PerspectivesReaching Bangladesh and Tripura
John Duroe
My wife, Irene, and I have spent 18 years working in Asia. Now retired, I was asked by Gospel Outreach to be the regional director for Bangladesh and the northeast section of India. Most of our Indian work is centered in the third-smallest state, Tripura, with a population of only 3 million. It’s a hilly, underdeveloped state covered with forest. In this small area there are over 16 main linguistic groups, making communication difficult.
We have 20 Gospel Outreach workers in Tripura. The population is 90 percent Muslim and 9.2 percent Hindu. Only 0.3 percent are Christian. A strong animist influence exists everywhere, so people are always afraid of evil spirits. Tripura became one of India’s 36 states when the last king of Tripura died and his queen gave the country to India.
Bangladesh (East Bengal and part of India until 1947) is one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Thirty percent of the country floods every year. The water is contaminated with arsenic, exposing 77 million people to toxic water. Flooding enriches the soil and makes it good for farming. Two-thirds of the population are involved in agriculture. With three crops a year, Bangladesh is one of the world’s top exporters of rice. The country is also the world’s second-highest exporter of ready-made clothing.
Twelfth-century Muslim traders brought Islam to Bangladesh, and although the country is predominantly Muslim, it has shown openness to other religions.
Your generous donations are now helping to support 100 Gospel Outreach workers in Bangladesh.
Thank you for your financial and prayer support for our 120 frontline Bible workers in Tripura and Bangladesh.
