Scam Artist? Christ Saving India

I have recently been contacted by a pastor in India through this blog claiming to be the leader of Christ Saving India (CSI) Ministries. He praised me profusely, calling me a woman of God many times, and has continued to email me with pictures and videos.

The thing is, something is not sitting right with me and I have learnt to listen to my instincts.

So I told him straight up I was suspicious and started on a major mission to find out all I could about this ministry before I decided to support it.

And I found....hardly anything. This is why I am writing this post, so others may have some more hits when they search this ministry. There is a very simple website that gives very little information about the ministry, a facebook page (again, very little info) and some other blogs like mine which have been targeted by this guy and are having discussions on his legitimacy.

I am curious as to why there is so little on a ministry that apparently has 350 churches in India and why the photos he sends to me all show the same people in them if this is the case. I also find is emails very emotionally manipulative as they purposely try to call on my faith in the words, and in the videos they have children holding up signs with my name on it saying "Sister Christine, have mercy on us".

I don't like this, something smells fishy.

But I don't give up easily, particularly when it comes to supporting a potentially misunderstood church that is struggling.

So I asked the guy for a contact that I could talk to. I recieved an email address and had a couple of emails from someone claiming to be his American supporter. Something about the wording put me off though, this guy is apparently an American and yet he sounds like an English-second-language person.

Warning bells are still sounding.

So I talk to the main guy some more, he sends me more pics and videos. I do pray for him but his requests for food, clothing and for me to come to India to see his ministry I cannot possibly follow through with in my economic state.

I also contacted a ministry that I DO know in India and asked them to check into it for me. I am still waiting on a response.

See the thing is it is well known that in India children on the streets can be misused in order to help scammers (anyone see Slumdog Millionaire? Apparently the truth is far worse). I would hate to be supporting a man that is doing that to children. He also (and this may sound weird) is dressed in what appears to be very nice clothing while surrounded by children and people in dirty clothes. Any preacher who puts himself first doesn't get a tick in my book.

BUT he may be legit and I may be way too suspicious but in the world of technology (btw where did a poor preacher in the slums get a video camera and internet access??) how do you know that people are what they say they are? It is easy when you are playing the 'Christ' card to suck people into something that is really NOT about Christ at all.

If you know about this ministry at all and you know if I am right or wrong in my worries then please let me know what you know. Please pray for the children as in any situation that they could be in they need Christ's salvation. And if you too have been targeted on your blog and come across this blog in your search, please comment so others can see how wide spread he is working, what his tactics are and whether you have the same issues as me.