When William Samadder and his wife, Dipika, arrived in the United States in September 2024, they did not come with plans to plant a church.
Samadder had spent many years pastoring and planting churches in his native Bangladesh, focusing on evangelism and reaching the more than 180 million people who call the country home. Reaching the millions who have not yet heard the Gospel has long been his calling and passion.
In the years leading up to their arrival in Virginia, the couple experienced increasing persecution and pressure in Bangladesh. Extremist groups in the predominantly Islamic country, emboldened by growing political instability, began to target Christians more aggressively. In late summer 2024, their home was attacked, and it became clear they would need to flee for safety. They arrived in Dumfries, Virginia, where their son and daughter-in-law were attending Pillar Church. The church immediately began to care for them during a season of distress and transition.
Planting Hope Among Bengali
As Samadder realized they would be staying in Virginia long-term, he began seeking the Lord and speaking with leaders at Pillar Church about reaching Bengali speakers in Northern Virginia. As he moved throughout the community, he encountered more and more Bangladeshi people, whom he described as “sheep without a shepherd.”
Over the past year, the couple has engaged in consistent outreach hosting fellowships, visiting families, sharing the Gospel, and building a core group of believers who now regularly gather for worship, prayer, and Bible study.
This year of ministry development culminated in a Christmas outreach that gathered 150 Bengali-speaking people at Pillar Church of Mount Vernon. It was a powerful evening of community connection and a clear presentation of the Gospel at the heart of the Christmas message.
When this journey began, Pastor Samadder never imagined that God was opening a new door to ministry amid such difficult circumstances. Yet even in the midst of persecution and displacement, it has been evident that God is at work. He is currently a church planter candidate preparing for assessment with Send Network Virginia, and together with his sending church, he is pursuing God’s mission to reach the people the Lord has called him to serve, right here in Northern Virginia.
