In the villiages, these people are called “pastors”. Let me explain what a “pastor” does. The word ‘pastor’ means shepherd. Someone who leads, guides, protects and teaches others. Shepherds are well understood in India. There are no fences, except for the occasional sheep fold (where the flock is kept for the night) and the occasional high quality orchard. The shepherd keeps the flock together in grazing land and protects them from the road, traffic, thieves, and sometimes wild bears and leopards and etc.

Aaron and Mary

Devaputra and family

Yesdas and his wife

Israel and his family

Matthew from Sunapur

Parameshappa

Sunder Raj and family

Daniel

Solomon

Anand and Ruth

Joseph and family

Devaraj and famil

Suresh and family

Now in Australia, one could be forgiven for questioning the value of supporting ‘Pastors’. The relevance of what they do is often unclear and so they are often disrespected and sadly, they sometimes deserve it. These are not the kind of people we met under this title in India. Most of them are under 30, with beautiful young families, living very poor – in exactly the same conditions as the villiagers they work umong. They give their whole week to helping the people in those 26 villiages around Bellary. They counsel and support them, they encourage those who feel alone in their suffering. They teach them and pray with them and bring a sense of belonging and cohesion and hope to them as a group. It truly is wonderful to see.

I looked into the eyes of people who were being educated and had hope and posture and dignity because one of these pastors had told them that they were of great value. He had provided not only the belief but sometimes the means for them to rise above the opression of their minds and begin a new life and start building a future of worth.

These pastors were so glad to meet us, so respectful and hospitable to us. They were all remarkable people, rising above the common suffering and finding strength to give to others. Each worker and his family costs us about $35 per MONTH. Chicken feed!

Monthly Support for these families began in October 2009

1] Anand                                                    1500 INR per Month
2] Sunder Raj                                          1300 INR
3] Suresh                                                   1300 INR
4] Yesdas                                                  1300 INR
5] Devaputra                                           1500 INR
6] Isreal                                                     2000 INR

The following families have been receiving a smaller amount since 2007

1] Solomon                                              1300 INR
2] Isaac                                                     1300 INR
3] Devaraj                                                1500 INR
4] Aaron                                                   1750 INR
5] Joseph                                                  1300 INR
6] Daniel                                                   1300 INR
7] Parameshappa                                  1500 INR
8] Mathew                                                1300 INR

Current total = 20150 INR per MONTH

Click here to find out what 20150 rupees costs today in AUD

In India today the teaching of Jesus brings great hope. It serves to liberate people from the caste system which tells them that they are less valuable than the higher castes, that they oughtn’t expect opportunity or even fairness, that they have an impenetrable ceiling over their life. Christianity is seeing these people working together as brothers with the higher castes. Women also are being liberated by the true message of Jesus whose followers said that if the world were the way he wanted it there would be no distinction between races, sexes or classes.