India is located in southern Asia, bordering the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal.  The countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burma, China, Nepal and Pakistan border it.  The total land area is slightly more than one-third the size of the USA.  The population of India was estimated in July 2004 as being nearly 1.1 billion and encompassing 1/3 of the land mass of the USA.  India gained its independence on August 15, 1947.  To learn more about India, please read the India Country Fact Sheet.

Banjara Tribal Ministries (BTM) works exclusively among the Banjara, a tribe of 32 million gypsies spread over many states in India.  The Banjara are one of the least evangelized and most neglected people groups in the world.  Most Banjaras live in abject poverty, with the adult literacy rate at a staggering 88%.  Less than 1% of the population is Christian.  Considered "untouchables," the bottom of the caste system, most live in remote rural villages or city slums, finding only menial labor open to them.

Into this seemingly hopeless situation God raised up Christopher and Rambai Boda.  Christopher and Rambai are actively reaching their people through an orphanage of 1900+ children, a Bible School, missionaries & churches and a Nursing School.

BTM desires to develop five campuses and care for 5,000 children.  These children are saved from the horrifying streets of India where child sacrifices to the Hindu gods are conducted, children are sold into slave labor and used for prostitution and pornography.  The children at BTM receive an education and learn about the saving grace of our Heavenly Father.

Jesus said, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field" (Matthew 9:37-38).  The Boda's have claimed these verses and trust God for co-laborers.  BTM established a Bible Institute to further educate and train their people for this vast harvest.  Over 200 have already graduated and are working in the fields of India.  Through your support more Banjaras can be trained through the BTM Bible Institute to spread the gospel message to millions!  A bible student can be sponsored for only $32 per month, or $384 for one year.  Learn more about sponsoring a bible student at BTM.

Graduates of the BTM Bible Institute become "missionaries" and have moved out into the numerous villages to establish churches.  In many of these villages the gospel has never been preached.  These missionaries are committed to taking the truths of God's Word to these areas and discipling believers.  They have dedicated their lives to this cause with or without funds to meet their needs.  They are trusting God to faithfully supply each day.

Presently, God has used these faithful workers to establish 72 churches among the Banjara people with over 40,000 believers and growing daily.  We praise the Lord that these captives have been set free from the bondage of darkness!  BTM's goal, in partnership with Keys Ministries, is to find financial support for a married missionary couple at $53 per month, or a single missionary at $32 per month.  Learn more about sponsoring a missionary through BTM.

[Estimated that 600,000 villages in India not reached.]