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In this episode we meet 'Joanna' who has been living in a post-conflict Middle Eastern country for almost a decade. She talks about working as a nurse with refugees and internally displaced people and shows the power of the gospel to tackle various forms of shame and stigma. Caring for disabled kids and their families in a war-torn country, so many questions arise. Where does human value come from? Who defines our true identity? Who can ultimately bring healing to broken hearts and broken communities? Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

That’s how it starts. A step of obedience, a door cautiously pushed open, a ‘yes’ to God’s nudge to consider serving him amongst the least and the lost.  David Small ended up working for the Free Burma Rangers, living in a war zone, helping victims of genocide, hiking mountains and hacking through jungles to reach places where the NGOs don’t even go. If the army had caught him, they would probably have executed him.  In this episode, with humility, compassion and sensitivity, David recounts some of the traumatic experiences faced by the Rohingya refugees living in Bangladesh. He wrestles with how to cope with so much human suffering and how to help in the face of such overwhelming need. Is it even worth it, when one’s own life is regularly at risk?   David now runs The Jungle Discipleship School in South-East Asia and is always on the look-out for volunteers to join him.  He’s also the author of a couple of great autobiographies, called Nameless, Faceless People and The Wandering Beloved – an honest look at disappointment with God and battling depression.  Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

What's the value of a short-term trip? Can there be any realistic impact on locals or is it all about what God is doing in hearts and lives of those who go? In this episode we hear from Zack and Hannah, who (along with various other young people) went on a week-long trip to Pakistan with Matt over the summer. You'll hear about what it's like to share about Jesus on the streets and on public transport whilst travelling in Pakistan, as well as some of the challenges of life out there. It was a week of divine opportunities, prayer & worship, sickness, police escorts and plenty of laughter - all the ingredients of a great short-term trip! Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode we hear from Pastor Sulaiman, who shares about the incredible difficulties of life as a Christian under Sharia Law in Northern Nigeria, as well as the constant threat of violence from the terrorist organisation called Boko Haram. His personal stories are as troubling as his godly wisdom is inspiring, as he details the extreme persecution that so many have faced in his country. NB. This episode contains stories of brutality and gender-based violence, so will not be suitable for some listeners. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

What exactly is Christian mission? Is it inevitably linked to empire, to neocolonialism, to power dynamics? Do missionaries inevitably trample on the host culture with ethnocentric arrogance? Shouldn't we just leave others alone, with some kind of detached pluralistic indifference or vague anthropological notion of 'pristine' tribal people who ought not to have contact with or influence from outsiders? This episode with author, Will Maxson addresses these questions, as we reflect on his latest book about mission and colonisation. Will spent a few years in Afghanistan and now resides in the States. You can find more about his books here: https://www.willmaxson-author.com/ To dig deeper on this topic, check out this 8 part series on Mission & Empire (called Polyphonic) from our friends at Missio Nexus. https://missionexus.org/category/podcast/polyphonic/ Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt interviews Andy, a straight-talking northern guy who loves Jesus and loves sharing the gospel with Muslims.  He and his wife spent several years in a tough surveillance state in Central Asia, learning the local language and figuring out how to communicate God's love to local Muslims. It was a tough environment and eventually they and various others were forced to leave the country.  They now are based in the UK, working with refugees and they continue to share the hope that is within them. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode we meet a young German missionary, called Micha, who has spent years working with Sudanese across East Africa.  It's been a rough ride in many ways for his family: a nasty motorbike accident, a cancer diagnosis, a military coup, an attack on the foreigners' compound. But through it all, Micha and his wife have sought the Lord and asked for wisdom about whether to stay or to go home. At one point, their inspirational love for the local people even led them to live inside a refugee camp, in very poor conditions.  Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt talks to Layla and Stephen, a young couple who moved to the Middle East a few years ago to join one of our teams, but very quickly had a major setback to their plans, hopes and dreams.   We discuss various disappointments and challenges (including how to cope with sexual harassment and severe physical limitations). And, of course, there are the usual light-hearted moments and reflections on the joy of entering a new culture and seeing God powerfully at work in the lives of Muslims - including one amazing story of praying for a Muslim lady who, during prayer, saw Jesus in a vision and heard him speaking to her.  Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

Not many people realise that India, in spite of being a majority Hindu country, is also the world's 3rd most populous Muslim country (with over 200 million Muslims). Moreover, in spite of dynamic church growth and movements to Christ in some parts of the country, it remains the nation with the largest number of unreached people groups in the world.  The Joshua project estimates that 95 out of 100 Indians live in an unreached people group (less than2% Evangelical and less than 5% Christian Adherent). And 3 out of 4 Indians live in frontier unreached people groups (less than 0.1% Christian Adherent, i.e. the most unreached). And the workers there are SO few compared to the numbers in Africa and Latin America. (For more details, look at the bar charts in this excellent Why India document.) In this episode Matt talks to a young couple who've been living in an Indian city for the best part of a decade. They share fascinating stories of life and ministry there, with its many ups and downs. Dodging cows and camels, trying not to get electrocuted and raising a family in a Muslim-majority neighbourhood... there's rarely a dull moment!  Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this special celebratory episode, Matt looks back over the first 4-5 years of Raw Mission and our 99 interviews. He reflects on the main themes of the podcast (the cost, the miracles, the fruit & lessons learnt) and shares clips from some of his most memorable interviews. If you're new to the show, this will give you a great feel for the kind of experiences, stories and themes that we cover. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt hears the testimony of a well-known ex-Muslim from Yemen, called John Ghanim (aka Yemeni John).   John came to faith in Jesus as a refugee in Greece a decade ago, but he had already abandoned Islam years earlier while walking around the Kaaba in Mecca, Islam’s holiest place.  John is full of infectious joy and he’s a passionate evangelist who loves to share the good news of the God who offers us so much more than mere religion. He has lost much. He has regular threats on his life and a Fatwa declared against him for apostasy. But he has gained Christ and as he loves to say, there’s “no turning back!”  For more on John’s ministry or to support his work, do check out his website and socials here: https://johnghanim.com/ www.youtube.com/@johnghanim0 https://www.instagram.com/johnghanim/ Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

Lena has spent the last few months teaching kids in East Africa, serving a long-term team who live there. Just a few years ago she was a student, learning about God's heart for the nations, working with international students on campus and taking various short-term mission trips. Now she's doing a placement in the desert and looking at teams that she might join. She shares about life in the Sahara desert - a life alongside lizards, scorpions and donkeys, a life where water is scarce, electricity a luxury and the people are warm and welcoming. Can Lena thrive in a world so different to the green and pleasant pastures of England and Wales? How will she cope with such a basic life, especially when she has very little Arabic through which to communicate with the locals? Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode Matt talks to Dr. Aweis Ali from Somalia, who grew up in a Muslim home in and around Mogadishu, the son of a Muslim cleric and preacher. After coming to Christ and finding some other believers, Aweis' small church suffered a brutal and violent persecution in which most of the believers lost their lives.  This is a story of remarkable faith, perseverance and courage in one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a follower of Christ. Aweis is a partner of Open Doors and the General Secretary of the Bible Society of Somalia. You can see him sharing a few minutes of his story here on the Open Doors website. NB. This episode contains some stories of extreme violence against Christians and may not be suitable for younger listeners. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode we meet Tom O'Brien who has spent more than 40 years living and serving in South East Asia with his family, making disciples and planting churches. Tom shares some extraodinary stories of twenty years or so in the Southern Philippines, during which he was specifically targeted by extremists multiple times.  We also hear about black magic practices and the culture of blood feuds/revenge killings in the mountainous tribal society where he lived. This is a story of perseverance and faith that will inspire you to step out into mission, trusting God to be your shield and defender. Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________

In this episode we meet Nate who taks about his 13 years living in the Middle East, sharing stories of healing, spiders, poisoned fish, expulsion and much more.   How can workers deal with burnout and betrayal? Are there benefits of going to the field in one’s later years?  What are some of the options for scientists to be involved in cross-cultural mission? Send us a message! Support the show _________________________________________________________________________________ Do get in touch if you have any questions for Matt or for any of his guests. [email protected] You can find out more about us by visiting www.frontiers.org.uk Or, if you're outside the UK, visit www.frontiers.org (then select from one of our national offices). For social media in the UK: Instagram: frontiers_uk And do check out the free and outstanding 6 week video course for churches and small groups, called MomentumYes: www.momentumyes.com (USA) www.momentumyes.org.uk (UK) _________________________________________________________________________________