Dinesh Chand was born and raised in an Orthodox Hindu family in North India. In 1987 he came to know the truth of Jesus Christ through the persistent and faithful witness of a tourist from New York. He attended Bible College in Singapore and graduated in 1991. In 1998, he and his wife, Rachel, moved to Shimla, the capital of Himachal. Their first year was spent traveling and praying for the lost in the mountains, villages and cities to establish trust and lay a foundation for their ministry. This was the beginning of Forefront Mission.

Forefront is headquartered in Himachal Pradesh, called “the abode of the idols.” It is tucked away in the Himalayan ranges of northwest India. Every peak is named after and dedicated to a deity. Most residents are Hindu, Buddhist, or animist. Thousands of villages are still waiting to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. This region is the least evangelized state in India with less than one believer for every thousand residents.

The vision of Forefront is to reach North India’s unreached people by training leaders, supporting church planters, primary schools, sponsoring needy children, as well as, establishing community development projects, such as sewing and beautician centers. It is the Chands desire to see an army of indigenous workers zealously reaching their own people for the Lord. To date, this ministry has trained more than 90 pastors and leaders to work in villages and oversees supports 45 national workers who have planted 65 fellowships in North India.

Christwalk’s involvement with Dinesh and Rachel has to do with the Sewing Centers that are developed to give women a trade. More than 95% of the women who complete the training at a Sewing Center receive Jesus Christ. To start and run a new center for one year costs $640 and $40 to present a new sewing machine to a graduate.