Behind the Scenes, the Ones that Just Missed

The Ones that Just Missed

Our partners train in some very difficult, high-risk, hard-to-reach places. Be encouraged as you read of the impact that the Word of God has amid such challenges.

A Woman from One of Our Trainings Says:

“My people are deeply rooted in our culture—we’ve always been proud of who we are, and for a long time we resisted anything from the outside. When churches were first planted here in our area, many of our chiefs and elders were very skeptical of the Christian faith. They believed it would change our way of life, take our children away from our traditions, and eventually cause them to abandon our leadership and heritage.

As the churches began to grow, the elders watched closely. They saw how those who became Christians began to live differently, which made them even more resistant. It felt like a threat to our identity.

I remember when we were first introduced to singing the Psalms through the Bridges training. At first, we were all suspicious. We were being trained to use our own village melodies and traditional instruments, things we never thought could be part of worship. It was unusual and even uncomfortable for us as Christians. But then something amazing happened. The elders and chiefs heard us working on a Psalm using our own musical style, and instead of rejecting it, they encouraged us. That gave us the courage to continue. We went on to work on many Psalms.

Not long ago, a violent dispute broke out between our community and neighboring groups. It happened over the use of the river—fishermen were fighting, and sadly, many of our people died.

What touched me deeply was what happened after. Some people in our community, who were not even believers, started singing Psalm 137. Even though the words didn’t exactly match the situation, they could feel that it was a lament, a song of grief—and they used it to express their sorrow.

To me, that was a powerful sign. It showed me that when the Word of God comes in a way that connects with our culture and heart, even the most resistant can be moved by it. That’s the beauty of sharing Scripture in a way that speaks our language—not just with words, but with music, emotion, and identity.”

A Farmer Gives this Testimony:

“After attending the Bridges storytelling training, I learned several Bible stories that touched my heart. In the evenings, when my neighbors and I sat together after work, I started sharing one story at a time with them. To my surprise, people enjoyed the stories and began returning every evening. Week by week, the group grew. Within two months, a small home fellowship began in my house. Now, 12–15 people gather regularly to listen to the stories and learn about Jesus. I thank God for using these simple stories to bring people closer to Him.”

Can’t Be Stopped

The Word of God, stored in people’s hearts and minds and shared in story, drama, song, and even poetry, is something that can’t be stopped. The Gospel continues, even when Bibles are confiscated, and His body of believers, the Church, is persecuted. We have seen this through history, and we see it everywhere we and our partners go. It is the unstoppable power of God!
We are so excited to share these stories and our upcoming 2025 Annual Report with you. We will mail the Annual Reports in May and feature more impactful stories of transformation digitally on this Blog over the coming months.

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