Pioneering Areas in the Eastern Hemisphere—May God Guide and Open a Way

Pioneering areas in the Eastern Hemisphere include all the areas that are yet to mature. They have yet to set up their own regional church organization and to achieve self-governance, self-propagation, and self-support. There are regions at differing levels of maturity but yet unable to fulfill the above requirements. These regions have been entrusted to the care of well-established General Assemblies and Coordination Boards to continue to help them mature. This article discusses the younger pioneering areas that need the direct care of the EHDWM.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh is the most recent pioneering area that we have reached out to. We started to spread the gospel of salvation to Bangladesh after a Bangladeshi read our beliefs online. Knowing that our beliefs are all according to the Scripture, he contacted us in 2018. We then started to correspond with him. In the same year, in September 2018, we made our first missionary trip to Bangladesh.

We found a group of zealous Christians who had suffered persecutions when they turned to Christ. Though zealous and determined, they lack knowledge of the truth. This is where we as stewards of the mysteries of God are indebted to them, to bring the complete truth to them. We began to make frequent missionary trips to guide them to the knowledge of the truth. Seminars were conducted to build up their understanding of the word of God. 

When the pandemic struck in the beginning of 2020, we could not travel there anymore to teach them the truth face to face. Nevertheless, we thank God, we were able to bring our missionary work online. In this way, we continued to hold services and seminars to teach them the truth. However, the poor internet speed and lack of facilities posed a problem to our work. During this period, we were able to complete the translation of our church’s ten gospel series and Essential Doctrines into the Bangladeshi language. Having found the truth, these truth seekers began to actively share the gospel with their friends.

When the borders reopened, we resumed our missionary trips to Bangladesh. Being physically present has allowed us to better understand the state of these truth seekers’ faith. In September 2022, seventeen people were baptized into the fold.

We pray that God will continue to guide the work in Bangladesh.

Religious Education class

 

Sri Lanka

Our Sri Lankan members first came to know the truth when they scattered to Chennai, in the southern part of India due to the unrest in the northern regions of Sri Lanka. They came in contact with our church in India and were baptized in India. Some returned to Sri Lanka after the war, while others migrated to the west.

Afterwards, we began to make missionary trips to Sri Lanka to pastor our members who had returned. We took the opportunity to spread the gospel to the locals when we were there. After the war, the situation was unfavourable and many of our members gradually migrated to the west. Our work continued with the few remaining members in Sri Lanka.

When Sri Lanka reopened its border after the pandemic, we resumed our missionary trips. The member who has been our main contact point migrated to Canada, and another was called to the Lord during this period. With this, we do not have any members remaining from the first batch of believers.

However, God was gracious. In the years prior to the pandemic, a Sri Lankan family believed in the Lord in Malaysia. They spent a few years studying the truth, understanding our system, and having fellowship with our members in West Malaysia. The family returned to Sri Lanka in 2021. They attend the Malaysian church’s online services. Sometimes, they will hold their own service. They are zealous and determined to bring the gospel of salvation to their relatives and friends.

Their home became our worship and evangelical point. After the authorities opened the borders, we made two visits to Sri Lanka. We thank God, this year another four were added to the fold. We pray to God to guide our members during this challenging period in Sri Lanka.

 

First baptism in Sri Lanka

 

Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea is a country in Oceania, geographically adjacent to Indonesia. The members here are all from China. They came here for better prospects. Most of them either set up their own retail business or work with other Chinese retail businesses. Their working hours are very long, from before sunrise to after sunset. Since the country is not very safe, most of our members spend most of their time in their own premises, and only have contact with people within their own community.

We started visiting our members in Papua New Guinea quite some time ago to pastor them. In the process we have tried preaching to the locals. However, follow-up work is difficult due to language and cultural barriers. Logistically, our missionary work is challenging. Our members reside in different places, far from one another. In most of the cases, there are only one or two members at each location and these places can only be accessed by plane. 

Due to these reasons and the need for our workers in other areas, we have stopped visiting them for many years. We do understand that we have the responsibility to seek out every single sheep who has gone astray and to bring the gospel to all tribes and nations. We pray to God for His guidance.