Description of Downtrodden Christian Children in Andhra Pradesh

Long ago missionaries came to the state of Andhra Pradesh in India from different countries to extend the Kingdom of Lord Jesus. Many missionaries selected their mission field in this downtrodden community because they are the people need to be uplifted in economically, educationally, religiously and socially. The main castes of downtrodden are Mala and Madiga.  Also there are sub-castes of these downtrodden people. They are called untouchables. Missionaries started working among them. They established some schools and hospitals for these untouchables on compassionate ground along with the gospel work. During their time many of these downtrodden accepted Christianity. Actually it was a mass conversion. All these communities joined with Christianity.

We know very well about Father Hayer who worked in the District of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.  Over a hundred years back this missionary came to this place and established Lutheran congregations in many parts of this district. Now all these congregations are called as Andhra Evangelical Lutheran Church.  Also there were some Baptists who established Baptist congregations among downtrodden in all over A.P.

During the missionaries time only 5% of this downtrodden community got education and its economical background was somewhat lifted up. Then after independence of India almost all missionaries left India. Their established Indian pastors have maintained organizations and churches but they are not in a position to lift up this community. Church politics ruined the harmony of Christianity. They were divided into small groups. The state government of A.P.  overtook the established schools by the missionaries.  Many teachers appointed by the government are upper caste people so the discrimination is still going on.  The upper caste teachers are not teaching the downtrodden Christian children in the schools properly. Instead, they teach only upper caste children. Therefore the upper caste children are getting jobs in various areas.  But the downtrodden Christian children without education are becoming laborers in fields and in some factories. Their economical status is becoming poorer and poorer year after year.

The population of this community is 28% of the total population of Andhra Pradesh.  The present total population of A.P. is approximately 80,000,000.  There are still 23% of this community to be developed.

We have 40 Free and Living congregations in various villages of Guntur and Prakasam districts of A.P.  Out of these 40 we established 22 congregations in the downtrodden community. The above said discrimination and poor education of these children is also the same in these congregations.

Therefore to strengthen the democratic values in Indian society, to reduce poverty and injustice of these downtrodden children we established St.Paul’s Lutheran Public School in Chirala town where we have our AFLC(I) headquarters. The population of this community in all our 22 congregations is 6500.  The population of the children in these congregations is approximately 15,600.  At present we want to provide good education to 120 children from this community under our Christian leadership. 

To lift up the democratic values and economic status of the downtrodden in Indian society we should educate the children of the downtrodden under Christian leadership.

                                                                                         Executive Council

                                                                                         A.F.L.C. of India

                                                                                         Chirala.