Hope on wheels

Pastor Peter’s motorbike is just one of those funded through your generous gifts. BMS World Mission partner the Bangladesh Baptist Church Sangha (BBCS) have also distributed 30 bicycles to pastors and evangelists in the area as a result of your support.

“[There is now] more than a 70 per cent increase in meeting with people face-to-face,” explains Rev Ashim Baroi, General Secretary at BBCS. “And the costs of communications are decreased more than 40 per cent.”

But it’s not just pastors who are called to share the gospel: the commandment to ‘go into all the world and make disciples’ is for all of us. Yet evangelism can be a daunting prospect, particularly in a country where only one per cent of the population is Christian, and where opposition to Christianity is on the rise.

That’s where BBCS has stepped in again. Your donations to our Easter Appeal enabled our partner to run evangelism training seminars, as well as purchasing, translating, printing and distributing Christian training resources. As a result, dozens of people are now strengthened in their faith and encouraged and equipped to share the love of Jesus in a real and personal way with those around them.

“[A man] came to the Lord from Hinduism,” explains Rev Ashim. “…Before, he thought that he needs only relationship with Jesus and fellowship with him. Now he has a clear idea that firstly he needs to fellowship with Jesus Christ, then he needs to do fellowship with people. He is applying it in his personal and family life. Now he is sharing it with the new believers.”

And, as more and more people respond to the gospel in Bangladesh, thanks to your donations, BBCS is also supporting new believers in their journey of faith. Pastors and teams of volunteers are visiting, encouraging and distributing Bibles in communities across the area, and almost 700 new Christians are now grounded in church plants.

Alongside evangelism, theological training and church planting, BBCS is also bringing practical help to communities. In northern Bangladesh, teams visited the area during floods. “We met with the local people and helped them. We prayed for them,” says Rev Ashim. BBCS has also provided essential food and hygiene supplies to those struggling as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a country of over 160 million people where an estimated 22 per cent of the population live below the poverty line, floods are frequent and diseases such as dengue fever and Covid-19 are making life even more difficult, people need the hope of the gospel more than ever.

“There are lots of families but our workers are very few,” explains Rev Ashim. “We need to appoint more evangelists to reach [out to the people] in those areas. Pray too for our newly elected leaders so that they can lead BBCS in God’s plan. And pray for the evangelists and outreach workers, that God will use and protect them to bring hope to the people.” Kwame Adzam, BMS’ Overseas Team Leader for Evangelism and Discipleship adds: “Together with you, we celebrate God’s generosity and amazing love. He is using your donations and prayers, along with BMS partners in Bangladesh, to bring hope, love and life to people in this country, through the gospel of Jesus Christ.”