The word sila means stone and they do stonework and work in agriculture. The Silawat are a scheduled caste who live in Madhya Pradesh. They migrated from Rajasthan, speak Bundelkhandi and read and write in Devanagari.
Upon the death of the father, sons inherit the family property. The Silawat send their children to school but they have a low literacy level, so the gospel will need to be presented in oral form.
The Silawat people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews. There are other Hindus who are much more philosophical, especially among the Brahmins.
They need to accept the blessings of Jesus Christ, the one who came to offer abundant life.
Pray that God will give them dreams and visions leading to a disciple making movement. Pray for the Lord to raise up and thrust out workers.
Scripture Prayers for the Silawat (Hindu traditions) in India.
| Profile Source: Keith Carey |
