Yahoo! news posted an aticle today (May 30th) about photographs taken of an “uncontacted” tribe in the Amazon. This photo shows three natives; the two painted bright red are preparing to fire arrows at the plane.
The article quoted Survival International in saying that this tribe is one of “more than 100 uncontacted tribes worldwide, more than half live in either Brazil or Peru.” Imagine that! More than a hundred villiages that have never been contacted by the outside world. They’ve never seen a white man. They’ve never taken advantage of modern medical practices. They’ve never see a T.V. or listened to an iPod. They’ve never known anything or anyone outside their own thatched huts.
The article also interviewed Stephen Corry, the director of Survival International. “The world needs to wake up to this, and ensure that their territory is protected in accordance with international law. Otherwise, they will soon be made extinct.” What is endangering these primative peoples? Apparently deforrestation and new diseases are so bad they threaten to wipe these tribes off the face of the map.
So, here we have hundreds of people, possibly on the brink of extinction . . . and they’ve never heard of Jesus.
“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)
This is a call to the willing. A call to the Hudson Taylors and the Adoniram Judsons. A call to the David Livingstons and the William Careys. And possibly a call to the Nate Saints and Jim Elliots of the world. Which of us are willing to go and reach these people with the gospel? Which of us desire to fulfill the great commision by going into “the uttermost part of the earth”? (Acts 1:8- KJV)
I have a fantastic opportunity next week to minister to missionaries and their children. GFA Missions is having their annual Family Camp at The Wilds in NC and my family is running the children’s program for the week. I’ve been participating in this ministry since 1992 and am struck every year by the supreme privilage it is to work along side missionaries. They are the most wonderful people I know and I am honored to be a blessing to them.
But . . . “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37)
This news story should be a wake-up call, a ministry call, a missionary call. Are you willing?
May 30, 2008 at 9:10 pm |
My God man, do you have no shame? Leave these poor souls alone. Christianity is already responsible for endless pain and suffering down through the ages. Lets at least have a few souls that are uncontaminated.
June 8, 2008 at 2:23 am |
“My God”? I wish He was your God.
It’s sad to think that a man with countless outlets to the Word of God would still reject Him. Please stop before it’s too late.
At least when I stand before God I can say my hands are free of your blood, but these poor people have never been told. The deserve the same chance you do. They deserve the opportunity to choose for themselves. Will you deny them the chance to reject God the same as you?
As for Christians being “responsible for endless pain and suffering down through the ages,” we’ll deal with that later. But in the meantime I have a couple words for you: Colosseum, Jihad, Bloody Mary.