IREF TOGETHER 2024

Art had a lifelong concern for refugees and the plight of the displaced. During Art’s longest pastorate – at South Park Church in Park Ridge, IL – he was also founding chair of the board of the India Rural Evangelical Fellowship. He traveled to South India often to encourage growth in the significant ministry in Andhra Pradesh. While President and CEO of World Relief, the humanitarian group was involved in relief, development, and reconciliation work in response to the Serbo-Croatian war, Liberian and Sierra Leone fratricides, the Mozambiquan civil war and Rwandan genocide.

Excerpt from South Park Church Memorial

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Help Break the Cycle of Poverty
We work in regions devastated by violence and human trafficking where Christians are persecuted and the caste system has resulted in abject poverty. IREF is bringing the love of God, the resilience of community care, and the hope of education to thousands in need.

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Help Break the
Cycle of Poverty

We work in regions devastated by violence and human trafficking where Christians are persecuted and the caste system has resulted in abject poverty. IREF is bringing the love of God, the resilience of community care, and the hope of education to thousands in need.

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Our Mission

We believe the three principles of education, evangelism, and engagement is a faithful fulfillment of God’s command to care for the poor, downtrodden and less fortunate.

Education

Evangelization

As Christians in India experience increased persecution, join us in continuing to spread the love of God and praying for protection. The transforming power of God is underneath all that we do at IREF and evangelism is at the heart of our mission.

Engagement

100%

of your donation will help people in need

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Our Impact

Today IREF sponsors more than 250 evangelists, facilitates nine children’s development centers which house more than 1,200 children, and operates affordable schools from primary education to post-graduate work.

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2,000 children

Educated per Year

200 villages

Given Clean Water per Year

100 baptisms

per Year

800 students

Commute

180 pastors

& Evangelists

700 children

use our Child Development Centers

60 churches

Also operate as disaster shelters

400 bibles

Distributed per Year

80% of students

baptized before graduation

Stay Updated

Learn about all the things happening with IREF in our monthly newsletter. Download the most recent edition of IREF’s newsletter and learn more about our Christian education and other good works across the world.

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Our Vision

Over 45 years ago, a preacher named Prasada Rao had a vision to share the love of God with the people of Andhra Pradesh, India. Now there are more than 10,000 believers in more than 400 villages within 200 miles of Repalle, where the story began in the heart of one man.

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Ministry Partners

IREF exists because of the generosity of our partners and thousands of individuals like you. Since the cost of living in India is very low compared to other industrialized nations, even a small donation can touch the lives of many people.

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Ministry Partners

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