For the 1 (The Zomi Story)

We just got back from a trip to the Pacific Northwest where we spent some time with the leaders of the Send Network who are planting new churches in Portland and Seattle.

One of our partner churches in Texas is supporting one of the church plants there, and we wanted to see the work first hand. The work they are doing is deeply inspiring. Portland is a truly beautiful place, and we will forever be changed by our time with Zomi Bethel Church.

The Zomi people are from a mountaintop in Myanmar (also known as Burma) near the Indian border. Historically, their location was difficult to find and indigenous religious leaders wouldn't even attempt the journey to them to try and convert them. In the early 1900's a handful of missionaries came (not at the same time) from the United States with a heart for the Zomi people. They engaged with them, lived among them, loved them, created a school for their children, gave them the Good News of Jesus and gave them the gift of a written language which quickly allowed them to have Bibles translated into their new written language.

The surrounding area become a Buddhist state after that and persecution began. In the last couple of decades, many Zomi have received refugee status around the States. As they arrived, they formed Zomi churches for their people, and today their network now spans across the country. The church is their key connection for navigating their new culture, and the way they serve each other is amazing. Thye are also doing a great job empowering their children to live faithfully and lead out in the gatherings, and they also are ministering back in their homeland in various ways as refugee invitations to the US have been drastically reduced.

It can be overwhelming as we look out to a world in need, and try and figure out where to start. This week I heard someone talk about the importance of "THE 1." The Bible talks about the shepherd leaving the 99 for the 1. As I heard this story this week, I was reminded that God's probably not calling us to reach 7 billion. He's calling us to reach the 1. If everyone finds their 1, we might look up and see that we did, in fact, reach the world.

1 at a time, several missionaries followed a call to 1 group of people. In 1900, there were no Zomi Christians. In 2019, 95% of the entire Zomi people group claim to believe in the GOOD NEWS. How did that happen? 1 at a time.

Pastor Muana (Zomi Bethel Church), Jason & Holly (Links Int’l-USA Office), Clay, LeAnn, Bethany (Send Portland)