Lausanne World Pulse – Perspectives Articles – Migrant Workers: The Responsive Wave
After they arrive in their new host culture, they soon discover themselves in surroundings with different cultural expectations and values. They become separated from a culturally familiar social structure and are placed in a new social structure. When this happens, they enter a period of anti-structure,13 causing them to scrutinize the central values of their home culture. Consequently, they enter a limbo state of confusion and become more willing to accept new ideas. Until they begin to function within the domains of the new host culture, they remain confused and open to new ideas. As such, during this period of transition and loss of roots, they are open to become believers, ready to assume faith in Jesus Christ in a personal way.
For instance, in one Asia Pacific country, the migrant worker population of a particular people group has grown to almost ninety thousand in just three years. Cross-cultural workers as well as nationals do not face some of the hindrances and barriers that exist in the home country of these migrant workers. Moreover, they have discovered a wave of responsiveness that has not existed in this particular people group’s home country. Hence, they are creatively using this unique opportunity to minister to this people group. Their desire is that migrant worker converts will take the message of Christ back to their homeland.
Their approach is simplistic. They use “shepherd” pastors in sharing the gospel, discipling new believers and training leaders so that when the workers return to their homeland they are strong in their new faith and can stimulate a Church Planting Movement. Last year, one cross-cultural worker reported 110 new believers. Local Christians report hundreds more who have come to faith in Christ. There is potential for even more growth where large migrant worker populations reside.
Responding to the Wave
The wave of migrant workers is an unfinished story. Migrant workers continue to increase in significant numbers. Even though governments sometimes say they plan to reduce their dependence on labor migration, all indicators point to more, not less, labor migration in the years ahead. Despite this, many Christians often overlook this significant bloc of unreached responsive peoples. This growing wave and their responsiveness should demand increasing attention.
The number of migrant workers will certainly continue to increase in scale, diversity and impact. It is not a temporary, ephemeral phenomenon but is here to stay. Therefore, the time has come for Christians to make a conceptual leap with respect to the wave of migrant workers. These peoples are a last frontiers peoples. They have the potential to be the modern diaspora–returning to their homeland with a new faith.
Even before they return to their homeland, the radically improved technical possibilities allow migrant workers to foster links with their societies of origin through the mobile telephone, fax and the internet.
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Bryan Galloway (left) has served in roles such as church planter and regional administrator in cross-cultural missions for twenty years with the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Church. For the past eight years, he has served as the regional research coordinator for the IMB-SBC Pacific Rim region. Jessie Rushing (right) has been a missionary associate in the Pacific Rim region since 2000. He is involved in ethnographic research on unreached people groups of the region. He is also part of a church planting/evangelization team working among ethnic Chinese. |
