• Asian Region
Contact Information
John Vanlalhriata
Regional Director for EFCI-Asia

Address:
P. O. Box 8975
EPC 331
Kathmandu, Nepal
ASIA

E-mail:  efcn@wlink.com.np

Languages:  English, Nepali, Hindi, Mizo

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.