Merry Christmas from the Frontiers of Northern CAA10!: December Pioneer Story:

Merry Christmas from the Frontiers of Northern CAA10!

As we enter this season of celebrating the arrival of our Savior, Jesus Christ, my heart is overflowing with gratitude. Because of our partners in Nampa and across the Asia-Pacific, the light of that first Christmas is reaching corners of the world that have sat in spiritual darkness for generations.

My CAA 10 leadership team has just returned from a journey deep into the rugged, beautiful mountains of Northern CAA10. In our pioneer work, we often look for what we call a "Person of Peace"—someone whose heart the Holy Spirit has prepared to welcome the Gospel and open the door for an entire community. This month, in a high-altitude village where the silence is usually thick with ancient traditions, we found our "Lydia."

(Note: For security reasons, the names and specific locations in this story are pseudonyms.)

The Lydia of District P

In Acts 16, we read of Lydia, a woman whose heart the Lord opened. She wasn't just a convert; she became the strategic foothold for the Gospel in Philippi, establishing the first church in Europe.

High in the mountains of District P, we met Sida. Her story is a modern-day echo of Lydia’s. Sida’s connection to the Gospel began years ago when her husband helped translate foundational Course of Study (COS) materials for our leadership training program. While he eventually moved to a larger city for work, Sida remained in her mountain home as a solitary witness. Like Lydia, she was a seeker of truth, standing firm despite initial opposition from neighbors.

But the "Lydia Strategy" is about more than one person—it’s about a household. This month, I am overjoyed to share that Sida’s faithfulness has borne fruit: her entire family has come to faith. Sida has turned her home into a place of prayer, effectively becoming the first "light-bearer" for a brand-new missional fellowship. What a beautiful Christmas gift for this family to celebrate their first season knowing the Prince of Peace!

Identifying New Leaders for the Course of Study

Finding a "Person of Peace" like Sida allowed us to push even further. We visited two more remote villages in District Xwhere the name of Jesus is rarely heard. Our journey took us through three days of winding mountain passes to reach the deep interior.

Most excitingly, we identified two young people from these unreached areas who are eager to commit their lives to ministry. We are now planning for them to begin their formal Course of Study training in 2026.

Just as Lydia’s home became the base for the Philippian church, Sida’s village is now our base for training. These future students will study the very COS books Sida’s husband once helped translate. One day, they will return to these peaks as the first ordained leaders of their people.

Prayer Requests for the Season

We are rebuilding the walls of faith in places where they have never existed. Please join us in prayer for:

  • Sida and Her Household: For wisdom as she shepherds the new believers in her home.

  • The Course of Study Students: For the two young people preparing to leave their villages for training in 2026.

  • Protection: For our local pioneer team traveling difficult mountain roads.

Thank you for being part of this story. Because you gave and prayed, a family on a distant mountain is celebrating Christmas with hope for the first time.

Wishing you and your loved ones a very Blessed Christmas and a Joyous New Year!

"The God of heaven will give us success. We his servants will start rebuilding." (Nehemiah 2:20)


Dr. Donghwan (Bill) Kwon 

Field Strategy Coordinator Southeast Asia Field, 

Church of the Nazarene

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