80% of the world’s evangelical Christians live in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Over the last 50 years, God’s church has grown exponentially in these areas.

These regions have tremendous mission sending potential to help bring the gospel to unreached peoples, but they currently send only 20% of the world’s cross-cultural missionaries!

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This infographic provides a visual score for seven data points ranked on a 0 to 100 scale. Faded icons show scores for other countries on the mobilization index. See below for actual scores and country-specific insights.

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Come with me to the middle valley of the Niger (nee-ZHER) River in Mali (MAH-lee), where bright yellow, white and purple blooms gently sway among the feathery grasses. Scattered across this green valley are Bambara (BOM-buh-ruh) villages. Each one is made up entirely of an extended family. Here the children are taught Islamic beliefs as well as traditional practices like ancestor worship. No one has told them that Jesus died to remove sin and intercedes for them. Look!. See that little girl standing near a bushy mango tree&hellip; &nbsp;
Hello! Welcome to my village. My name is Pemba (PEH-Mbah). Do you hear that buzzing? I found wild honey! Here is our farm. We grow and sell many things like millet, groundnuts, and livestock. There is always work to do, but everyone in the family helps. Even our neighbors, the Fulani (foo-LAH-nee), help herd our cows and goats. There is a role for all uncles, aunties, cousins, brothers, and sisters that live here. I will plow the fields with our big ox when I turn twelve.&nbsp;
Hurry! Let&rsquo;s tell my mom about the hive before she leaves for the busy market. Maybe we can have honey with our t&ocirc; (toh) today. We make this meal by boiling millet dough until it becomes a thick smooth paste. I like to tear off a chewy bite and dip it into sweet, sticky things like honey or mashed okra. My sisters like to soak it in spicy sauce or soup. I can already smell the t&ocirc; cooking.&nbsp;&nbsp;
We live in that big mud-brick house, the third on the left. Do you hear that scraping sound? It must be my grandfather. He is just around the corner there, carving a wooden antelope statue. I like the part with the tall smooth antlers the best. Grandfather is the oldest in our family, so he is a very important man. He is the one who communicates with the spirits and gives them offerings. He will use this antelope statue to ask our ancestors for a good harvest.&nbsp;&nbsp;
See those boys laughing as they tumble out of that big brown building with the tower on top?&nbsp; They are my brothers coming back from studying Islam. Some villages do not have a&nbsp; Muslim religious school, but we are blessed!&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bambara families use mud from the Niger River to paint beautiful patterns onto clothing. The clothes then dry in the sun, embedding a rich dye into the fabric. Fabric dyed in this way is called Bogolanfini (BOH-go-lahn-FEE-nee), meaning mud cloth. You can try this handicraft at home with your family, too! To get started, you will need: &nbsp;&nbsp;
-bucket or bowl
-2 parts dirt
-1 part water
-5 drops of dark food coloring (black or brown) per 1 cup of dirt
-paintbrushes or sticks
-white cotton fabric (t-shirt, socks, kerchief)&nbsp;
-newspaper or old cloths to catch spills

<ol>
<li>
Mix the water, dirt and food coloring together in a bucket or bowl to create a soup-like mud. Add more drops of food coloring to achieve the preferred color.
</li>
<li>
Using paintbrushes or sticks, paint a layer of mud in the design of your choice onto the white fabric. You can search &ldquo;bogolanfini&rdquo; or &ldquo;mud cloth&rdquo; online for pattern ideas.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
Set the fabric out in the sun to dry.&nbsp;
</li>
<li>
When the mud is completely hard, rinse the mud off with water and admire your artwork.
</li>
<li>
For darker designs, repeat the process until you achieve the desired result.&nbsp;&nbsp;
</li>
</ol>

Pray:&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
Bambara families believe they must earn favor and guidance from their dead ancestors. Pray that they will come to know and worship Jesus as the one who guides their steps and provides for their needs. 
</li>
<li>
Pray for the seeds of God&rsquo;s word to be planted in the hearts of the Bambara. Pray for courage for those who have received the good news of Jesus and for opportunities to share it.&nbsp;
</li>
</ul>

Via Families

Meet the Bambara

Meet the Bambara

Danielle Brown