This week marks the start of our RHEMA Institutes in Siliguri and Goa. We started classes last week in Siliguri and started classes in Goa this week. The students are excited and they are in for tremendous time of learning, making new connections, and maturing in their pastoral readiness.
The Siliguri group was immediately met with challenges this year due to the tribal conflict in Manipur. We usually get a large number of students from Manipur state, but this year the student there could not leave their families. Many of the people there are still living in shelters due to their homes being burned to the ground. In May, a huge conflict erupted between two of the largest tribes there. Violence was the daily routine for several weeks and now the communities are wrecked and peoples’ homes have been ruined.
Our Goa Institute started this week. We’ve been blessed to house the students and host the teaching in a Christian-owned hotel. The students and teachers are safe and the environment is set up for a great learning experience.
We have a great group of teachers this year. We are back to having the US-based teachers return to India without any travel restrictions.
We will train close to 80 students this year from these institutes.
Our first teachers are Pastors Randy Eaton and James Blankenship. These guys are part of an amazing line up of great teachers who are investing in these new pastors of India.
Please pray for our students, our teachers, and our leadership team for the next 8 weeks for these institutes.