Earlier this year I had learned that there were many indigenous groups throughout Latin America who had never heard of Jesus. I was amazed. I thought nearly everyone in the Western Hemisphere would have heard about Jesus at one time or the other. Many people may not think that it is necessary to know about Jesus and to have a relationship with Him. And there are those who may think Christianity is a fairytale, but I know how real Jesus it to me and how He has changed my life. Unfortunately, I, like many others forgot about these indigenous people and I went on about my life. But on hearing my friend Daniela speak about her recent mission’s trip to a few indigenous communities in Bolivia and their needs, the Holy Spirit sparked a fire in me, and I knew I had to embark on this new project. Therefore, I asked my friend Nader to get onboard with me to embark on this journey to new lands to encounter people we had never heard of before. Nader’s expedition took him through dozens of pages of research. So, this week, Nader has written about his trek to the indigenous people in the West through the World Wide Web.
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A few weeks ago, my dear sister Nicky asked me to do some research on native Latin American tribes. Research on how many indigenous tribes each country has, what languages they speak, what problems they have, and what the situation of missionaries and churches is like there, so that we can pray for them or do something. Consequently, I traveled figuratively from Iran to planet paradise via the Internet. I met the nature and the beautiful people of those areas, full of beauty and rich natural resources. I can confidently say that the planet Earth breathes through the forests of the Amazon and this beautiful nature is like the lungs of the planet Earth. But as I went deeper into these beauties, I became more and more upset because I saw that the indigenous people are living in poverty and hunger, while lacking access to the basic necessities of life and they do not have human rights, although most Latin American countries have enormous wealth.
After learning about these conditions, I could feel God's love, affection, and compassion for these people, just like what we read in the Scriptures.
“When Jesus went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.” Mark 6:34
“In those days, when there was again a large crowd and they had nothing to eat, Jesus summoned His disciples and said to them, I feel compassion for the people because they have remained with Me for three days already and have nothing to eat. And if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way; and some of them have come from a great distance.” Mark 8:1-3
“Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself and when the people heard about this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He came ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick.” Matthew 14:13-14
“The LORD is gracious and compassionate; Slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, And His mercies are over all His works.” Psalm 145:8-9
“Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.” Psalm 116:5
“But You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abundant in mercy and truth.” Psalm 86:15
“I will make mention of the mercies of the LORD, and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, And the great goodness toward the house of Israel, Which He has granted them according to His compassion and according to the abundance of His mercies.” Isaiah 63:7
“For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, But My favor will not be removed from you, nor will My covenant of peace be shaken,' says the LORD who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10
“They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down; For He who has compassion on them will lead them, And He will guide them to springs of water.” Isaiah 49:10
On the other hand, I see that God has given a lot of rich resources to these people, but the governments and rulers of these countries, despite these financial resources, do not care about these people and have left them in misery. Therefore, God will judge these governments, as we read in the Bible.
“But woe to you who are rich, for you are receiving your comfort in full. Woe to you who are well-fed now, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.” Luke 6:24-25
“Come now, you rich people, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have corroded, and their corrosion will serve as a testimony against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of armies. You have lived for pleasure on the earth and lived luxuriously; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the righteous person; he offers you no resistance.” James 5:1-6
Therefore, in such a situation where these people are left alone, God needs believers who are present to make a sacrifice. We must be willing to sacrifice our time, energy and money for God. Because these people are poor and lack proper hygiene, health and nutrition, and even some of them have not yet heard the name of Christ or are not familiar with the teachings of Christ. And also they are created in the image of God and are human, their only hope is in God. Their tired eyes are fixed on the sky and God wants them to be saved and helped. Because the only hope of humanity is the true Church of Christ, and the hands and feet of Christ in this world are believers, and we must do God's will in every country and culture. As we read in the Word of God.
“Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. Rescue the weak and needy; Save them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4
“With my mouth I will give thanks abundantly to the LORD; And I will praise Him in the midst of many. For He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who judge his soul.” Psalm 109:30-31
“I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, And justice for the poor.” Psalm 140:12
“One who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, But one who is gracious to the needy honors Him.” Proverbs 14:31
“Is this not the fast that I choose: To release the bonds of wickedness, to undo the ropes of the yoke, and to let the oppressed go free, and break every yoke? Is it not to break your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will spring up quickly; And your righteousness will go before you; The glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.” Isaiah 58:6-8
“And he would answer and say to them, 'The one who has two tunics is to share with the one who has none; and the one who has food is to do likewise.” Luke 3:11
“We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. But whoever has worldly goods and sees his brother or sister in need, and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God remain in him? Little children, let’s not love with word or with tongue, but indeed and truth.” 1 John 3:16-18
“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.” James 1:27
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
“This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4
And in: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
God doesn’t just say “remember the poor,” or “pray for the poor,” though both of those things are good and important. He calls us, His hands and feet in a hurting world, to actually DO SOMETHING.
Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!' Isaiah 6:8
Nader, Your Little Brother in Christ.
GOD BLESS YOU. AMEN
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