” Kelley says.

Unknown Nations partners with believers in a neighboring country to help Afghan refugees become missionaries to their homeland.

“At that training center, we pour into Afghans who are being multiplied, and their target is to reach Afghanistan with the Gospel,” Kelley says.

“Every Afghan [understands] the depth of despair within Afghanistan. They also understand there’s only one solution, and that is the hope of the Gospel.”

Contact Unknown Nations to learn how you can help train Afghan Gospel workers.

“Pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth the laborers [who are] willing to die, thrive, and multiply into Afghanistan,” Kelley requests.

“Before Jesus told us to go, Jesus gave us the action word – to pray. He said, ‘Pray to the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers.’ In places like Afghanistan, Iran, and that whole corridor of the world, we need more laborers.”

Header image is a representative stock photo depicting a scene in mountainous Afghanistan. (Photo courtesy of Joel Heard/Unsplash)

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/persecution-continues-amid-calls-for-change-in-afghanistan/ 

Amina (name changed for protection) is a 56-year-old woman whose deepest desire was to study God’s Word and grow in her faith, but she couldn’t read. In her village, no one knew how to read. She prayed for months, asking God to make a way for her to understand the words of the Bible.

One night as she slept, Amina had a supernatural encounter. In a dream, she was instructed to go to a nearby village where she would find God’s Word. Amina woke up, her heart pounding with excitement. It was still dark outside, but she eagerly asked her son to take her to the village. He declined, saying it was too late to go.

Despite her son’s concern about the late hour and the dangers of wild animals in their area, Amina felt compelled with an urgency from God. She decided to venture out by herself and walked for an hour and half in the dark. Amina trusted that God had something extraordinary waiting for her.

An Act of Faith and Indescribable Joy

When she arrived at the village, she saw our Indigenous Leader’s team packing up their van after an outreach event. In an act of faith, she approached them and shared her dream. As it happened, they had brought 20 Bibles to distribute during their event but had only given out 19. With great joy, they handed the last Bible to Amina.

But this was not a printed Bible – it was a Treasure audio Bible in her very own heart language. When they explained that she could listen to God’s Word instead of reading it, Amina’s face lit up with indescribable joy. She clutched the Treasure to her chest, with tears streaming down her face, and exclaimed, “This is the best day of my life!” She felt as though God Himself was speaking to her.

Amina’s heart overflowed with gratitude and praise as she thanked God for answering her prayers in such a miraculous way! What a mighty God we serve.

By Katey Hearth | August 27, 2024

Afghanistan (MNN) — Friday marks the third anniversary of the final U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Yesterday, on the anniversary of a suicide attack on Kabul that killed 13 U.S. servicemembers, presidential candidate Donald Trump emphasized rival Kamala Harris’s support of the chaotic withdrawal process.

Harris also affirmed her continued support of the withdrawal decision without commenting on servicemembers’ deaths.

While politicians use the withdrawal as an election talking point in the U.S., Afghans mourn yet another freedom lost under strict Taliban rule. New laws forbid women from speaking outside the home.

“Afghanistan [has] been in a continual state of decline since the pullout three years ago,” Unknown Nations’ Greg Kelley says.

For example, the Taliban continues to execute Christians when militants discover underground churches or individual believers. “On almost a weekly basis, we hear of people being captured, punished, and killed,” Kelley says.

“It’s a regular event, yet Christians are multiplying. They’re passionate about reaching their fellow Afghan brothers and sisters with the Gospel.”

Unknown Nations’ training center equips Afghan refugees in a neighboring country to reach their people for Christ. A recent graduation ceremony celebrated and launched the newest batch of Gospel workers.

“They cannot wait to go to Afghanistan and share the Good News because the power of the Gospel has transformed them,” Kelley says.

“The crazy thing is they understand that [surviving] even three years is probably beyond what would be expected.”

Ask the Lord to provide more laborers to make disciples and train believers in Afghanistan. Pray that training center “graduates” can start disciple-making movements in their homeland.

“Converts will not survive in a place like Afghanistan. The pressures are beyond description,” Kelley says.

“You have to have come to [an understanding as] Paul did in Galatians 2:20 where he said, ‘I must die so that Christ can live.’”

Header image depicts women in burqas. Photo courtesy of FMI.

Original Article Posted Here: https://www.mnnonline.org/news/afghanistan-new-laws-forbid-womens-voices-in-public/

Just last month a group of graduates wrapped up their one year leadership training program in Indonesia. Our Indigenous Leader shared that these 20 students will be sent to their mission fields to share the Good News of Jesus Christ!

Recent Visit

Back in November, an Unknown Nations team visited Indonesia to witness the ministry being done on the ground. Our CEO, Greg Kelley, had the opportunity to encourage and pray over these students during their time at the training center. After reading Acts 1:8 he challenged them by saying,

“Think of this, the perfect power of Jesus Christ at work inside of your life - so that the world would know. And that is your assignment, that the world will know.”

It was an emotional moment as the team laid hands on each student and prayed over them. We are excited to hear reports on the fruit of their ministry!

Celebrating the Graduates

To celebrate these graduates, our leader held a beautiful open air graduation service. He told us it was a wonderful moment to pray, share an impartation, and anoint them as they are sent to the remotest parts of Indonesia for church planting. One of the graduates gave a moving speech expressing her gratefulness for the love, prayer, support, and teaching they received during the program.

When these students started at the mission school, they had an understanding and eagerness to return to their people and tell them about Jesus. They now have an eight day journey by bus and passenger ship as they travel to their mission fields.

Please join us in asking God to use these precious vessels as ambassadors for His Kingdom. Pray that they would continue to grow in their faith as they depend on God fully and continue to practice what they’ve learned over this last year.