I’m a Gen Z tentmaker living in New York City (NYC) who has been walking alongside the Bengali Hindu community for the last three years. Prior to moving into my neighborhood, after doing an internship in cross-cultural evangelism, I told everyone that I was not interested in Hindu ministry because it felt too complicated. Growing up in an environment where theology and rationality was important to my faith experience, the lack of rationality, replaced with an emphasis on spiritual experience in the Hindu worldview, felt impossible to navigate. However, several months later, I found myself surrounded by a wonderful Bengali Hindu community.

The Lord showed me that Hindus were so very precious to him and that he desired to redeem the brokenness in the culture and somehow use me in their lives even though I didn’t understand their worldview and religious system.

Getting to know the families in the neighborhood meant going to cultural events, dance and musical performances, baby-naming and rice-feeding ceremonies, among many others. In time, families started confiding in me their frustrations that came with being immigrants here in NYC—problems they experienced at their children’s school, issues with getting a job, and frustrations with race.

Hindu parents expected me to be a role model for their children. Following the right life path and making correct decisions are of immense importance for Hindu families. Similarly, poor friendship choices and low grades can cause great stress to both Hindu and Western families alike. The difference, however, is that many Hindu families are willing to have community influences outside the immediate family unit speak to the child. They long to know that their children are making wise life choices. As an Alongsider in the Bengali Hindu community that the families respected, parents often asked me to speak to their children about making good friendship choices and forming strong academic habits.

In my Western friendships, if I enjoyed a conversation with someone and wanted to spend more time with them, I would exchange numbers and we would meet up in a coffee shop or “hang out,” to get more quality time. However, for Hindus, hospitality is a joy and a gift. On several occasions after meeting a new Hindu family through existing connections, I was invited into their home after a few moments because they wanted to have the privilege of hosting me. Hosting is always a group activity. I have never had a Hindu friend invite me to a cafe with them or to hang out outside their home. New friends felt comfortable inviting me into their home, even after hardly knowing me.

I learned to appreciate that the Hindu community I was surrounded by valued experience and relationships more than reason, professionalism, and credentials. Rather than this being a barrier as I had previously assumed, it turned out to be an open door. My Hindu friends experienced the goodness of Jesus as gospel conversations sprang up in each of these encounters, leading to answered prayers and moments where they felt Jesus’ peace through worship. They even told me that Jesus sent me to them.

Day in the Life of an Alongsider

Every day is different in ministry, but evenings with Laaysa’s family are a staple. Everyone is home from work and school, and the day seems to be winding down, but not for me. This is the fun moment when I get to meet my Hindu friends and have genuine conversations with them. Around 8pm, I make my way to Laaysa’s home. We share a wall in our building. I knock, and eight-year-old Aryan opens the door showing me his latest drawing, eagerly welcoming me in. I walk down the hallway of the little apartment, and the grandparents greet me in Bengali. I greet them back and they chuckle with me at my awkward pronunciation of their native tongue. On my way to the kitchen, I pass the first bedroom with the mandir on the shelf and hear the very loud television playing news in Bengali.

Finally, I enter the kitchen where Laaysa is. She is serving up a plate for her children’s dinner. On the stove, there is dal, rice, beans, carrots, squash, zucchini, fish, and cucumber. Laaysa smiles wide when she sees me and asks if I want to eat, too. I definitely want to! I saved my appetite for this. Laaysa also proceeds to boil water with bay leaves, ginger, cardamom, and cloves on the stove for me to drink with honey. Her incredible hospitality is unparalleled, and she knows my preferences so well that she no longer offers me milk tea.

We make our way to the second bedroom, which is where the mom, dad, and kids sleep on the family bed. Aryan’s older sister is already there, fighting to complete her homework. Laaysa’s husband pops in and chats with us for a while but doesn’t stay long enough to eat with us. We all sit cross-legged on the floor, and Laaysa feeds her eight- and 12-year-old children with her fingers. I’ve also become an expert at eating with my right hand, without allowing my dominant left hand to get in the way, lest I create an unnecessary cultural offense.

At this point, I announce that I have a story to share, and our oral Discovery Bible Study begins. Sometimes I tell a story by simply talking. Other times, we try to read a story together, still other times I draw the story out on my miniature whiteboard. Bible reading often lulls Laaysa to sleep, but her daughter loves reading Jesus stories the best. The drawn-out Bible story is a favorite of Aryan’s. He loves to draw with me and laugh at my incredibly poor drawing skills. But simply telling a story is the most natural option for me with the easiest prep. I must consider what the best method for the story is that we will cover that day.

As God’s Word always does, it stirs up spiritual conversation about areas in our lives where we want to see God move. Laaysa shares a family struggle that came to mind, or something that is similar in the religious stories that she grew up with, or something that she didn’t quite understand. When appropriate, I like to share a testimony in my life related to the story and talk more about the issues that the family is facing. This leads us into a time of prayer. By now the kids are done eating and a little restless. Laaysa tells the kids to settle down because now we will pray. Laaysa takes prayer very seriously. Gone are the days when she just asks for prayer for health and peace. She understands she can ask for prayer to Jesus about the troubles that keep her up at night. We all clasp our hands and pray, and she knows the prayer is up when I end with tathastu. Laaysa takes our dishes back to the kitchen and pours out tea for us and hot milk for the children. I pray that Laaysa will soon lead her kids in quiet time with Lord Jesus and that they will grow in their devotion to him.