A middle-aged Banjara man stood in front of about 100 men, women and children holding a small black audio player. Everyone was transfixed on the words being broadcast across the room.
"I'm so illiterate I can't even write my own name," he said. "For all these years I've heard others talk about the way to God and how to follow Him, but it wasn't until I heard the Words of the Bible on this Proclaimer that I knew how to turn my life over to Jesus Christ."
This man is participating in a listening group established under a pilot project between Faith Comes By Hearing and e3 Partners. Twice a week, he gathers the people of his tanda, or village, to listen to God's Word.
"Nearly half of his tanda is illiterate," said Doug Harstine, a regional manager with Faith Comes By Hearing, the world's foremost Audio Bible ministry. "This is very common. About 70 percent of the people in India are illiterate."
Across the subcontinent there are widespread gaps in literacy between urban and rural communities and men and women. Only 12 percent of Banjara men and four percent of Banjara women can read.
Faith Comes By Hearing focuses on reaching the world's poor and illiterate people with God's Word in audio in their heart language. The Banjara people are considered one of the least reached people groups in the world.
"We are conducting a pilot project to disciple the Banjara people," said Harstine. "They have teams working with pastors in villages to use Banjara (Lambadi) Audio New Testaments in their church planting efforts. These pastors are using Audio Bibles to help people understand God's Word."
"The goal is 100 percent saturation, and the feedback has been very positive," Harstine said. "The Banjara are particularly receptive to the Gospel--we want to continue growing this project and see what God will do!"
The Banjara are a community of six million spread throughout India. Experts estimate about one percent of the Banjara are believers. Most live in deep poverty either in rural villages or city slums.
With nearly 1.2 billion souls, India is the world's second most populous country.
"There are about 100 major languages spoken in India," said Harstine. "And we have the Audio New Testament in 24 languages now, so we are only about a quarter of the way there."
Missions
Gospel through audio Bibles to Banjara people
Thursday, 29 October 2009, 17:38 (IST)
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Added: Saturday, 21 November 2009, 13:54 (IST)
Praise the Lord..!! I Thank God I was thinking I was the only one in the world born again believer out of Lambadi community. Now I know that thru your web site there are 6 million populations are there and out of once percent are believer. My age is now 37 years and I have gone thru many training such as discipleship & advanced leadership under Haggai national seminars and fully equipped and ready to deliver kindly help me out how do I reach my people to share the gospel. Currently I am working in Middle East and every year I am eligible for 30 days leave I don’t want to waste those 30 days and I am willing to utilize this 30 days in serving Lord meaning fully. Please help me and provide some guidelines. I do speak this language well. All glory belongs to Lord Jesus alone God bless us all…
Raju Naik, Oman
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