EFI / Asia
177+ churches, 9,295+ attendees
Evangelical
Friends Churches of Asia consist of churches and Yearly Meetings in six
countries including: Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines and
Taiwan. There are over 177 worshipping groups with over 9,200
worshippers.
Asia's Regional
Director is Jaime Tabingo. Jamie serves as the General Superintendent
for Philippine Yearly Meeting and is a faculty member at Manila
Theological College. He has received his MA from Asian Theological
Seminary and his doctorate of Ministry from Houston Theological
Seminary.
Cambodia
Evangelical
Friends Church Southwest started a mission work in Cambodia in June of
1995. Friends churches are now meeting in the Battambang area with
approximately 150 worshippers as well as Phnom Penh.
Hong Kong
Evangelical
Friends Church - Eastern Region has recently started an outreach to
Filopinos working in Hong Kong. They have two worshipping groups with
over 50 in attendance.
India
Evangelical
Friends Church - Eastern Region founded a mission in 1896 in the
Bundelkhand area of central India. Bundelkhand has some 300 believers.
At the main Friends center in Chhatarpur there is a hospital, an
English school and an Hindi school. In February 1996, Chhatarpur
mission celebrated its 100th anniversary.
In
cooperation with EFM, outreaches are succeeding in north India, among
the Garhwal people. There are a total of 32 worshipping groups
scattered throughout India, encouraging over 2,250 believers.
Indonesia
Southwest
Yearly Meeting started a mission work in Indonesia in 1987. They now
have an estimated 35 churches with a membership of about 1,800.
Indonesia has granted full recognition to the Friends Church.
Nepal
In
1994 John Vanlalhriata, an Indian national began Friends ministry in
Nepal. There are now over 22 congregations and worshipping groups with
over 1,100 worshippers total in the Kathmandu area and in villages in
the south. Nepal has several full-time workers and has formed their own
Yearly Meeting.
Philippines
The
Philippine Evangelical Friends Church began its work through the
initiative of the leaders of the Evangelical Friends Church - Eastern
Region in 1978. It now has 49 organized churches and worshipping groups
with over 1,000 attendees. The Evangelical Friends International
recognized it as a yearly meeting in 1995. In that same year, it was
officially registered with the Philippine government.
Taiwan
In
1953 Eastern Region began working in Taiwan. The Taiwanese Friends
became a Yearly Meeting in 1977. Currently, Taiwan has over 177
churches with over 3000 worshippers. They are beginning to send
missionaries and leaders on short-term mission trips to train leaders
in Nepal, India, the Philippines and other outreach points.