The story behind "Project 316"

For the PDF Project 316 donation info form click here.

The idea of using small handheld audio players was first considered through an excerpt in our missions quarterly newsletter. As we contemplated what could be done with these players and through the wisdom given by the Holy Spirit, we thought that this would be a very effective tool that we could use to make a huge impact in the lives of the Hmong people and being that the Hmong are from an oral culture it didn't take long for us to realize that a portable handheld audio player could become a very effective, life saving and life changing, tool.  

After doing further research and contemplating some of the ideas as to what the audio players would entail, Mike started to work on producing the lessons that he thought would be important for the Hmong (and really for all believers) to learn. Our goal was not just to give the Hmong the Gospel message and leave it at that.  Our goal was (and is) to give the Hmong all of the foundational teachings that they need "so that they can become fully developed (wholly independent and self-sustaining), authentic, evangelistic, disciples of Jesus Christ."     

The knowledge of the Bible that Hmong believers have, in all of South East Asia, is very minimal. Most, for example, have a hard time just trying to find the book of Acts or Proverbs or where you would find the narrative about King David. One of the reasons for this is because they have been taught to believe that only those with a biblical education can read and teach the Bible. (Which is very typical in Asian cultures.) They have been taught to rely on someone else to "feed" them. Therefore, although they may have been believers for a long time, they are still like newborn babes in the faith. Because of this belief, and the fact that most villages don't have a "qualified" teacher in their eyes to teach them, they continue to struggle in their faith. The audio players have now changed all of that.

Before we decided to purchase several audio players we bought three players to do a test run. So, with the material that had already been produced, for the players, we gave them to several Hmong believers and talked it over with them about whether or not these players would really be effective in the Hmong community.  Although at first they were not quite sure how effective the players would be, it didn’t take long for them to realize how beneficial the players would become for our Hmong brothers and sisters. Praise God!  

Just think, when a Hmong person/family receives one of these players, its like having their own personal teacher. Nothing so comprehensive, on this scale, has been complied together like this in all of South East Asia.    

Project 316

316 MinistryZ

A ministry focused on glorifying God through the evangelization of the Hmong  with the Gospel and equipping Hmong  believers with the knowledge necessary so that they can become fully developed, authentic, evangelistic, disciples of Jesus Christ.