Site

East India

start Date

Easter, 2016

Team

Dev, Pastor

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Most of the individuals in Friends Church India are from the impoverished slum communities, and many are affected by HIV or AIDS.  The church is mainly women and children.

The church has a commitment to the spiritual needs of the members first. The church is committed to preaching the full truth of Christ, including the need to turn away from idolatry.  Many people have been rejected by their families for holding to their faith in Jesus.

Many women and children have cast aside their idols and their old ways and truly turned to follow Jesus.  Through this their family members are being affected as well.  At the same time, we do not ignore the physical needs of the people.  We deliver nutritional supplements to the neediest members so that the ARV drugs from the government can be effective.

A cynical criticism that I often hear is, "These people are only 'rice Christians'; if you pulled the help away they would stop coming."  Based on our experience ministering to the needy in India, I find that is an excuse often made by people who are unwilling to live a giving life.  In the early days of the church in India there was a Bible study for people infected with HIV.  We were passing out food supplements at the Bible study in order for the individuals to stay healthy enough for the ARV drugs to work.  The people got together and asked the leadership to have more Bible teaching events. They were told that there wouldn't be any nutrition or anything tangible distributed at these events, but they were so hungry for the Word of God that they wanted the events anyway.

Church volunteers meet within the local slums for Bible Clubs, teaching more than three hundred children a solid understanding of the Bible along with providing tutoring for school.

About four times a year, we hold extra enrichment children's outreaches to the children of the church as well as to the children who attend the Bible clubs.  This attracts more children from the slum communities to attend the Bible clubs.  At these outreaches we sing, preach, pray and hold fun activities such as gardening, art, crafts, games, and skits.

There is opportunity for an economic assistance project for the women in the church.  But we need someone with the heart and talent to take on the development and ongoing management of such a project.  If you have a talent in that area and feel God calling you to that sort of ministry then please let us know, and we are more than happy to discuss how to partner to fulfill that ministry in India.

1.

Over a dozen people baptized.  Some of them have decided to change their names of their own accord, and all have given up idol worship even when that meant the possibility of harm to themselves from their relatives.

2.

Hundreds of children receive weekly Bible education in their home slums, and dozens receive tutoring every day weekdays.  Over a thousand children have been reached with the gospel through quarterly Kids Camp special events.  This is made possible by the volunteers at Friends India.

3.

Hundreds weekly attend Sunday service, with dozens joining mid-week prayer meetings, even when prioritizing meeting during the daytime is inconvenient.