PICTURESTORYr e a c h i n g t h e u n r e a c h e d w i t h h o p e

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DEAR FRIENDS

Recent surveys suggest that when people make a list of New Year’s resolutions, it all boils down to one

thing. People want to feel better. They want to lose weight, exercise, spend quality time with family, read more books, be better organized, and get out of debt.

Studies have also shown that people would like to donate more often to worthy causes. Why do they do it? Maybe it is a reflection of their values, or an inner prompting of love and generosity.

I think people give to missions when they see that their gift can make a real difference. They believe they are contributing towards something that has lasting value. When people care passionately about something, they are willing to give. Quite honestly, it makes them feel good.

Whether you are considering yearend gifts for tax purposes, or your own New Year’s resolutions, I’d like to suggest that you keep Global Mission pioneers in mind.

One hundred percent of Global Mission project funding comes from donations from people like you. Hundreds of projects are funded each year in all regions of the world. Global Mission pioneers are there to implement the plans and start new congregations wherever they are able.

Please help us support the Global Mission pioneers and the many worthy outreach projects they are equipped to handle. Working together is something we can all feel good about.

Thank you so much for your prayers and faithful support.

Sincerely,

Nancy KyteAdventist Mission

DEAR FRIENDS

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These girls are part of a traditional

Thai hill tribes. The fashion are their outfits vary from group to group, but there are common themes throughout. Bright colors and jewelry, embroidered clothing and hats are standard.

About half of the Thai labor force is employed in agricultural areas. While agriculture provides jobs for a large portion of the country, it only accounts for 10 percent of the gross domestic product. The country’s economic strength lies more in services and industry.

Buddhism is the most common religion, with almost 95 percent of the country ascribing to that faith. Muslim’s are the next most common, at 4.6 percent. Christians make up less than 1 percent of the population. Thai and English are the primary languages, although English is mostly spoken among the higher class.

Bundled up after a cool night, this patron of a

street vendor drinks his early morning chai (spiced tea) from a clay cup in Varanasi, India.

Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities dating back some 3,000 to 5,000 years. This city has had many names over years, including Kashi or Benares.

Each day thousands of Hindu believers flock to the Ganges River that flows through the city to bathe or offer prayers or offerings. Buddhists also venerate the city since Buddha is said to have preached his first sermon here, making Varanasi the birthplace of Buddhism.

With a population of more than 1 million people, there are relatively few Adventists in Varanasi and Global Mission pioneers working in the area have suffered beatings and been thrown into jail.

ThaIland

Major Languages: Thai and English

Major Religions: Buddhism and Islam

Population: 67.8 million*

Adventist Membership: 13,071*

Adventist to population ratio: 1:5,184*

Worldwide there is one Seventh-day Adventist Christian for every 423* people; but in Asia only one person in 1,404* is an Adventist. In Taiwan, there is one Adventist for every 4,247* people. In Laos there’s not one ordained Seventh-day Adventist pastor for the country’s six million people. Your support of fund number 5240 will help the Church in Asia grow in size and strength.

Major Languages: Hindi, English, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu

Major Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism

Population: 1.17 billion

Adventist Membership: 1.5 million

Adventist to population ratio: 1: 797

Throughout the world there are thousands of people and places that are still untouched by the Adventist message. Fund number 5200 will help provide the resources needed to reach into the most unreached areas of the world. Your support will take the gospel to people and places where an Adventist or in many cases even a Christian has never gone before.

Central Asia is a fascinating region where Cyrus the Great once established his administrative headquarters in an attempt to control the Silk Road trade routes

passing from Asia to what is now Europe. Today, modern buildings raise their gleaming towers to the sky not far from where people still live much like they did during the time of Cyrus and Daniel.

This lady, and hundreds like her, sit day by day in the bazaar waiting for someone to buy their carpets, clothes, or fresh vegetables. They talk about the weather, their children and grandchildren, and the amazing things they see happening around the world. And they wonder what it all means. They wonder what the future holds. They wonder what and who they should believe.

Global Mission has taken a special interest in bring the gospel in this region of the world this year. Perhaps this lady will be in heaven as a result of what you give.

Major Languages: Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Russian, Tajik. Turkmen, and Uzbek

Major Religion: Islam , Russian Orthodox

Population: 71.8 million*

Adventist Membership: 8,714*

Adventist to population ratio: 1:8,249*

For thousands of years the Silk Road was the main trade route between China and Europe. Five countries make up this region known today as Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Your support of fund number 5250 will help reach the 60 million people who live in this culturally diverse region. * Courtesy of the 147th Annual Statistical Report, General Conference Office of Archives and Statistics.

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