Letters of Impact: A Voice from South Asia

Ashland Watson
2 days ago
4 min read

This week's Letters of Impact feature takes us to South Asia, where a pastor's handwritten letter reveals the everyday faithfulness required to follow Jesus in one of the world's most challenging regions. For the safety of this leader and their congregation, we're keeping their identity anonymous, but their words speak clearly of God's transforming work in places where faith comes at a steep cost.

In this part of the world, Christianity faces active persecution, yet local leaders continue to rise up, plant churches, care for neighbors, and spread the gospel despite economic hardship and social rejection. Through partnerships like this one, Mosaic walks alongside believers who find mutual support, grow spiritually, and share the transformative power of Jesus with their communities.

Their story reminds us that the gospel advances not through headlines or fanfare, but through the quiet, courageous obedience of ordinary people empowered by an extraordinary God.

This Week's Letter: A Pastor's Heart from South Asia

Collected by our Creative Director, this handwritten note offers a firsthand glimpse into how God is working through faithful servants in one of the world's most spiritually needed regions.

The letter tells the story of a Church in South Asia, a congregation born from sacrifice and sustained by unwavering faith. The church's founding pastor and his wife began by worshiping in their own home with just a few families.

When the pastor became critically ill with diabetes, the entire community prayed fervently for his healing. Though he passed away in 2018, his father-in-law honored his legacy by gifting land for a church building, a testament to how God can bring beauty from loss.

Since then, the church has been shepherded by several local leaders, each facing their own challenges.

The current pastor shares openly about the difficulty of connecting with believers across language barriers, yet remains confident that:

"God is helping to do the ministry."

The letter reveals a vibrant community life: Sunday school and worship services, ladies' and youth programs, a children's club, house visits, counseling, training future leaders, games, and welcoming new believers into the family of faith. In February 2025, they hosted a special ladies' and children's program where participants enjoyed fellowship, learned biblical truth, and shared a meal together.

The church's practical needs are simple but significant: chairs for worship and a toilet facility. Yet their vision extends far beyond infrastructure—they're focused on raising up the next generation of leaders and adding new believers to God's kingdom.

Letter of Impact from South Asia

Full Transcript

Dear sir

Greeting you in Jesus name

I would like to share about the Baligeria church some of the short story of past and present and future do

CHURCH has started by one the local pastor, and wife, from this village itself he started his work was no place to worship, but they use worship in the own house there 5– family came to LORD it was good and smoothly going they were thinking that where they can worship but it was more difficult for them to have own building for the worship, min time pastor got some sickness (sugar) disease in his life health was gone down more difficult to save his health condition was become more critical there pastor has gone to meet doctor all the believers are praying for him but in the year of 21/05/2018 he died pastor father in law given one place for CHURCH (gift) step has build one CHURCH there now we were doing Sunday worship.

After his death our step was taking care with some pastor We Joshua he was looking some year up to 2022 from 2022 to 23 Dilip marandi, he was looking to the CHURCH and also doing so activity in the CHURCH but due to some own ministry he has gone to other place, there after one pastor come our I.S.T training student name called Kanchan he was looking to the CHURCH it was but he also left the place.

In the January 2025– he left the pastoring work. After that Birendra sing is looking after the CHURCH since month is doing work.

It was more difficult things that for me to connect with the Believer because not knowing about their local language but GOD help me to do the ministry in the Baligeria CHURCH

In the month of february 2025 we had a ladies children program it was very good children enjoy and for ladies we thought them about the truth of the Bible after program we had lunch and ended.

In the Baligeria CHURCH we need one Toilet and some chairs.

The activity we are doing in the Baligeria CHURCH:

① Sunday school program

② Sunday CHURCH

③ Ladies program

④ youth program

⑤ children club

⑥ House visiting

⑦ Counseling

⑧ Finding I.S.T student

⑨ Games

⑩ Adding new believers

Understanding the Context: Faith in South Asia

To fully appreciate this letter, it helps to understand the landscape. South Asia is home to one-quarter of the world's population, 1.9 billion people representing over 4,000 ethnic groups and 650 languages. Much of this region falls within what missionaries call the 10/40 Window, where the gospel message has yet to reach millions.

Believers in this area face persecution not only from society but often from their own families. Economic hardship affects 216 million people living below the poverty line, and legal systems are frequently hostile to Christianity. Yet despite these obstacles, local leaders like our anonymous partner continue to plant churches, disciple believers, and transform communities through the power of Jesus.

This is why church planting is so critical in South Asia, by establishing communities of faith, believers find the support they need to grow spiritually and eventually share the gospel with their neighbors.

Be Part of the Story in South Asia

This pastor's story is one of thousands, each a reflection of what God is doing when local churches are empowered to lead. When you give to Mosaic, you support leaders who are serving the least of these in some of the world's most challenging environments, offering spiritual hope, education, and opportunity in places that need it most.

To learn more about South Asia and the work we do there, you can learn more here.