The state with the little name is also India's smallest state (1,428 square miles), roughly the size of Rhode Island. Goa lies in western India on the coast of the Arabian Sea, between Maharashtra to the north and Karnataka to the east. Less than 1.5 million people reside in Goa, which became a state in 1987.

The main agricultural crop in Goa is rice, followed by ragi, cashew and coconut. Fishing is a means of livelihood for many, and tourism further bolsters the economy. Every year, around one million vacationers come to enjoy Goa's sunny beaches and relaxed atmosphere. Drug trafficking and prostitution, however, have a strong hold in this society.

The official language is Konkani, spoken by 60 percent of the people. A quarter of the population speak Marathi. Other languages include Gujarati and Kannada. Literacy is high at 82 percent.

Like most parts of India, Goa had its era of colonial rule, though not by the British Empire. Seeking a strategic spot from which to control the spice route from the east, the Portuguese arrived in 1510 and ruled for more than 400 years. Even today, traces of their presence are visible—both in the Portuguese-style whitewashed churches and in the sizeable number of "Anglo-Indians"? of mixed ancestry.

The Portuguese also came to spread their faith, which explains why nearly one-third of Goans today are Roman Catholic. Due to the pervasive influence of Hinduism (64%), the Catholic faith has to some extent absorbed Hindu beliefs and customs. Four percent of the people are Muslim, and the number of Protestants is a scant one thousand.

A revised translation of the Konkani New Testament is underway, and there is a great need for Christian literature in Konkani. Gospel for Asia's native missionaries have been in Goa since the late 1990s, working to bring people of all backgrounds to a living faith in Jesus Christ.

Gospel for Asia in Goa:
Personal evangelism
Church planting
Bible school
Radio broadcasts in Konkani, Marathi, Gujarati and Kannada