Unreached People
The Raute
People
Raute (pronounced as rah-u-t-e) people are a nomadic people living in the Himalaya mountain area in Nepal. There are over 600 Rautes living in Nepal, maintaining their traditional way of life. They do not stay in one place more than a few months. They are hunter-gatherers. They do not grow any agricultural crops. Nor do they herd livestock. Their main sources of living are wooden utensils they carve, forest tubers, fruits, and greens they gather. They trade these products for grain (rice), cloth, and other necessities. They refuse to assimilate to the surrounding farming population, but continue their traditional nomadic and hunter-gathering lifestyle.
Action Plan
Giving Heart has been in contact with a local Nepali pastor, who made a visit to the tribe. It will be challenging to establish a church for the community, for they constantly move from place to place. But we have learned that they accept gifts, provisions and money. Some charitable provisions may help open their hearts and the message of Christ. Giving Heart will work with the pastor to reach out to this unreached people.
Marginalized People
The Badi
People
Badi people in Nepal are a group of people placed at the bottom of Nepal's caste system, Dalit. Even within the bottom caste hierarchy, they are at the bottom position. Badis are given an infamous label of 'untouchables of the untouchable.' They are socially and economically marginalized. There are about 4,000 Badis in Nepal. Despite efforts by the Nepali government, Badis are discriminated, stigmatized, and harrassed. Widespread poverty has driven the male population to leave their communities for jobs in India and cities in Nepal, and more than 6% of women and girls to prostitution. High numbers of HIV/AIDS patients are reported within the Badi communities.
Action Plan
A Nepali church made efforts to evangelize the people and visited a village. They led at least one family to receive Jesus recently. The church has a plan to continue the evangelism efforts and establish a church. The village is located in a mountain slope. Every year the villagers suffer from landslides. The church reports that many houses are not covered with solid roofs. Giving Heart is in talks with the church pastor and in preparation to participate in the church's efforts to plant a church in the community.
