User:Baumi/K. A. Paul

Kilari Anand Paul is a Christian preacher originally from India and a long time resident of the United States. According to the Indian newspaper The Telegraph he is a naturalized U.S. Citizen.

He runs a ministry called Gospel to the Unreached Millions.

Early life
Originally named Anand Kilari, he was born on 25 September 1963, in a small village called Chittivalsa in the State of Andhra Pradesh, India, into a Hindu family. His parents were Barnabas and Santhosamma.

His parents converted to Christianity in 1966. Paul became a Christian in March 1971, when he was eight years old. Paul says he travelled with his evangelist father to hundreds of villages in India sharing the gospel with many non-Christians. Paul says that at the age of 19 he entered into the full-time ministry.

Political life
Paul has been active in state politics as a member of the Praja Shanti Party."The purpose of starting Prajashanti Party is to redeem people from slavery, promote equality among all people and all faiths and all castes and to establish true democracy,"

Media comments
K.A. Paul, whom The New Republic dubbed "the world's most popular evangelist,"by The New Republic, “the next Billy Graham” by the New York Times.

Global Peace One
Through charitable contributions to his organization, several of Paul's backers provided funds to purchase a Boeing 747SP airplane that Paul named "Global Peace Ambassadors", which flew under the name "Global Peace One". The aeroplane was formerly flown by China Airlines; it was the accident aircraft in China Airlines Flight 006. The aeroplane was used for missions to Third World countries, delivering aid to disaster areas and to countries with people in need. A former crew member described it as a "flying death trap". The volunteer pilot, first officer, and flight engineer all quit in 2005 because of concerns over maintenance and non-payment of debts, and the FAA eventually suspended the plane's operating certificate due to insufficient maintenance. , the aircraft is parked at General Abelardo L. Rodríguez International Airport in Tijuana, Baja California, and is reported to be in very poor condition with expired registration as of December 31, 2016. The aircraft can be seen using Google Maps at the coordinates 32°32'38.0"N 116°57'56.1"W.

Accountability
In 2005, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability terminated the membership of Paul's organization, Gospel to the Unreached Millions, for failing to meet financial accountability and governance standards.