Listen to This Conversation
On this episode of Rumors of Doing Good, Rob sits down with Jitendra Nayak from Odisha, India, who has chosen to live life alongside the Dalit community. Rather than observing from a distance, Jitendra enters into their daily realities—sharing in their struggles, celebrating their resilience, and witnessing the quiet ways hope and goodness take root.
In their conversation, they explore what it means to journey with people whose stories are too often overlooked, and how deep presence, long-term relationships, and solidarity can cultivate a kind of goodness that grows slowly but meaningfully. Jitendra’s experience challenges us to rethink what it means to do good in our own communities, and invites us to notice the whispers of hope happening all around us.
Intro/Outro music by Skinfiltr8r.
About Jitendra:
Jitendra Nayak is from Batingia, Mallikapodi, G. Udayagiri, Kandhamal, Odisha, India. Born and raised in a nominal Christian family, he did not attend church regularly as a child. At age 16, a chance encounter with two evangelists introduced him to the New Testament, sparking his interest in faith. Soon after, he began attending prayer meetings and joined a Bible school, where he came to understand his need for Christ and accepted Jesus as his Savior and Lord.
Jitendra is married to Sanju and is father to two daughters, Joylyn (20) and Jenny (14). After years of mission work and seminary studies, he chose to serve in Khordha, living among and ministering to Dalit communities in slum areas. He leads a church of 35 members meeting in a member’s home and extends his ministry across six other villages. In Angul district, he trains co-workers to bring hope and the message of salvation to 56 additional villages, demonstrating a life committed to presence, solidarity, and the slow-growing work of goodness among communities often overlooked.