FEEDING FRIENDSHIPS

Meals are an important part of building relationships among the Hindu population in Panama. 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 (India) shared that Hindus celebrate Christmas among their faith’s many other festivals, but this openness gives the opportunity for Jesus followers to share the importance of Christmas with their Hindu neighbours. 

“We share the gospel to 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

Sharing a meal has also 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 invite these Indian families to the pastor’s house and we eat with them and we sing songs and we share stories, and we show Jesus movies,” he said. Around the meal table the pastor is getting to know this community and learning how to reach them with the gospel.

Shibu and his family enjoy eating out at Indian restaurants in Panama City as well, 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 in 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 talk'. He sat down for almost one hour whilst talking, 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."