This week’s post was written by a GSI worker in Southeast Asia who is reaching cocoa farmers with the gospel:

Amir was born and raised in a remote village nestled in a mountain valley. His parents are Muslim, his grandparents were Muslim, his children and grandchildren are Muslim. Until recently, Amir had never come into contact with anyone who believes differently from his close-knit community.

Islam is not a belief system that Amir chose, it was inherited. Amir knows that questioning the beliefs of his family, his friends, and his village leaders would be akin to insanity and grounds for banishment from everything he knows and loves.

But then again, why would he question such things? After all, he is not aware that his Designer set a plan into motion back in Eden that involves him personally. He does not know that an offer has been made to redeem him from death regardless of his sins, his shame, and his failures. He does not know that no amount of fasting, ritualistic praying, or almsgiving can erase the guilt of his wrongdoings. He does not know that the solution is far simpler, yet greater than his good works outweighing his bad; that salvation is by grace through faith.

Yes, his village is remote, but Amir’s dire situation has not been caused merely by geographical factors. His country’s government has declared it illegal to share the Good News of Christ under penalty of deportation or imprisonment. Therefore, Amir’s only hope of hearing will be through a committed believer’s investment in his life—a genuine relationship developed over time through which for the first time in Amir’s life he would be exposed to “salt and light.” In the missions world, this initial period of living life together is termed “pre-evangelism.” The pre-evangelism phase sets up a framework to be built upon during a later time when sharing God’s truth will not be seen as a crime or a threat, but rather as loving conversation between members of the same community.

Please pray for our workers in restricted regions to bring hope to those who have never heard of Jesus–to people like Amir–and that God’s truth would be embraced and spread to others.