Countries Where We
Assist Native Ministries
Overview
Persecution of Christians is on the rise throughout South Asia, as radical Hindus, Muslims, and Buddhists seek to “purify” their countries of religious minorities.
Despite this persecution, Christianity is rapidly growing in this region. Today in India, between 15,000 and 20,000 people are baptized every day. Northern India still contains the world’s largest number of unreached people groups, however. India’s Christian leaders are beginning to collaborate on how to reach these groups.
In the Islamic country of Pakistan, radical Muslim groups flourish. Many Christians are falsely accused of violating Pakistan’s “blasphemy laws” and imprisoned. Islamic extremism has significantly increased during the last 10 to 15 years due in large part to Islamic education centers where 40 million children are taught to persecute religious minorities like Christians.
Christians comprise less than 2 percent of Pakistan’s population and are at the bottom of the socio-economic strata. Likewise, Christians are typically the poorest members of society in India, where the gospel is taking root among the low-caste populations. Though India is the world’s largest democracy, more than 300 million people in India still live below the poverty line.
How You Can Make a Difference
Ways To Give
Evangelism & Discipleship
Workers with one Christian Aid Mission-assisted ministry South Asia have planted a total of 600 churches, which are attended by approximately 24,000 people. The ministry’s theological institute trains and equips native believers for Christian service. Church-planting missionaries settle in urban and rural communities, establishing relationships to win souls to Christ. This ministry has established a church in every major city inside of its country. GIVE NOW to help evangelistic and discipleship ministries like this one in South Asia.
Community Engagement
Since 1974, a Christian hospital has provided medical care, along with the gospel message, to poverty-stricken people suffering from ailments such as leprosy, tuberculosis, blindness, and malnutrition. The staff conducts free eye camps in the villages surrounding the hospital, performing simple surgeries to restore sight to thousands of people who would otherwise be severely limited in their ability to earn a modest living. Every year, the medical team screens approximately 10,000 patients at the eye camps and performs around 2,000 surgeries, mainly for cataracts. A hospital chaplain shares the gospel with patients and 30 gospel workers have established fellowships in several outlying villages. The hospital has helped construct church buildings in many small communities. GIVE NOW to help community engagement ministries like this one in South Asia.
Compassion
Human trafficking runs rampant in India. Every hour, four girls enter prostitution, three of them against their will. Girls as young as 10 years are trafficked from economically depressed neighborhoods to major prostitution centers. An indigenous ministry is successfully rehabilitating survivors of forced prostitution back into the community as self-sustaining citizens who love the Lord Jesus. Through basic life skills, education, vocational training, counseling, and help with housing, survivors of trafficking are finding healing and restoration. GIVE NOW to help compassion ministries like this one in South Asia.
Exclusive Stories from the Mission Field
Provide Bible Study Materials in Pakistan
Many people write to a local ministry about how its Bible correspondence courses have led them to Christ. The ministry sends its Bible courses to Christian youths and adults, as well as to seekers, with non-Christians representing 25 percent of those enrolled. Workers have also designed children’s stories for Sunday schools.
Help Workers Share the Message of Salvation in South Asia
A mother of three children who also worked as a laborer fell ill with a mysterious weakness that often caused her to fall. Medical tests did not find the cause, and medications and the religious rites her family undertook on her behalf had no effect. She had various injuries as a result of her falls when a local missionary visited, prayed and shared the gospel with her.
Build Biblically Solid Churches in Bangladesh
Native Christian workers following up with people who accepted Christ during home visits later prayed and studied the Scripture with them and left them with Bibles. “They were very happy to get this special thing,” the ministry leader said.
Help Bring Gospel Transformation in South Asia
As new Christians stepped out in faith to build God’s kingdom, they found the Lord wondrously helped them. Native Christian workers discipled young people in how to minister to people in their community, and widespread alcohol abuse, black magic and gambling decreased.
Strengthen the Body of Christ in Pakistan
A pastor recently expressed thanks that he was able to share the gospel with tribal people after receiving an invitation to preach among them. The ministry that supports the pastor also reached many villages with the gospel while distributing aid for victims of flooding, taking advantage of a worker’s ability to speak their local language.
Be a Supply Line for Native Missionaries in South Asia
A villager opposed to the gospel told anyone who became a Christian that their children would be denied admission to government schools. A native Christian worker helped poor children gain admission to schools as part of his ministry, and when the daughter of the villager was denied access for reasons that were unclear, the worker advocated on his behalf.