I spent many years working in this area of India back in the late 60's and 70's. It is a place that's dear to my heart. The troubles that Chhattisgarh has been experiencing over these past decades with the Maoists / Naxalites has been most distressing for me to read about. I often wonder what has happened to those who became such dear friends. There was no postal service when I was there, nor in the the years following so I have been unable to keep abreast of their lives; and, I don't even know if they are still alive. All I can do is pray for them, and trust them into God's loving care.
Now these dear people are yet again being hit with disease and sickness. One a my precious language helpers died from cerebral malaria when he was about 20. It was an awful thing. One minute a joyous young man in the prime of his manhood, and the next gone with that dreadful disease.
It all comes back to me as I read this piece of news from the area.
I went to Bastar District in order to do language research in preparation for Bible translation. I, and my colleague, was able to make significant headway in language learning and analysis. Sadly, our work was cut short and we had to leave. I was only able to translate a small portion from the life of Christ. I left copies of this with those who'd been helping me. I don't know what impact it may have had in their lives. They were very attracted to Jesus because he had power over nature and over demons. This impressed them very much. God alone knows what their heart response to Jesus was. It's a grief that I've had to hand over and leave with God. He is more than well able to sort all these things out.
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