Report from BHW India Partnership Facilitator Following Visit

Key people: Thadeus Dungdung and Jyotshna Dhan

This partnership was commenced in May 2023 after a visit to India in January of that year. The funds sent have been used to purchase goats and pigs that are being looked after by one of the key families. 

A team from BHW visited Thadeus and Jyotshna at their home and spent some hours with them before going to the village where the animals are. In the village we met with the little church in that place and met the family of the two boys that are being cared for, David who is 15 and Arian who is 8. 

This is the first time a team from BHW have visited them in the town of Dalsingpara which is a 90-minute drive from Chamurchi. While at their house we heard their story in some detail, we met their family, met some of their team members and met another couple who are potential partners. 

Context

Dalsingpara is a tea estate established by the British during the time of the Raj. Thadeus’s grandparents came to this area to work in the tea estate about 80 years ago. They came from Jharkhand. The house that they live in is the house the grandparents were given back in the day. Their brother lives with them, in a separate part. They have added to the building and now have a nice room that the Christians meet in and some accommodation. Thadeus’ mother, who became a Christian after he did, lives with them and they have two children.

Just over one month prior to our visit the tea estate was shut down. There is a little ongoing work as someone is paying people to pick the tea but there is no maintenance or development. The closure has been rumoured for years but finally it has happened, the town is dying. There does not appear to be much hope in the town, and this creates opportunities for conversation with people. Because they have lived in the house for so long it is not likely they will have to leave it.

The people in this area are Adivasi and mainly very poor. The daily wage for a tea picker is around US$2.50-$3. However, there is no guarantee of work and even less now. 

Currently there are four people in the team, and we met with Shiva Lal who lives in the village of Birpara which we visited. This is where the goats and pigs are kept. We visited the village and met with the little church. It is a typical tea estate village, people living in poverty. The group is very keen, and their lives are much better than before they became Christians. 

Recent Events

Activities

Their regular work involves house-to-house visiting to start conversations with people. They give out tracts and talk to people and invite them to Bible studies. This is slow work as they are often invited into homes for cups of tea. People are quite friendly and there is little opposition. Because people are unemployed, they have time to talk and share their problems. 

Most are Hindus, but Hindus in name only. Traditionally they are animists but have been given identity cards with Hindu on them and they cannot change them.  

Goats and Pigs

We visited the village where they are living and saw the goats. We got to the village too late to visit the pigs. It gets dark about 5 pm in this area at this time of the year. The goats and pigs are doing well. The goats all came home in the middle of the meeting. They have a good house to stay in at night. They must lock them up as there are leopards in the area. Several people have been killed in the past year. They will begin breeding soon and they are looking forward to that. The photo shows the family who look after the goats and pigs. 

There are four pigs and the original herd of six goats has grown to nine. As they sell the animals the funds will be used to support the workers and their work. There are many poor people in the area that they want to assist. There are many young people who struggle to get to school, the literacy rate is low, and education is not a high priority.  

Personal Stories

We met Daniel at Thadeus’s house and heard some of his story. He was an idol worshipper and somehow realised it was pointless and the gods were useless. Somehow, he realized that he was a sinner, and some people told him about Jesus. One man helped him a lot. It was a slow process, and the man was very patient. He is married to Anisha Lama who comes from a Buddhist background. They have three children. His 70-year-old mother is a now a Christian and though she cannot read she is always talking to people about Jesus and giving out audio Bibles. He has been beaten on several occasions while witnessing, one time it was very severe. 

Ideas for the Future

There are two things they are thinking about, and we may hear from them in regard to these:
1) To do another goat and pig project in another area
2) To possibly start a computer training centre in the town. 

Current Issues and Challenges

- The poverty and despondency in the area because of the closure of the tea estate
- Lack of income for the Christian workers

Prayer and Praise Points

1) That the project has started well, and the animals are growing well and producing
2) The work in the area is growing slowly but consistently, the team is encouraged
3) Pray for the team to grow in strength and that a strong work will be established
4) The poverty of the people creates opportunities but it is also a major difficulty for people

Comments

This has started well, and it is going to grow into a significant opportunity for BHW. Thadeus is a man of vision and a leader. I am encouraged by the start and hope for it to grow.