CENTRAL ASIA

In January, a group of 13 students and 2 staff from Taylor University traveled to Central Asia to serve alongside our team for three weeks. The objective of their time there was to gain a foundational understanding of missionary work in a creative access country. It was also a goal to widen their perspective and understanding of the world and the ways in which God is already at work even in the “unreached places.”

The first several days were spent in orientation and cultural immersion, and then the students spent the next two weeks in rotating work projects. During evening dinners, the students were able to meet with workers from other missions organizations in the area, and they had an opportunity to participate in cultural training with local believers.

The students were put in smaller groups to rotate job sites as a way to expose them to different work, as well as fly under the radar in a creative access country. They were able to support the staff of the local international school, teach English, and spend time doing a medical track in the local clinics. Our partners saw a good deal of fruit as a result of the students’ work while they were in country.

• In the English learning center, Taylor students worked with local university students to teach English through talking clubs and beginner English classes. The center has followed up with almost 40 new students that came to classes as a result of Taylor’s time there. This is a very evangelical group, and we know that those new contacts will likely hear the Gospel as a direct result of the work there.

•The local international school benefited tremendously from the work of the Taylor students. The elementary and high school principals were both absent for most of the month of January due to personal family matters in the States, so the Taylor students were able to step in and fill some big gaps during that time.

• Another English partner had been praying for new access points in the community to bring him closer to his goal to plant a church there someday. After the Taylor team conducted English camps at two local schools, the partner was granted access for full-time work.

Overall, there was a large consensus that this trip was quite successful in meeting its objectives. The students found the time to be very rewarding, stretching their understanding and perspectives on God and His work around the world. Many shared various ways they had felt the Lord speak to them during their time there, several of them expressing a calling into missions in some way or another, and a few even expressed great interest in returning to this part of the world. One student wrote, “This has been the most life-changing month of my life! I’m so thankful for all of the Reach Beyond staff that made this trip happen.”

REACH BEYOND GLOBAL

Reach Beyond is a global family of Country Offices that share the same vision and values. Country offices are empowered to own and create their own ministry priorities and strategy, but they meet regularly as a Global Leadership Team (GLT) to collaborate, share and serve each other on a global level. Whereas Regions represent areas of the world where Reach Beyond does ministry work, Country Offices are independent legal entities who can send, and sometimes receive, missionary workers.

In February, the GLT saw one Country Office step back, and another one step up. Reach Beyond Canada (RBC) is now under Gideons Canada, and jointly they want to capitalize on evangelism ministries. RBC will no longer serve as a missionary-sending organization or member of the GLT. Reach Beyond USA and SonSet Solutions Canada are exploring options to sign a cooperative agreement which would allow SonSet Solutions Canada to extend an invitation to existing RBC missionaries to transfer their ministry, projects and donors from RBC to SonSet Solutions Canada. We are thankful for the years of partnership with Canada and pray for a smooth transition for everyone involved.

While Canada is leaving the GLT, Ecuador is joining. For many years, when we talked about Ecuador, we referred to ministry in the region, but the newly formed independent legal entity, Voz y Manos – Ecuador (Voice + Hands), will be able to "send" Ecuadorian missionaries to serve overseas and participate in joint international projects, as well as lead missions work in Ecuador and receive international missionaries to serve in country. In February, the Voz y Manos – Ecuador Board voted to appoint Gary Gardeen as the new Country Office Director, and he will serve as a member of the GLT. We celebrate the legacy of mission work in Ecuador and what God is doing to stir the hearts of nationals to go and serve in cross-cultural work.

Voz y Manos – Ecuador joins Reach Beyond USA, Reach Beyond Australia, Reach Beyond New Zealand, Reach Beyond Netherlands, Reach Beyond Sweden and Reach Beyond UK on the GLT. We are thankful for these global partnerships as we work together so that unreached everywhere can hear about Jesus, see Him in action and learn how to follow Him.

UNITED KINGDOM

Reach Beyond-UK has been an important part of the Greek Refuge Initiative, sending multiple teams to Moria and supporting strategic efforts. But, work among refugees also happens much closer to home.

As well as serving refugees overseas, Reach Beyond-UK has regular opportunities to offer physical help and advice to refugees at the Millside Centre in Bradford. Many attend the English classes and Job Club, as well as the refugee and asylum seeker Tuesday drop-in which is run in partnership with the British Red Cross.

This year, the Millside Centre has one more way of helping these precious people to find their feet. In partnership with Bradford Council and Bradford College, Reach Beyond-UK is about to launch a new 10-week course specifically to help refugees find work in the catering industry. As well as learning how to cook and serve food to the public, they will run a real café in the Millside Centre kitchen three days a week. If this pilot year is successful, they hope to see many more people find work and rebuild their lives in the UK.

UNDISCLOSED LOCATION

In a region of the world where accepting Christ can mean persecution, loneliness and loss of family relationships, media can be an important tool for feeling loved and connected.

One of our partners recently shared a story of a listener who sent in a poem based on real life situations she faced after becoming a Jesus-follower. Our project team produced and broadcasted an audio version of the poem, which inspired another listener to put the poem to music. The song was recorded and broadcast. The authentic, indigenous Gospel song is now very popular among local Christians.

“She dedicated these verses to the Lord, and it was clear that she had put all her heart and love for the Lord into these verses,” our partner shared. “One of the reasons why this song became so popular among local Christians is because most of them have faced the same problems.”

We praise God for new believers in creative access countries, and we pray for the hardships and barriers they face. Join us in prayer also for our media partners, who are providing much needed support for these new believers.

"It Is Okay, If It's For God's Sake"
(Translated from the local language by our partner)

Not a problem if my neighbors
Didn't invite me to their wedding
Not a problem if the people whom I call friends
They beat me in the face

Not a problem if my relatives
Turn their faces away from me
Not a problem if my honor
Will be mixed with clay

Not a problem if the neighbors gather for a holiday
Not a problem if they throw stones at me
Saying that I betrayed our religion

My Lord himself will come
And take me to His embrace

He will lead me to heaven
In its most beautiful corner.
He will lead me to heaven
In its most beautiful corner.