How Missionaries Are Reaching Unreached Indigenous People in Central America
By Sheila-Ann Bender
“How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!'” — Romans 10:14–15
In short: Dale and LyNan Redman trek into remote Central American villages with 40-pound solar-powered backpacks to share the gospel with indigenous people who have never heard the name of Jesus. In 2025, their ministry saw over 12,700 new believers come to faith—proof that reaching unreached people groups requires going where they are.
Thanks to the faithful calling of Dale and LyNan Redman—integral partners with Christianity Ministry, Inc.—something miraculous is happening across Central America. Thousands of marginalized indigenous people living in some of the most forgotten corners of the region have heard the gospel of Jesus Christ for the very first time. And tens of thousands of these neglected peoples have prayed to receive Christ as their Savior.
What Is the Ezekiel 3:15 Principle?
“Our focus is on the neglected indigenous groups who quietly live unnoticed among the masses,” Dale explains. “To reach these forgotten people, we must come to them and sit where they sit.”
This philosophy flows from Ezekiel 3:15, the guiding biblical framework for their outreach:
“Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the River Chebar at Tel-Abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them.” — Ezekiel 3:15
The Redman’s interpret this passage as a three-part mandate: go to where people live, learn their culture and language, and share the gospel within the context they understand. This isn’t armchair missions—it requires physically entering communities that most of the world has forgotten.
How Did the Redman’s Become Missionaries?
LyNan Redman arrived in Central America at age twelve as a Missionary Kid (MK), serving alongside her parents in Guatemala and later El Salvador. Indigenous cultures, languages, and struggles became woven into the fabric of her life. At sixteen, the Lord called her into missions.
Dale’s heritage is equally rich in mission influence. His father, a Minister of Music with deep passion for global missions, served as Secretary of the very organization that sponsored LyNan’s parents. Dale received his calling after turning twenty-four.
Eventually, the two discerned a shared and unmistakable direction: to spend their lives ministering to the unserved and unreached peoples of Central America.
How Do They Reach Villages Without Electricity?
The Redman’s carry the gospel—literally—on their backs. A 40-pound backpack contains everything needed to minister to crowds of up to 1,000 people: a dual-visual 96-inch screen, a solar-powered projector, two speakers, two microphones, and a solar charging panel.
This portable system allows them to trek on foot into remote villages with no electricity, no roads, and no connection to the outside world. The outreach always begins with The Jesus Film, dubbed into the indigenous language of each village. Showing the film in people’s heart language prepares the soil for the evangelistic message and invitation that follows.
“During 2025, we saw 1,702 new converts come to Christ simply by showing The Jesus Film,” Dale shares.
A Life Transformed: Fredy’s Story
Imagine being a young boy named Fredy, living in a remote Central American village so isolated that electricity, media, and technology have never touched it. The only paths in or out are narrow dirt trails, washed out for months during the rainy season. There are no clinics, no emergency services, and no means of communication with the outside world.
Your native tongue is spoken almost nowhere else on Earth. Your only religious frame of reference is Mama Tata, an ancestral animistic belief system centered around sorcery and witchcraft. You have never heard the name of Jesus.
Then one unforgettable day, a group of strangers appear—smiling, dusty from travel, carrying mysterious equipment. As evening falls, they assemble a giant screen and begin projecting moving images with sound, something your village has never seen.
As The Jesus Film plays in your own language, something stirs deep within you. A deep longing. An unexplainable hope. When the invitation is given, you step forward—heart pounding—and ask Jesus to fill the emptiness you’ve always felt but never understood.
From Convert to Leader
Fredy’s decision came at great personal cost. His father disowned him and forced him from the only home he had ever known. Yet despite much adversity, Fredy’s passion for Christ never faltered.
“Today,” Dale shares, “Fredy is a district leader in the Youth Society, an announcer at Radio La Paz, and leads our teams that hike up and down the mountains showing The Jesus Film to those who have never heard of the Savior.”
When Dale once offered Fredy bus money after a long day of hiking to distribute crusade flyers, Fredy refused: “Brother, I can’t take this money. My debt to the Lord is too great to ever repay. I can walk.”
What Has This Ministry Accomplished?
In 2025 alone, Dale, LyNan, and their dedicated teams hosted twelve crusades across Central America—eight in Panama and four in Honduras.
12,711 new believers
came to faith in Christ in 2025
The evangelistic crusades and The Jesus Film are just two of the methods the Redman’s teams use to reach indigenous people throughout Central America.
How Is the Stoller Foundation Involved?
The Stoller Foundation has partnered with Christianity Ministries, Inc. to help extend the Redman’s impact even further. Reaching all seven countries of Central America with the gospel is vital, and this partnership strengthens the mission to see even more souls come to Christ.
In a world filled with chaos, conflict, and division—where apathy toward Christianity is increasingly common—it is profoundly uplifting to know that there are still people who truly hunger and thirst for the Good News so many of us take for granted.
Key Takeaways
Effective Missions Requires Physical Presence
The Ezekiel 3:15 principle—going to where people live and sitting where they sit—drives meaningful outreach. Remote communities cannot be reached through digital means alone; someone must go.
Heart Language Opens Hearts
Presenting the gospel in indigenous languages, rather than Spanish or English, dramatically increases receptivity. When people hear truth in their mother tongue, it reaches deeper.
New Believers Become Multipliers
Fredy’s transformation from isolated villager to ministry leader demonstrates how indigenous converts become the most effective missionaries to their own people.
Technology Serves the Mission
Solar-powered, portable equipment overcomes infrastructure barriers. Innovation in service of the gospel makes previously unreachable communities accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are unreached people groups?
Unreached people groups are ethnic or cultural communities with little to no access to the gospel. They often lack churches, Bibles in their language, or any Christians within their community. The indigenous villages the Redman’s serve fit this definition—many had never heard the name of Jesus before missionaries arrived.
Why is The Jesus Film effective for evangelism?
The Jesus Film has been translated into over 2,000 languages, making it accessible to remote communities in their heart language. Visual storytelling transcends literacy barriers and allows people to see the life, death, and resurrection of Christ portrayed in a culturally accessible format.
How can missionaries reach villages without electricity or roads?
The Redman’s use solar-powered equipment carried in 40-pound backpacks, allowing them to project films and amplify sound without any electrical infrastructure. They travel on foot via narrow trails, sometimes hiking for days to reach isolated communities.
What challenges do indigenous converts face?
Converting to Christianity in animistic communities often means social rejection, family disownment, and loss of community standing. Fredy was forced from his home after accepting Christ. Despite these costs, many new believers become passionate advocates for the gospel among their own people.
How can I support indigenous missions in Central America?
Organizations like Christianity Ministry, Inc. rely on partnerships with foundations and individual donors to fund equipment, travel, and crusade events. The Stoller Foundation’s partnership helps extend the reach of ministries like the Redman’s across all seven Central American countries.
Conclusion: Beautiful Feet Still Walk Today
The ancient words of Romans 10 asked, “How shall they hear without a preacher?” In Central America’s forgotten villages, that question has found an answer: through missionaries willing to carry the gospel on their backs, trek through mountains, and speak truth in languages the world has overlooked.
Over 12,700 new believers in a single year testify that hunger for the gospel remains strong—even in places most have forgotten exist. Thankfully, there are faithful partners who make it possible for missionaries like the Redman’s to carry this Good News to the overlooked people groups longing to hear it.
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things.”
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Want to help bring the gospel to unreached people groups? The Stoller Foundation partners with ministries reaching the forgotten corners of the world. Learn how you can support indigenous missions and help more people hear the name of Jesus for the first time.
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About the Author
Sheila-Ann Bender is a writer and ministry contributor who documents stories of faith and transformation from the mission field. She specializes in sharing testimonies of God’s work among unreached and marginalized communities worldwide.
About Christianity Ministry, Inc.
Christianity Ministry, Inc. focuses on reaching neglected indigenous groups throughout Central America through evangelistic crusades, film outreach, and discipleship. Dale and LyNan Redman lead field operations across the region.
