Titled “Gospel Outreach: Sharing Jesus With the 10/40 Window,” the article emphasizes the privilege and responsibility of each Christian to have a part in sharing the gospel on a global scale—not just locally. An estimated 41 percent of the world’s population hasn’t heard of Jesus. Of those unreached, virtually all—97 percent—live in the 10/40 Window.

Despite these statistics, less than 2 percent of Christian mission giving goes to spread the gospel in this area of the world. Instead, nearly all evangelism resources focus on winning people who’ve already had a chance to hear about Jesus.

The article concludes with ways each of us can make a difference right now:
• Pray. Be a daily prayer warrior on behalf of the 10/40 Window. Ask the Lord of the harvest for more workers.
• Tell. Be an ambassador and let others know of the needs in the 10/40 Window.
• Adopt. You can be a missionary without leaving home by adopting an indigenous Bible worker in the 10/40 Window.
For more information, visit www.adoptaworker.org online or call Gospel Outreach at (509) 525-2951.

This month’s Gleaner editorial, “The Harvest Is Great,” by Larry Dodds, Gospel Outreach board chairman, also highlights work in the 10/40 Window.

Among those in the play were Clara Scully and Jalie Rasmussen, Jolan Rasmussen, and Allie Scully and Breanna Scully. Three other girls, Lauren Lofthouse, Claire Lofthouse and Josie Parks, also participated.

“Christmas is not all about presents,” says Allie, 13, who wrote the play’s script. “It’s about Jesus and spreading His love.”

The children have also sold lemonade and held spa days to raise further money for Gospel Outreach Bible workers.

He brought the issue up in many religious discussions, but either the question was ignored or no one offered a satisfactory answer. He decided the best way to find the answer was to ask someone who worshipped on Saturday for an explanation. Surely a Sabbath-keeper would have an answer for him.

Murmu contacted the Seventh-day Adventist pastor and invited him to visit his home in Kormo, India. The pastor and his team members came and discussed many things.

During their discussions, the pastor asked Murmu to get his Bible. Murmu leaned over and picked up a small book he used at church.

“That will not answer your questions,” the pastor said as he gave Murmu a copy of the Bible he brought with him. “All your religious doubts and questions will be answered from this Bible.”

They started studying from creation and continued through Christ’s crucifixion. The pastor explained each part, and Murmu paid close attention to every word the pastor referenced from the Bible.

Murmu wrote down Bible verses to study further. He was happy to find the biblical basis to know the true day of worship. Finally, he had his answer. He also learned about keeping the body as a temple to God.

With his most important question finally answered, Murmu, as well as four other members of his family, took Bible studies and gave their hearts fully to Jesus last summer through baptism.

I had no address for Mahinder, but I prayed to God and started out on my motorbike in search of this young man. After asking about 50 people but finding none who knew of him, I sat down under a tree. Just then a man came up to me and asked if he could help.

I explained my mission. He didn’t know Mahinder, but he suggested I try in Dador, a village about 10 kilometers away.

When I tried to turn my bike to go toward Dador, its handles turned the other way. I rode about 1 kilometer in the direction my motorbike wanted to go and stopped to ask a shopkeeper about Mahinder. He told me that he knew Mahinder, who was a prisoner in the Kanda Jail in Shimla, the state capital more than 100 kilometers away.

He also knew Mahinder’s home address, which was only a kilometer away. I went to Mahinder’s home, where I met his mother. She was happy to find I was a church pastor. She told me about the problems she and her family were suffering and confided that her husband and two sons were in prison accused of murder.

She explained that Mahinder, the younger son, was sitting in jail one day, listening to an AWR program. His hope revived when he heard that Jesus Christ, the only Savior, can forgive our sins. He started listening daily and wrote a letter to AWR explaining that he wanted to know more about Jesus Christ.

When he received a short leave to visit his home, he told his mother about AWR and encouraged her to listen. Soon they started believing in Christ and wanted to give their lives into His hands.

And so, thanks to a stubborn motorbike refusing to go the direction I wanted, I found Mahinder’s mother. I started visiting her house and giving Bible studies. After three months her son came home from prison and was ready for baptism.

Today Mahinder’s whole family has been baptized, and 40 neighbors have been baptized as well. Every Sabbath 40 to 50 members gather in this village. They are praying for a church building where they can worship and continue to share about the Savior who forgives our sins.

We discovered ministry is alive and well in Montana. The pastors were enthusiastic, caring and committed to sharing Jesus.

While at the meeting, we shared the mission of Gospel Outreach. Before our presentation was over, several people asked how they could help spread the good news in the 10/40 Window. One pastor said his church would adopt three workers, each from a different country. He plans to put the country flags in the church foyer and ask his congregation to pray for these workers every week. He’s overjoyed to know that now his church will have four pastors instead of one—three will just be working on the other side of the world.

A women’s ministry leader said her group will sponsor a worker, and many others expressed their interest in doing the same. These people were excited to hear that an all-volunteer organization is committed to being part of finishing the work.

When we asked those in the crowded room how many had heard of Gospel Outreach, only four or five people raised their hands. I want to encourage each of you reading this column to prioritize telling your friends what’s happening at Gospel Outreach. We’re seeing an outpouring of God’s blessings every day. We need your help to spread the word.

Jesus is coming soon, but first there’s a lot of work to do. The harvest is indeed ripe. Please pray to the Lord of the harvest for many more to join us in spreading the three angels’ messages.

Today I opened a letter from Tim, who lives at Washington State Penitentiary. He just started a new job that pays $13.44 per month. Enclosed was a check for $13.44.

The world needs dedication like Tim’s, and the time is now: “Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Amen!” (Revelation 22: 12, 13).

Last summer, while carrying 20 people from Ongole to Chennai, Akkalu and his truck were struck by a van traveling at high speed. Everyone thought they would die as the truck flew across the highway, but Akkalu cried out, “God, Jesus, save us!” as he closed his eyes.

God heard his prayer, and the truck landed upright across the road. Miraculously no one was killed. This convinced Akkalu that Jesus was the true God. He has given up his bad habits and attends church while trying to live a faithful life obedient to God.

In 2008, Baby was possessed by a demon that caused her to scream, refuse to eat or sleep, and speak strange words. Her family paid 60,000 rupees (about $1,500) for a year of rituals, mantras and pujas to get rid of this evil spirit, but nothing changed.

After two years of little food and constant possession, Baby no longer recognized her parents, husband or son. Baby’s family asked a Gospel Outreach worker to pray for her. He agreed so long as they gave up the other rituals. The worker prayed for Baby for a month, and day by day she got better until she was entirely free of the devil. She was baptized and now lives a normal life with her husband and two young sons.

Hembrom also noticed that when the Christians got sick, they went to the doctor as well as prayed, but in her religion, the priest had to be consulted before any treatment.

When her father became sick for months, Hembrom was frustrated that the priest could not make him well, so she asked Gospel Outreach worker Richard Hansda to visit.

Hansda came and talked with Hembrom’s father and prayed with him. The pastor also told him to get proper medical treatment.

Hansda returned to pray and share Jesus with the family. They ultimately requested Bible studies, and Chinki and her parents were baptized in October.

I told Basantipaharin, 25, that we would come to her and conduct church at her house since her family couldn’t travel. Several members who lived nearby came each Sabbath and held a worship service on her veranda.

One Sabbath as we all gathered for church, Basantipaharin’s grandfather told us that his granddaughter was not feeling well. For a week, she hadn’t been eating or drinking. She was just laying on the bed helplessly. “We all are worried for her,” he said. So we had special prayer for Basantipaharin.

Basantipaharin slowly opened her eyes and asked for water in a feeble voice. Her family could tell that God was with them. She regained strength and gradually was able to start taking Bible studies with her family at home. “God heard our prayers and wants to see us in the Seventh-day Adventist faith,” Basantipaharin said. She asked to join the church as soon as she is well enough.

We also held a special three-day program in this village. During these meetings, we explained about the Sabbath. We talked over and over with the people, showing them Bible verses. Many took an interest and started to attend church, and five are preparing for baptism.

As the Adopt-a-Worker program brings more stories, we need writers who can edit these stories for sponsors or the newsletter. This job can be done from anywhere as long as you have a computer and an Internet connection.

If you are interested in joining the writers pool, send an email to Dave Ekkens (dave.ekkens@goaim.org).