In most of the countries in the difficult mission field of Eurasia, evangelical believers comprise less than 1 percent of the population. Indigenous, pioneer missionaries travel far distances in these countries to bring the message of Christ to isolated, unreached people groups.

Some of the challenges of missionary work in this region include depressed economies and poor infrastructures, vast distances between rural communities, rough terrain, and political, cultural, and religious ideologies that are closed and hostile to the gospel message.

An indigenous ministry in the closed, landlocked country of Kyrgyzstan is meeting people’s felt needs while sharing the hope of Christ. Ministry workers provided food to poor, mountain communities where many Kyrgyz lost their livelihoods due to COVID-19 lockdowns. The Kyrgyz are nearly 100 percent Muslim; however, ministry workers have already planted several churches among them.  

Native missionaries in Russia are reaching nomadic reindeer herders who live near the Arctic Circle in an area translated in their language as “the ends of the earth,” along with several other unreached people groups who are isolated or marginalized like the gypsies. Missionaries are making inroads into their communities through programs for children and youth and by helping to meet their needs for food, medicine, and clothing.