Lessons from the Thai Soccer Team Rescue

It was a story that gripped the world for nearly two weeks.  A Thai soccer team and their coach, trapped in a cave by rising waters were rescued in a daring and dangerous mission by Navy SEALS.  It was with hope that the world watched  the courage and tenacity of the rescue team and the resilliance of the boys.

Last week I recieved an update from a friend who had been in Thailand for a conference with OMF.  He relayed the obeservations that one of his collegues made from the rescue mission in relation to reaching the unreached in our world.  I recieved permission to share those observations here.

No doubt you’ve heard reports about the Thai soccer team rescued from a cave. Our friend, Larry Dinkins has shared some insightful observations to consider. Thank you for praying that God will thrust out scores of more missionaries to share Christ’s love with unreached people groups across East Asia. Larry shares these comments:

* Finding the lost is relatively easy compared to getting them safely out of the pit. Mission researchers have identified 7,000 Unreached People Groups (UPGs) comprising 42% of the world’s population. 

* Major obstacles will be faced in order to free those trapped. Trained divers took up to six hours in order to reach the soccer team. They faced strong currents, near-zero visibility, narrow passages and lack of oxygen. The human and financial cost was substantial, but 13 lives were at stake. How much more effort and money should be expended when you think of the millions who remain trapped in the enemy’s grip?
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* Access to Reached People Groups is easy compared to Unreached Groups. Reached Groups have easy access to the gospel and would compare with people trapped near the mouth of a cave. Unreached Groups, due to their location “in the depths of the pit,” require a massive effort by a huge international team.  

The rescue and the picture above I think gives us a graphic image of what it is going to take to reach the unreached:  teamwork, dedication, perserverance, focus and hard work.

Are we up to the task?

Let us meditate on Paul's words to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:3-7:

Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Jesus is worth all of our efforts; all of our sacrifice; all of our lives.

Learn more about the unreached at Joshua Project.


Learn how you can be trained to do be a part of reaching the unreached locally and globally at our next E2E training event.
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