VISION: REACHING INDIAN TRIBES WITH TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST IN THEIR OWN HEART LANGUAGES
Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every
word…Math:4:4
In India, the latest figures tell us about 51 million of the
population are Scheduled Tribes. It is nearly 7.76% of the
India’s total population. They do differ in racially and
linguistically among themselves. They are the most neglected
and economically backward people and most receptive groups for
Gospel in India.
We are a group of Christian missionaries have started a
Mission organization called “Bible translation and literacy
for Indian Tribals Trust – in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu
south india .Later it was moved to Coimbatore by God’s will.
After wider survey and field works and after gaining much
knowledge about the people groups and their culture in the
past five years, we are prayerfully sending evangelists into
of these un-reached communities.
These fore-runner missionaries are either a social worker,
vocational teacher or an Evangelist who depend upon the
opening that exist in the people group. Missionary and
Director Bro. W. Ebenezer Udayakumar was separated and led by
God to work as a social worker and ordained pastor and while
working, among a Tribal group of Tamilnadu, God gave him the
vision to become a channel to the multitudes by way of giving
the word of God in their own tongue. so that God would speak
to every one of them with His words which is life and Spirit.
BIT-LIT Strategy
God is leading us in the ministry step by step, now we are the
leaders of Bit-Lit Ministries which is working among Tribal
People of South India namely Irulas and other three Tribes of
the same Hill Area. We are doing the ministry of strategic
co-ordination for Church Planting along with Bible Translation
among Irulas and Church Planting among Badagas ,Todas, Kurmbas
,Kadar and Paniyas now and wish to continue in every possible
tribal people group of India according to His leading and
purpose.
There are 24 Missionaries working in BIT-LIT at present.We
have HOME Group leaders,Irula Evangelists,Badaga
Evangelists,Toda Evangelists,Literacy workers,
Mother Tongue translators,Administrative staff members and
Voluntary Lay leaders.
Please uphold all our staff members and their families to
stand firm in the field for the Kingdom of God.And help us to
provide for their needs every month.
PEOPLE Groups
THE IRULA
The name irula is supposed to be derived from tamil word irul meaning darkness, Since they live in the dark places in the forest. They speak Irula language which is in south Dravidian language group.Irula settlement is called as Arai. They are hunters and honey gatherers. They catch snakes for collecting venum. They live in poor and oppressed social condition.
THE TODA
The name TODA is supposed to be derived from “tud” the sacred tud tree of toda. Toda dialect is an independent language of the Dravidian family. The uniqueness of their half barrel shaped houses given speculation regarding their origin ranged from Rome to Sumeria. The toda village is called a mund, means a herd or a cattle- pen .
THE KOTA
The derivation of the name kota is from the Dravida root Ko or Ku meaning mountain. They speak kota language. The Kota village is called a Kokkal represents linear type with two or three localities called Keris. Their traditional government is known as varad a white bed spread cloth is thrown around the body by men and women
BADAGA
The Badaga people are an agricultural community who live iwp-content/uploads/sites/23/2015/03/thoda.jpg2_-300x162.jpgn the Nilgiri Hills. They are concentrated in the Coonoor and Ootacamund taluks of the Nilgiris District. They had migrated to the Nilgiris about two centuries ago due to famine, political turmoil and oppression in the Mysore region. They prefer to call themselves Badaga, Badaga Gounder and Badugu, while others refer to them as Baduguru, Badaga Gounder and Vadugar. Some of them use the title Gowda as a suffix to their names. The Badaga population was 2,43,075 according to the 1991 Census.
THE KURUMBA
It is possible that their name originated from the tamil word kurumbu (mischief) because in their savage state they were very mischievous on the basis of their residents in nilgiris the kurumbasare identified as six district kurumba tribes. The kurumba settlement is called muttom .
