India

General situation

Christianity is the third largest religion in India after Hinduism and Islam. In 2011 about 28 million Christians lived in India. This corresponds to a population share of 2.3%. Since the emergence of Hindu nationalism in the 1980s, bloody clashes have repeatedly occurred, especially in the state of Odisha. Churches and houses were destroyed and Christians were expelled or often even killed. An existing anti-conversion law makes the renunciation of Hinduism a punishable offence and has already been implemented in eight out of 29 federal states, among them again Odisha.

LOGOS activities and concerns

In 2011, the first Bible School (LOGOS Mission Training Centre/LMTC) was founded in Balangir, a city with over 85,000 inhabitants, in the state of Odisha. To date, four more Bible Schools with a total of 28 Bible students have been established in different districts of the same state. Besides another Bible school in Balangir, the other is located in Kandhamalr, within a radius of about 100 kilometres around Balangir as well as in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta).

Most of the students are day labourers and have to feed themselves and their families on very low incomes. LOGOS helps both teachers and students financially so that they can concentrate fully on their studies. Teaching in the small group mainly takes place in classrooms, but can also be continued as individual lessons via the Internet if required, for example if Bible students have to change their place of residence for work reasons. These Bible Schools are the basis for of spiritual growth and multipliers in the imparting of Christian values in society and the message of the cross.

Practical help for persecuted Christians

Another central concern of the work of LOGOS in India is the practical help for oppressed and persecuted Christians. True to LOGOS' leitmotif of offering holistic help for people in need, i.e. caring for body, soul and spirit, the aid programmes comprise the following components:

- Targeted and food aid in specific cases of need

- Offers of counselling and prayer

- Hygiene education programmes

Such a LOGOS aid program for persecuted Christians is currently running in the Kandhamal district.

In addition, special concerns are also addressed locally, where emergencies are obvious and "mercy" can be donated. The Bible students in Balangir regularly take care of children and their families in an institution for people suffering from leprosy ("leprosy village"). This also includes cleaning the flats and other practical assistance.

In the second half of 2019, LOGOS is about to start a daycare center for 30 children.

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Facts and Figures:

Foundation of first Bible School: 2011

Duration of a Bible School course: 3 years

Current number of Bible Schools: 4

Number of students since foundation: 30

Bible School Scholarship

Award a bible school scholarship for 25 Euro per month.

More information can be found here.