In September 2025, God placed a unique desire on John Brookshire’s heart: to visit one of the most diverse places in the United States with no structured agenda—only a desire to listen, learn, and better understand how God is moving among the unreached in North America.
John Brookshire is Mesa Global’s Regional Leader for North America and is passionate about the nations at our doorstep—including more than 17 million people who belong to Unreached People Groups (UPGs). UPGs are ethnic groups in which less than 2% of the population is Christian, meaning most people have little or no access to the gospel through a community of local believers. Of the UPGs living in North America, 33% can be found in New York City, particularly in Queens—commonly known as “the World’s Borough” for its remarkable cultural and linguistic diversity.
John’s plan was simple: spend one month—from June 15 to July 15—visiting 15 different neighborhoods in Queens alongside local missionaries and short-term teams. There, he would pray, engage with people, and listen to those already serving their communities. Then, he would take what he learned back to his role as Mesa’s Regional Leader for North America.
Few places in the United States display diversity quite like Queens. In one four-square-mile area of Jackson Heights, more than 200 languages are spoken in homes and businesses. Restaurants, shops, places of worship, and conversations on the street offer glimpses into cultures from around the world—all within a few city blocks.
For John, this diversity was more than something to observe. It was an invitation to encounter people—to listen to their stories, learn from their experiences, and recognize that the nations we often think of as distant are increasingly our neighbors.
One day during a prayer walk, a man called out to John and his team and invited them into his store. He pulled up chairs, introduced them to his family, and poured them tea. His name was Farhad, a Muslim refugee from Bangladesh.
Farhad was eager to talk. Before long, the conversation turned to Jesus and the differences between the Bible and the Quran. They spent nearly an hour together sharing stories and asking questions. But the encounter didn’t end when John left the store. During his month in Queens, he returned several times to visit Farhad and continue their conversations.
Across North America, there is an incredible opportunity to reach people from nations and cultures around the world—many of whom have had little access to the gospel. In New York City especially, the opportunity is great, but so is the need. More missionaries, church planters, and local believers are needed to build relationships, share the gospel, and walk alongside people in discipleship.
But John’s month in Queens also revealed that cross-cultural ministry does not always begin with a program, a strategy, or even a plane ticket. It can begin with a willingness to notice the people God has placed nearby—to listen to their stories, enter into relationship, and share the love of Christ across cultural and religious differences.
Queens may be uniquely diverse, but it offers a glimpse of what is increasingly true across North America: the nations are becoming our neighbors.
For the Church, that brings both an opportunity and a calling. We are called to go to all nations with the good news of Jesus—and sometimes, following that call begins right where we are.
