India (MNN) — It's been three years since India Partners has
been able to send a volunteer medical team to an area of India that's been home
to increasing amounts of persecution against Christians. That's changing as
India Partners is planning a trip to an area of India in 2008.
India Partners comes along side national organizations to
help them accomplish their work. In one area, they're assisting a national organization that provides medical and dental
assistance to needy villages in India. An indigenous organization works with IP. The national group organizations director says India Partners hasn't been able to
assist them. "We have the anti-conversion laws in force. The opposition
has been too much. They have been obstructing our work in the villages."
The state we're talking about passed anti-conversion legislation some years ago in
response to the large number of Hindus converting to Christianity. That number
continues to grow country wide. That's also caused increasing amounts of
violence against Christians from ultra-nationalists.
The director is excited about a team returning to
help them. "They are the only people who send us teams to train us in
medical facilities like the dental work and other emergency medical treatment,
what is known as EMT training. That has been able to save the lives of children
(here). And, they train the nationals."
The training is needed because most of the people in the
tribal groups basically have no education. The training gives the nationals
the tools they need to do even more important work, the director says. "We are
very evangelistic and very openly telling about Jesus Christ before we start
any program. And, only if the village is willing to accept that then we do
it."
According to the director, the need is great. "They're all
animists and there are 14 different tribal groups. But, they know nothing about
Jesus."
The director says the medical team is being invited despite the
oppression. "I'm going to ask them to come and then I'm trusting God to
open up the ways, but God always open up the ways. Sometimes we've had to close
work in villages and had to move on, but that's okay because there are 1,020
villages."
Volunteers are needed for this outreach. Click here to get additional information.
