So many countries in Africa have suffered tragic moments over the last 125 years. Despite such difficulties, the gospel has grown exponentially in Africa during that same time. In 1900, there were only 9 million Christians in all of Africa. Fast forward 100 years, now more than 380 million believers fill this beautiful continent that is three times the size of the United States! Praise the Lord for the spiritual growth.

But as tragedy continues, there is still more work to be done.

Our hearts break over the physical carnage that seems to shred this land like one tsunami after another. The most recent example is Sudan. New fighting erupted in April that has plunged the country to the brink of a civil war. In less than one month, more than 500 people have already been killed as two separate military factions battle for control of this North African land.

Sudan’s primarily Arab community is no stranger to civil war. From 1983-2005, more than 1.5 million people lost their lives in another unnecessary bloodbath within this poor African country. We pray this current conflict does not gain further traction, but international funding pouring into both sides of the battle suggests a long, drawn out campaign.

These are the kind of unexpected global humanitarian crises that occur with way too much frequency. Natural disasters can happen anywhere. Yet over the last fifty years, the unfortunate reality of war is that it often occurs in locations that are already difficult to reach with the gospel.

In Sudan, less than 1% of the 46 million residents are followers of Jesus!  

Here’s the good news. Our partners in neighboring Chad and South Sudan are ready to respond now!

We received a beautiful video from our partner showing a group of women circling around a Treasure with their arms stretched out over the audio Bible in passionate prayer. Here’s what our Indigenous Leader shared:

These women are praying and giving thanks that they have an audio Bible. They remember the day when they would take the Holy Bible in their hands and cry to the Lord because they wanted to read God’s Words. But today they received a Treasure and thanked God by prayer and song.

Here at Unknown Nations, we are laser focused on reaching places where the gospel has never been. Our team is working on the front lines and they are taking new ground for the Kingdom. With over 25 years of experience, we’ve learned that most individuals living in our area of focus are oral learners. This means that they are either illiterate or come from a storytelling culture, preferring to learn in a non-literate way.

Just this month, we’ve received countless testimonies from our indigenous leaders. They are witnessing the power of hearing God’s Word in one’s heart language and the opportunities this brings for exponential growth.

One testimony came from an elderly woman who was praying to God for many days for an audio Bible because she didn’t know how to read. She asked God, “How should I hear your Word every day?” Finally, her prayers were answered when she received a Treasure through our network. She shared, “The Word of God in this audio Bible refreshes me and gives me spiritual strength...I am so happy now!” Your support is making an impact in spreading the good news to ALL Nations!

The Yadav are one of the largest civilizations in history! More than 99% of this group follow the Hindu caste system and are idol worshipers. While they are considered a socially backward caste group, they have high political sway as most people vote for their caste rather than good governance. Many Yadav are laborers and their work consists of milking cows and raising cattle. Because of their herdsmen background, they claim to be connected to the god Krishna. 

The Yadav embrace India’s commitment to Hindu elitism. As such, other minority religions such as Christianity are heavily persecuted within their ranks. Impacting the Yadav is a key to reaching all of India due to their strong presence.

"The Yadav are open towards the gospel and many are coming to Christ. They have the ability to become a transforming agent in their communities because of their authority and sheer population numbers. May God lead them to make the environment Gospel friendly. We need more training and more evangelists from this people group... My biggest desire for the Yadav people is to have more leaders."

- Unknown Nations Indigenous Leader in India

Please pray for Yadav Christians to rise up and share Christ with their neighbors. (Matt. 9:37-38; Isa. 52:7)

Modern day slavery still exists in Pakistan. Over 14,500 brick kilns in this country oppress over 4.5 million slaves. Most are owned by Muslims. The slaves live trapped, earning less than they need to repay their debt. Generations pass and their debt grows as families endlessly try to escape the indebtedness of their parents, grandparents, and beyond. 

Workdays in the brickyards typically begin at 4am. Slaves work six days a week, 12-14 hours a day. If they can’t meet their daily goal of 1,200 bricks, they often don’t get any food or water. This is a desperate community without any hope. As the second largest Muslim country in the world, access to Jesus in Pakistan, especially in these brick kilns, is virtually non-existent without you. 

"Slavery in the brick kilns works like a big business. The owners are very influential and they are very dangerous... These slaves [who have become believers] are not only touching the lives of their owners, but their lives have been transformed as well... When these slaves pray together, God moves in a massive way. We are witnessing miracles and wonders of God in these brick factories."

- Unknown Nations Director of Pakistan

Please pray for encouragement and safety for the believers trapped in this endless cycle of slavery. (Psa. 34:7-9)

I stood at the edge of the bed with his arms clutched around my leg. He begged me not to leave and to protect his family from the living hell they were enduring. He would be beaten again that evening and feared that his daughters would be sold as sex slaves. Tears raced down his cheeks in complete desperation – “Please help me!”

That was my experience a couple weeks ago in a brick kiln in Pakistan. Hundreds of thousands of slaves live in these types of conditions. It’s one of the most desperate situations that I’ve come across in my 25 year tenure at Unknown Nations. Regrettably, all of these precious people are asking us the same question. “Will you help me?”

In the midst of the confusion and chaos of the moment, the Holy Spirit led me to a response. I called upon our leaders to give me a Treasure and I was prompted by the Lord to play the third chapter of John. This slave who had never learned to read was fixated on this device – hearing the powerful words of the gospel.

These words pierce the heart and bring transformation and peace to the inner chambers of our broken lives. This slave and his family are cherished in the eyes of Jesus! There is nothing physical that I could have done in that moment to deliver what was received. No earthly solution! But God can meet both needs.

This family was freed from chains spiritually first and then physically when they were freed by the owner later that evening.

Our goal in these brick kilns is to see that kind of supernatural transformation begin with each of the Muslim owners and their managers. Please pray for these leaders who are increasingly seeing their slaves eagerly come to Christ and live in freedom that can not be denied. Our teams are reaching new kilns every week as the Word of God sets these captives free.

One owner recently has heard the gospel clearly. He has felt “fire” for weeks and is having dreams of Jesus on a white horse calling him to follow him. He is counting the cost and is close to surrendering to the Lord. Our team just gave him a Treasure in the Urdu language which he is listening to now. Let's pray the hard heart continues to soften and ultimately accepts the Lord as he listens to the Word of God.

Greg Kelley, Unknown Nations CEO, recently returned home from a trip to Pakistan. We’ve heard incredible updates of how God is moving amid the heart breaking situations where our indigenous leaders are serving. They visited places of extreme persecution and darkness, without hope or access to the Good News - but God is on the move.

Slave labor has a deep stronghold in the country of Pakistan. Greg met one couple who was bought into slavery over a $300 loan which has now grown to over $3,000. But the main concern for these parents is the safety of their family. Living in these unthinkable conditions has left them helpless and tormented over their children’s future.

This couple (top right) has three daughters. Their oldest, who is only 14, has been taken by the owner of the kiln. It’s very common for young girls and women to be abused as sex slaves. The couple broke down and cried over the thought of their other daughters being taken as well.

Greg spoke with one of the managers who had given his life to Christ but was in the process of selling seven girls ages 13-16. They were virgins and considered very valuable. Now that he’d accepted Christ, the team explained that he couldn’t go through with the sale and ruin their lives. He said that if he didn’t move forward, someone else inevitably would. However, he agreed to stall and our leaders are following up.

In these moments of unfathomable desperation the Treasure is bringing hope. Light is piercing through the darkness and God is showing up in the middle of the mess to share a message of true freedom that can only be found in Christ. While the future is still uncertain, we know our God is faithful and can turn something the devil meant for evil into something good.

Your support is making an impact in spreading the good news to ALL Nations!

Matthew 28:18 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”

The two year anniversary of the infamous Myanmar military coup came and went this past month. This unlawful regime continues its crackdown upon millions of innocent lives. Now, the UN is saying that 5 million children are in dire need of humanitarian aid due to the conflict.

The carnage taking place is unimaginable and is going largely unnoticed by the global community. It is another example of the worst of both worlds being met by silence. 

Since its independence in 1948, this precious land in Myanmar has experienced decades of repressive military rule and civil war among minority ethnic groups. During that time, millions of people have been displaced, sexually assaulted and subjected to mass killings - in short, textbook genocide. All the while, Myanmar’s delicate economy suffers and hangs on by a thread. The most weak and vulnerable people are victimized over and over again.

The church has a tremendous opportunity to be a light!

We certainly should not respond as the world, plowing endless relief into chaos and turmoil in the absence of a long term goal. We have the only - and best - solution! Myanmar, facing a tragic scenario like so many other places, requires the Good News of Jesus Christ!

The atrocities in Myanmar are a perfect example of how the Body of Christ can make a significant impact in a place that seems hopeless. Unfortunately, Myanmar has a far bigger heart issue than a hunger issue. Making people temporarily more comfortable on their way to eternity is beneath the Body of Christ. Our calling is much higher, which is why the gospel message MUST be the forerunner alongside any strategic humanitarian assistance that is required. That makes Myanmar a country facing the worst of both worlds.

Despite much of the country being an active war zone, our leaders on the ground have never stopped going to the most dangerous spots and doing what the church should be doing. Our leaders are committed to telling the broken communities and villages about the love of Jesus!

Sometimes, the primary fact lost on followers of Jesus is that in the midst of this physical carnage is a country that has a chronic spiritual condition. 83% of the people in the country live within people groups without access to the gospel! 

Because of our faithful men and women (same culture missionaries) on the ground, we are seeing hearts transformed by the power of the gospel. Just recently an outreach took place that impacted approximately 3,000 people. Here is the summary of that encounter:

Among those 3,000 people:

1. 60% of them were completely unreached people and had never heard the name of Jesus. This was their first time hearing the gospel in their whole lives.

2. 98% of them were unbelievers (75% of Buddhists, 15% of Hindus and 10% of Muslims).

3. We distributed 212 Burmese and Mandarin Treasures to key people who could not read or write well. (This was an area near the border with China which requires Mandarin).

After the distribution, more than 200 received Jesus and requested water baptism. 30 new leaders from that outreach are being trained at our training center designed to develop disciple makers! Friends, Myanmar is ripe for the gospel despite it being gripped in chaos and uncertainty.

On February 21, 2021, the country of Myanmar (formerly Burma) was scheduled to endorse the results of their national election from the previous November. The brutal military regime opposed the woman who won in a landslide, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The result was a violent military coup that led to the imprisonment of the legally victorious candidate and destroyed hopes for democratic reforms in this strategic Southeast Asian nation. That occurred two years ago, and today, the residual effects are still having tragic consequences, especially among Christians. 

As atrocities mount, the suffering of the Burmese people has become unimaginable.

Over 1.2 million people are internally displaced because of government oppression. Christians have stood firmly against this brutal regime and are paying the price. The military has attacked many villages and indiscriminately targeted those who oppose their illegal siege of the country. Innocent men, women and children have been imprisoned and killed for standing up for peace. Credible sources estimate more than 34,000 civilian structures, including homes, clinics, schools and churches, have been destroyed during the coup.

Our key relationships in the country shared a recent incident where an entire village was destroyed. It had been the home of Unknown Nations partners and friends sharing the gospel throughout Myanmar. These innocent people have lost everything! We immediately equipped our indigenous leaders who were going into these areas to minister. Many had fled during the attacks, and some were still missing, but the remaining villagers needed urgent assistance to help them survive the winter cold. Our leaders consoled the victims and offered humanitarian assistance alongside Treasures (audio Bibles). 

Now, even the Buddhist leaders in the community are feeling a different kind of love in the midst of despair. They are eager to learn more about Jesus. 

In the past month since mobilization of aid to that village, ten people have received Jesus and are eagerly listening to the audio Bibles. 

The atrocities in Myanmar are a perfect example of how the Body of Christ can make a significant impact in a place that seems hopeless. We choose to go where the environment is hardened and looks the most bleak. That is where Jesus would go! Now it is our opportunity. 

More Burmese leaders have come forward who want to be further discipled, trained and mobilized in the midst of these two challenging years. 

They realize the only hope for their country is the gospel message. Eternal hope! 

Together in the Harvest, 

Greg Kelley, CEO

An underground team member in our indigenous missionary network was distributing audio Bibles in a dangerous location when two robbers stopped him on a motorbike. Both of these robbers had weapons which they pointed at the missionary and ordered him to hand over his phone, cash, and watch or they would shoot him.

He handed over the requested items along with his bag that was holding the Treasure audio Bibles. When one of the robbers looked inside the bag they found the Treasures and accidentally hit the power button on one of the devices.

Surprisingly, the Treasure started playing loudly from 1 Corinthians chapter
6. The robber was trying to turn it off but the sound kept getting louder and louder. In their frustration they were going to toss the audio bible away when they heard 1 Corinthians 6:10 start playing, “Nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.”

The robber looked at the missionary and said, “What is the Kingdom of God? What does it mean that thieves can’t enter? Who is speaking from this audio device?”

The missionary answered their questions as the robbers continued to ask more about God and His kingdom. After two hours of conversation on the side of the road, both robbers received Jesus as their personal savior!

They took the missionary to their home where they prepared a feast for him and gathered more from their tribe so they could hear about Jesus and His kingdom too. What a miraculous testimony, nothing is impossible with God! Your support is making an impact in spreading the good news to ALL Nations!

Your support is making an impact in spreading the good news to ALL Nations!

Matthew 28:18 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”

The 100% Muslim Rohingya people have been pushed out of Myanmar (a Buddhist country) into Bangladesh. The UN described the atrocities inflicted upon the Rohingya as “textbook examples of genocide and ethnic cleansing.”

Today, there are about 1 million Rohingya living in Bangladesh. Myanmar does not allow them to return and Bangladesh tolerates them as long as they remain confined within massive refugee camps. These precious people are sprawled in ghettos and tent cities in an area of Bangladesh called Cox’s Bazar. In a short period of time, it has become the world’s largest refugee camp. The Rohingya people face a tragic humanitarian crisis and more importantly, have never been exposed to the gospel.

"When I first went to the camp people were coming in by the hundreds every day. Even today, there are still not enough shelters. These people are living in hazardous conditions with a quarter mile line for good drinking water. Young people are getting involved with drugs and smuggling without any opportunities for an education or jobs. There’s still a lot of opportunity to help these people."

- Unknown Nations Director of Bangladesh

Please pray for healing and comfort for the trauma they’ve experienced in losing their homeland. (Lam. 3:21-23)

India is a country that stands alone in so many ways as it relates to the Great Commission. They have a greater concentration of unreached people than any country in the world…and it’s not even close. Christianity has always been a minority religion despite significant mission efforts over the centuries. This is amazing, considering that Thomas, the disciple of Jesus, first brought the gospel there over 2,000 years ago!

During the 20th century, while much of Sub-Saharan Africa was exploding with the gospel, India has been largely unresponsive to the Good News. Followers of Jesus in Malawi started at 2% in 1900 and grew to 77% by the end of the century! Kenya went from .2% all the way to 79%. And, the massive country of Congo went from less than 2% all the way to 95%!! Africa’s response during this time was thanks to incredible investments, prayers and sacrifice.

Over that same time period, 1900-2000, India’s population started at 2% Christian and ended at 2%. This resistance toward the gospel still continues today.

As Christians, we need to understand the challenges and find ways to prayerfully be a part of seeing this country reached with the Good News. We are absolutely confident that India will one day call upon the name of Jesus in historic proportions! 

The first thing we must realize is that inside of India resides 2,135 people groups that do not have access to the gospel. They are unreached. That is more than the next 6 countries combined! This country also has 460,000 villages that do not have any kind of Christian presence. This land must become a priority for the Body of Christ. We must find the current situation unacceptable on our watch of stewarding the Great Commission.

Because of this, we have developed a network of four indigenous leaders across the country, three of them are in the north where Christianity is almost non-existent. In this area we heard of a Hindu man who received Jesus by listening to the Treasure. In his enthusiasm he declared “your God speaks my language!” He said he would share the gospel through the solar powered audio bible with 2,000 people in the next few months! This is the kind of determined approach it will take to reach all of India…the greatest holdout to the greatest story ever told.

Islamic extremists in Chad discovered one of our Treasure audio Bibles and have urgently alerted their Muslim community by circulating a strong video warning on WhatsApp (a popular global messaging app). Their message? “Start opposing this Christian thing!”

The gospel has been spreading quickly and these extremists, Islamic missionaries in a way, are recognizing the threat that the Treasure brings.

One reason that Treasures are so effective is that they are made available to the people freely and in their own heart language. This is in stark contrast to the Islamic belief system, which is built upon the Quran being recited and read in the Arabic language alone. The Islamic leaders of this area are intimidated by the reality that the people now have access to the power of God’s Word in their very own language. In the video warning that’s being circulated (see screenshot on right), they noted that they’ve seen local men sitting together and listening to “this thing” underneath trees in the heat of the day.

Our indigenous leader shared, “[In their video message] they even threatened to identify all of those who have served their voice to record the Scripture on the Treasures, as well as those who are distributing them. Please pray for my network as they seek to distribute. Pray that God will preserve them. Pray that the message of salvation will do its ministry as a fire and a rain. Pray for God to provide, protect, and give wisdom to the Christian missionaries serving among the dark areas of Chad.”

Although this news is sobering, we feel strongly compelled to continue advancing into new territory! Thank you for standing with us. Your support is making an impact in spreading the good news to ALL Nations!

Your support is making an impact in spreading the good news to ALL Nations!

Matthew 28:18 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”

Happy New Year! All of us at Unknown Nations wish you a wonderful 2023. As you start this year, we pray that the Lord gives you faces and places to take the Good News. Find the lives that God intends for you to impact for eternity this year. If we all took that challenge, 2023 would end up being a phenomenal year! 

At Unknown Nations, when we think of lives to impact, the unreached are front and center.

They live in places where the name of Jesus has never been spoken, and do not have access to the gospel message! How is it still possible, in January of 2023, that this could be true? Unfortunately, it is true for billions of people. The good news is that we know where they live, which allows us to mobilize resources in a very strategic manner.

You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you that 47 of the 100 largest unreached people groups in the world are living within the single country of India?! This is why India is a huge priority for us and why we send thousands of Treasures into this country every month. If you are curious, those 47 people groups amount to more than 670 million people—all without access to the gospel!

As you partner with us and take the gospel where it has never been, you are mobilizing world-changing leaders who love Jesus. YOU literally set them in motion through your investment. World-changers like Rinku, a precious leader who was crippled years ago by polio. She literally walks by moving her feet with her hands, urgently traveling from one village to the next to bring the hope of the gospel. Rinku came to know Jesus through listening to the Treasure last year. Since that time, she has led 100 people to Christ through the Treasure!

When one of our team members was praying for Rinku, they felt prompted to ask what she wanted from the Lord, her answer shocked us all! Without any hesitation, she said, “to receive more boldness and power in the Holy Spirit to share the gospel.” Because of you, she is taking the gospel where it has never been. Let’s consider Rinku when we ask the Lord what it looks like to take new ground in 2023.

Our Kenyan leader sent one of his indigenous missionaries to a village along the Ugandan border with Karamojong Treasures. This missionary preached and identified an elderly grandmother to entrust with one of the Treasures. He understood the high regard and position that she held in this particular village.

This dear grandmother, who was very influential in the eyes of the people, began gathering all of the women in the clan each morning to listen to the Treasure. She was not a trained preacher, evangelist, or prophet. She was simply convinced that this Treasure contained God’s Word, saying, “This is the true Word of God that God has brought in my time. Even if we don’t have a preacher with us to stay, this is the voice of God. We need to believe in Him and assemble a church within our clan!” She appointed her grandson to be the pastor of their newly established church.

Recently, our Kenyan leader received a message from the grandmother saying, “Come back! We need to baptize!” Many people have come to know Christ through the Treasure and our team is now waiting for enough water in the area to baptize them. We do not know how many are ready and waiting, maybe the entire village! Praise God for this new church that was planted with a single Treasure! Please pray for these new believers and for the beautiful land of Kenya as they have been facing very serious drought conditions. While there is currently no water available, we wait expectantly for the opportunity to baptize these new believers.

Your support is making an impact in spreading the good news to ALL Nations!

Matthew 28:18 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations”

I just finished the busiest travel season of my 25 year tenure at Unknown Nations. It consisted of three separate trips to Asia within a seven week window … whew! The experiences of visiting refugee camps, seeing the impact of the Treasure, and dedicating water projects … Incredible!

I also want to share with you the honor of being asked to speak at an International missions conference in Indonesia. This platform gave Unknown Nations the opportunity to speak from our experience on the topic of reaching oral learners in the 10/40 window. It was exciting to share the vision that you have all been supporting with missions leaders from around the world. This amazing opportunity came as a result of a relationship with one of our world changing indigenous leaders.

In fact, as I reflect on this season of travel, my biggest takeaway was the same thing that I’ve always considered our greatest asset at Unknown Nations … our indigenous leaders! Over the years, the most common question I get asked is, “How do you meet these incredible people?” My answer has consistently been the same. “Are you familiar with the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch?” While this is not the answer they were looking for, it paints a picture of how the Lord connects us and creates these kingdom relationships. 

Let me tell you that story, so you can appreciate the backbone of Unknown Nations.

When a great persecution broke out in Jerusalem, the church was scattered. As the believers dispersed to Samaria, the waiter Philip was transformed into the heroic evangelist Philip. Suddenly he was casting out demons, proclaiming the Messiah, praying and seeing the paralyzed and lame healed! This is a full blown revival scene and Philip is the leader of the move of God.

At the peak of the revival, we encounter one of the more fascinating verses in the entire bible. We read in Acts 8:26 – “Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Go south to the road – the desert road- that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’” What?!! I think this angel got his orders mixed up. I mean, that seems like an utter waste of resources. Why would anyone take the most influential person in a revival and send them to a place where there will be more goats than people! 

As baffling as verse 26 is, verse 27 is even more remarkable. This verse demonstrates a tremendous level Christian maturity as Phillip heard the Lord’s voice and immediately obeyed. Acts 8:27 begins with, “So he started out…” There is no debate. There is no objection. And there is no reminder to the angel of how his role is irreplaceable. Just pure resolute and courageous obedience. Obedience that knew one assignment had ended and another was ready to begin. He simply knew his master's voice and trusted him enough to obey.

Philip would come to realize very quickly what his short term assignment would be, even though he never had the opportunity of seeing the long term impact. In a single moment, Philip’s life was intersected with an Ethiopian eunuch who was fumbling through a set of scrolls. He was a religious man without a relationship. The Spirit led Philip to explain to him the meaning of the words of Isaiah, describing the slaughter and humiliation Jesus would face in the absence of any justice.

It was in that moment Philip would realize the precision of the angel’s instruction. An intersection that changed a man and his country. Philip led the man to Christ and water baptized him so that he could pursue his own journey of obedience. Historians tell us that a revival, even greater than the one Philip led in Samaria, would break out in Ethiopia.

This encounter led to an historic revival. It involved the Holy Spirit, the Word of God and an evangelist. Is it possible that obediently carrying out Jesus' last four words could also follow this equation? At Unknown Nations, we know this to be true and we realize the importance of people like the eunuch … people like our world changing indigenous leaders.