Once again thanks for your insightful article on todays Diaspora issues,Joy. I agree with you that the whole UPG and UUPG needs to be redifined in the light of Diaspora movements. Just one example as I am working with the South Asian Diaspora in Europe….

The Gospel has been preached and churches have been planted in the Punjab      (North India) yet we have thousands of Punjabi people in Europe( and other Diaspora places) that live together in clusters – like Northern Italy at least 60 000- that qualify as UUPG in an Italian and European context. They are an ’unengaged unreached people group’ in Europe.There is hardly a vibrant local Italien church around them with a mission vision and the missionaries working in Italy are working primarily with the Italien people. Who is going to reach them? If we go by the clasical definition of the UPG’s or wheather they live in the 10/40 window we will not engage with them.

Unless we redefine our mission strategy thinking we will not be able to bring the God News to all people in our life time.

One possible workforce that God is preparing in the Diaspora right now are the second and third generation Diaspora believers. The kids of those that first came to our countries and that are bi-or tri cultural by nature. They move with ease between the host culture and their parents culture and they do not define their ethnicity by their parents background. We are seeing right now a whole new group of young believers that have broken down the culture and racial barriers that are so often still seen in our societies ( and churches)

One of our tasks should be to strengthen these initiatives and encourage them to take a lead in speading the gospel in their generation. Where I live right now a group of these young people have started a network called ’Young Leaders United’. They want to work together with all denominations as they come from various denominations and cultural backgrounds. They want to serve the people and be a blessing to our city (Berlin) They are an inspiring example of unity in the body of Christ!

We, as older leaders and pastors, need to give them our support and blessings and help them to get a plattform for their vision and passion. If we fail to do so we will lose a whole generation of bi-cultural young people ( coming from all the major world religions)

In our inner cities we have almost 50 % of young people below the age of 20 that are bi-cultural. They are different fromt the first generation diaspora people that came and they are different from the host cultures young people but they understand both of them. They are the bridge builders to both cultures. To me these young leaders are one of the work forces for the Diaspora and it’s many opportunities.