ISSUE 9
KIDNEY FAILURE LEADS TO
NEW TEAMMATES
When I heard the news that my kidneys were failing, I didn’t
quite hear it right away. “Say it again, Doc. You must have
the wrong report.” I was 31 years old, healthy, and hadn’t so
much as broken a bone.
I had just quit my job and we’d sold all of our stuff in order
to head to India for full time ministry. My wife and I were
perplexed and filled with doubt. Didn’t God call us to India?
Did we hear God wrong?
process anonymously and both were matches. On February
14, 2007, Katie gave me her kidney.
When we asked the doctor how much time my kidneys had
left he couldn’t give us a definitive answer. “It could be a
year or it could be five.” So after much prayer we decided
to move ahead with our departure for India. But after just
seven months my kidneys declined and I was in need of a
transplant.
During the process, God began leading Katie and Ryan to join
us on the field. A year later we were headed back to India,
not just with a new kidney, but also with Ryan and Katie right
behind us! They are now our teammates and dearest friends.
Who knew that God had in mind to use a kidney failure and
transplant to mobilize more members onto our team? We
may never understand His ways, but we know that He can
work through anything.
When we returned home, six friends volunteered to give their
kidney! We were very optimistic that a transplant would be
imminent. However, as each friend was disqualified due to
a rare reaction between our bloods, my heart sank. I was already on dialysis, dealing with extreme fatigue and nausea.
The news that I might be spending the rest of my life on dialysis was quite a blow. Our dream of fulfilling the call of God
on our lives was seemingly shattered.
We, along with the Ryan and Katie, launched an English Ministry Center last year that is opening up doors for the gospel
in ways that we haven’t seen before. Every day we have the
opportunity to share about who God is, pray with students,
and see lives transformed. Please pray for the roughly 60
students who are now attending our classes and the 12 students whose lives are being transformed by the Great God
that we serve.
God, however, had a different plan. He decided to supernaturally intervene through two complete strangers. Ryan and
Katie heard about my illness while sitting in a small church
in Seattle. God spoke quietly to Katie that she was the one
who was to give her kidney. Ryan and Katie went through the
are currently looking for teachers and leaders to
aaWe
come and help out with our program. TEFL or ESL training is preferred, but not required. Will you join us? For
more information please contact our mobilization team
at [email protected] or call 1-866-268-8778 ■
India.
The name itself brings to mind many exotic things. It is
the land of Aladdin, his magic carpet and genies. Many
young men and women dreamt of adventure through the
stories of Rudyard Kipling. The land is full of beautiful, yet mysterious,
monuments and temples, and holy places for Hindus. And it gave birth to
Mahatma Gandhi, the world famous freedom fighter of Indian nationalism
in British-ruled India.
William Carey, known as the Father of Modern Missions, took his family
from London, England, on a ship to Calcutta, India in April 1793 despite his
wife, Dorothy’s, initial refusal to leave England. His life story is legendary.
He translated the Bible into several heart languages of the Indians
including Bengali (1809), Marathi (NT- 1811), Punjabi, (NT – 1815), and
Sanskrit (1818). Carey also fought against the caste system, and helped
to abolish infant sacrifices and widow burnings. His biographers have
given ample evidence that William Carey’s legacy is woven into the fabric
of every aspect within Indian society ranging from spiritual, educational,
scientific, business, to politics and family life. All this didn’t come without
cost in Carey’s life; losing all his possessions and his first draft of the Bible
in Bengali in a fire, and being widowed twice, are just two of the tragedies
he experienced.
India, today, is the seventh largest country by land mass, and the second
most populous country in the world at 1.2 billion people. It is a complex
nation with over 2,500 distinct people groups. Although it is best known for
being a Hindu nation (902 million adherents), 180 million Muslims call India
their home, making it the 3rd largest Muslim country. And the caste system
makes it difficult for people of a lower social stratum to reach a higher
caste with the gospel. Interestingly enough, the majority of the missions
efforts in India is toward the poor and the untouchables (Dalits), making it
almost impossible for the gospel to reach the higher social order.
I remember having a conversation with a veteran missionary to North India.
He and his family had served there for 9 years. He told me that they were
struggling about whether to return there or not in their next term. He told
me, “I don’t know of any missionary that has lasted past 9 years in that
area. It’s just too tough.” Despite the difficulties, God is raising up modern
day William Careys to bring the Kingdom of God to this complex nation.
In this issue of One Ambition, you will meet some of these courageous
Pioneers. Please read each article with prayerful hearts. These Pioneers
need more teammates, more finances, more training and support, but
most importantly, they need your prayer support. As the Apostle Paul
reminds us in Ephesians 6:12-18, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and
blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic
powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the
heavenly places.” (ESV). As you pray, let the Lord speak to you about how
you may be able to join with Him, and with Pioneers, to see the Indians
come into the Kingdom of God.
Because of His Mercy,
James Kim,
Executive Director ■
Page 2 • ONE AMBITION • Issue 9
A
lready significant barriers exist
that prevent Muslims on the Indian subcontinent from following Jesus, but now an added challenge
has appeared. It comes in the form of
specifically anti-Christian propaganda,
broadcasted on an Islamic television
station from Mumbai, India.
The station’s main personality is a
charismatic preacher named Dr. Zakir
Naik, who frequently uses untrue statistics and facts to promote fundamentalist Wahabi Islam. Naik is famous for
taking quotations out of context, for
using false statistics, and for making
outrageous claims he could not back
up if challenged—such as wife swapping being common in the West and
the Bible saying that Jesus was not
crucified. But since he has refused to
debate his challengers (many of whom
are Muslims) directly, a defense of
Christianity with widespread distribution is needed.
With this in mind, “Jay,” a Pioneer, and
his fellow workers, have produced a
video titled “The Message of the Scriptures: A Rational Defense of the Word of
God.” This video defense of Christianity
USING MEDIA TO
ENCOURAGE
FAITH
IN JESUS
is hosted by two former Muslims, Nabeel Qureshi and Faouzi Arzouni, and
shows great respect for Islamic culture,
while still upholding the truth.
responding to him with God’s word
… I thank God for your efforts. Your
website is the answer to many
prayers regarding Zakir Naik.”
The video, made up of 43 mini lectures,
demonstrates that God’s word cannot
be corrupted, and that the words in
the Bible tell us exactly who Jesus is.
It addresses issues such as supposed
contradictions in the Bible and Jesus’
deity and crucifixion. The video series
is available on DVD (from the William
Carey Library in the US), many of the
43 lectures can be seen on You Tube
by typing in God’s Unchanging WordProfessor Faouzi Arzouni, or viewing
the clips on the www.unchangingword.
com website. It has been translated
into 7 languages, with partial
translation in 3 more. Many young
people who have been troubled by
the anti-Christian arguments of Zakir
are overjoyed to find answers to the
accusations.
“Praising Jesus, I am excited to
come across your website. I’ve
found a great treasure. It’s so informative and is just what I was looking for.”
“Hi there, I’m an Afghan Christian
living in the West. Many Afghans
inside Afghanistan listen to Zakir
Naik’s audio cassettes and watch
his YouTube clips. Thank you for
While the unchangingword.com website is designed primarily to provide
answers to believers who need to defend their faith, significant dialogues
have happened as seeking Muslims
have asked questions about the topics
that appear on the site. Some of these
seekers are then connected to believers in their city.
A senior worker from Pakistan wrote:
“One of the main accusations of
the majority faith here (Islam) is
that the text of the Bible has been
tampered with and is therefore
unreliable. A new set of excellent
videos have been dubbed into
Urdu for the purpose of explaining
why the Bible is reliable. We have
shared these with some of the local
believers, who have found them
very compelling. PRAY that these
will be effective tools that believers
might even show to friends on their
mobile phones!”
A worker from Bangledesh wrote:
“I just got to meet a new follower
who came to faith through shorttermers teaching English in a village about 35km away. He has
been somewhat interested in The
Way (Christianity) for 10 years, but
was rebuffed by attempts to learn
more in the traditional settings.
The apologetics DVD was one of
the big turning points in his interactions with the short-termers.
Isn’t that exciting! He went to 15+
Islamic teachers with the questions raised in the DVD and nobody
could give him an answer. He is
convinced this is the message that
everyone needs to hear. ”
you pray with us that this
aaWill
video series will be a powerful tool
to lead many to Christ in the Muslim world? ■
Page 3 • ONE AMBITION • Issue 9
new
OPPORTUNITIES
in
NORTH INDIA
BRAHMINS
What if you could reach university professors, teachers, school administrators, lawyers,
accountants, business professionals, charity trustees, and doctors in India’s developing
society with the gospel of Christ? What if their lives were transformed and suddenly
awakened by the power of the gospel? How might that change the face of India?
Those influential groups of people in India are often from a community called Brahmins. Brahmins are the third largest
unreached people group in the world* with less than .01% believers among nearly 58 million people. Now is the time for a
dedicated, targeted approach to reach this significant body of people.
Throughout India’s Christian history, many people have tried to reach the Brahmin community—but today there is yet to be a
movement to Christ that can sustain itself and can permeate the entire group. Brahmins are traditionally known as the priests
of society, but nearly half of their 58 million people are in other lines of work like business, education, professional services,
and medicine. In an increasingly secular urban society, these professionals have the potential to be a greater influence than
those Brahmins remaining in their Hindu priests of society role.
Pioneers is seeking to build new teams in order to facilitate a movement to Christ
among the urban professional Brahmin community—and to see India transformed
as a result. We want to bring society’s influencers to Christ, so they can in turn win
others.
about you? Could God be calling you to live and represent Christ among
aaWhat
the Brahmin? Call 1-866-268-8778 or email [email protected] for more
information.
LESS
THAN .01%
BELIEVERS
*statistics for Brahman people group in India at
www.Joshuaproject.net
Page 4 • ONE AMBITION • Issue 9
RAJPUTS
After spending the morning walking and praying
his way through the narrow lanes of India’s “Pink
City,” and then touring the extensive collections
of paintings, textiles, and weapons of the city
palace, a Christian visitor to this land asked,
“How will a people with such rich heritage, and
thousand year-old devotion to idols, ever come
to Christ? Who are we to even ask such a thing?”
A VERY HIGH
COMMUNICATION
BOUNDARY
Rajputs were the kings and queens of North India. Their feudal system of government remained intact for hundreds of years,
even during Muslim and British Imperial rule. The name Rajput means “son of the king.” Their very presence can be intimidating, but God’s people are up to the challenge.
Out of 43.5 million, there are only a handful of Rajput believers. Rajputs have a very distinct ethnic identity and generations
of historical pride, which creates a very high communication boundary. This tendency causes them to remain generally untouched and unmoved by a gospel witness.
These former rulers of North India still yield great influence and feel a responsibility for “their villages.” This group of people,
who have up until now prided themselves on being the “protectors of Hinduism,” is uniquely positioned to bring great blessing
to many if they follow Christ! What God is calling them to is their true identity in Christ: sons of the King of kings!
Throughout generations of idol worship, astrology and allegiance to false gods only a few Rajputs have ever really had the
opportunity to witness genuine faith in Jesus. Now is the time to see that changed. We need multiple teams in multiple locations living out godly lives and sharing Christ in their midst. Are you up to the challenge?
aaContact our Mobilization team at [email protected] for more information about these opportunities. ■
Page 5 • ONE AMBITION • Issue 9
THE MINISTRY OF
PRESENCE
THOUGHTS BY A HINDU
CREMATION PYRE
by R.C. Stevens
6:30am—Five missed calls on my phone all from the same
number—I returned the call knowing what I would hear. My friend
had died in the night and the men were already at the cremation
ghat (a series of steps leading down to a holy river) with the body.
Weaving my way past rickshaws, cows,
bullock carts and bikes, I parked my
motorcycle and walked down the steps
to the river where I was assaulted by
the very sensory nature of death here.
In the West, when a loved one dies,
the body is taken away and prepared.
Our last memory of them is similar to
the time they fell asleep on the couch
after church in their “Sunday best”. In
some ways death in the West is hard to
grasp. There are so few tangible rituals that let us experience our loss. We
have a service and a luncheon, but all
too soon everyone leaves and we’re
left to face our grief and memories as
best we can.
It couldn’t be more different here. The
body is brought to the home and the
family grieves visibly, audibly and publicly. The women wail and undo their
hair. The extended family gathers together and washes the body, buys the
required cloth to wrap the dead before
Page 6 • ONE AMBITION • Issue 9
cremation, and then carry the body
through the streets on a litter while
chanting. The procession moves all
the way to the burning ground on the
edge of the river. You see, hear, smell
and even touch death in powerful, vivid
and concrete ways.
Arriving at the cremation ground, I saw
my friend’s son, his head shaved and
wearing only a cream-colored loincloth and shawl of thin muslin. He
looked grown up and brave—you’re
not supposed to cry at a cremation—
and for a moment I wondered if it was
really the same boy I had watched
playing with Lego a few weeks before.
He had taken the central part in the
pujas (worship) and had been the one
to light the cremation pyre. It had been
burning steadily for quite some time.
The charred outline of a human body
could be seen amongst the wood, but
the person I knew as a friend was no
longer there.
Countless times I have
floated by grieving families
on a morning boat ride,
explaining to a short-term
team the meaning behind the cremation grounds. I never fail to bring home
the spiritual reality of what we are
seeing—a body that does not feel the
flames representing a soul that in all
probability does. It is always a sobering
moment, but now here, standing in the
smoke itself, I cannot bring myself to
the thought. It is too personal and too
deep. I cling to the mercy of God and
drive a wedge of hope between myself
and despair. The One who has invested
so much in this man through so many
of His children knows the cost. In fact
He is the one who has paid it.
There is not much to do. People stand
about in small groups and talk in low
tones. Most simply sit or stand in silence. No one cries. Few talk about the
deceased. They are simply there—family, friends, co-workers. It is a ministry
of presence. You are not expected to
say anything or do anything. You just
need to be there.
So much of our life here in South Asia
has seemed this way. We take as many
opportunities to speak about the Gospel and our God as we are able. But in
the end, so often the things that seem
to really make a difference are the
times we simply show up. You never
know when it is going to happen that
you’re the only one there. So you have
to keep on showing up—again and
again and again. The Ministry of Presence. Being here for the long haul. Not
giving up. Not leaving. This is what
brings validity to all that we say.
The fire has burned low and so they
take water from the river and pour it on
the remaining coals, causing clouds of
steam to rise in the air. The remains of
the skull are found and my friend’s son
throws them into the river. It is done.
The men turn to walk home. I watch
for a minute longer and turn back to
my motorcycle. Before leaving I’m
reminded to shower and change my
clothes and to not wear them again
during the mourning period. For the
next thirteen days they will mourn and
be subject to strict rules of diet and
behavior in the home. They will never
be left alone. And on the thirteenth day
they will have a large meal in honor of
my friend. Then finally, they will start
on the journey of a new life. His son,
a teenager in high school, is now the
head of the home. His wife is a widow.
His daughter was planning to attend
medical school in the fall—but will now
probably not be able to afford the fees.
If the extended family cannot help,
then she will probably be married off
sooner rather than later.
And so, a few of those who know the
Truth and know the family well, will
gather from time to time in their home
to once more practice the Ministry of
Presence. Again and again we will simply show up to reveal the Presence of
Christ to those who are perishing—that
some might believe and never die.
aa
These (and other) missionaries
need more teammates to support
and encourage them in their ministries. A gift to the Strategic Priorities Fund allows us to continue
training and sending new missionaries. Please prayerfully consider giving today by filling out the
enclosed response card or visiting
www.pioneers.ca/give-online. ■
THE EDGE EFFECT
INTERESTED IN A SUMMER
OUT OF THE ORDINARY?
Why not consider joining one of
the Edge trips this summer?
The Edge is a 6 to 10 week mission
trip for young adults giving you
the opportunity to work alongside
field workers, learn a new language and culture and discover
your role in God’s mission.
Pioneers Canada partners with
Pioneers US in this ministry so
for more information contact our
mobilization team at connect@
pioneers.ca or check out the 2014
destinations on the Pioneers US
website at www.pioneers.org/
edge.
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Page 7 • ONE AMBITION • Issue 9
www.pioneers.ca
51 Byron Ave.
Dorchester, ON N0L 1G2
t: 866-268-8778
[email protected]
ISSUE 9
01
•
Kidney Failure leads
to new Teammates
03
•
Using media
to encourage
faith in Jesus
04
•
New Opportunities
in North India
07
•
The Ministry of
Presence