“Every third child in Rajasthan will be an addict in 20 years,” warns a government official from this north Indian state.
India is the only country in the world licensed to grow opium poppies, and three-fourths of its total production is grown in Rajasthan. An estimated 73,000 Rajasthanis work in the state’s 18,000 acres of opium fields, and the current number of drug addicts in the state is estimated at 3.5 million.
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Gospel for Asia’s native missionaries in Rajasthan need wisdom to address this problem. For the poor, growing opium is an easy way to make money, and farming is often all they’ve known. Due to the large amount of money they can make growing opium, this temptation lures many into its trap.
GFA missionaries in the state are taking this matter seriously. They are praying about ways to steer people from opium’s entrapment and help their congregations understand the importance of living pure and holy lives in Jesus.
In Uttaranchal state, GFA Bridge of Hope students and staff protested the use of alcohol and narcotic drugs in their district. Approximately 90 percent of the people in their district rely on making and selling alcohol for their livelihood.
About 80 children and Bridge of Hope staff members walked through several central locations of one town chanting, “We will prevent our fathers from using drugs and alcohol.” Several hundred people witnessed the march, and many said they appreciated their stand against this social evil.
Please pray for wisdom and discernment for Gospel for Asia missionaries in Rajasthan and Uttaranchal as they address the problem of drug and alcohol abuse, and pray that the Lord will use them to draw many to Himself.