Story number 3 for 29 Mar 2002

(India) — It’s been more than a year since the major earthquake struck Gujarat, India, but Christians continue to help them recover. FARMS International‘s Joe Richter says the recent Hindu-Muslim violence didn’t stop their work, but it’s frightened many. “Because many Christians come from Muslim backgrounds, their names would indicate that they are Muslim and thus they are also facing the wrath of these radical groups. Even though Muslims are the primary targets, the minority groups like Christians also sometimes have died.” FARMS empowers the church to help families out of poverty with low interest loans, technical support, and Biblical instruction, which Richter says it’s key to evangelism. “We believe that the local church is the real instrument for evangelism and when that is strengthened through their members tithing and giving, that’s the real instrument that God uses to reach out to the local community.” Funding is needed to help support more programs.