A group of believers from various ethnic groups in Myanmar (Burma)

ready to take the Gospel to all parts of their needy country.

The Asian Workers’ Fund (AWF) supports Asian church-planting evangelists who are serving among the most unreached and unengaged people groups in Asia. We deliberately choose workers among obscure groups that others consider difficult or impossible to reach.

In Asia, this often means we are trying to reach Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu groups. Our thinking is in line with the Apostle Paul, who said: “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation” (Romans 15:20).

Let us not forget that today there are still thousands of unreached people groups in the world (mostly in Asia). Until each group has received a clear presentation of the Good News about what Jesus Christ has done for them on the Cross, He will not return.

It was the Lord who told us: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations [ethnic groups], and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14).

Our focus is not only on reaching individuals, but on penetrating entire ethnic and language groups that have never heard the Gospel. In this regard, a key aim of the project is to help start movements to Christ, rather than to maintain a work that is already underway.

Subsequently, we are not looking simply to support as many workers as possible. Rather, we are selective, and most applications we receive are not approved. We also regularly evaluate those we are supporting, to ensure the project remains “cutting edge” and strategic for the kingdom of God.

We also do not support pastors through this project. We believe the believers in each congregation—no matter how small—should be responsible for supporting the needs of those who shepherd them.

If an evangelist’s role evolves into being a church pastor, we allocate their support to someone new, while encouraging them to train up their church members to take the Gospel to unreached people groups.

Despite the strict parameters we apply to the project, we are currently supporting 1,911 frontline Asian missionaries in 20 countries, who share the Gospel among 1,339 different people groups (many workers are reaching multiple groups).

Some people have wondered how Asia Harvest is able to “take care” of almost 2,000 missionaries spread across Asia. The answer is: we don’t! That would be impossible. The real work is done by the leaders of dozens of Asian mission groups we partner with.

They are responsible for mobilizing, training, and placing each worker. The leaders also distribute the resources we send, provide reports and accountability, and take care of each missionary on their team.

They oversee the courageous individuals who have given their lives to serve in far-flung parts of Asia, from the frozen mountain passes of the Himalayas, to the grasslands of Central Asia and the humid jungles and remote islands of Southeast Asia.

From the time the AWF began, we have been careful not to create “dependency.” By giving through the leaders of existing Asian churches and missions, the support we provide is not seen as “foreign” money, which can attract persecution and create problems in certain countries.

Instead, by giving through existing, God-anointed leadership structures, we help strengthen the Body of Christ in Asia.

Why We Raise Support in $25 Increments

Each missionary is first and foremost required to be supported by their local church, and by friends and family members. This way, they do not rely solely on the funds we send.

Our approach over the years has helped develop many healthy relationships, as key Asian leaders have come to trust that we are there to serve them with love and respect, and not to be served.

We truly come alongside them to help them get the job done more effectively, and we never interfere or impose a hidden agenda on them.

Our decision to raise support for the Asian Workers’ Fund in $25 increments dates back about 25 years, when we used to match each donor to a specific worker.

We soon found that system didn’t work, as when people stopped or changed their giving, we were left scrambling to try to find another donor for the next month’s support.

This created uncertainty and stress for the workers on the field, as they and their families were never sure if they would still receive support the next month.

Instead of evangelists receiving their help from one source, we restructured the project so that different donors essentially take a “part share” in one worker’s support.

By spreading the responsibility for one worker’s support among different donors, we have found that if someone stops giving, we can quickly reallocate that portion to a new donor, or we make up any shortfall from “where needed most” donations. By restructuring the project this way, we have not missed a single commitment to the many hundreds of workers we have supported in the past 25 years.

Therefore, as we collect funds in $25 increments, if someone starts giving $50 per month to the AWF, we allocate two workers to them and send two prayer cards. If someone gives $100 per month, we send four prayer cards, and so on.

This also encourages more prayer for those on the field, as supporters around the world intercede for the evangelists and for a breakthrough among the people groups they are engaging.

Generally, most workers receive an average of $75 to $100 per month from us, plus many other resources to help them do their work more effectively.

Other Strategic Resources

While the Asian Workers’ Fund provides a base of support for individual evangelists, each year we give much more by equipping them with the resources they need to get the job done.

In this respect they are like soldiers in an army, where the equipment they carry determines the success of their mission.

Apart from the basic worker support, over the years we have been honored to supply numerous resources to those on the frontlines, including hundreds of thousands of Bibles, millions of Gospel tracts, hundreds of bicycles, motorcycles, electronic equipment, warm weather gear, and countless other things.

We also fund seminars and conferences that bring the workers together to pray, fellowship, and strategize.

Through other projects such as the Ministry Training Fund, Persecution & Relief Fund, Living Martyrs’ Fund, and The Children’s Fund, we strengthen the workers and enhance the fruitfulness of their ministries by supporting orphans, widows, sewing centers, literacy classes, children’s ministry, fresh-water wells, and numerous other initiatives that have drawn many tens of thousands of people into the kingdom of God.

Finally, we would like to share a few powerful testimonies that recently arrived on our desk from Asian evangelists.

They offer a glimpse of hundreds of similar testimonies we receive:

India

“My name is Chakra. I used to be a religious leader, not for God, but for darkness. My grandfather was a well-known witchdoctor, and my parents continued on the same path.

When I was old enough, I served in a Hindu shrine that was rooted in witchcraft and satanic power.

People came to me for healing and blessings. I gave them charms, oils, and candles, but none of it was from the Holy Spirit. I was enslaved by demonic powers, and caused many others to be bound in spiritual chains. Although I had inherited powers that gave me influence and wealth, deep inside I was tormented. I couldn’t sleep at night without seeing dark figures and hearing voices.

Everything changed when a young Christian woman visited my shrine one day. She didn’t ask for anything but just said, “Jesus loves you and He’s calling you out.” I mocked her, but I couldn’t forget her words.

That night I had a terrible dream. I saw myself chained in darkness and screaming, when a bright light broke the chains and a voice said, “Chakra, I have chosen you. Come out and follow Me.”

A Christian pastor took me in, prayed for me, and taught me the Word of God. I confessed all my sins, destroyed all my charms and demonic items, and gave my life to Jesus Christ.

Today, I no longer serve darkness. I serve the Light of the World and visit villages and towns in our area, telling people that witchcraft is real, but Jesus has total authority over every demon. If He can save me from the pit, He can save anyone!”

Pakistan

“My name is Waqar, and all my family members are very strong Muslims. My father is a prominent man in the community who preached Islam to everyone he met.

When I was 19 years-old, I went to the mosque and prayed to Allah for a bright future. I grew increasingly frustrated, however, as Islam kept me empty inside, so I started to search for the truth. As part of my journey I went to a church one Sunday and prayed to Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit powerfully touched me and spoke to my heart: “I am the way and the truth and the life.” I was given a Bible, and after three years I accepted the Lord and was baptized, even though I knew it would cost me everything and I would be disowned by my family.

My other family members are still not believers, but God has called me to reach Muslims, both in my country and in Afghanistan. God has been very good to me!

He has helped me share the Gospel extensively with more than 2,000 Muslims over the past twenty years, and more than 500 people have been baptized.

These believers have to practice their faith secretly due to threats on their lives. Please pray for all our new believers, and for all poor and needy people.”

Myanmar

“My name is Phyo and I am 33 years-old. My ethnicity is Bamar, the main people group of Myanmar, also known as Burmese. I joined the army as a young man and advanced to become a captain.

They sent me to Russia for two years to learn munitions warfare, and after returning home I was sent to the war zone, where I was responsible for many atrocities.

Because of my evil deeds, I was in deep despair and could not sleep because I was haunted by seeing the faces of many of my victims. I knew I could not remain in the army, so I resigned and gradually lost all my possessions: houses, cars, and girlfriends.

In the end, I had nothing. One day, some Christians came to my neighborhood and told me wonderful news about Jesus and His forgiveness of sins. In desperation and with a crushed heart I cried out to Him, repenting of my sins, and He washed me clean!

Today I am so glad for the new life God has given me. He tore the filthy old heart out of my chest and created a new clean one! I am thankful to now lead men’s meetings and I am a worship leader.

We have started many churches in the slum areas of our city, and I am amazed to see the Spirit of God continue to transform lives every day, just like He transformed mine by giving me hope and a future.

I thank God for Asia Harvest and your supporters, and for the great help you provide to me and the other evangelists on our team. Because of your loving kindness, thousands of Buddhists and hopeless people are experiencing God’s salvation.”

BELOW: New Christians in Bangladesh who met the Lord through one of the evangelists we support through the Asian Workers’ Fund.

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