Thrive in South Asia

Is God calling you to serve Him and make His name great

among the nearly 2,000 UPGs of South Asia?

If so, we are here to help you in your journey!

The heart of GFM's S.L.I.C.E. program is to assist cross-cultural workers as they navigate their first term on the field and equip them for long-term effectiveness serving in unreached areas of South Asia. We have trained laborers from six continents to thrive in life and ministry there!

Located in the heart of a multi-ethnic city, with access to each of the THUMB (Tribal, Hindu, Unreligious, Muslim, Buddhist) people groups, our training base in South Asia is the perfect place to lay a strong foundation for future work in places like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Tibet.

The S.L.I.C.E. program provides practical, real-life experience and professional language classes for laborers to learn, grow, and live in our community. It offers a beneficial first step for people planning to work in South Asia. We can arrange for and facilitate language learning in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Nepali, Tibetan languages, and others.

Strategy, Language, Identity, Culture and Exalting Jesus are crucial areas in which laborers must grow if they want to last on the field. Our six-month to two-year program offers “on the job” training in each of these areas.

Some Specifics of S.L.I.C.E.

- The program runs on a semester schedule, beginning two times per year, in January and August

- 20 hours per week of language learning with a local nurturer (Hindi, Bengali, Nepali, or Urdu)

- 10-15 hours per week of community engagement

- 5 hours per week of strategy, identity, and cultural skill training

- $799/month program cost*, which includes housing, utilities, language classes, and mentoring

- Applications are due two months before the start of each semester

*Tuition cost does not include personal expenses. Cost is for single students, married students and families can contact us for more information.

Here's what a typical week in the SLICE South Asia program looks like!

Strategy

Finding the right strategy to fulfill your calling is essential to making your vision a reality. Walking alongside seasoned missionaries as you learn and implement different strategies is one of the best ways to determine if a particular method fits you and your calling.

Language

Learning the heart language of your people group is absolutely critical to life and ministry in South Asia. Through the Growing Redemptive Participator Approach (GRPA/GPA) of language learning, we will show you that language learning is not only fun but also an essential part of ministry, learning culture, and thriving in your new environment. Although we can facilitate other languages, currently, we offer classes in Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, and Nepali, which are taught by local language nurturers.

Identity

In South Asia, identity is everything. Without an identity that makes sense to your people group and the government, you can be immediately ostracized from the community and possibly even barred from entering the country. Our training walks you through the process of choosing an identity that allows you to engage and build trust in your focus community.

Culture

Culture includes anything and everything related to the people and places of South Asia—what the people do, how they do it, and all the attitudes and practices in between. During your time in our city, we will teach you skills to help you understand the culture and keep you building trust among the people. As you go through the program, you will have opportunities to delve into culture like never before!

Exalting Jesus

All that we do is through Jesus and for Him. Whether headed to the market, taking a language class, or visiting a neighbor, we desire to exalt Jesus in all we do. During our SLICE program, we will help you keep Him first. Not surprisingly, taking the focus off Jesus is one of the main reasons missionaries experience burnout.