1994–1997
An IBC missionary in
East Africa begins to
befriend and learn about Kutchi Muslims in the course of
his work there.
1998
IBC explores the idea of focusing on an unreached people group and investigates the Kutchi people with the help of the missionary in East Africa.
1999
The Kutchi are chosen as IBC’s unreached people group focus and initial strategy is discussed. An Indian national believer who grew up in Kutch initiates a translation of the Bible into Kutchi.
2000
IBC hosts the first Kutchi consultation in Kutch, Gujarat. Indian nationals, church and organizational leaders along with representatives from IBC gathered together for prayer and discussion regarding sharing the hope and love of Christ with the Kutchi. A short-term team travels to East Africa for prayer-walking and friendship evangelism among Kutchi people living there. IBC begins to promote awareness, prayer, and strategic involvement of IBC and others for reaching the Kutchi. IBC publishes a prayer guide focusing on the Kutchi in East Africa and Gujarat.
2001
During the second consultation, an earthquake kills and injures tens of thousands of people in Kutch. God uses this tragedy to open doors as IBC partners with national workers to bring relief and Good News to the Kutchi. Many Indian and Western Christian relief organizations and churches provide help for the victims. IBC provides funds for relief work, looms to help artisans to restart their businesses, and helps to provide over 400 families with new housing. A follow-up team from IBC visits Kutch in July to survey the relief efforts and pray with and for the people in Kutch. Many villages that had thrown out Christians in the past now welcome them because of the love shown through practical help in their time of need.
2002
Earthquake relief continues. The third consultation is held. IBC and TransWorld Radio join resources to bring the gospel to the airwaves in Kutchi. The Bible translation project continues with the Gospels being published. The Jesus film is translated into Kutchi and teams begin showing it in Kutchi villages. A lending library opens in an apartment in a Muslim neighborhood in East Africa to reach out to the Kutchi there. Another prayer guide is published.
2003–6
Yearly consultations continue to be held, bringing together Indian individuals, organizations and churches. IBC funds two Dalit Education Centers where over 300 “untouchable” children are educated at no cost to their families and Christ is proclaimed. Nine Indian church planters graduate from the Gujarat Leadership Academy to live among the Kutchi people planting churches. An IBCer births a new ministry, Bajalia Trading Company, to help with economic development among indigenous artisans. The Indian nationals take over leadership duties from IBC and form the “Kutchi Development Program” (KDP). The KDP continues to meet throughout the year to share successes and failures in ministry and to pray for more Kutchi to come to Christ. They begin planning each yearly consultation. IBC continues to help facilitate and attend each yearly consultation to encourage those who are working in ministry there year-round. IBC leadership decides to partner with a mission agency specializing in pioneer missions to reach the Kutchi.
2007
The consultation is called a “celebration” to remember all that the Lord had done since the consultations began in 2000. Work on the Bible translation continues along with additional materials for evangelistic outreach. Numerous outreach and development initiatives are begun or continued, yet reports are that there still remain no Kutchi-speaking churches and very few believers.
2008
IBC continues to support the Dalit Education Centers through student sponsorships and donations for equipment for the classroom. IBC also continues to participate in the Bible translation and literature ministry, as well as partner with the KDP and send an IBC team to the annual conference. A Kutchi CD of Proverbs is recorded and released. A children’s Bible storybook is published in the Kutchi language. A team coordinator for an IBC team begins language and cultural adjustment in India. IBCers continue to pray and discuss how to help facilitate reaching the Kutchi for Christ.
2009
More fruit from years of labor and prayer! Muslims in East Africa and Kutchi in India become followers of Christ. At the annual conference, all are encouraged by testimonies of workers in the villages in Kutch and in East Africa who are meeting seekers and seeing the hand of God as he draws more Kutchi people to himself. IBC begins to investigate how we can help facilitate an “orality” project (storytelling) into the Kutchi ministry as we learn more about oral cultures. The previous New Testament translation work will enable the scripture to be put into a dramatic format on listening devices that the workers can take into the villages. The 4th edition of the Kutchi Prayer Guide is published. And, we start dreaming about sharing the Good News with the Kutchi people in Pakistan…
2010
Plans for an Alpha course in Kutch are being put into action! The library ministry in East Africa continues to grow and God’s fame is spreading through new Christ followers. The annual Kutchi conference in late February will bring hundreds of Indians and a few IBCers together to report what God has done and plan for the future. Venues for the release of the entire New Testament in the Kutchi language are being secured for the 2011 release. IBC continues to pray that God will redeem Kutchi from each of the 971 villages in Kutch and that Kutchi people all over the world will praise his name.
February 2010