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Meanwhile lets just say that we are proud South Asian Concern contributed a whooping 71 entries.
The church in Nepal is now said to be one of the fastest growing churches in the world. When Friends of Nepal did a survey c1958 they found six Nepali speaking believers Now there are estimated to be over two million. This growth is mainly due to Nepali believers speaking to their own people rather […]
I remember praying for someone at the end of a Naujavan event, right after preaching on asking for more of God. This person didn’t share their need and I didn’t feel it was right to ask, so we prayed for more of the Holy Spirit and that was that. Two weeks later I bumped into […]
Sugandh has worked among some of the most deprived communities in New Delhi, India for almost 20 years. Led by Mrs Thangtei David, the team is wholly committed to two slum and resettlement communities spearheading child development, women’s self-help groups and community empowerment. Staff in both its child development centres focus on supporting children; to […]
It is important in our discovery of interfaith engagement to remember that we begin with a shared story and this is no better illustrated than in the story of bread.
We are delighted to announce the success of South Asian Concern’s 5:17 Prayer Day on Saturday 7th May. The event, which took place at King’s Cross Baptist Church in central London, brought in nearly 60 of our supporters who were all keen to pray! Named after Paul’s encouragement to the church in Thessalonica to “pray […]
After several months of planning and prayer it was such a joy to host 46 women (wives of pastors and church planters) from the surrounding districts, for two days of worshipping, teaching, praying, playing and eating! Two ladies came from a remote mountainous area more than ten hours by jeep and bus, while others were […]
On 28th March 2016 Kachhwa Christian Hospital Transformational Ministries (KTM) observed World TB Day. The event was organised by KTM’s Community Health and Development Team with a special rally to bring awareness of TB to the community in Kachhwa Town and nearby villages. Mrs Sabila Begam, Chairman of Kachhwa Town Municipality, was chief guest. She […]
The Sanskrit word Satsang literally means ‘gathering together (sang) for the truth (sat)’ and, although Satsangs are popular among Hindus and people of South Asian origin, they can also be an expression of Christian spirituality. One Tuesday evening a group of around 50 people gathered at London School of Theology to take part in a […]
How do you fit four into one? That’s the challenge facing us at St James’ Alperton (North London). In an area with a majority of Hindu Gujarati people and a large number of Tamil people, St James has four services each Sunday: two in English, one in Tamil and one in Hindi, Urdu and […]
At the end of last year, Suneel Shivdasani, one of SAC’s trustees, attended a Pakistan prayer summit. Suneel comes from a Hindu background. Why did you make the trip? I went to Pakistan to pray for Sindhis and those working amongst them. It was a four day prayer summit and 58 people attended including 11 […]
Fresh from selling over 7500 copies of his last album ‘Nachoonga’ worldwide, internationally celebrated Indian singer-songwriter, musician and producer Sheldon Bangera is back with new album ‘Raaja Hai Mahaan.’ ‘Raaja Hai Mahaan’ documents both Sheldon’s personal spiritual life and also that of the Indian church in 2015. Sheldon says, “This album is a reflection of […]
After Jesus’ resurrection, when He walked with those two disciples on the WAY to Emmaus, Luke tells us that ‘beginning with Moses….he explained to them everything that was said in all the scriptures about himself.’ When I visited the Alliance Project in Lucknow in 2014 I had intended to emulate this but only got as […]
We were reminded how much our prayers matter several times at the annual Prayer Fellowship for South Asia conference. The weekend programme took us country by country around South Asia and its people. After some introductory information we set to prayer, usually as one group. ‘Incessant’ may be the best way to describe our prayer […]
Last weekend over 100 supporters joined staff and Trustees at King’s Cross Baptist Church for the South Asian Concern Celebration marking 25 years since the charity’s formation. The afternoon was opened by SAC Director Kevin Wren who introduced Rachel Chandrasekaran who led the congregation in worship. Rachel is part of the Tamil Fellowship which meets at […]
Our Director, Kevin Wren, recently met up with Andy Peck of The Leadership File to be interviewed about South Asian Concern. If you missed their conversation when it was broadcast on Premier Radio grab a cup of coffee, settle down in your favourite chair and click here. The programme lasts for half an hour. Enjoy […]
By Robin Thomson ‘Immigration’ may be the dirtiest word in British politics today. Whether it’s the crowds in Calais, risking death in the tunnel, the bedraggled families camping in Athens, or just the prospect of strangers taking our jobs and our culture, our politicians compete with each other in alarm and distaste. Even those who […]
It is very difficult for people living in poverty to save money and what little they have is often kept at home where it might be stolen or destroyed by fire. Setting up women’s saving groups is just one way that Sugandh work with those living in Delhi’s slums. Last Sunday I spent an enjoyable […]
Manoj Raithatha had it all. A booming property business, a picture-book family and the power to shape his destiny. His was a life to envy. Then his professional and personal worlds were shattered. The 2008 financial crisis devastated his business and a sudden illness threatened his son’s life. With his hollow foundations exposed, Manoj found […]
Already being seen by many as a nation changing movement, my wife Celia and I were privileged to be part of the second United Christian Prayer for India summit which was held in Hyderabad in June 2015. Amongst the 780 delegates from over 50 church denominations were Archbishop Vincent Concessao from Delhi (representing the mainstream […]
After being in Sutton for the last 25 years, SAC’s office is on the move. We are excited to be taking up residence in offices owned by King’s Cross Baptist Church, in central London, just a 10 minute walk from King’s Cross railway and tube station. This will mean a far more central location, making […]
By Robin Thomson Parliament is stalled as the opposition demands statements over ‘Hindu conversions’. Twitter is full of attacks on ‘Christian conversions’. The BJP has called for laws to prevent ‘forced conversions’. What is going on? Conversion has always been sensitive. Changing one’s faith, in any direction, can be deeply unsettling and disruptive, both for […]
By Deepak Mahtani The tragic and brutal attack yesterday in Peshawar is yet another stark reminder of the fragile world in which we live. We express our heartfelt sympathies to the nation of Pakistan and especially to the families of those who have lost loved ones. The world community needs to stand with Pakistan as […]
Given our involvement with healthcare through our friends and partners in India, we are sharing this article from Civil Society Online. The interview gives real insight into the challenges small hospitals face. Privatised healthcare is increasingly seen in India as a good business to be in. Its success is measured in terms of the return on […]
Sunday morning and I wasn’t in church. Instead I was asked to share in a seminar at the Jain Centre in North London, along with our Jain hosts, local dignitaries and leaders of various faith communities, including Humanists. The topic was ‘Respect for Life’. This is of course a key principle of Jainism, but each […]
A young Pakistani Christian couple were beaten by a mob and incinerated in eastern Punjab last week after being accused of ‘blasphemy’. Shahzad and Shamma were both in their mid-twenties. They lived in the Christian village of Clarkabad, before moving to Chak 59 village in search of work. They leave behind three children aged 18 months, 4 years and 6 years old. […]
Has anything changed since four young men killed themselves and 52 others in London nine years ago? Yes and No. In one sense, 7/7 changed everything for the Muslim community in Britain: an increasing feeling of pressure, issues of identity, choices to be made. The overwhelming majority rejected violence and continued to grow as an […]
On 10th March, Hindus celebrated Maha Shivratri – the night of worship to Shiva. In Hinduism, Shiva is believed to have the power to create and destroy. There is a story that says the energy of his dance created the world, keeps it going and will one day destroy it. Then he will start to […]
The account of the first Easter, nearly 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem, has its fair share of characters. It is a ‘no brainer’ that Judas Iscariot is the ‘Bad Guy’ – committing perjury and betraying his guru and master, Jesus, for just thirty silver coins. Perhaps this was several months’ wages, but hardly the cost […]
Last year it was 400. This year it has already reached 200. Last Sunday a bomb ripped through Karachi killing nearly 40 Shia Muslims, injuring 200. Already this year, over 200 Shias have been killed by bombs in Pakistan. In February, Dr Syed Ali Haider and his 11 year old son were killed while driving […]
Last week, millions of devout Hindus made their pilgrimage to the Kumbh Mela, keen to wash their sins away and receive forgiveness and redemption, striving to gain these somehow. Also last week, I went to see Les Miserables. Having seen the play a few years ago, the film just added to my appreciation of the […]
As February rolls in, most men find a strange tightness in their bellies. This ‘love month’ arrives in full force as shops get coated pink and heart shaped chocolates are everywhere. Radios blare love songs; romantic movies are on TV. Love is truly in the air waves! The difference between men and women comes into […]
