This week’s country of focus is India. I’m really looking forward to returning to this hospitable, colorful land! I had the opportunity to spend 9 weeks in India 7 years ago, and have wanted to go back ever since! I’m not sure where we’ll be in India exactly or if I’ll walk any of the same streets, but I’m excited regardless. A fun note about India that I learned while I was there is that as we celebrate our independence with fireworks, they celebrate theirs with flying kites from the roofs! It’s really quite a sight!
Although India technically holds the political status of a democracy, it unfortunately, is often described as chaotic. This can create all kinds of issues within the country, economy, etc. Additionally, there is a heavy caste system that is held in high regard and therefore creates a lot of social barriers. There is so much diversity in ethnic groups throughout all the states that it’s hard to get much more specific with the country as a whole. As you can imagine, the caste system also plays a huge role in standard of living.
The largest religious group is Hinduism with Islam as the second largest. Christianity is less than 3% in this nation. Although India claims there is religious freedom, there are strong demands for imposing legal restrictions in regards to Christianity.
As I’ve mentioned in other posts, I’m not on a mission to convert. I believe Jesus Christ when he said that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. This Truth has transformed my life, and I desire to share that with everyone in both word and deed.
Ways to pray for India:
~Godly leaders to be placed in the government system to provide wisdom amidst the corruption.
~That leaders would maintain religious freedom in the country and not give in to the pressures to establish discriminatory laws.
~That those in Hinduism would not associate the gospel or Christianity with certain castes, but understand that Jesus is available to all.
~There is heavy oppression in many places I visited in India. Ask that barriers and blinders would be removed so that people can see clearly.
~Hinduism is a religion that has MANY gods and they will quickly absorb new teachings to simply “add to the shelf”. India is also the second largest Islamic country. Ask that those whose hearts are open will understand that God says there are NONE other than him and that they would recognize their need for Him through Jesus Christ.
