Invited in: A Place to Belong Among the Unreached

In January, I felt God affirming a call He gave me years ago to go into a particularly unreached part of Central Asia and build relationships there. Over the next few months, He made it clear that the time was now—despite the war in Ukraine, which was affecting the whole region. I told the Lord, “This is crazy from a human perspective, but as long as you make it clear that You are calling me to go now, I’ll go.”

He did. So I went.

An invitation to the village

Getting there is a start, but how do you start connecting to the community? I had already made contact with “Aaron,” a man from a certain unreached people group, via Instagram. He knew I was interested in learning more about their culture and that I’d like to spend time among the people so I could learn more. He lives in the group’s main village. He invited me to his village, and we began to develop a relationship. I sure didn’t know what kind of reception would await me in the village, but I knew what God had said to me.

So I arrived with a driver, and my friend Aaron met us on the road entering the village. Quickly, we were welcomed into his family home. By day two, he had opened up the village to me.

A series of visits

Relationally, things couldn’t have gone better. I was able to stay in the village for two days, and they invited me back. Two weeks later, I returned, staying a whole week. Aaron already considers me a good friend, and his extended family has embraced me warmly, even starting to consider me “one of them.” His family has a high standing in the village. In fact, his dad has been the head of the village and Aaron himself is a person of some importance.

Inviting relationship

However, all were not quick to embrace me. Some in the village pushed back, asking Aaron, “Who is this guy, and why did he come to our village? I’m not sure about him.” Aaron was ready for these questions since he lives among these people and knows how they think. Since we had built a relationship, he has been very loyal to defend me and answer their questions.

In the trade language he said, “There is a good smell coming from you.” A nice compliment.

Aaron invited one man who was asking questions to come to his house and meet me. After 90 minutes together, this highly skeptical man embraced me into his village, grateful I had come. He was pleased with my personality and answers to his questions. He could see that I had the best interests of his people at heart.

In the trade language he said, “There is a good smell coming from you.” A nice compliment.

What happens next?

People in many countries have been praying for this people group for years, long before I even knew about them. And now a door has opened. It was almost four years to the day after the Holy Spirit sparked my desire to go to this people group that I was welcomed into their main village.

This is only the beginning.