Reaching the Forgotten
With little hope
Early in the morning the hot sun breaks into the crowded dorm room. For Hakim, it’s another day that has become like so many hundreds of others.
He left his family and came to this ‘land of promise’ in hopes of earning enough money to make life for his family a little bit better - and maybe even to afford a house of their own. The local job agent made it sound so good and the opportunity so sure. He would be making more money than he had ever dreamed, be helping his family, and be back home in no time. At least that was his dream.
Now, each new day awakens the reality of his choice with the blast of the hot desert air on his face as he steps onto the construction platform and gazes at the sea of laborers just like him who have come to work for the same broken promises. Spending everything he has to come and borrowing more, the company has forwarded funds to him which it mostly takes back with each payday.
The work is dangerous, the living conditions crowded. No one cares whether he lives or dies—as long as the work continues. He can’t leave—the company has his passport and harm will likely come to his family at home if he doesn’t pay his debt. In reality, he is at best an indentured slave and he often gazes at the blue gulf water and dreams of his family and escape.
But there is hope.
There is a small band of men who are taking the light of the gospel and the tangible love of Christ to Hakim and his friends. Each week, Stan (not his real name) goes to the dorms where Hakim lives and spends time hanging out and making friends-bringing KFC and other things to lighten the mood of the men. Hakim and thousands like him are from Muslim, Hindu and Chinese nations that otherwise would not welcome Christian visitors. In the crowded and lifeless labor dorms any change from the routine is welcomed and genuine friendship is embraced.
Of special note on this day is the arrival of two new Christian men who seem friendly and compassionate. They are part of a vision team that has come to investigate how ReachGlobal and churches from another Asian country can cooperate to place a team of full-time Christian workers into the dorm site. This initial team will reach out to these workers with the gospel, seek to multiply churches among them and equip them to share the gospel when they return to their home nations.
In this venture, ReachGlobal Asia is partnering with a business in Asia to provide jobs, an Asian EFC and a local church on the ground near the dorms. Contact Asia to find out how you can become involved in similar business as mission ventures.
Praise and Pray
- Praise God for the vision of this businessman, national believers, and other Asian workers who give men without hope a reason to hope through the message of the gospel.
- Please pray for this strategic ministry to forgotten men and pray for additional teams from other Asian countries to target additional dorms sites in the near future.
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