“THE UNREACHED ARE UNREACHED FOR A REASON- THEY ARE HARD TO REACH.”

After an hour plane ride, a two-hour bus ride, a five- hour bus ride, and five-minute boat ride across the river, we arrived in the village. The goal of the trip was to establish contacts and develop relationships. Within the interactions with the locals, our aim was to acquire information about the history and culture of the village.

The particular village that we visited was unengaged, meaning there are few efforts being made to reach the people. Thus, we would pass on the accumulated research to current workers who are initiating work with the people group in a different area. God provided opportunities quickly. The first night that we arrived, we were able to attend the dinner of breaking fast. The people group was Muslim and they were in the middle of Ramadan.

While the guys on the team went to the mosque with the men to eat dinner and pray, the ladies met in the home of a local and ate dinner with the women. The women pray together after dinner on their own. My teammates and I were able to talk with a young woman who spoke English; she was our age and studied Islam abroad, but was home for the summer. We bombarded her with questions, but she openly and honestly answered. I was particularly interested in understanding the Muslim women. They are restricted and considered inferior. Our friend confessed that she envied my freedom; it bothered her that she had no choice. I wanted to ask her more, but I did not want to cross any lines; I did not know how much she would or could disclose in a group setting.

AFTER THIS MEETING, THE LADIES ON OUR TEAM MET TO SHARE REQUESTS FOR PRAYER AND READ THE BIBLE TOGETHER.

My mentor shared through choked back tears and evident brokenness. She mentioned that she was overwhelmed with the task, frustrated with the lack of workers present. In the village, we saw evidence of Islam workers, spreading their own religion.

She expressed that she had stopped to look around and could not suppress the urge to ask, “Where are we? Who is here to offer the freedom of Jesus to these people? Who is here to tell the women that they are valuable?”Convicted and challenged, I am compelled to be a part of reaching the unreached. Through supporting, mobilizing, or going- I have chosen to invest where there is no access to the good news.

The above is a story from a student in Southeast Asia, who longs to be a part of reaching the unreached. Cafe 1040’s mission is to mobilize the next generation to finish the Great Commission, to help them go into all the world to tell the story of Jesus where it has never been told.