August 7, 2011
First a note of correction: in a previous post I told you that the Patriarch of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Kerala was located in Antioch. That is incorrect. There is a Syrian Orthodox Patriarch in Antioch but he is not in communion with the Syrian Orthodox Church in Kerala. Church in Kerala claims to predate the in Antioch and their Patriarch is in Damascus.
Yesterday we visited the office of NCDHR (National Campaign On Dalit Human Rights) and saw first hand the hard work they are doing on behalf of the Dalit people. The NCDHR work in the economic, political, and social areas that affect the Dalit people. The Indian Parliament has over the decades and years passed laws that provided an allotment of funds to the needs of Dalits. However, the money is siphoned off through bureaucratic corruption. Tracing back the budgetary allotment to see whether the funs were ever distributed and then raising these issues with the parliament and in court is just one of the many ways NCDHR is working systemically to support the Dalits. They also do training on women's rights, help in the protection and rescue of minors, help promote education, and do intervention work when the Dalits have no support from the police or local government bodies.
The Wesley delegation visited three Dalit communities, one of which I will describe to you. The Dalit community is best described as a shanty town but they still have created an infrastructure to support basic needs: access to shelter, electrical lines, toilets, water, and security. The location of this Dalit community was a Cricket field width away from a very upscale residential area. One evening the police established a barrier around their community and would not let them return to their homes that evening. The reason given was that an official was coming to speak to them about human rights. So they had to stay outside all night and could not get to the belongings, etc. The next day the government and police bulldozed the homes, electric lines, plumbing, and all their possessions. Everything the had was gone. Many lost jobs because they had to take time off to try and restore some kind of shelter and belongings for themselves and their children. This is just one of many examples how Dalits suffer in Deli. There is still such a strong social and cultural stigma attached to the Dalit people that pro-Dalit legislation has had little effect. Another area of great prejudice and often violence against the Dalits is when there is a cross-Caste marriage or intent to marry.
I find a strong parallel between what the Dalit endures in social, economic, political, and religious oppression and the suffering of African Americans and other people of color and ethnicity in America’s past and present.
At times it feels like what we are doing here is so little as to be harmful rather than helpful. But we have been told many times that just our presence and our prayers of hope for the Dalits and those working with and for them is a great boon. It says that they matter and that there are those who care and want to find ways of supporting and proclaiming the good news of Christ to all Dalits, the Dalit Hindu, the Dalit Muslim, and the Dalit Christians.
It is also important that our presence not be misconstrued as meant to convert non-Christian Dalits to Christianity. Rather, our work here is an act of discipleship--living out our faith and commandment to love God and neighbor by lifting up those in need. To do so immediately differentiates us from many other Christian groups whose sole purpose is to achieve converts. Religions that seek converts are held suspect in India. This suspicion is so strong that legislation has been passed to make it illegal to evangelize in India. Hinduism is not a proselytizing religion. Christianity and Islam are. Nationalist Hindus fear that the conversion of Hindus to Christianity or Islam will eventually destroy India’s identity by deconstructing the Caste system, India will no longer be India. We hear similar nationalist rhetoric in America to foment similar fear: "what will happen when those groups now in the minority become the majority, etc?"
Would a larger percentage of Christians change India so dramatically that India will no longer be India? I don't know. If you change the Caste system, I guess you will change India. When America finally made slavery and Jim Crow laws illegal, America changed and for the better. Maybe India needs to change? But all the “what ifs” and “buts” cannot be answered. What we do know is that we are called to do what we can and God has opened this door for us to be faithful. We’ve walked through the door and are walking in faith that God will proved a way for the good news to be known.
Pray for us that our work is truly bringing good news to and bearing fruit that lasts for the people of India, all of India's people.
Blessings,
Perry
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