HISTORY

We walk by faith, not by sight, because for God, all things are Possible

Hope for Santal is a movement initiated by few like minded people who feels that God has great and wonderful plan for Santals.
Santals had always been looked down, oppressed and exploited by different people at different time. As a result, many of them have stated believing that they cannot come out from their situation. They feel that they are unintelligent and weak people. Many of them have completely lost hope.
We believe that there is hope in God for everyone. God doesn’t show favouritism. He equally loves everyone. Jesus has encouraging words for weak and weary.

MEET THE FOUNDERS WHO SPARKED THE IDEA OF 'HOPE FOR SANTALS'

Ps. Sushil Marandi

Late Rev. John Soren

Bishop Patras Tudu

Looking back at history.....

It was the year 1983 when I first stepped out of my small village and was sent to a boarding school in Kaerabani. Transitioning from the quiet rhythms of village life to the structured, busy environment of Santal High School Kaerabani was a big leap for me. Everything felt new and overwhelming. Most of the time, I stayed to myself, lost in thoughts of home and my village. I hardly made any friends in those early days, and loneliness became my closest companion.

Though I shared the same class with John and Patras, I never connected with them as friends during our school years. Both John and Patras were well-known in school, admired for their achievements in sports. Their names often echoed in the corridors during events and competitions, while I remained unnoticed, just another face in the crowd. I often thought that nobody would even remember me from those days. To add to the sense of distance, most of the children in Kaerabani came from Christian families, while at that time I was not a Christian at all.

After graduating from high school, life took me to Ranchi in 1985, where I joined university. The city, with all its bustle and opportunities, was another big change. Two years later, in 1987, John also came to Ranchi, and that’s when our paths crossed again. Unlike our school days, this time we slowly grew closer. Our friendship deepened, and through John’s life and words, I came to know about Jesus. His witness opened my eyes to a truth I had never encountered before. Eventually, I put my faith in Christ. Discovering Jesus and the promise of eternal life was an exciting and life-transforming adventure for me.

During this time, John and I, along with another friend, Ashish Toppo, happened to visit Dumka. There, in his college hostel, we met Patras again. John boldly shared the message of Jesus with him, and Patras too chose to put his faith in Christ. That moment was the beginning of a spiritual journey that bound us together in a deeper way than we could have imagined. The three of us began to grow in our newfound faith, encouraging one another, praying together, and dreaming about what God might do through us.

In time, each of us felt God’s call to serve Him through full-time ministry. John went to South Asia Bible College (SABC) for theological training. I joined Campus Crusade for Christ in 1991. A few years later, Patras also attended SABC and entered full-time ministry. During those formative years, God planted in our hearts a dream — a vision to bring the love of Christ to the Santal community.

The desire to serve our own people, the Santals, grew stronger with each passing day. Though our ministry paths took us to different places and organizations, our hearts remained united. John moved to Dumka to start a church with the Assemblies of God. Patras joined the Pentecostal Holiness Church after Bible college. I moved to Kolkata to begin youth ministry with Campus Crusade. Despite working under three different banners, our conversations, whenever we met, always circled back to the same theme: how can we bring the hope of the gospel to the Santals? Together, we even organized a number of events in Dumka, laying the groundwork for what was to come.

One of the defining milestones in this journey was an event called Sadhin Sakwa Aran, held in Dumka from October 4–7, 2012. This gathering was unique because it presented the gospel in a distinctly Santal way. The Santali language was spoken, Santali dress was worn, and traditional Santali music filled the air as people worshiped. The cultural identity of the Santals was celebrated even as the message of Christ was proclaimed. The event drew wide attention, with Mr. Hemant Soren, then Chief Minister of Jharkhand, attending as the Chief Guest. Sadhin Sakwa Aran was a resounding success and marked the beginning of a new chapter in reaching the Santals. Similar events followed in other parts of Jharkhand, each one strengthening the movement.

A few years later, recognizing the need for a united effort, we decided to create a platform that could bring our resources, vision, and energy together for the sake of our people. That decision gave birth to Hope for Santals. It is deeply saddening that our dear brother, the Late Rev. John Soren, is no longer with us. Yet, the dreams we dreamed together and the vision God gave us continue to live on. His legacy remains etched in our hearts, and we are determined to carry forward the mission we once shared side by side.

Today, thousands of Santals are joining hands, standing together in faith, and working to bring our community back to God. This movement is no longer just a dream of three friends—it is becoming a history-shaping reality.

And so, I invite you to be a part of this God-given vision. Together, we can continue to write the story of hope, faith, and transformation for the Santal community.

— Pastor Sushil Marandi