FILMS IN SARAJEVO: WHERE IS REDEMPTION?
By a Pioneer in Bosnia

Fatalism, pride, pain, mockery, shame, apathy… These are the recurring themes in the films that I have been attending at this year's film festival here in Sarajevo. After three days of faithfully showing up to my ticketed seat, the heavier I feel inside when I walk out, as if my spirit is hiding from the uncertainty and oppression I am taking in with my eye and ear gates.

First of all, I love where I live, and I truly love these people. I understand them, even though they would say that I have no idea, that I'm just another American trying to come here and help. But behind that, I hear the voice of rejection, abandonment and fear. So attending this film festival has reconfirmed to me that I am exactly where I am supposed to be.

Nothing depicts the real situation in a culture other than the arts. If you study history through art you will learn so much more than any textbook. For this reason I took the opportunity to attend as many Balkan movies as I could with the three days I had to attend this festival. And as I mentioned, the themes are all the same.

My question is: where is redemption? Is it even a possibility?

	Read more.
	Follow another family in their missionary journey to war-torn Bosnia in Overwhelming Minority, a book by Pioneers' Executive Vice President Ted Esler. It is available from BottomLine Media for $10.

IN THIS ISSUE:
• Pray: An Earnest Seeker
• Give: Reach Muslims and Mobilize More Missionaries

Like BottomLine Update? Forward it to a friend. If they like it, encourage them to subscribe for themselves at bottomlinemedia.org.

Also, sign up for BottomLine Connection, the biannual print magazine reporting on what God is doing around the world.

Visit Pioneers blog at movefurther.org to read more and interact with us.

AN EARNEST SEEKER
From a Pioneer in Southeast Asia

Our friend "Samuel" was always taught by his religious leaders not to read a chapter in the Quran in which Isa Al Masih [Jesus] is talked about at length. Yet years ago a different religious teacher recommended reading a verse from this very chapter to support him in his faith. Samuel expressed to us his anger and frustration with this contradiction. "Why not just take out this particular chapter from the Quran if they are so concerned about it?" he asked.

Samuel acknowledges Isa as a savior and admits that He is unique among the prophets, but he has yet to go beyond that. We prayed for Samuel, and after the prayer he told us the reason he is now so interested in Isa: He has twice prayed that if Isa is still alive and if He is really with God, that God would demonstrate it. On both occasions Samuel's prayers were answered. We could clearly hear and see his excitement as he explained that these answers to his prayers demonstrated that Isa is who he claims to be.

Samuel said that he wanted to pray a final prayer to Isa for confirmation. We asked him "If Isa answers your prayer what will you do?" He promptly replied, "Accept Him as Lord."

For the past two months Samuel has accepted our invitation to study the Scriptures together on a regular basis to learn more about Isa Al Masih as revealed in the gospel.

Pray that the Spirit will open Samuel's heart and mind to understand why Isa is Lord, and for wisdom upon those involved in studying the Scriptures together with Samuel, that they will be able to answer his questions and doubts. Pray also that the Lord will personally reveal Himself to Samuel.

REACH MUSLIMS AND MOBILIZE MORE MISSIONARIES

As you look ahead to your year-end giving, would you prayerfully consider a special gift to Pioneers to assist us with the following initiatives?

Scenario Planning:
Pioneers is currently engaged in a scenario-planning project focused on the Islamic world. A selected team of Pioneers leaders has been studying religious, political, social, and economic trends among Muslims in order to understand potential scenarios that could play out in the future. With a new understanding of the possible directions trends in the Islamic world may take, Pioneers is developing plans that could not only allow our missionaries to adapt to challenges but to turn those challenges into great opportunities.

Mobilization:
The world's remaining 6,645 unreached people groups represent 2.74 billion people worldwide. Who will reach them? Pioneers is actively involved in campus visits, conferences (such as Urbana '09) and church partnerships that connect us to those who are considering serving the Lord among Animists, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, and Secularists worldwide. God is blessing our mobilization efforts, giving us a record number of appointees this year, but we need your help to sustain our activities.

Thank you for considering this opportunity! We are dependent on the Lord to fuel these efforts through the prayers and financial contributions of His people.

Grateful for your partnership,

Steve Richardson
Pioneers-USA President

Give Now.