Every day I receive an e-mail with a devotional from Voice of the Martyrs.  A few days ago I received one about Jesus feeding the five thousand and how He made sure that everyone received something to eat before going back to the first people He fed.  The story was applied to the way missions is done. Very often, people are sent to those who have already been fed instead of going beyond to those who have not been fed yet.  Over half of the world’s population is considered unreached, which means there is not a growing local church and the people in that area do not have access to the gospel in their own language.  Of those who are unreached, 88% of them reside in the 10/40 window, which is between 10* and 40* North latitude and extends from West Africa into the Pacific Ocean just beyond East Asia.  Now, to give some perspective with some facts.  Out of every 100 missionaries working in foreign missions, only about 4 of them are working to reach that half of the world’s population who are unreached. That means that 96% of missionaries are going to areas already considered evangelized.  Of money given to missions in the United States, only about $5.40 out of every $100 goes towards foreign missions and of that $5.40 only about $0.02 goes to reaching those who are not yet reached.  Yes, that’s right, only two cents of every $100 given to missions in the United States  goes towards reaching people who do not have access to the gospel. I came upon these numbers when I was looking up information about the 10/40 window and I was shocked!  And not only is the area of the 10/40 window spiritually desperate, but the people who live within it are some of the poorest, most desolate people of the world. 

So what does this have to do with us?  Many of the countries within the Asia-Pacific region are within the 10/40 window and several that aren’t within the window fall into the other 12% of the world’s population who are unreached.  Indonesia is one of the least reached countries in the world and areas of it are extremely anti-Christian.  At this time, HCJB Global has put in 32 stations for our partners there and so far, that they know of, 5 people are coming to Christ DAILY at EVERY station.  That’s 160 people every single day.  The partners there would like 100 stations total and part of the hindrance is people to put those stations in.  Our partners in Thailand have funded, licensed stations, they just need people to put them in.  We are going to Singapore at the end of September and Toffer is likely going to Indonesia to help put a station in while we’re there. I keep thinking about the people who cannot hear about the Gospel, who do not even have an idea that they do not know God.  And I think about how these radio stations are used to reach those people, to tell them of the great and glorious love of a great and glorious God. We were talking a couple weeks ago about how God is calling us to the greatest job ever–getting to use the skills, talents, and gifts He’s given us to tell people who know nothing about Him all about Him.  It just doesn’t get much better than that.