Facts about India

India is the second most populous country, after China, with a population of 1.1 billion.

India contains the second largest population of Muslims, 175 million (16.2% of the population).

Christians represent 2.3% of the population.

Four major religions originated in India: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Hindus represent 80% of the population.

English and Hindi are the primary languages in India, though there are 14 other official languages.

Last fall we welcomed Vijaya Sastry Meesala as a staff member of the global team, to direct Horizons’ work in India. On a shoestring budget, he has already made a difference in the lives of many people. Here is a summary of an extended report that shows the scope and impact of this ministry. Please read it prayerfully, asking God to show you what role you may play.

Vijaya Sastry Meesala (Vijay) is an evangelist from Andhra Pradesh, South India, who saw the need not to just uplift weaker members of his society through educational and community development, but to reach these unreached people with the good news of Jesus Christ. As a result, in 2001 Vijay formed Reach the Nations, now a ministry of Horizons International. Through projects such as the training center, the children’s home, and relief work, God’s love is changing lives as his name is being glorified in India.

Training Center
Last year Vijay established a training center in the city of Gudivada in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. This training center provides a free Biblical theological education where education is expensive and out of reach for the poor. So far thirty young men have been trained and sent out to plant churches in the unreached parts of Andhra Pradesh. Vijay hopes to offer graduate and post-graduate degrees in the near future.


Each student must have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, a call and vision for full-time ministry, and be willing to preach the gospel in unreached areas.

1,000 families affected by this flood will be the beneficiaries of this project.

Relief Work
Over 16,000 families have been affected by floods caused by tornados in the Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. We provide humanitarian assistance in 10 villages where most people are marginal farmers, weavers, and fishermen. They receive immediate food needs, blankets, basic clothing, and medical treatment.


Our Home Children’s Home Project
“When I was fourteen years old, I was walking on the streets of Vijayawada, India where I saw something that my eyes could not believe. There I saw a few children, so shabby, very skinny. They were trying to grab the food from the garbage bin to fill their empty stomachs. At the same time I heard dogs barking at these hungry kids and trying to chase them away ... so that [the dogs] could eat the same food. That scene will never disappear from my mind. This incident shook my thinking and then I dedicated my life for the cause of hungry and poor children.”

Our Home is located in the small village of Ventrapragada, in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It provides forsaken children with suitable shelter, food, medical facilities, and education. Each child is shown the love of God as they are rescued from poverty, malnutrition, child labor and abuse.


Some of the children who live in the Reach the Nations orphanage, Our Home. Vijay is pictured in front of the orphans in the photograph on the right.