Stories from the Field

October 2004

Connecting with South Asians in the USA

During her last stay in the United States, a Southern Baptist worker in Asia, met many South Asians — including a hotel manager in Tennessee, a gas station attendant in Georgia, a salesman in Colorado, a convenience store clerk in Florida, a waiter in Virginia and a cook in Missouri. Sadly, she learned that few of them have had any Americans embrace them in friendship or share a gospel witness with them.

“Muhammad, a Bengali Muslim from Bangladesh, is one example,” she says. “Muhammad’s uncle, a high-ranking, influential governmental official in Bangladesh, sent his nephew to the United States to live and work. Muhammad speaks English well and has a good job through which he interacts with many Christian customers. Yet during his 10 years in the states, few Christians have taken the time to befriend Muhammad. When I talked with Muhammad, he expressed that he suffers a great deal of stress-related illness that is brought on by pure loneliness.”

What can you do for South Asians like Muhammad?

• Pray for the salvation of South Asians living in the United States and Canada.
• Ask God to provide you with opportunities to befriend South Asians.
• Invite South Asians to celebrate holidays with you and your family.
• Tell South Asians how deeply Jesus loves them.

Learn more about South Asia’s needs at

http://www.go2southasia.org/synapse/center/
homepage.cfm?website=go2southasia.org