India Tidbits

India Tidbits
7th largest country geographically
2nd largest population
Largest democracy
10th largest economy
3rd largest standing army

NOT a third world country
     Rising superpower country
     Some areas advanced, others very poor
Very diverse country
     Different language, culture, food, etc. in each state

No national language (300+ languages)
     Hindi and English most spoken
Religion:
     80% Hinduism
     13% Muslim
       5% Other
       2% Christian

Varanasi

I met one incredible, unassuming young man of God while working at the Bible college in Delhi. When Ajinbou Chatmai graduated from Scism Christian University five years ago, he went to the city of Varanasi in the Indian state of Utter Pradesh. There he started six new Apostolic churches. Varanasi, located on the River Ganges, is the holiest place in the world in Hinduism (and center of the earth in Hindu cosmology). Just think, in the most holy Hindu city in the world, people are finding the Holy One of Israel, the One True God whose name is Jesus. Here are some pictures of Varanasi and the work God is doing there through Ajinbou.

P. S. On March 27th, Ajinbou Chatmai and Pradipa Patricia Ghatani (also a pastor) got married. Congratulations to the lovely couple!

Freedom of Religion

Today our church had a street service near downtown Bessemer. We sang a few songs and Bro. Bertram preached a short message. We had an altar call and one man came forward to pray. You could deinitely feel God's presence there.

I am thankful to live in a country where there is freedom of religion. The message of Jesus Christ is illegal in many countries, including parts of India. The persecution against Christians in India mainly occurs in the state of Orissa. While in India, I watched a short video of Christians being killed in Orissa. It was not a hollywood version either. It was raw filming by a journalist who secretly recorded the killings and somehow managed to get the video past the authorities without getting killed. Also, I met one of the Bible students, Samir, who pastors a church in Orissa.  Another young man, Subrat, is praying and fasting for many people to be won as a result of a Bible study entitled Baptism which has now been printed in Oriya language of India and soon to be distributed in Orissa. These young men face death on a daily basis.

Oh, about that video I watched in India?  I found it on YouTube.  Viewer discretion is strongly advised.  Prayer on behalf of the Christians in India is highly recommended.