Introduction / History

Every morning Omika's husband and sons walk to a farmer's field while she joins an army of street sweepers. As a member of the Haddi community, she does her duty as a Dalit sweeper. She trudges to her section of a street. Cars whiz by. Auto-rickshaws putter. Bikes peddle. She walks stooped with her broom, swishing right to left. Clouds of dust rise as trash collects in a pile. She drags a large metal drum next to the garbage and deposits the sweepings into it. All morning long, six days a week, she repeats this routine.

As long as anyone can remember, Dalits have been consigned to jobs like street sweeping and leather work. But a change is coming for the Haddis. Omika has heard of a distant relative who has put her faith in Jesus. Both fear and curiosity stir within her. She fears leaving the Hindu religion of her ancestors. Trapped in a system of servitude, how can she abandon the ancestral way? Still, followers of Christ speak of equal acceptance and forgiveness. Can she risk exploring this foreign-sounding religion?

Prayer Points

* Pray that the Holy Spirit will give courage to thousands of Haddis who seek a better way of life.
* Pray that Indian believers will demonstrate that following Christ is not a foreign religion but an international faith.