Access Training Academy
Jharkhand, India

 One of L.I.O.N’s most recent outreach efforts is near Dhanbad, a city in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand.  The state is primarily rural with only 24% of the people living in cities. It suffers widespread poverty. Nearly 20% of all children suffer from malnutrition. 81% of the state is Hindu.  14% Muslim. Less than 4% of the people are Christian.

We have partnered here with the Subh Sandesh Foundation led by Rev. Daniel Poonraj and a small team of young leaders from obscure villages and tribes.  The goal is to reach people who have never heard the Gospel. L.I.O.N. first began working with Daniel as we were developing our orality training materials. ("Orality" refers to reliance upon the spoken, rather than written, word for communication). Daniel speaks five languages fluently and is passionate about reaching unreached people groups.

Through Access Training Academy we partner to equip Christian leaders aged 18-35 to reach unengaged people groups throughout East India.  The purpose of the training is: 

Sound Biblical Knowledge – Biblical literacy, discipleship strategies,

Christian Character Development – Coaching, personal counseling, and marriage counseling.

Life Skills training – engaging in entrepreneurship & community transformation efforts.

Using primary orality methods, L.I.O.N. is providing our Christian Basics curriculum.  We are also developing a portable basic computer training lab for the students and surrounding communities.   As God provides, it is our hope to bring additional skills and music training to the academy.

After being hit by a hurricane in 2022 with major damage to the buildings of the Academy, the last needs of desks and chairs, a new server, a solar power display, and a well are being completed in January and February 2023.