Women Training:Women are very vital in evangelism and church planting. For many years, Banjara women were neglected and are not recognized. In the past few years we are seeing a tremendous difference in the mission field.
To dispel ignorance among women, programs are conducted to enrich their knowledge not only for their spiritual growth but also to further improve their social and economic status. To achieve this, leaders create awareness about their own lives, as well as the lives of the other members in the family. Most of them do not have any access to education. Banjaras adults are addicted with alcohol and die at a very young age. Women are most neglected and suppressed in the Banjara community. BBPT is working hard in bringing the holistic transformation among the Banjara women. Since, the ministry started working with the women leaders we are experiencing a tremendous outcomes. We are encouraged to work more among women, and we believe they have more potential in reaching the Banjara community with the Gospel.
Our women leadership team is blessed with the gift of connecting with the women as they come from the same background and have faced the same set of problems before knowing the Lord. They know the insecurities tribal women are facing in their lives. They are trained to teach them in their own language and in the methods they can understand and know how to bring them to the Lord. Additionally, our team leaders are qualified master trainers in orality-based teaching. The Banjaras are natural evangelists and many other people groups have been impacted by their outreach and church planting efforts.
This year, we conducted the Women Leaders training in three centers! Women Church Planters took the complete responsibility in organizing the trainings. In these trainings, 129 women participated. Through this training, we are confident that women will take the training seriously and help the church grow in their respective areas.
Sewing Training:The Banjaras are economically backward. To increase their economic status for better living conditions, and lifestyle improvement, BBPT conducts vocational training programs like sewing, embroidery, and dress making etc. They are also being encouraged to accept and implement the Self-Help group concept.
Generally the women folk earn their livelihood mainly by doing agriculture, labor or beedi manufacturing. But they cannot sustain fully on these occupations. Banjaras are gifted in the art of stitching. As part of the self-help program, BBPT conducted sewing training for 30 women this year in Amangal Thanda, Warangal District and Rampuram Thanda, Nalgonda District. This training was for six months. During the course, women trainees learn how to use the sewing machine and learnt stitching. They are also taught songs, bible stories to build prayer life to witness the community.
This training will help them to be self-employed and generate income to maintain their families. In the six months along with the sewing training the trainees got an opportunity to hear the word of God and grow in the Christian faith.
Christmas Help to Widows: 500 widows of 10 villages were helped during the Christmas season, These widows have lost their husband’s due to the addiction of alcohol.