Meridian is able to aggressively respond to requests for overseas training, thanks to the generosity of mission-minded donors.  The door opened in India for Meridian University of Biblical Training to train nationals where there are no missionaries.  At the request of believers in Manipur, MUBT is training workers to carry the Gospel to countries like Nepal and Myanmar.

      Imphal, Manipur is in the northeast part of India and very close to old Burma now called Myanmar.  The ethnic group with which we work are the Kukis.  They are products of William Carey, founder of  modern missions, and have about 25,000 baptized believers.  They have no missionaries but want to send out missionaries from their own people.  That's where Meridian comes into the picture.  We are providing training so they can go!

      In February 2005, a team visited Imphal, Manipur in India and participated in the Pentennial Conference of the Kuki Baptist Convention at which over 12,000 attended.  Two days of discipleship training was given to 61 church leaders and the response included an invitation to return in the fall for more training.

      October 2005, our president, Dr. Ralph Speas, Dr. Doyle Pryor, pastor of FBC in Sapulpa, Ok and Johanni Gauran, Director of Missions and Rural Development Center in the Philippines taught courses on Discipleship, Character, and Story Evangelism.  The evangelism course was most effective.  One of the pastors was stopped at the border of Myanmar where he serves several churches.  The border guard went through his back pack and found the laminated card used to share the Gospel.  When the guard asked about it, the pastor took him through each picture telling the whole story and when he was done the guard trusted in Christ as his Savior.

      October 2006, Dr. Ralph Speas and Johanni Gauran taught courses to 51 church leaders on Bible Study Methods and Story Evangelism with the students going out on the streets and in the neighborhoods sharing the Good News. Additionally, 61 women from various villages were given water filters to assemble and learn how to use them. This project was led by General Richard Freeman, USAF ret. and was joined by his wife, Gwyn, Sue Smith from Tulsa, and Richard Blodgett from Sapulpa. The filters not only filter out bacteria but also arsenic which exists in high concentration in this area of India. The filters have worked so well that they have called their filtered water the "healing waters."

 In October 2007, another week of training is planned. Dr. Speas will return to teach on Discipleship and Follow up. A missionary from Thailand is yet to confirm that he, an expert on Church Planting, will join the faculty.

      Other projects are being considered. One is the Rural Development Center where training in agriculture and ministry will take place at the same location. There, pastors can live for a few months, learn the effective methods in raising crops, especially rice, and animals such as goats, pigs, and chickens; and at the same time receive ministry related training that will help them to be better pastors and leaders. A chief has given 100 acres on a beautiful mountain which also serves as a prayer center. The team that visited in October 2006, dedicated several cabins and were able to see first-hand the possibilities of a training center.