Summary Through Today
Well, a lot has happened in the past 15 years. Let me give it to you in bullet points:
Awor and Jeff became experts in Bible story telling and trained people throughout India how to do the same
Jeff moved back to the States from India in 2013, leaving Awor to continue the ministry. He visited in 2013 and 2015.
Jeff started looking at a return trip in 2019 and then Covid happened and India shut down travel.
In the ensuing years, Awor learned and grew in his ministry and became a recognized expert in cross-cultural ministry, disciple making movements and discovery Bible studies.
In 2021 Jeff started talking with Awor about a return visit and what would be the best allocation of resources. Awor talked about his desire for Jeff to bring a team to coach people in disciple making movements. After much discussion and prayer, Awor brought Jeff into discussions with the leadership of STNBA about partnering together to help them with reaching the Pangan people - also known as Meitei Muslims - an unreached people group that has villages throughout Manipur in close proximity to many of the churches that are part of STNBA.
In 2022, Jeff and Awor worked out a potential agreement with Collaborative Development International and the Southern Tangkhul Naga Baptist Association with Plans for it to be formalized in 2023. This partnership would be made up of:
The STNBA provides prayer support, people to serve, oversight and management with the goal of creating disciple making insider movements among the Pangan People
Awor provides consulting, training, coaching and oversight.
CDI provides coaching, encouragement and funding.
Jeff helping to raise partners for CDI for prayer, funding and encouragement
Awor and Jeff reunited in 2023 after 6 years.
In March of 2023, Jeff and his wife, Trish (and their granddaughter) traveled to India and finalized the agreement between CDI and STNBA for establishing a pioneering work to create an insider movement among the Pangan people. The plan is for this insider movement to a disiciple making movement through the method of discovery Bible studies. (You can read about Insider Movements here and Discovery Bible Studies here. )
