Ministry works among Bhopal gas tragedy victims

Twenty-five years after one of world's worst industrial disaster - the Bhopal gas tragedy, an indigenous church-planting ministry continues to comfort and enliven its victims who still suffer its aftermath.

Evangelism Mission Outreach Service (EMOS) says it has not forgotten the victims of the tragedy and in spite of the ongoing upset in the area, it continues to minister to families still living in the aftermath.

The Bhopal gas tragedy was an industrial disaster that took place at a Union Carbide pesticide plant in the city of Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Also called the "Hiroshima of the Chemical Industry", the tragedy took place on December 3, 1984.

More than 500,000 people were exposed to 42 tons of toxic methyl isocyanine (MIC). While the first official death toll was 2,259, more than 8,000-10,000 died within 72 hours and more than 25,000 have died since from gas-related diseases.

Pastor Ravi along with his EMOS team has been doing church-planting, micro-enterprise, and children's ministries in Bhopal. The ministry has planted nine churches in the area, and seven other areas have shown interest in the church - among them two slums.

In fact, the ministry not being just mission-minded is very much concentrating on micro-enterprise ministry to financially aid the victims. The initiative includes women's sewing groups, teaching handicrafts and literacy to poor women. All the recipients are grateful for the chance to rise above their current dismal circumstances, the ministry says.

EMOS is an indigenous church-planting movement that works to bring the gospel to the unreached peoples of India-to the poor and rich, oppressed and oppressor. Its goal is to bring both spiritual transformation and social reformation to India.