The missionary who served the untouchables

Isaac* noticed a group of children playing in the street, about 35. They are poor, wearing soiled clothing, hungry, and deemed untouchable because they are considered part of the lowest of all castes in their country.

As he watched them, he observed a pastor with resources walking by them with his children in tow. This pastor’s children asked about the children playing in the street and if they could speak with them but their father said, “No!”. They walked away and carried on with life as if those children never existed. This broke Isaac’s heart.

Isaac was naturally concerned with this pastor’s reaction and what he was teaching his children. He was also concerned how the pastor’s reaction would drive the local community away from any desire to hear the gospel. When the pastor walked away, Isaac stood up, took his son by the hand, and walked over to the children where he invited his son to play with them.

During their time together, Isaac learned of their needs and did what he could to serve them in a tangible way, including sharing the gospel. He didn’t cross over to the other side of the road but became the 2022 embodiment of the Good Samaritan found in Luke 10.

Isaac lives in a province heavily deprived of gospel access, where less than 1% of the population profess to follow Christ. In fact, to share the gospel invites the possibility of a prison sentence up to 10 years. Yet despite this threat and only a handful of Christians available, Isaac and the network he has developed and leads is proactively delivering the gospel, making disciples, and planting churches in this challenging mission field.

As you consider this story and the testimony of Isaac's life, if you sense God tugging on your heart to serve the Gospel-Deprived, I invite you to click here to explore the various ways you can be involved. As Scripture declares, the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Help us alleviate gospel deprivation.