Movement helps ´unbaptized´ celebrate their faith

Nirmala Devi was born into a Hindu family but for the past seven years she has been a “Khrist Bakta” (Christ devotee).

Father Anil Dev (left) preaching at the ‘Khrist Bhakta’ (Christ devotee) convention

Now, “the Word of God and love for the Lord inspire my life,” the 50-year-old told UCA News.

Devi was among 15,000 people from various religions and castes who attended the annual convention of the “Khrist Bhakta” Movement at Varanasi, a Hindu temple town in the northern Uttar Pradesh state.

Like Devi, most participants are not baptized, and the Nov. 13-15 convention helped them celebrate their faith in Christ.

The Varanasi-based Indian Missionary Society, a Catholic Religious congregation, started the movement 13 years ago. The movement aims to help people, who may face ostracism from society and family if they were to be baptized, live out their Christian beliefs as fully as possible.

The movement has now spread to most of the northern Indian states.

According to Father Anil Dev, the movement´s founder, the movement does not register its members, but thy are growing not only in numbers but also in Christian maturity.

He notes that many of them could face trouble from family members and their castes, including acts of violence, if they were to become Christians formally.

The priest said the movement has helped people move from “shallow superstitious” rituals to a “deeper faith” based on the Word of God.

Devi says she looks to Christ during moments of trial. “He takes care of me and my family,” she said.

About 15,000 people from various religions praying at the convention in Varanasi

Another devotee, 23-year-old Binu Devi, concurs. “I have full faith in Jesus. He is with me through every difficulty.”

The recent convention included film screenings on the life and teachings of Christ, Bible preaching and the sharing of faith experiences.

“For the devotees, it was a time to pray and share meals together although they belong to various castes,” said Father Dev. They also attended Mass without receiving Holy Communion. “We try to bring every part of the Eucharist alive for the unbaptized devotees” through prayers and singing, he explained.

Leaders representing Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism and Kabir Panth, a religious community comprising people from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds, also attended an interreligious prayer meeting during the convention. The prayer meeting focused on global warming and ecological imbalances.

About 5 percent of the convention participants were baptized Christians from Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa states.

One of them, Devnis Kerketta, 60, from Orissa, said the unbaptized devotees impressed him with their faith. “I need to be a ´Christ devotee´ like them,” he said.