Trouble in India

Five days ago, Pastor Satish and evangelist Ravi were leading a service in a home when about 30 people entered the service and began attacking the Christians. The attacking mob said that the believers were forcing locals to convert to Christianity. The police then arrested the Christian leaders and ten other Christians after the attack. As far as VOM knows, all twelve believers are still being held in detention.


Ravi is an evangelist with Campus Crusade for Christ and Satish is a pastor in the Mandya district, Karnataka, India. Please keep our Indian brothers and sisters in your prayers.

Christians Falsely Accused in India

According to the Persecution Blog, Pastor Kamlesh Tahed and three other Christians were falsely accused of murder by Hindus in the country of India.

On August 8, Roop Baria was killed during a fight between the Tahed and Baria clans over 1,000 rupees (which equals $20 US). For the complete story, go to the Persecution Blog.

Sharing Their Pain

As I read the Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) April newsletter, the article "Sharing Their Pain" really stood out to me.

The article told about three Christians in different countries. Shrinomi, who lives in Sri Lanka, was shot twice by hired killers. The killers were hired by a Buddhist businessman who was angry about his wife's conversion. Not only was Shirnomi injured in the shooting, her pastor husband, was killed.

Seyi, is a young man that lives in Nigeria. His city, Jos, broke out in a riot on November 28, 2008. Muslim warriors roamed the city with their machetes. As many as 100 Christians were killed and thousands more were attacked. A mob of militants broke through the gate to Seyi's home, but his parents and siblings were able to escape out the back door. Before he could escape, the Muslim militants caught him and sliced his head several times. Then they left him to die in the burning house. Thankfully, his family was able to drag him to safety, but they were left with trying to pay hospital bills. VOMedical helped Seyi as he travels the road to recovery.

Many people were injured, displaced, or killed during the extreme violence in Orrisa, India last year. Namrata was one of those people. The 10 year old was injured when a bomb, left by a radical Hindu group, exploded in her face. Thanks to VOMedical she was able to have several surgeries that have helped heal her face. Through it all, her faith and joy remained strong.

As I read these stories of victory through pain, my mind began thinking about what I would have done in those circumstances. Would I have had faith that God knew what He was doing? Would I have had joy in Jesus or let the enemy get me down down because of my injuries?

If you do not get the VOM newsletter, I would encourage you to subscribe to it. It's free and well worth reading!

India- Bomb Set Off and Pastor Shot During Church Service

On March 8, a twenty-five year old man set off a bomb and shot a pastor during the church service. The man did this in an attempt to stop conversions to Christianity.

Police Inspector Hari Krishna Mandal told Compass that the attacker, Rajesh
Singh, had come fully prepared to kill the pastor, Vinod Kumar, in Baraw village
in the Nasriganj area of Rohtas district, and then take his own life.

(Quote taken from this website)

Update from Orissa, India

Recently, the government officials in Orissa have shut down the relief camps, which left thousands of Christians open to attack. These people where at the refuge camps because of attacks upon them from militant Hindus that started in August 2008.

Some of the refugees were given 10,000 rupees, which is the equivalent of $201 US. This, however, will not be sufficient to help them re-establish their homes after the tremendous chaos they've gone through.

Pray that the thousands of displaced Christians will find refuge first in God and then physical refuge.

For more information, click here.

Attacks on Christians Leaders in India

Despite a relative calm in India over the Christmas season, there were several Christian leaders that were attacked on Dec. 23, while returning from a Christmas prayer meeting. The pastors and prayer group leaders in Hyderabad were severely beaten by Hindu extremists.


(For the complete story, click on this link)

Good News From Orissa

There is good news from Orissa. The Christmas day bandh has been cancelled. Hindu extremists had called for an illegal strike in the area of Orissa, but they are now seeking "'reconciliation and dialogue' rather than more violence."

Members of these groups have been on a campaign of terror in Orissa since August
23, when their leader was murdered. Maoists claimed responsibility for the
murder, but Hindu extremists blamed Christians, saying they killed him in
retaliation for his vocal opposition to allowing believers to openly share their
faith.

Pray for continued peace and restoration in Orissa, India.

(Quote from here)

Christians Fear Christmas Violence in Orissa

As many of us are looking forward to a nice, peaceful Christmas season, Christians in India are anticipating violence on December 25. Hindu extremists are on the move again and they are calling for a state-wide bandh (a forced shut-down on all sectors of society).

Though such shut-downs were declared illegal by India’s Supreme Court in 1998,
the president of the Laxmanananda Saraswati Condolence Society (SLSSS) sent a
threatening notice to the Orissa government on Nov. 15, warning that the Hindu
extremist group would impose a bandh on Christmas unless the state government
arrested those who murdered Hindu leader Laxmanananda Sararawati on Aug. 23.

Pray for true peace and protection for Christians in Orissa, India.

(Source here)

Compass Direct News- India Bracing for More Violence

Yet another murder has occurred in India and the people of Orisa are bracing for more violence.

Terrified Christians already ravaged by more than two months of violence in
Orissa state’s Kandhamal district braced for more carnage as suspected Maoists
today gunned down a local worker of the Hindu extremist Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh (RSS).

For the complete story, click here.

70,000 Christians Displaced in Orissa India!

VOM (Voice of the Martyrs) has reported that over 70,000 Christians have been forced to flee and live in refugee camps.

"At the Peyton Sahi relief camp which houses 35 families and 130 distraught
tribals, Chabila Naik, a man who ran an orphanage for 50 children in
Sarangada
spent three days in the forest after their houses and churches
were razed [with
fire]. He has not been reunited with the children," VOM
sources said.

Stories coming from persecuted believers in Orissa are
heartbreaking.
Christians spent days hiding in the forest following the
attacks that erupted on
August 24, after the murder of a prominent Hindu
leader by Maoist extremists.
“One family which did not want to be named said
they had to leave their elderly
mother in the jungles while the others
walked through rain and darkness for 60
hours to get out of Kandhmal,” VOM
sources added.

To read the full story click on the following link: http://www.persecution.com/topStory_indiaOrissaPersecution.html

Attacks in Orissa Increase

Please keep praying for the Christians in the state of Orissa, India. Things proceed to get worse for believers. As president of Gospel for Asia (GFA), K.P. Yohannan said, the next wave of persecution appears to have begun.

The burning of houses and churches is only part of it. The Hindu militants are holding forced Bible burnings. Christians are being killed, burned, raped, and tortured. The government really is not making any moves to put a stop to this violence, too.

If you'd like to learn more please click here to watch a video by K.P. about the intense persecution in Orissa.

For even more information on the persecuted churh, please click on this link to go to VOM's website.

Keep Praying for India

Things don't appear to be getting better for Christians in India. At least thirty-six people have been killed. Many more have been beaten, raped, burned, etc. There are at least 50,000 Christians fleeing from the persecution. Many won't have homes to go back to because Hindu militants have burnt down hundreds of houses and churches.

Pray that the peace of God would reign in the state of Orissa, that the government would get involved, and that all the physical and spiritual needs of the believers would be met.

Violence in India

In the state of Orissa, India many Christians are under attack by Hindu radicals. After an anti-Christian leader was assassinated, the radicals are inciting violence against Christians. Evidence points to Maosit rebels being behind the murder, but the blame is being put on the Christians.

Churches are being burnt, homes of believers are being damaged, and Christians are being attacked and killed.

Pray that the Christians will remain strong during this time of heart-ache and tension.

India

"KERALA – On July 19, a Christian school teacher died after being beaten up by Muslim youth. According to VOM contacts, “A group of protestors from the Muslim Youth League attacked James Augustin, Head Master of MLP School at Valillappuzha where he had gone to a textbook review meeting.” The Muslim Youth League held the protest to demand the removal of seventh grade social science textbooks they believed to be controversial.

Pray the family members of the teacher will be comforted by the Holy Spirit as they mourn. Ask God to heal those injured in the attack. Pray believers in India remain faithful and courageous despite attacks from Hindu extremists. Ask God to help them forgive their persecutors and for their testimonies to draw nonbelievers into fellowship with Him."

Not much to comment on here... Just keep praying. FYI, this is taken from here