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One to One supports
many native missionaries working throughout India. Below we introduce you to
one of them.
Tribals
in the Nilgiris
In the southern state of Tamil Nadu
there is a beautiful hilly area called the Nilgiris, or Blue Mountains. These
hills are covered with thick forests, interspersed with tea plantations,
tranquil lakes and silver waterfalls. Elephants, deer, leopards, bears and
even tigers are occasionally seen here. The old English hill station Ooty, at
2240 m. above sea level, crowns one of the highest hills and is still quite
westernized. But just outside the town, the deep jungles take over and life is
completely different.
Several primitive tribes inhabit the
forestlands, living just the way they did thousands of years ago. The men keep
buffalo or grow different crops, while the women collect firewood, honey,
bees'-wax, roots and berries. Of the Todas only about 2000 are left and some
say they are the actual "lost tribe of Israel". A much larger group is that of
the Badagas (about 400.000) or "Northern People", who originally hail from
Karnataka, just north of the Nilgiris. Among Todas and Badagas, about 3% have
accepted the Gospel and some are now integrated into modern life. The Irulas
(60.000) are the most primitive and the poorest of the tribes, roaming the
darkest and deepest parts of the jungle. There has been some Christian witness
among them, but lack of leadership has made the work gradually deteriorate.
Other tribal peoples of this diverse area are the Panniyas, the Kurumbas, and
the 1800 odd Kotas.
The religious practices of these tribes
closely resemble popular Hinduism. They each worship a handful of mostly
malicious gods whose anger needs to be appeased through ritual and sacrifice.
Among the Badagas fetishism (worship of "magic" objects) is also common, and
the Kurumbas are feared for their involvement in black magic, bringing plagues
and other disasters on other tribes, especially on the Badagas. In fact, the
Badagas have been known to attack Kurumba villages in the past and kill many
of the inhabitants. The ties within each tribe are very strong and fierce
opposition can be expected to anyone turning away from the tribe's vengeful
deities.
Br. Thomas is one of those with a
special calling for this wild and primitive area. He has put together a small
team of evangelists, and together they go out daily, visiting house-to-house
to bring the Gospel and release from spiritual bondage. We actively stand
behind him in prayer and support. Through his work this past year 30 families
have come to Christ and a small house church has been established. These new
believers are now praying for their tribesmen and for a larger place to
worship the Lord. We invite and encourage all of you to include the Nilgiris
and the work of Br. Thomas in your earnest prayers.
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Together we can reach others with the love of Christ
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