Chenna Dasar in India

The Chenna Dasar live difficult, painful lives as beggars in southern India. They are dedicated to Lord Venkateshwara, the god of Tirupati, a city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. A temple dedicated to him attracts scores of Hindu pilgrims. The Chenna Dasars revere the god Hanuman, the half-human, half-monkey god, and the goddess of devotion, Yellamma. They also venerate and pray to their ancestors. Fortunately, some Chenna Dasars have escaped begging and have been able to develop enough skills to work as agricultural laborers to earn wages. While not vegetarians, they avoid eating beef and pork. They have arranged marriages that take place between different clans. A groom pays a bride price to the bride's family for the loss of earning potential that the family will incur.

Ministry Obstacles
The most serious obstacle would be attachment to Hindu gods, who offer no personal relationship, no personal forgiveness of sins, and tie them into begging and devotion, with nothing given in return. There are no known followers of Jesus among the Chenna Dasar.

Scripture Focus
"Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent."  Revelation 2:5

Scripture Prayer
Pray for this people group to repent and to make Jesus Christ the first love of their lives.

Prayer Focus
Pray for workers sent out by the Holy Spirit to tell the Chenna Dasar about Jesus and how to have a relationship with a personal God, who offers forgiveness – a God who doesn't require his children to beg. Pray for these people to develop economic opportunities. Pray for faithful believers to equip them with the skills to work and live independently.

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