People group profile · PG041836
The Hela of India
The Hela of India, numbering about 61,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Scheduled Caste community found across West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, also known as Mehtar and Bhangi. Traditionally sweepers and scavengers, they are now also in mat-weaving and government service.
They are an indigenous people in the Hindi people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Hinduism, and they primarily speak Hindi.
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 61,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Hindi
- Primary language
- Hindi (hin)
- Primary religion
- Folk Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- West Bengal: 24 Parganas district; also Rajasthan: Bundi, Kota, Tonk, Jhalawar, and Sawai Madhopur districts; Uttar Pradesh: Basti, Deoria, Jaunpur, and Varanasi districts; Chhattisgarh: Bilaspur, Raipur, Durg, and Rajnandgaon districts
Where they live
Gospel status
The Hela are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Hela
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Folk Hinduism · Hinduism
98% adherents
Primary language
Hindi · Indo-European family
100% speak Hindi
Gospel resources in Hindi
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Hindi)
- Magdalena (Hindi)
- The Savior (Hindi)
Bibles
- Easy-to-Read Version · audio, text
- Indian Revised Version (OT - Davar Audio) · audio
- New Hindi Version · video
- New Hindi Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
- New Hindi Version - LUMO Easter Film · video
- Sab Ki · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Hela
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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