When an Unreached People Lets Down Its Walls

Brianna Langley • Jan 18, 2018

One of the most unreached people groups in the world — and eight others — has suddenly been made reachable.

And you’ve probably never heard of the place these people call home.

The Setting

Traditionally closed-off and isolated, Dar Sila, Chad , was forced to open its doors when civil war broke out in neighboring Sudan. Suddenly, the region was flooded with a mass of Sudanese refugees trying to escape the atrocities of war, as well as well-meaning aid workers.

But most aid organizations only helped the refugees, while the host population watched their already-sparse supply of natural resources dwindle.

The result? A bleak, unstable situation — and a highly guarded people.

For years, this was the scenario that greeted visitors to Dar Sila. But now, the region is finally experiencing a time of relative peace and calm. And the weary hearts of the 400,000 people are starting to open up like blossoms cautiously blooming to a tiny ray of sunlight.

The People

Except for 0.01 percent of the population, all Dar Silans claim to either follow Islam, a traditional African religion or a combination of both.

The dominant group in Dar Sila today is the Dadju tribe, which was once very powerful in Sudan.

“My personal impression is that because the Dadju are no longer as powerful [in Chad], they cling more strongly to Islamic identity ,” says Tillie Tiller, TEAM ’s area leader for Dar Sila. “But even though they are devout Muslims , they strongly cling to their traditional animistic practices.”

Tillie has lived and worked alone in Dar Sila for over three years now, laying the foundation for the full-time team she prays the Lord will send soon.

And now, for the first time in years, the people of Dar Sila are not only open to outsiders, says Tillie, but are even friendly and welcoming toward them!

The Needs

Because of the surge of new inhabitants, the people of Dar Sila struggle to evenly spread resources that were slim to begin with. This has resulted in an abundance of physical needs in this arid, dry landscape.

“Keeping the water towers filled is … a constant battle,” says Tillie.

Agriculture and farmed goods have also dwindled. Reforestation and a system that sustainably conserves the land’s natural resources are just a couple of Dar Sila’s immediate physical needs.

And because the region was so isolated for so long, decent education and healthcare are also sorely lacking.

More urgently, most people in the Dar Sila region have never heard the Gospel.

They are spiritually starving — and finally have an appetite for Truth.

The needs are great. And so are the possibilities.

The Opportunities

Because of the many needs in Dar Sila, there are many opportunities for different types of ministries.

For example, an agricultural sustainability or creation care ministry would flourish among the hungry people of Dar Sila. And by helping them feed their physical bodies, you open doors to satisfy their spiritual hunger as well.

Another opportunity for ministry lies in an unexpected passion among the Dar Sila locals: art.

“The host population is artistic and, unlike any other people group in Chad, takes care to decorate and landscape their property,” says Tillie. “Even teenage girls, one of the most marginalized sub-cultures in Chad, are allowed to express themselves artistically. … An art evangelism ministry could build a team [here], easily.

These, along with education , healthcare and church planting ministries are desperately needed and desired in this area of Chad.

Whatever your skills, training or passions are, the Dar Sila region is a field that is ripe for harvest and full of lost souls who long for the Good News.

The only question is: Who will take it to them?

By Suzanne Pearson 19 Mar, 2024
Previously on the TEAM blog, we sat down with Justin Burkholder (pictured above at left, with TEAM's Executive Director of Communications, Aaron Catlin). Justin will become TEAM’s next International Director on July 1, 2024. Justin shared about his background, family, and the journey that led him to TEAM. Check out that interview here . Today, we pick up the conversation as Justin shares how God called him to the role of International Director, and what he sees for the next chapter in TEAM’s work in the global Church. Q: How and when did you first consider applying for the position of International Director? How did the Lord reveal Himself to you as this opportunity presented itself? A: For some time, I have been evaluating how God wants me to use the gifts He has given me. Jenny and I have had a fruitful ministry in church planting in Guatemala and would happily continue doing so as God leads. However, as God blessed my efforts in TEAM leadership, there were friends and family who expressed that I should consider using my gifts in the International Director role. I don’t believe that everything necessarily rises and falls on leadership, but I do believe that it is a core component in the body of Christ. Using the gifts God has given me is a way that I want to bless the body of Christ in TEAM, making my contribution to the global purposes of God’s mission. Jenny and I spent a lot of time praying about this and decided that I should put my name in for consideration, trusting God’s guidance. We had a tremendous amount of peace throughout the entire process and were blessed by the prayer-filled process that the board undertook. Q: This is a key role in a large and complex organization, and I’m sure this was a big decision for you and your family. What were your fears or concerns? Why did you ultimately decide to accept the position? A: You say “were” like the fears have passed! I still am quite aware of my youth and inexperience - of the responsibility and weight of this role. Mostly, I’m afraid of leading an organization like TEAM in the flesh. Many of the fears that I have faced have been fears rooted in fleshly desires and concerns. I have no desire to succeed in the world’s eyes and fail in the Kingdom of Jesus. Why did I ultimately decide to accept the position? I’m convinced that the Good News about Jesus is true. The tomb is empty, Jesus is King, and the world needs to know, because Jesus is coming back. He will put things in order. He will establish righteousness, peace, and justice for all mankind, and He has commissioned His Church to proclaim and demonstrate His rule and reign. I want to use my gifts to do whatever I can to amplify the proclamation of this message and the multiplication of His Church around the world. Q: What are your goals and vision for the future of TEAM? A: This is something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. I’m certainly not ready to present a fully-shaped vision and goals for TEAM’s future without the input of other people in different contexts in TEAM. But, I will share a few things that I think are important: First, we need to model God-Dependence . I am hopeful that as leaders in TEAM, we can continue to model God-Dependence. As Hudson Taylor said years ago “…God’s work, done in God’s way, will never lack God’s supplies.” I am hopeful that we can increase our sense of faith in God, prayer, and seeking direction from the Spirit. Secondly, we must strengthen our relational fabric . Due to the changes that we have experienced by decentralizing our home office functions, and the challenges from the pandemic, we have experienced a loss of relationships. It is imperative that we intentionally prioritize the building of relationships with one another. I plan to visit our workers and staff, and I am expectant that other key leaders and staff will be doing the same. Third, we must pursue the greater presence of the global Church. The Kingdom of Jesus Christ doesn’t look like any single geopolitical, ethnic, or racial culture. If we want to truly see the Kingdom of Jesus come on earth as it is in heaven, then we as citizens of this Kingdom must learn from one another, submit to one another, and grow with one another. The missional potential of the global Church has been unleashed by God’s Spirit since Acts 1, and we have an opportunity to learn from many brothers and sisters in Christ who can help us to better model and proclaim the Kingdom of Jesus to those who have yet to believe. Lastly, we must increase our Gospel boldness . There are still many places of great spiritual blindness and spiritual brokenness around the world. The apostolic impulse of cross-cultural organizations should call us to the to the edges of where the Kingdom of Jesus is not penetrating. Whether spiritual blindness and brokenness exists because of lack of access, idolatry, injustice, or any other myriad of reasons, I prayerfully hope to see more and more TEAM workers continue to move into spaces of great Gospel need.
By Suzanne Pearson 08 Mar, 2024
Through God-ordained partnerships and creative connections, TEAM worker Keith Moore sees the global Church advancing in amazing ways. In the global missions landscape, a phrase that comes up often is “from everywhere, to everywhere.” God is calling His global Church in literal new directions, as He raises up cross-cultural workers to be sent from places that were once on the receiving end of missions work. We call this movement “polycentric sending.” TEAM workers Dawn and Keith Moore have seen first-hand this transition taking place. Their story involves the unlikely but beautiful intersection of Charlotte, North Carolina; Tegucigalpa, Honduras; and Memphis, Tennessee...and beyond. The Path to Honduras Keith and Dawn joined TEAM in 1991 and served as church planters for nine years in Bogota, Colombia. After safety concerns precipitated their return to the States in 1999, they knew they wanted to continue serving in Latin America. The Moores felt called to Honduras but wanted to connect with a strong missional church to help send them. The Lord orchestrated a collaboration with Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee. “Some people asked, ‘Why Honduras? Missionaries have been there for 100 years. It’s already reached,’” Keith says. “But there’s a whole section of Latin America that had not been reached - the upper crust.” Keith goes on to explain that he and Dawn felt called to reach college-educated professionals in Honduras – a ministry vision that resonated with the missional goals of Bellevue Baptist. Impact and Growth With the support of this new church partnership as well as another sending church in Birmingham, Alabama, the Moores embarked on their next adventure. Keith and Dawn started Impacto Honduras Church from scratch, and in less than 20 years, the church grew into four locations with 1600 total members. The Moores and other TEAM workers also created a “Bible school” type training program to help professionals who feel a call to ministry to make that transition. Throughout this period of explosive growth, church partnerships played an integral role. “It’s such a different vision when you have a church that says, ‘OK, this is our deal, we want to make this happen,’” Keith explains. “They helped us with everything. They took away every single obstacle to growth. Every time we needed something, they were there.” In 2017, the Moores once again found themselves on the verge of another decision. Was it time to leave Honduras? “I had no desire to leave,” Keith recalls. “People were coming to Christ every week! It was just so amazing.” However, back in the U.S., Keith and Dawn’s parents were in their 80s and would soon be in need of more care. “We realized that either we would leave in a crisis, or we would leave strategically,” says Keith. The couple began to implement a careful succession plan. By the time they left, the four churches were established with strong, Honduran leadership ready to carry on the work of the Gospel.
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