Sam*, a native missionary in South Asia, wakes each morning with the thought, “Just one more soul, Lord.” He works with orphans, refugees, persecuted Christians, and the unreached. There are many challenges, and he looks for ways to meet needs and show the love of Jesus.
Displaced and Desperate
He shared a story about a woman in an Internal Displaced Camp (IDP). The IDPs are large, with as many as 700 people living in them and this IDP was established for persecuted believers who’d lost their villages in purposeful fires. The people came to the IDP needing everything, as they had lost all they owned in the fires. Sam and his ministry tried to meet their needs with clothes, flip-flops, medicine, and whatever was donated.
One woman at the IDP was pregnant and needed help during her delivery. There are no hospitals near the camp. She couldn’t go to the cities occupied by native religious radicals. Another woman had become a midwife, but the pregnant lady needed more help than the midwife could offer. Sadly, the woman and her baby died.
A New Ministry After Tragedy
After that tragic incident, Sam started an ambulance ministry for the IDPs. The ministry doesn’t have a real ambulance yet, but they have a vehicle to transport people to the hospital in the nearest town. In 2024, they helped more than 80 people.
Sam and other missionaries shared the Gospel with the patients they transported while they awaited treatment. Many of the 80 accepted Jesus as their Savior, and 31 were baptized because of the ambulance ministry. Sam desires to get a real ambulance with an oxygen supply so the ministry can be more effective in helping those in distress, meeting needs, and showing the love of Jesus.
One Page Bible
Sam’s goal for 2025 is to see his ministry’s church plants grow to a total of 704 churches. He explained that as he and his 303 missionaries have gone to reach tribes with the Gospel for the past 21 years, new believer discipleship is a big challenge.
Many small tribes do not have the Bible in their dialect. So, Sam and other missionaries will stay with the tribe for a couple of weeks to learn their language and translate a portion of the Bible for them.
Sam calls it The One Page Bible. He translates and handwrites John 3:1-7, some of Romans, and whatever else seems appropriate for that specific group. The tribals use The One Page Bible and memorize it to grow as Christians. Sam has translated The One Page Bible into 37 dialects and is ready to do more translations.
Reaching the Unreached
Recently, he began working with an unreached tribal group in the hills. His ministry is the first to visit their tribe to evangelize them. One young man who converted to Christianity, Bonichan, showed great potential and attended Sam’s Bible School for pastoral training. Bonichan will return to his tribe to minister after he has finished training at the school.
Gratitude Expressed
Sam works diligently to find that next soul to lead to the Lord. He oversees various ministries and is away from home for at least half the year. His wife, two sons, and others in the ministry keep things going at the orphanage and Bible School. Sam expressed his gratitude to ANM for the support and prayers his ministry has received.
Prayer Needed
Sam requested continued prayer for his family’s protection as they know that at any time, the majority fanatic people group could break into their home at the orphanage and kill them all. They know of many believers who have been killed, burned alive, or chased from their homes and villages. Many churches have been destroyed. Yet Sam said, “God has also been blessing us.”
Please pray for Sam, his family, and his ministry as they seek “one more soul.”
Our free 7 Days of Prayer for Missionaries guide will help you effectively pray for Sam and missionaries like him. Download it today to get started.
*Name was changed to protect the missionary.
