by Jim Waldron
INDIA (BNc) — India has 1.2 billion people with many massive cities, but the greatest numbers of people live in villages. Thus, after many years of having students come to central locations to learn the word, two years ago Don Iverson and I began using brothers who had graduated from the three-year regular schools to teach in night schools in the villages.
In the town of Arakonam I handed out certificates Apr. 15 to 63 brothers who have completed two years of Bible studies in evening schools in 17 different villages (photo). G. Stephenson works with the 17 teachers in this program.
I passed out certificates for evening Bible class students in Chennai, on Saturday, Apr. 16. There were 52 of them also representing 17 villages. James Raj Kumar works with the 17 brothers who teach in these night schools.
We pay no wages to the teachers or support to the students, but we do provide a meal like beans and rice each evening and funds (a little over $70) at the end of the year to buy a bicycle, sewing machine or other needed item.
On Friday the 22nd J. W. Samson drove our little Omni Suzuki from Dindigul to the town of Valliyode in Kerala, the small state west of Tamil Nadu. There we enjoyed the hospitality of Thampy Abraham and his wife Leelama. The food was good and I enjoyed an air’conditioned room in which to sleep.
The next day I preached, with brother Thampy translating, and handed out diplomas to the 18 graduates who had completed three years of training. About 300 were present.
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