Welcome to the Harvest Bridge podcast. A part of our work here at Harvest Bridge is connecting local leaders in South Asia with people like you, here in the United States. Through our podcast we want to provide a place where you can hear their voices and listen to their stories in their own words. There is a transcription available for those who prefer to read these stories.
This month we will hear about the ministry of Badri*, a missionary in Western India. India is a diverse country, with over 120 spoken languages and around 19,500 dialects. Its geography ranges from the heights of the Himalayas to expansive deserts to lush rainforests.
India is where Harvest Bridge began in 2008. The ministry has come a long way since then. Through your support, leaders in India today are provided with training, bicycles, motorbikes and ministry toolkits. Funding is granted for income-generating businesses. Clean water wells are developed, children’s education and food is supported, and citizenship for marginalized groups has been provided for the first time in their history. Medical clinics, women’s empowerment projects, and disaster relief operations provide support across the country. In the past four years alone, 357 new churches and house fellowships were started, and 3,244 new believers were baptized.
All of this happens because of your support for the faithful work of people like Badri. In today’s podcast, we will hear his testimony of how God is at work in India today.
“I thank God for saving my family and me and also for using me in His ministry. I am working in a very remote place and there are people living with a lack of education and using alcohol. There are thieves also. Our block is very famous in our state. Government officers don’t want to come visit and work among our community. Our people are not aware of getting a good education. I have a burden for my community.”
Badri, who is 43, serves as a missionary in Western India, where he lives with his wife and his four children. Badri was brought up in the tribal community he now serves, but came to know Jesus through the ministry of Pastor Thomas* in 2014. The village where he serves suffers from crime so significant that even government employees will not come to help.
“Last month, I went to share the Gospel in an area where there are few Christians. They arrested me and my one brother and beat us and put us in prison. They charged us with a case file in anti-conversion law. We spent 22 days in prison but we also got a chance to share the Gospel with some people there. Then, by the grace of God, we were released. I thank God and also our leader and our team that did very hard work for our bail. They tried to prevent us from getting bail but God helped us to be released. We give thanks for all who prayed for us and also thank you for helping with the money. Please pray for our case.”
Persecution of Christians is unfortunately very common in many parts of India. The anti-conversion laws are often vaguely worded and selectively enforced, allowing authorities to target those who share their faith, particularly Christians and Muslims, with false accusations of forced conversions.
Badri was imprisoned under these laws for sharing his faith. Yet even in prison, he continued to witness to others about the hope of Christ. Once he was released, he did not let this persecution deter him. He continued his ministry in the village.
“I started a prayer meeting in a home and 45 people are attending every Sunday now. Every meeting new people come to Christ. God selected me, people come to Christ, through my testimony. I am the only Christian worker in my area. I am focusing a lot of problems, I am facing a lot of problems from my community and the people of the village, but I am not afraid, my God is with me. Many people bring them, in the light of Christ, so I invite them to our prayer meeting with their sick peoples and I pray for them and God heals them and they are very happy to come to Christ and are regularly attending our prayer meeting. By the grace of God every Sunday new people come to Christ.”
He leads a growing prayer meeting in his home, with 45 people gathering each Sunday. As the only Christian leader in his area, he faces regular opposition from his community, yet he continues to share his testimony and pray for others. Many have experienced healing and encouragement through his faithfulness, and they now attend the prayer meeting regularly. Badri shared next how we can be praying for him:
“Please pray for my case and that my children will grow in faith and also have a good education. I would like to reach many more places but I need a good bike. Please also pray for our family and ministry. My ministry is growing with your prayers, support and help.”
Badri asks for prayers for his family, and for a bike to travel for his ministry. Thanks to your support, earlier this year, we were able to provide him with this motorbike! He is working to become self-sufficient through farming to support his work, but this development takes time. We continue to stand with him through the highs and lows of ministry.
Badri’s testimony reminds us of how God is at work through ordinary people in difficult places, and how our prayers and support make a tangible difference. His story is just one of the many we hear from leaders in India. Every day, they are supporting their communities with resilience, faith, and quiet courage. To support missionaries like Badri, you can visit our website www.HarvestBridge.org/Give.
Thank you for listening to the Harvest Bridge podcast. To hear more stories from leaders across South Asia, follow Harvest Bridge on social media and subscribe to our email updates. Thank you for your support as they faithfully do much with little.