“Mind the gap! Mind the gap!” everybody who has used London’s underground trains have heard this announcement over and over again. It’s true the gaps are easily overlooked.
When I look at the state of world mission in the 21st century I can see great progress being made. The churches in Africa, Asian and Latin America are striving. More and more Missionaries from the global south are engaging in the task of world mission. “Reverse Mission” can no longer be ignored by any leading mission organization as more and more missionaries are coming to Europe to plant churches or work with local churches. Yet I still see gaps in Europe.
The world is becoming more and more “borderless” due to globalization, technological communication and migration. People are one the move and wherever they settle, they are forming Diaspora clusters of various cultures and languages.
Europe also has become a highway of people from different nations some travel through in search for better opportunities elsewhere, others want to stay. Not all came voluntarily some were forced and some were ‘bought’ to come. These diverse people groups have added a flavour to the long established European inhabitants as well as created some problems. The “push” factors contributing to mass migration are as many as the “pull” factors that draw the migrants to their new host countries
The South Asian Diaspora is just one of the many groups that have come in the last 60- 80 years to Europe. With their skills, ideas, technology, values, colours and spices they also brought their religions to Europe. Today it’s fashionable to practice Yoga, reduce once stress through TM, Ayurveda and other Eastern practices. Hinduism is no longer just in India but has come to the West in various forms and can be seen on the streets in Germany and any major city in Europe.
The missiological side of the South Asian Diaspora
God wants to have worshippers from all nations, languages and creeds for himself yet there are thousands and thousands who have not had a chance to hear about the saving grace of God through the person and work of Jesus Christ. Many of these people groups come from the East. As it is difficult to reach them in their respective countries of origin God has made another way so that they can be reached. He brings people out of the ‘hard’ places to places were there is freedom of religion, were they can be reached with the Gospel and were believers can befriend them. Sadly the body of Christ is not aware of these great opportunities. The various Diaspora groups are still some of the gaps in world mission.
Let us not overlook these groups but engage with them by research and outreach in various ways. The 21st Century reality of mass movements of people requires the global Church, to respond.
The South Asian Diaspora in Europe comprises people from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. On mainland Europe the figures are over 1.1 Mill. in about 18 different countries (figures excluding the UK).
In this age of World mission, as it gets harder for missions to place personnel in some Asia countries, I believe a valid strategy is to reach them outside of their home countries.
Take for example the Indian Diaspora. Figures show that: There are about 28 million people of Indian origin abroad, including 2.2 million in the UK; 1.7 million in the US as well as smaller numbers in other countries in Europe like 45 000 in Germany, 70 000 in Italy or 35 000 in Switzerland. This Diaspora has been very successful economically. There are about 1.2 Billion Indians in India, but the 28 Million abroad have incomes totalling $160 billion a year or one third of India’s GDP.
In India most of the Christians come from the lover casts or from the Dalits and the middle and upper classes virtually are still untouched by the gospel, yet many NRI’s ( Non Resident Indian’s) who live abroad are from these classes! As we seek to reach these groups the Gospel will also spread to the Indian subcontinent. (Family ties and business contacts are still strong)
Mapping the South Asian Diaspora
One of the major tasks in the near future should be mapping the Diaspora communities on the continent of Europe. There are still these “gaps” that we need to find. For example last year, when I conducted a survey on the South Asians in Italy, I found pockets of South Asians that where not known in mission circles. There are more than 50 000 Sikhs from the Punjab working on Italian dairy farms and producing the world famous parmesan cheese in the northern area of Emilia Romagna and the Lombardi. There are thousands of people from Bangladesh in Roma. In “El Raval”, a neighbourhood in Barcelona one finds many people from Pakistan – some say up to 50 000. In the last years or so Athens has become an entry port for many people from South Asia. Thousands of people from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka live in Greece as irregular or illegal Immigrants. Where are the people, churches and mission organizations that have a vision to reach out to these groups in Europe?
These are just a few places that I have come across in my research in Europe. We need to find these ’gaps’ in Europe (and other countries and continents where the South Asian Diaspora resides) and to start meaningful outreach to these ‘hidden’ and unreached people groups. There has to be a cooperate efforts in a number of areas. Prayer, research and networking will be the key in reaching these communities.
The South Asian Diaspora in Europe is growing and will grow even more. The recent floods in Pakistan will no doubt contribute to another major increase in people from Pakistan coming to Europe. There are now already well-established communities in many countries in Europe and these communities will provide the ‘first aid’ for those newly arrivals. Cities like Milano, Athens, ‘El Raval’ or ‘Little Karachi’, a neighbourhood in Oslo, will see an increase in people from Pakistan.
I am asking the global body of Christ. Is there anybody involved in researching the South Asian Diaspora groups? I would love to interact with anybody who is doing that. I believe it’s time that we come together and share our findings with one another so that together we can bring the whole gospel to the whole world and that includes the South Asian Diaspora groups.