One week from tonight I will be arriving in Chennai, India on a mission trip to train Indian youth workers. I feel like a cross between Tully Mars in a Jimmy Buffett novel, Indiana Jones, and Hudson Taylor. (The latter being the only one non-ficticious.) But before I begin my trek to the Far Side of the World, I want to take the next few days to bring to mind some things to pray for as I get ready for this amazing adventure for which I am hugely grateful for to God and all of you who've helped me get this far.
Today the prayer focus is for the Bania people of the state of Andhra Pradesh. The Merchant Class of people. These are primarily the folks we will be ministering to in the area where I am going. Although we fly into Chennai, I will go with another pastor to a village in Andhra Pradesh to teach for the week at a local Bible Institute.
The Merchant Class run most of the business in India and is part of the Hindu and social caste system. The caste system include the very wealthy and prominent, the Brahman, all the way to the lowest, the Untouchables. Seldom does each caste class reach out to those in the caste systems below it. Merchants can become very self-sufficient and wealthy, money is their god. Their loyalty lies with the Hindu goddess who brings wealth.
Pray for the one true God to show the Merchant Class that only He can satisfy that longing of fulfillment they are trying to fill with wealth. Pray for the pastors and youth workers we will be training that they will have the skills and relationships they need to minister to the Bania.
My plan is to blog every day until I leave next Friday about a specific prayer need or fact of India. I am so excited to see what God is going to do. Check back here everyday through next Friday and please comment or shout out some prayers!
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Will be praying for them, and for you be God's instrument to speak the words they need to hear.
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