Kari Wynn*

DHAKA, Bangladesh (BP)--When God called Troy and Marj Bennett to serve in Bangladesh 50 years ago, no other Southern Baptist missionaries were there to welcome them. All that awaited them were millions of people in need of Jesus' love.

DELHI, India (BP)--"There is but one god. True is his name, creative his personality and immortal his form. He is without fear, sans enmity, unborn and self-illumined."       This plausibly may sound like worship of the God of Christianity, but then comes these words: "By the Guru's grace he is obtained."       Drawn from the "Guru Granth Sahib" –- the book which Sikhs consider the holy and inspired words of their gurus -- this passage is recited regularly by devout Sikhs, and they sing it aloud at their gurdwaras, or temples.

DELHI, India (BP)--Within the large halls of the gurdwara, the congregation stands or sits together with heads covered and feet bare. Their hands are folded in prayer. They face the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures, and listen as one member recites the congregational prayers. Every so often, they murmur together in Punjabi "Waheguru," or "Wonderful lord."

PATNA, India (BP)--The Ganges River, swollen with raging floodwater, sweeps indiscriminately south through the villages and harvest fields of northern Bihar. Grazing land for cattle, fields of rice and wheat and lively Indian villages now are indistinguishable under an expanse of swiftly moving water.

PATNA, India (BP)--Waiting anxiously for relief packets that would keep their families alive another few days, famished villagers braved swiftly moving, chest-high water to crowd around the small wooden boat.

DELHI (BP)--After more than 200 years of British rule, India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, hoisted the Indian flag at midnight Aug. 15, 1947. The struggle for independence, which had lasted nearly 30 years, was over.

DELHI (BP)–Every year, a swash of orange, white and green spans the nation of India on the anniversary of its independence from Britain. The Indian flag is a central part in each year’s Independence Day celebrations. “Flags are everywhere, on bikes, in schools, in shops,” said Muida*, a language teacher in southern India. “Everyone has […]

NEW DELHI (BP)--As Hindu neighbors outside celebrated the birthday of the Hindu god Ram with haphazard gunshots into the air and a show of swordplay in the streets, joyful greetings of "Jai Masih" -- "victory to the Messiah" -- rang out freely inside.       Those inside the meeting place had every reason to celebrate. For the first time, the three-day conference had united 70 believers from among India's Yadav people group; most had traveled great distances, some as many as 10 to 15 hours by train, to take part.       Numbering about 54 million throughout India, Nepal and Bangladesh, the Yadavs are one of India's largest people groups. Also known as the Ahir people, they originated as an occupational caste and speak four major languages, conference planner Elvin Trueb* explained.

DHAKA, Bangladesh (BP)--Through unending rice fields in northern Bangladesh, a group of Christians -– Bangladeshi, American and Kenyan -- walked from village to village to share the Good News.       "I think it is good for mixed-culture groups to go out," South Carolina volunteer Betty Schneider, 69, said. "The people we visit can see friendship between our different cultures. When they witness [divergent cultures] coming together, they can better see the love of Jesus because they can see the love between us."

DHAKA, Bangladesh (BP)–Throughout the capital city of Bangladesh, the call to prayer perforates Dhaka’s early morning air, spilling out from the tops of mosques, a reminder that prayer is better than sleep. Although Bangladesh, a country about the size of Arkansas, is considered a moderate Muslim nation, the influence of Islamic teachers is significant, especially […]