Free theological training for pastors in India — in Bengali, Odia, and, in the future, Hindi. In some regions of the country, more than 90% of church leaders guide their communities without ever having had access to a seminary.
This project isn't a distant dream: the first class is already translated, and the network of pastors already exists. What's missing is the support to set it all in motion — and keep it going.
Pr. Paulo Henrique P. Cunha serves on the mission field for five years. During this time, he founds an Indian mission in partnership with local pastors, and when he leaves the country, he prepares a basic training manual in English to help train pastors and leaders.
Back in India, he saw the great need to offer more solid training to pastors who led entire churches without ever having had the opportunity to study theology in their own language. Faced with this reality, it became clear that a complete, free, and deeply Scripture-grounded course needed to be developed.
In a meeting with the mission's leadership in India, Pr. Paulo Henrique P. Cunha shares what God placed on his heart: to offer solid, deeply biblical theological training to Indian pastors. The proposal is received with great joy and enthusiasm by the leadership.
The first group of pastors in West Bengal officially begins its studies. This initial stage will make it possible to refine the methodology and the on-the-ground follow-up, paving the way for the project's expansion and the training of hundreds more pastors and leaders.
This project doesn't start from zero. Since 2005, the mission founded by Pr. Paulo Henrique P. Cunha in India has been steadily growing, and over nearly two decades it has built a wide network of churches and pastors who now need more solid biblical and theological training. The mission's own leadership will be responsible for coordinating the study groups and closely following the development of the participating pastors and leaders.
A complete theology course already exists in Portuguese — used today by students in Brazil. In Brazil this course is sold; in India, it will be offered free of charge to pastors who could never afford to pay for it.
The classes are on video, short and clear, narrated in the students' own language — with the voice of an Indian pastor from the partner network, who lends his own voice to the project. The first class is already finished.
Because that's how these pastors can actually study: no traveling, no expensive internet, no leaving their churches and families behind — at the pace that life in the field allows.
Each pastor watches the classes on his own phone, at his own pace — no need for expensive internet or travel to study.
Once a month, small groups of pastors meet in person with a local coordinator to ask questions and strengthen one another.
At the end of each stage, pastors are evaluated, and upon completion they receive a full certificate of theological training.
Because the translation is done with technology that's already built and tested, each new language costs only a little more — the same investment opens ever wider doors.
Every student already leads a community — your support doesn't reach one person, it reaches congregations.
The entire course is already finished in Portuguese. What's left is translation work and human follow-up in the field, month after month.
Pastors trained in the first classes will be able to lead new groups — in West Bengal, in Odisha, and beyond.
The figures below reflect the current moment — the pilot with the first groups of pastors in West Bengal. As new groups are formed and the project expands into other regions and languages, the monthly need is expected to grow in the same proportion.
About half sustains the translation and preparation of classes; the rest covers travel, meals, and the groups' in-person gatherings in the field.
Figures reflect the project's early stage and tend to increase as new groups of pastors are formed. Everyone can contribute whatever amount they're able to — any contribution is welcome.
We don't have automatic checkout live yet. Reach out to us on WhatsApp or by email to arrange a one-time or monthly contribution.
If you prefer, write to us by email.Learn more about Pr. Paulo Henrique P. Cunha and the Didasko Portugal Project
Updated quarterly. Aggregate numbers only — never data that identifies individual donors without explicit consent.