View source for Latehar (Latehar District, Jharkhand State, India)

Latehar, Latehar District, Jharkhand State (formerly part of Palamau District, Bihar Province), India, is the Latehar subdivision headquarters, and a station of the [[Bihar Mennonite Mandli (Bihar Mennonite Church)|Bihar Mennonite Mission]]. It is in the southwestern part of the field. It was first occupied in March 1947 by S. J. and Ida Hostetler, but was not finally acquired until 16 February 1949. It had previously been occupied by the British Disciples of Christ Church who offered it to the Mennonites. The western part of the Bihar field extends over 5 of the 20 thanas of Palamau District, and the eastern part over nine of the 32 thanas of [[Hazaribagh (Jharkhand, India)|Hazaribagh]] District. [[Kodarma (Jharkhand, India)|Kodarma]] was the headquarters of the work in the latter area.

In the Palamau field there were three stations in the 1950s: Latehar, Chandwa, 17 miles (28 km) to the east, and Bathet, 20 miles (33 km) north of Chandwa. In this Palamau area live over 30,000 Oraons and 3,000 Mundas. Several hundred thousand of these two tribes in the adjoining Ranchi District are Christians, and those in the Palamau area are also receptive to the Gospel. Early workers in Latehar included the Henry D. Beckers, S. J. Hostetlers, and S. Allen Shirks; in Chandwa the John E. Beachys and the [[Vogt, Milton Christian (1901-1968)|Milton C. Vogts]]; and Bathet by the Paul Knisses. In 1955 there were 110 church members reported in the field.
= Bibliography =
Hostetler, S. Jay.<em> We enter Bihar, India: a statement of historical development, present progress, plans, ideals, and description of our Mennonite Mission in Bihar, India, 1940-1950</em>. Elkhart, IN: Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, 1951.
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