Below is a true Boots on the Road story highlighting one of the many unreached people groups along the Silk Road. This story is excerpted from the book, Live Dead Together: A Practice in Group Abiding. Order the book and find other Live Dead resources here.

In the summer of 2010, a team of skilled relief workers was put together to take a very arduous trek deep into the Hindu Kush mountains of Northern Afghanistan. Their destination was a valley hidden away from modern civilization, home of the Nuristani. This region was once known as Kafiristan— Land of the Infidels, during a time when the Nuristani people practiced Buddhism. In 1895, the Nuristani were converted to Islam and remain Muslim today. The team of ten workers from around the world would do medical eye work and “be the hands and feet of Jesus”. 

Two of the team members were my friends; they had been living in Afghanistan for over 30 years by this time. The whole team was excited about this trip although they were all fully aware of the dangers they faced. The roads to Nuristan only went so far; the rest of the journey would be on foot with horses to carry supplies. On August 8th, the team was returning from a successful medical outreach, but upon arrival to their vehicles were met by Taliban and all ten were shot and killed.

Acts of service and love were done in Jesus’ name. Lives were given and blood spilled in effort to bring the Nuristani people the salvation message of Jesus. Who will pray for open doors and return to these hidden tribes to see His Kingdom established? Who will obey the directive of our Lord to reach every tribe?