Odisha Ministry Training Center
A brief biographies of the Church Planters and Pastors in India of Global India Training Network
Odisha is situated in the eastern part of India as a land of temples, religiosity and spirituality. While the state is also known as Utkal, meaning excellence in arts and sculpture, it is ravaged by famine, drought, repeated cyclones, floods, starvation, fierce Hindu fundamentalism, and Christian persecution. It is one of the poorest states in the country, with 50 percent of the population living below the poverty line. Odisha is the land where Mahatma Gandhi is believed to have taken his vow of poverty. The state has 4.5 million people and there are 53,000 unreached villages. To reach those villages, there is a dire need of raising new leaders and church planters who can go to each of those villages and proclaim the good news of Lord Jesus Christ and establish churches, and transform lives. For this to happen, the TRAINING IS NEEDED. That is why we have been training indigenous pastors, church planters, committed younger leaders and sending them to interior villages. The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few. So we are building a Training Center to train 100’s and 1000’s of pastors, leaders, and church planters. Please find below a brief biographies of some of the church planters and pastors who have been trained by Global India Training Network and have been reaching out to people and planting churches.
PRABHUDAN LUGUN
He was born on October 21, 1974, at Redhakhol in Odisha. He received 2 years of Bible training from Rev. Sindhu Pani during 2010-2012 and graduated in Kolkata, since there was opposition at that time in Odisha 30 Birhor tribe church planters were brought to Kolkata and given graduation. After graduation, he went back to 5 of his Monkey Tribe (Birhor) Tribe people groups who live in the jungles and woods and began to serve, proclaim the Gospel, and planted FIVE CHURCHES with 250 BELIEVERS. Many times he was persecuted, beaten, and put into Jail with false accusations. His motorbike was damaged by the radical Hindus. Later he suffered physical problems because the radical Hindus twisted his neck, and tried to break his legs, hence his backbones are paining now and he is under medication and needs to go for surgery. Just on Christmas Eve (December 24th, 2020) while they were worshiping, Police came with a warrant to appear in court on 8th January. He still needs medical treatment (surgery on his back with a nerve close to his neck). Pray for him and his health and also for the provision. The believers sit under the leaves shade and worship JESUS. They need a proper place to worship the Lord.
PASTOR HANANEEYA PANI
He was born on May 07, 1975, in a remote village called (SERANGO) in Odisha. He went for his theological studies at Kerala, and later with Global India Training Network and graduated in 2009. Since then, he is 6 serving the Lord in different places in North India. He started his ministry with vulnerable children, and slum children, and later into church planting and pastoral ministry. He is a staff member of Global India Training Network and serves in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was humiliated by the fundamentalist Hindus and moved to different rented houses every year. He was harassed by the police, forced to vacate the house, and his three children died in a row due to witchcraft. Yet he did not lose his heart, nor he returned back to Odisha; but remained faithful to his call and commitment and serving the Lord in Kanpur. He has planted 15 house churches in and around the Kanpur area. He is reaching the CHAMAR, DALITS, AND YADAV UPG. He has been praying for a Church Building so that all his believers could gather together from time to time and worship the Savior Jesus. Due to the Caste system, often time new believers who come from Brahmin 7 families or high caste families; even though they receive Jesus, yet to come to someone’s house they don’t feel comfortable with and find other churches (where there is a building), Though the church is not the building, but the believers. But culturally this feeling and sentiment is there. So please pray that God will provide funds to build at least ONE CHURCH BUILDING.
SWARAJIT BISWAS
He was born on January 07, 1975, at Amal Nagar, Tribeni, Hooghly-West Bengal. He hails from a strong Hindu family. Received Christ through literature and forsook his Hindu faith. Also, he was a school teacher ; when he received a call from God, left the job and was working independently. When Sindhu and Minnie came to Serampore in 2006 having received God’s special call from a Seminary, they met Swarajit at a train station and invited him to receive training. After receiving one year training, he has been working as a church planter as well as a pastor among Brahmin Bengali and Kayastha Unreached People Groups. He has planted 10 House churches in Bengal. He was also beaten by his own brothers and neighbors 8 many times. Yet persistently he is serving the Lord and bringing people to Christ. He too was praying for a proper house to worship. His house is small and believers are increasing, the place is not sufficient, and he has been asking Sindhu to buy a piece of land and build a church with a parsonage so that he can stay on campus and run the church; Because his neighbors and his brothers are torturing him time to time. He wants to move from that place once a church is being built in a new place.
NANDULAL HELA
He was born in 1962. His parents migrated to West Bengal from Uttar Pradesh many years ago. His whole family belongs to HELA Community (Hindu Religion). Pastor Swarajit was sent by Sindhu to do door-to-door evangelism. In doing so, Swarajit met with Nandulal Hela who was then Hindu and was suffering from Paralysis (one side). Swarajit informed Pastor Sindhu and both visited and prayed for him. God healed him. Then we began a Bible study and regular visits to his family. Nandulal gave his life to Jesus, and six months later his wife Mrs. Usha Hela believed in Jesus, then eventually three daughters (out of 6 ) received Jesus and were baptized by Pastor Sindhu and a church started in their house. Later other two daughters came to Jesus and then Nandulal’s younger brother Mr. Sam and his wife came to Jesus. Seeing this their sister also came to Jesus and was baptized by Sindhu Pani. God answered prayers and gave a job to Nandulal at the bank. Yet he was challenged and taught by Sindhu, and he and his family were inspired to do weekend ministry in the neighboring villages. Now Nandulal and his family have planted 7 house churches. Every week Sindhu trained him/ them as a family. A new church was planted at Boinchi where more than 200 people came to Christ on October 4, 2020. On December 25th, about 700+ people gathered in a paddy -field in front of a village and heard the Good News of Christ’s coming from Minnie and Sindhu and nearly 350 people gave their lives to Jesus and made a decision to follow Christ alone. The church meets at Nandulal Hella and other places in the area.
PASTOR T. UDHAVA
He was born on 12th March, 1977 at Turla Jharband in Bargarh district of Western Odisha into a Hindu family. Later he accepted Christ and came to SAMBALPUR and received 2 years Bible training from Sindhu Pani and was graduated in Kolkata. Since then he has been serving the Lord faithfully. He has 3 daughters and a son who are studying in high school and colleges. He has planted 20 churches among the Pano, Hadi, Kisan, Teli, Munda, Oraon, Gauda, Chamar, Agriha and Muslim UPGs. He has more than 230 believers. He started his ministry having received the call from God since June 18, 1997. He is a dynamic and multi-talented pastor and leader serving the Lord in most difficult areas. He resides in Sambalpur. He needs a motorbike to reach the most unreached villages and speed up the Gospel in Western Odisha as well as Chattisgarh state.
PASTOR HEMENT KUMAR MEHER
Was born to a Hindu family in Balangir district on 30th April 1990. At the young age, he found Christ and began to follow. As a result his parents kicked him out from the family. Eventually with the help of a local pastor, Hemant went for a Bible training and since then he is serving the Lord in different villages. For the last 15 years he has never seen his parents and his parents did not want him to return totheir house thinking he has changed his religion. Hemant found a suitable life partner who is a daughter of a pastor from Tentulikhunti in Nawarangpur district got married and now living with his wife and 2 kids in Jajpur district of Eastern Odisha. Last year during the worship time in Dalki village 15 to 20 fundamentalists came and mercilessly beaten him, dragged him to the police station and put him in the jail with a false accusation of religious conversion. His news was covered by the TV News and you-tube and face book. But the Lord spoke to the police inspector at the middle of the night to releases him (just like it happened in the book of ACTS); he was released and escorted by the police. But at 3 am the house owner asked him to vacate his house immediately during this time his wife was pregnant for 5 to 6 months. Sindhu and other friends arranged a vehicle for them to escape from the village immediately, while the believers took all his belongings and kept with them. After 10 days of the incident, the leader of the fundamentalist group died suddenly without any road accident, or covid or cardiac arrest… So a fear and terror came upon all the fundamentalists; hence they came to the believers and told : “you do whatever you want to do with your Jesus, we will not interfere anymore.” Having heard this , after one month Hemant returned to the mission field and have planted 7 churches among the HO andMunda UPGS. His believes are increasing daily, and he needs a church building.please pray for the provision of funds.
PASTOR MOHAN HANTAL
Was born in Litiguda Village in Koraput district. He has been serving among the MALI & GADABA UPGs in Kurmaput village and other villages. Minnie and Sindhu went to this village in order to distribute Covid Food Relief and found these people and since then started worshipping in the village. Eventually the small Verandah where believers used to meet for worship, the same house owner gave a small piece of land and requested Sindhu and Minnie to build a church. Hence they have started building a small church. But they don’t have funds to complete this. Yet by faith they laid the foundation. So please pray with them for the provision of God. As you see the Bamboo shade where they used to worship before ; now believers worship with leaves and saris covering. Pray for this UPGs.
PASTOR LALCHAND KULDIP
Was born and raised at Adamunda village. He was the first convert of his village, and later he brought many people to Christ. Another pastor was appointed in his own village, while he moved to other neighbouring villages and reaching out them sharing the Gospel. During Covid 19, Sindhu and Minnie distributed food relief in this villages. At Baunsaguda village, after the distribution of food, the Lord began to speak to four brothers , who willingly donated their piece of land and requested Sindhu and Minnie and build a church. Hence by faith we are building a church , and recently we put the tin roof. But there are works still pending, plastering work , electrical works are yet to be done . Please pray for the needed funds to complete the church and start worship. These are PARJA COMMUNITY, among whom Lalchand is working.