In This Issue: Websites, Events, and Opportunities
- EVENT – ISFM Meets to Discuss Missiological Challenges of Indian Subcontinent
- WEB SITE – Introducing Kids to South Asia
- OPPORTUNITY – Pray for and Help the Children of Indian Missionaries
- ADDITIONAL RESOURCES about South Asia / South Asians
Missions Catalyst is a free, weekly electronic digest of mission news and resources designed to inspire and equip Christians worldwide for global ministry. Use it to fuel your prayers, find tips and opportunities, and stay in touch with how God is building his kingdom all over the world. Please forward it freely!
Resource Reviews, edited by Marti Smith, are published once a month.
EVENT – ISFM Meets to Discuss Missiological Challenges of Indian Subcontinent
Source: Greg Parsons, General Director, US Center for World Mission
The epicenter of the world’s largest unreached people groups is located in the Indian subcontinent. This September 15-17 the International Society for Frontier Missiology will meet in Dallas to consider some of the region’s missiological challenges, which are also faced by workers in many other contexts around the world. Mission leaders, teachers, thinkers, etc. are warmly invited to join us as we prayerfully discuss these issues; for more information on our speakers (including two Brahmin followers of Christ, Ralph D. Winter, Herbert Hoefer, H.L. Richard, Todd Johnson and Timothy Tennent) and to register, click here.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Additional missions-related events are described on our Missions Catalyst events calendar. Please feel free to submit items!
WEB SITE – Introducing Kids to South Asia
Source: International Mission Board, South Asia Region
August 1, 2007 the International Mission Board’s South Asia region launched a new children’s section of their web site, go2SouthAsia.org. Raj, Hati, Sindi, Googly, and Bangles are ‘The Caravan,’ a group of cartoon characters whose goal it is to teach others about the places and peoples of South Asia. The Caravan wants everyone to know about the great need for the people of South Asia to hear about Jesus. Each character represents Christians from different cultural and religious backgrounds found throughout the region. Through the Caravan’s stories, activities and other resources, they aim to tell about the life of believers in South Asia and the vast lostness that also abounds in the region.
The Caravan site has many great resources for parents and teachers to use to teach kids about missions in South Asia. It also has many fun games and stories for kids to explore on their own. The authors will continue to add new stories and materials each month, so visit regularly!
EDITOR’S NOTE – See these other sites for kids: Wonderzone, New Tribes’ KIDSTUFF, SIM’s SIM Kids, and Wycliffe’s Kids Web.
Go2SouthAsia.org includes great content for adults, too – such as a nice collection of free resources you can print out and use for prayer and promotion, available here.
OPPORTUNITY – Pray for and Help the Children of Indian Missionaries
Source: D. John, People Builders Trust
More than 40,000 national [Indian] missionaries work among different people groups, languages and cultures within India. Most of their children never get an opportunity for higher education, but their missionary parents cannot support them financially. Yet if only these children are given an opportunity to study, they may one day become powerful witnesses for Christ in their workplaces.
People Builders Trust is a mission with a vision to see these children being raised as missionaries in their workplaces by financially supporting them to continue their studies to get into different professions. This mission is registered with the Government of India and is based in Chennai, India. Through this mission we want to see many missionaries’ children being blessed. Kindly have a look at our new web site, pray for this mission, and also feel free to write to us if you have any questions.
EDITOR’S NOTE: To learn about other things going on in the growing missions movement in India see also the India Mission Association.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES about South Asia / South Asians
From our archives:
BOOK – Understanding the Coconut Generation
BOOK – Spiritual Awakening in Nagaland
BOOKLET – 30 Days of Prayer for Asians in Africa [Note: links removed July 2009]
Resources produced by Caleb Project:
VIDEO & CURRICULUM – Bhil Kids (Kids Around the World series)
VIDEO & CURRICULUM – Rajput Kids (Kids Around the World series)
BOOKLET – Sikhs of India (prayer guide)
BOOKLET – Ansari of India (prayer guide)
BOOKLET – Rajputs of India (prayer guide)
Other resources of interest:
The Pakistan Christian Post and other online newspapers for the region, some of which are listed here.
BOOK – Muslim Evangelism: Contemporary Approaches to Contextualization, by Phil Parshall (formerly ‘New Paths in Muslim Evangelism’ and based on work in South Asia).
BOOK – The Camel: How Muslims Are Coming to Faith in Christ, by Kevin Greeson (commonly known as ‘the Camel manual’ and based on work in South Asia).
BOOK – Don’t Let the Goats Eat the Loquat Trees: The Adventures of an American Surgeon in Nepal, by Thomas Hale.
BOOK – Hinduism, by H.L. Richard (“A Brief Look at Theology, History, Scriptures, and Social System with Comments on the Gospel in India”)
Questions? Problems? Submissions? Contact publisher/managing editor Marti Smith.