The Hindu community in Panama share stories and build friendships over food. OM workers are inviting them to share Christmas meals and learn more about Jesus as they eat.
Meals are an important part of building relationships among the Hindu population in Panama, explained OM team member Shibu (India). Whether it’s in a restaurant, over a cup of chai or at a festival, time spent around the table leads to fellowship and conversation.
Shibu shared that Hindus celebrate Christmas in addition to their faith’s many other festivals, which creates an opportunity for Jesus followers to share about the meaning of Christmas.
“We share the gospel with so many families every Christmas,” he said. “We invite our Hindu neighbours to our Christmas programmes, we share different activities and food with them, and that way it's like a very slow friendship type of ministry.”
Meeting over a meal
In Panama, sharing a meal has proved a popular way of helping churches reach out to their local Indian communities. In the province of Herrera, a pastor asked for Shibu’s help to share the gospel with the many Gujarati Indians living nearby.
Shibu responded by cooking an Indian meal.
"We invited Indian families to the pastor’s house, and we ate with them, and we sang songs, and we shared stories, and we showed Jesus movies,” he said. Around the table, the pastor got to know people from the community and learnt how to reach them with the gospel.
Shibu and his family also enjoy eating out at Indian restaurants in Panama City, where they can catch up with friends.
"A few weeks ago my family went to Indian restaurant and we met with the families there,” he said. “The daughter had a baby, just about two months old, and they are so happy. We were able to talk, and the father brought the baby out into the restaurant and sat with us as we were drinking our tea.
“Usually we have to pay for the tea, but he said ‘no, no, no, I'm going to give you tea free. So let's have a talk'. He sat down for almost one hour talking and sharing about his business and his family. This is what I get joy about, when Indian people, Hindu people, sit with us and talk and share."