October 2025
“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,
His power, and the wonders He has done.” Psalm 78:4
Dear Friends,
There are more children under 18 in India, 472 million, than the entire population of the United States.[1] According to the United Nations, India has the largest adolescent population in the world–253 million.[2] These astounding numbers challenge us to action as we consider the declaration of the Psalmist, “We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, His power, and the wonders He has done.” Although the task is great, IEM is endeavoring to share the Good News of the Gospel to the next generation of Indians.
In January 2023, I made my first visit to a remote village about an hour outside of the capital of Uttar Pradesh (U.P.). Our IEM U.P. Coordinator took me to the Devsingh village, where he and his wife have started a ministry to help dozens of poor children who live there. I was struck by the extreme poverty and lack of housing and education in this region. When we arrived, I witnessed that the children were not in school. He explained to me that these children were not welcome in the public school because they’re from what many in India consider to be the “untouchable” caste. Since that time, they have been sharing with me their vision to start a formal education program for the children of this village.
By God’s grace, I was able to return to Devsingh village the following year, in January 2024. They had developed a program for the village children, teaching them hygiene, manners, and basic reading and writing. They also taught the children Bible stories and Christian songs. It was a thrill to see the impact this program has had, not only on the children, but on their parents as well. They expressed a desire to establish a permanent education center in the village, expanding it to a daily program with additional classes, students and resources. Through prayer and the help of faithful supporters, this month we launched our first education center in the U.P. with 30 children. IEM teachers now hold classes daily and endeavor to build up the children’s basic education and their understanding of the Bible. Please pray that these children, their parents, and the entire village will be blessed by this education center. The insert includes photos from the inauguration of the education center.
This is IEM’s latest effort to fulfill the call of Psalm 78:4. Thank you for partnering with us in training the next generation, and may God richly bless you.
In His Service,
Dayan Mathai