Dear CRM Supporter,
“Send me 100 men skilled in your religion,” Kublai Khan wrote to the pope about 700 years ago. If they are convincing, he said, “I shall be baptized, and then all my barons and great men, and then their subjects. And so there will be more Christians here than there are in your parts.”
But Pope Gregory X, unable to see the future, only sent two men. Neither made it Khan, whose territory at that point stretched over one-fifth of the globe’s inhabited land. Many believe it was the greatest missed opportunity in Christian history.
Khan was also interested in Buddhism, and Tibet was a lot closer than Rome. By the end of the 13th century, Khan had translated Buddhist teachings into Mongolian, restored and built Buddhist monasteries, and appointed a Buddhist to the new position of “state preacher.”
I first heard this story in 1993 and it broke my heart. It still does. But did you know another secular leader has offered Christians an historic opportunity to share the Gospel with millions of Mus..ms who have never held a Bible, or heard the true message of salvation?
Sudan has been at war since April 15. One of the most devastated areas is Darfur. Jebel Marra is a remote mountainous region within Darfur. Since June of this year, its population has increased exponentially. Because there is no fighting there, hundreds of thousands of Darfurian refugees have fled to Jebel Marra for safety.
Jebel Marra is governed by a certain militia. The leader of the Jebel Marra militia recently requested CRM’s Sudanese field partners to supply the people with Bibles and Christian literature. He and the other area leaders are convinced that their people need to receive and follow Jesus. They believe that Isl..m is a form of slavery, and their people will never truly be free until they become Christians and adopt a biblical worldview.
Tariq was one of the four young male believers arrested in Zalengei, Darfur in June 2022. When they were arrested, the men were physically abused, and their Bibles were taken from them. Tariq told the policeman who took his Bible that “you can take my Bible now, but God will give me another one.” This is a picture of Tariq when he received his second Bible. He is now safe in Jebel Marra, preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
But there are thousands of other believers and seekers in Jebel Marra who don’t have Bibles. CRM has identified a Christian bookseller in South Sudan with 1,500 Sudanese Arabic Bibles in stock. The Jebel Marra militia will ensure their delivery.
But this is only a drop in the bucket. More Bibles are needed. Many, many more. We want to enable as many Jebel Marra refugees as possible to hear, believe, accept, and share the Gospel of Jesus. The people of Darfur rank among the most oppressed people on earth in the 21st century. They are accustomed to living hard. They will make great proclaimers of the Gospel.
Our goal is to raise $100,000 by year-end to supply Jebel Marra refugees with Bibles and other scriptural resources and deliver to those desperately longing for peace the true peace available only in Jesus. Please join us in meeting our goal and making the most of this once in a lifetime opportunity—and give today.
With heartfelt thanks and warmest wishes for a blessed holiday season,
David Crane,
President
