Dalit Facts - Gospel for Asia

Many groups have been working in India for years. The plight of the Dalit people has been long-lived, and thankfully, over the past few years, the western world has been getting educated and mobilized to serve this group.

Gospel for Asia has been ministering to, planting churches among, and training pastors to the Dalit for years. I found this helpful list of facts over on GFA's web site:

• Nearly 300 million Dalits live in India today. Caste discrimination also extends to Nepal, Sri Lanka and other countries where Hinduism is present.
• The Hindu caste system was created more than 3,000 years ago by invading Aryan tribes to prevent pollution of their race.
  The four main castes are:
  • Brahmins - priests and teachers
  • Kshatriyas - rulers and soldiers
  • Vaisyas - merchants and traders
  • Sudras - laborers and servants
• The Dalits fall beneath this structure and are considered less than human. Their position in Asian society is justified by ancient Hindu religious texts such as The Laws of Manu.
• Dalits are expected to perform menial, degrading tasks that include unclogging sewers, disposing of dead bodies and cleaning latrines.
• Dalits are forced to live in separate settlements, prohibited from worshipping in temples, barred from using the village wells, and their children often denied education or made to sit in the back of the classroom.
• The Indian constitution outlaws the caste system and reserves nearly 25 percent of government jobs and university spots for Dalits. However, more than a million of these posts remain unfilled, or filled by dishonest non-Dalits.
• Even simple Dalit assertions of their lawful rights and privileges have touched off hate crimes against them by members of the upper castes. These have included rape, harrassment, violence and murder.
• The average literacy rate among Dalits is approximately 37 percent. Among some Dalit communities it is a low as 10 percent.
• Every hour, two Dalits are assaulted, three Dalit women raped, two Dalits murdered and two Dalit houses burned, according to the Human Rights Education Movement of India, yet only one percent of those who commit crimes against Dalits are ever convicted.
• In India alone, the combined population of Dalits and other low-caste groups equals approximately 700 million people. While Brahmins comprise just 5 to 9 percent of India's 1 billion people, they control 78 percent of India's judicial posts, approximately half of the parliament and 89 percent of the nation's major media outlets.

Dalit Facts - Gospel for Asia

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via: missionaryscribbler.com

Book Review: A Biblical Theology of Missions

This book just showed up in my office one day. I'm thankful that books find their way into my hands. This book is the most thorough work on missiology I've ever read. I'll be honest, I don't like to mark up my books (especially the ones that have that new book smell), but I marked up, circled, and note scribbled everywhere in this book.

"It is my impression that the Bible is not a book about theology as such, but rather, a record of theology in mission - God in action in behalf of the salvation of mankind."

George W. Peters writes like an academic, but it's good for you to read a little over your head (in my case, a lot over my head).

How about this:

"The Bible is the basis and source of faith and not the result of faith."

Pretty good, huh? You wish you said that.

Everyone that is serious about going into the mission field or serious about teaching about missions should have this book in his or her library. I'll refer to this book over and over through out my ministry, I'm sure.

Technorati Tags: missions,Christianity,missiology,George W. Peters

Mission Network News: Pastor and family evicted

I found this story at Mission Network News about a pastor that was kicked out of his apartment.

"The Chinese government is determined that there will be no distractions and no embarrassment when the eyes of the world turn to Beijing next month," said Todd Nettleton, Director of Media Development for Voice of the Martyrs. "Our Christian brothers and sisters, like Brother Hua and his family, are not ‘troublemakers,' as China's government says. They are simply Christian people who want the freedom to follow Christ according to their conscience."

Click the link below to read the rest of the story.

Mission Network News

Technorati Tags: Persecution,Voice of the Martyrs,China,Christianity

Movie Review: Beyond the Gates

Those that know me are well aware of my love for Africa. I know of no place so diverse and rich in culture, flavors, smells, and fears.

I'm captivated by the horrific events of Spring 1994 in Rwanda when one race attempted to annihilate another while the world sat on it's hands. Beyond the Gates documents accurately, summarizing well local and world politics as the story is told.

I blogged earlier about some other recourses to make oneself aware. In the wake of the Rwandan genocide, a generation of activists have emerged resolving to keep this from happening again. Pray that, in their zeal, they go in God's wisdom carrying the Gospel of Peace by the power of the Holy Spirit.

How is God using you?

Weekly Prayer Update from Ed Compean

 

Dear Friends,

It is common at Calvary International Fellowship to have prayer in English, Kiswahili, and even one of the 42 tribal languages. In the last few days we have also had prayer in Korean as some visitors from America and Korea have been blessing CIF. As we have found that the traditional Kenyan meal of ndengu and chapatti goes very well with the Korean traditional salad of kimchi, we have also found the blessing of worshipping with friends from different cultures. Please thank God with us for these visitors and all He is doing in and through them.

Please pray for the work in Kamiti Corner. The Bible study is going well and they are asking for a church. Please pray God would raise up the right man. Please also pray as we have placed some Talking Bibles in the community and there is great fruit from the hearing of God's word. Finally, please pray as Haley begins her long journey home to Kenya! She'll be leaving Mexico on Saturday, and fly out on Wednesday evening to arrive in Kenya on Friday. Thank you for praying her through her Mexican safari, now please pray as she returns home.

via: Ed Compean

Compassion Child

We sponsor a little dude in Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso is land-locked African country in West Africa. We got this letter from him the other day:

Hello!

I am so happy to hear from you. My family and I are doing fine. Thanks for the beautiful picture. I love drawing. My greetings to your son and daughter.

It is quite hot here these days. We are in the dry season. Days are so sunny. But the rainy season is not far from now.

All is well in school... I was fourth in my class. Do your children go to school? If yes, in which grades are they? Do you have any pets?

Please pray for me. I want to be first. Bye for now.

I love hearing from this guy. He speaks and writes in French. He draws little pictures on his stationary. I hope some day I'll have a chance to go see him. I'll be honest: this is one of those deals where I don't feel like I'm making a big sacrifice or even a big difference. But I've had the privilege of meeting people who have grown up in the Compassion program and their lives and destinies are night and day different from where they would have been without this ministry.

Night and day different.

Click here to make a difference.

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