Often when we think of unreached people groups, we think of people that live on a different continent in a primitive, technologically undeveloped area. While this can be true, it is not always the case. Aside from finding people from unreached people groups that live close to us, how do we help our young people get involved in the task of reaching unreached people groups? Sometimes we, even unintentionally, excuse ourselves and our young people from the responsibility of reaching unreached people groups because we think that we are incapable of being involved in the work; however that is simply not the case.
I would like to introduce an opportunity called firstBible Teens, which is an area of firstBible International that helps inform teenagers of unreached people groups and provides opportunities for them to get involved in spreading that information.
The ministry of firstBible Teens allows teens to actively get involved in learning about, praying for, and teaching others about unreached people groups and their spiritual needs. The following is an excerpt from an article that one of our teens, Sarah Kirby, wrote for firstBible Teens:
Imagine you are a part of an Unreached People Group in Nepal known as the Lowas (also referred to as Lobas). Life would be entirely different from how you know it in the United States. This article will give you a glimpse into daily life as a Lowa and a better understanding of the great need these people have for the Gospel.
Probably the first things you think of when you hear the words “different culture” are unusual foods or clothing styles. As a Lowa, your meals will mainly consist of rice, vegetables, and “flour pudding.” Because you are most likely a Buddhist, you will not eat any meat. As far as style goes, Lowas are very conservative in their dress; you will wear long sleeves even in the hot summer months and will have long braided hair, regardless of your gender.
Your social ranking will determine much of the way you live as a Lowa. The people still rely heavily on feudalism in their culture, even though it has been abandoned by most other peoples. If you are among the common people, your occupation will be either a shepherd or a farmer, and you will live in a small onestory home. However, if you are among the higher classes, you will be a lord and dwell in a three-story house to display your rank.
Would you still get to keep your iPhone if you were a Lowa? It may surprise you that the answer is quite possibly yes. Over 84% of Nepalese people are telephone users, with 74% of these being cell phones. Although only about 29% actually have data on them, Internet usage is growing more rapidly everyday. Many people in Nepal even have TVs.
While all these factors would change your life dramatically, by far the greatest change would be religion. Buddhism claims 99.8% of the entire Lowa population. If you were a Lowa, your life would be surrounded by Buddhist teachings from the minute you were born. You would be taught that you will die multiple times but be reborn into a new life form each time. The ultimate goal of these rebirths is to reach a place of “Nirvana.” Buddhists believe that Nirvana is state in which you are completely free from desires, feelings, and sense of self. Once you reach this point, you will no longer experience the death and rebirth cycle. You would also be told that you have a “driving force” inside you called Karma. Buddhism teaches that every person has his own Karma, which influences whether he chooses good or evil in each life. There is no forgiveness for any choices one makes because his Karma is controlled by the universe.
Man is born with an inherent desire to worship; if he is not given the truth, he will find something else to worship instead. The Lowa people have turned to Buddhism because they know nothing about the good news of Jesus Christ. There is no full Bible in the Lowa language for them to read in order to hear the Gospel message.
Now that we are aware of this great need, it is our responsibility to pray for these people. Pray for the translation of the Bible into the Lowa language, pray that God will raise up people to take it to them, and pray that hearts of the Lowa people will be opened and softened to the message of salvation. God has begun to raise up translators for the Lowa Bible, but we must still be in prayer for them as they take on this great task; and may we never forget to continue in prayer for the vast number of other Unreached People Groups still waiting.
We absolutely have to get our young people burdened for and actively involved in reaching the unreached people of the world. For more information about how teens can get involved in firstBible Teens, talk to Sarah Kirby, and she can point you in the right direction. Also, make sure to follow @firstBibleTeens on Twitter for articles, information, and prayer requests for unreached people groups.
