Southwestern Missions Association’s giving project for Fall 2009 focused on the persecuted church in India. The campus family raised $17,882.29, which provided 350 survival packages for Christian refugees forced to abandon their homes for fear of their lives.
Christians in Orissa, India, have been falsely blamed for the death of the local swami and his followers are retaliating against the local church. SAGU’s Fall Missions Convention included a live video feed via Skype in which Chad Germany spoke to two pastors in India, bringing students face to face with the persecuted church.
During the interview, Germany spoke with the Assemblies of God North India Secretary and a local village pastor whose home was burned and was nearly killed. “Pray for us that we will not lose our faith, but will stand strong,” was the only prayer request offered by the homeless village pastor.
Fundraisers included weekly offerings, a kickball tournament sponsored by Bridges Hall, car washes, selling hot dogs, pedicures, and manicures. The motto for the project was “One of Us for One of Them.” SMA also handed out rubber bands to students as reminders of those believers who are suffering.
The money raised by SAGU provided survival packages for these refugees facing terrible hardship. Each package contained a variety of essential items, such as clothes, towels, food and utensils.
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