India (MNN) — The Meitei people, a community immersed mostly in Hinduism and some Islam for three centuries, has had a history of being extremely closed off to outsiders and other religions.
But back in 2007, a native-speaking pastor and evangelist was placed among the Meitei by Bibles for the World.
Since then, there have been small church communities spreading through the area, and the demand for Bibles suddenly became an issue as the number of converts to Christianity grew.
Now, a chaplain of a retired community recently brought the Meitei people of Northeast India one step closer to their own copies of God’s Word.
Bibles for the World is working to meet this urgent need for Bibles among the Meitei people; they plan to print 10,000 copies of the New Testament in their language. The road block is $22,500 standing in their way.
When a retired community’s chaplain heard of the need, the Holy Spirit moved his heart. He wrote Bibles for the World and committed not only to pray for the Meitei community, but he also enclosed $1,000 for the printing project.
Mawii Pudaite with Bibles for the World says, “Our hearts were deeply encouraged by the letter and gift we recently received…. How we praise the Lord for their prayers and for this generous and timely gift.”
The Meitei community really needs more than just 10,000 New Testaments to meet the spiritual hunger there, however.
“They converted to Hinduism as a group, but now they want to return to their traditional religion called Sanamahali. The Hindu religion, evidently, is not meeting their deepest need,” says Pudaite.
To quench their spiritual thirst, many have found the saving grace of Christ Jesus. Out of its population of 1.5 million people, there are now 15,000 Christians among the Meitei.
So far, with the help of the retired community Chaplain and others like him, Bibles for the World has 25% of the funding needed to print, ship, and distribute the 10,000 New Testament copies. It only costs $2.25 to produce one New Testament in the Meitei language.
Click here to support the printing of Meitei New Testaments.
According to Pudaite, “You can be a missionary from where you are by praying and by providing God’s Word for the Meitei people. You will be partnering with the national missionaries and concerned volunteer Christians in the state….[The Meitei people] have not heard or read God’s Word to make their choice.”
Pray for the salvation of the Meitei community and that many more would find the Living Water in Christ Jesus who fully satisfies our spiritual thirst.
