Bless Ministries Messiah Gospel Church
B. R. Ambedkar Colony
Cherlapally, India
I am Bukya Veeranna Paul. My wife and I have two beautiful children and together are the Pastor family of the Bless Ministries Messiah Gospel Church in the B.R. Ambedkar Colony of Cherlapally, India.
We have a specific ministry to the native gypsy tribes of our region.
This unique ministry exclusively reaches the millions of tribal gypsies that live in Banjara, India. There are 35 Million people that live in Banjara and they all speak one language. The Banjara Tribal gypsies are one of the least evangelized and least helped people around in the world. Adult illiteracy is at a staggering 90% among our people. Most Banjaras live in unimaginable poverty either in remote rural villages or city slums. They are regarded in their culture as much lower than animals and are considered as dung, scum, or garbage. In fact, the name given to them is untouchables.
Thousands are slaves to the land and factory owners. Even though slavery has been illegal for over 30 years they are still practicing it to make money by capturing orphans and some will sell their children to make money. New born babies are sold to those who use babies for Hindu sacrifices. It is among this very culture, God chose, called, raised up and equipped two very special Banjara people to help and reach their very own Tribal group with the gospel. We are Bukya Veeranna and Ramana.
From my childhood I grew up among innumerable superstitious belief of the Banjara Tribes until God called me and saved me in 1992. My family as a child consist of me, three brothers, and one sister. My brothers each died at the ages of 5, 7 and 10 because of diseases and poor medical facilities, while my sister and I remained save. Our family lived in darkness with my father being a drunkard and my mother a chain smoker and pagan worshiper. She was possess of the devil working enchantments and fortune telling. As a child my parents enrolled me in the Christian school, believing it would give me a good education. Though I was a hater of idol worship, I felt uncomfortable in the Christian school bec