Kadai

New Testament

Country

South Asia

Language(s)

Kadai

Speakers

100,000

Many Kadai people don't trust outsiders or know the gospel, but a determined couple are building relationships, galvanizing the community to unlock God's Word for themselves and bring it home.

the Need

Approximately 100,000 Kadai people live in South Asia. Kadai people were once nomadic but now can be found living along the outskirts of towns and cities. The majority make a living from transporting sand, crafting and selling goods such as weave baskets and brooms, and farming pigs. Their unique identity and language go unnoticed by the local government, and due to the severe language barriers they face and their isolation, they are cut off from health services and education. Most children do not attend school or drop out early on. Currently, there is little Christian presence in the community. Their mistrust of outsiders and habit of keeping to themselves has kept many mission agencies and church planting initiatives away. This community deserves to hear the good news spoken in a language close to home.

The Project

To meet the needs of the Kadai people, project team members trained by our national partner in South Asia have made a commitment to:

Develop a Kadai alphabet and publish a dictionary.
Publish mother-tongue materials for the language community, including cultural stories and educational booklets.
Translate the New Testament and distribute it in print, digital, and audio format.
Equip local leaders and pastors for ministry.
Connect with local churches and promote use of translated Scripture.
Hold mother-tongue learning centres in Kadai villages to help children succeed in school.

BIble Translation Progress

Drafted

Community-Checked

Quality-Checked

Answered Prayer

Working in the Kadai area, where there are almost no believers, is extremely challenging. Project facilitators Veeru and Nilima prayed every day that the Lord would lead them to believers who could support and encourage them in their work. “We thank God for answering our prayers!” reports Veeru. He connected the couple with two families in nearby cities. While neither of these families speak Kadai, they are aware of the great need for God’s Word in this community and have committed to pray for the project. Veeru says, “We are deeply grateful to God for bringing these two families into our lives. Through them, we believe the Lord will open more doors and connect us with individuals who are trustworthy and can contribute meaningfully to our mission.”

God Provides

Veeru, now married to Nilima, have spent lots of time in prayer for God to help them connect with local families. Recently, they met a woman visiting relatives in the Kadai village. Although she was not from their village, she expressed interest in helping Veeru and Nilima learn the local language. “God provided her to help us,” rejoices Veeru. With her help, their language skills are improving, and they persisted in getting to know their Kadai neighbours. Slowly, the community warmed to them. Today, Veeru and Nilima have built relationships with several local families and are accepted within the community. Veeru says the women “are very supportive and treat Nilima as a sister.” Nilima reports that “many people show respect by calling Veeru ‘sir.’”

An Unexpected Testimony

Veeru and Narun were heading home from a work session when their motorcycle crashed. Both men were thrown from the vehicle. Amazingly, neither was seriously injured. They were taken to the nearest hospital, which happened to be a Christian hospital. Throughout their recovery, both men credited God for their miraculous survival. Word of the accident spread, and many Kadai people were amazed that both men had walked away with relatively minor injuries. The project team took these opportunities to give glory to God and express their gratitude for His protection and healing. The village chatter reinforced their testimony; men and women talked of the accident saying, “Your God is so good. He alone saved you and was with you.” Praise God! As soon as Veeru and Narun were well enough, they started planning more trips to connect with more Kadai villages. They are deeply grateful for God’s hand moving in their lives and in the Kadai community.

“I have made the decision to dedicate my life to Bible translation, ensuring that His message reaches those who are yet to hear it in their own language."

Veeru, Project Facilitator

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