Just over a week ago, Jeanne and I returned from an incredible eight-day trip to India. While it was Genie’s first experience in India, this trip marked either my ninth or tenth visit. My previous trips involved working with pro-life leaders, particularly in the northeast region, but this visit was especially purposed to reconnect with those leaders and foster an unprecedented level of commitment within the northeast of India.
It’s important to understand the dynamics of India. Unlike China, which is unified by language, a consistent political system, and a shared culture, India presents a different landscape. India is a land of diverse languages and cultures, complicated by the caste system and challenging geographic boundaries. Therefore, establishing a unified, holistic national movement for pro-life action in India poses unique challenges compared to a more unified country like China.
Most Christian activity in India is concentrated in the south, leaving the northern part of the country, especially the extreme northeast, largely unreached with the Gospel. This northeastern region, appearing almost as a wing extending from the map, is uniquely positioned at the crossroads of Asia, bordering Myanmar, Bangladesh, China, and Nepal. Despite some areas being heavily reached, others remain unreached with the Gospel.
Our recent trip revealed that India may now hold the highest abortion rate globally. While Chennai in the south appears to have the highest abortion rate within India, the second-highest rate is found in the remote northeast corner of the country.
During this trip, we focused on West Bengal, beginning in Kolkata with training sessions for leaders, pastors, and women eager to enhance their skills in counseling women (and men) facing unexpected pregnancies. We provided training on compassionate and effective counseling techniques. We also convened pastoral leaders to share a vision of collaboration and cooperation to saturate churches in that region with a pro-life Gospel message.
Additionally, we ventured into the more restricted region of Assam in the extreme northeast. Despite heightened scrutiny of foreigners in that area, we were able to collaborate with local leaders. We also took a day to visit some tourist sites. This proved beneficial when questioned at the airport about our activities, as we could point to our tourist activities as part of our tourist visa.
Throughout our trip, we provided real-time prayer requests and updates through Passion Life’s text updates. I encourage you to sign up on the passionlife.org website to receive these updates, which we only send when overseas and in need of immediate prayer.
I learned that the pro-life movement in India is still in its early stages. It is crucial to remain patient and build a strong foundation before attempting a unified national push. Please pray for us as we continue our work in India, and specifically for the right time to bring leaders together for a national movement.
Given the high abortion rates in India, particularly in Chennai and the northeast, we are committed to prioritizing our efforts in India. We aim to empower churches to provide life-saving help to women and men in crisis. Our work will likely begin in the north and northeast. Please pray for open doors and for the right leaders to emerge as we continue these trips.
We are excited about the work God is doing in India and welcome your partnership, feedback, and network of contacts. If you know individuals in India who may be interested in collaborating with us, please reach out, as we are redoubling our efforts in India. Continue to pray with us for this nation.