In the 19^th century, desperate Irish immigrants fleeing famine back home flooded into the Jackson Heights neighborhood in Queens. Now, many Bangladeshi immigrants call this neighborhood home.

Barbershops promote their prices on signs that mix Bangla and English and grocers display imports like jackfruit and bitter melon next to Hershey candy bars while Bangladeshi men drink cha (tea) and gossip on sidewalks in the evenings.

Most arrived in the last 25 years, seeking a new start and opportunities for their families through a diversity visa program. They brought their food, culture, and Islamic religion with them, and now there are an estimated 150,000 of them across New York City.

Many Bangladeshi neighborhood enclaves are in the shadow of church buildings, but the language and cultural barriers are too great for them to consider entering the doors. Thankfully, efforts by missionary teams and local believers over the last decade are bringing the Gospel to these neighborhoods.

Saif was a young Bangladeshi man working in the hotel industry when he met a local believer on the subway. The man told Saif about Jesus, but he wanted to know more and met with a Muslim-background believer who led him to faith in Christ.

Saif is now part of a small house church in his neighborhood comprised of fellow believers from Muslim backgrounds. God is at work through people like Saif.

Pray for the Bangladeshi communities of New York City, many of which have been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic.

• Pray for Kingdom workers, local believers, and churches as they engage their Bengali neighbors with the good news of Jesus Christ.
• Pray for believers from a Muslim background to “declare the gospel fearlessly” in NYC and around the world (Eph. 6:20).