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India

• Churches Ordered to Close in Tamil Nadu State

  

  Officials and police in Tamil Nadu state have ordered ten churches to discontinue services. Hindu militants have compelled state officials and police to issue orders mandating the churches in Coimbatore District to stop conducting worship services unless permission is obtained from a government collector's office, a process that could take several years. Twenty more churches are under threat with similar bans.

• Anti-Conversion Law Poses New Challenges

  

  On August 12th, a bill was passed by the Jharkhand Assembly which will directly affect the religious freedoms of Christians. Despite receiving significant opposition from religious groups, the Jharkhand Freedom of Religion Bill-2017 has now been sent to the governor, whose approval precedes the president's review for final assent.

• Prisoner Released after Serving 42 Days

  
  Aju Mathew
  Photo: VOM USA

  Authorities arrested Aju Mathew as he took 14 needy children, who were under the care and provision of a Christian children's home, on a field trip in southern India. Local officials then falsely charged him with human trafficking and the conversion of minors. As a result, Aju, who was innocent and eventually cleared, spent 42 days in prison -- enduring poor conditions and intense interrogations. However, the wrongly accused ministry worker utilized this time of imprisonment to build relationships with other prisoners and share his testimony.

• Villagers Denied Access to Life-Sustaining Water

  
  Photo: Flickr / B. Sutherland (cc)

  On April 25th, a mob of militants in Jalalabad village of Ghazipur District, Uttar Pradesh, beat Manoj Kumar and his wife Pushpa Kumari - along with ten other Christians - with sticks, accusing them of forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity. The same mob, supported by the village president, tried to force the believers to drink water from the Ganges River (considered holy by Hindus residing in the country). Despite the attack, the victims refused to participate or deny Christ.

• Charges for Alleged Conversion of Youth

  Indian authorities have charged ten chaperones for allegedly converting Hindu youth to Christianity. While taking the children to a Christian summer camp -- with the parents' approval -- the accused were detained. Authorities say the parents had allegedly failed to file the necessary legal paperwork with the government in order to make the conversions official, meaning the children are legally still Hindu. However, according to the accused Christian leaders, these families were already Christians and, as such, were not engaging in conversion.

• Alarming Rise in Targeted Attacks

  
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi
  Flickr / Global Panorama (cc)

  According to a newly published report, attacks against Christians in India have arisen at an alarming rate. The All India Christian Council recorded an increase of almost 20 percent in attacks against Christians within the year of 2016 alone. The report also indicates that physical violence against believers is up by 40 percent and murders have doubled.

• Call for Increased Security During Easter

  
  Photo: Flickr / Jan Smith

  On the same day that the two churches were bombed in Egypt, five churches in India -- in five different states -- were also targeted. The incidents included the disruption of worship services and prayer times; the arrest of pastors and their wives, as well as other church members; and in one of the cases, the violent beating of a pastor. As a result, church groups have called for extra security to be provided for churches during the Easter season, and for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

  The Evangelical Fellowship of India released a statement on April 11th, in which it criticized the targeting of Christians on special days of worship:

  "We urge the respective state governments and the central (federal) government to not only take note of these violations, but also to take action to curtail the non-state actors who function with impunity. It is important, especially now as we are in the Passion Week; for, going by the trends so far, it seems the incidents may escalate during Good Friday and Easter.

  "It does not reflect well on the world's largest democracy if incidents like these continue to hound religious minorities. We also request that the state...be held accountable and responsible for enforcing the rule of law, so that minorities can live in peace and without fear."

  Four of the five states in which the incidents took place are ruled by the Hindu-nationalist BJP -- President Modi's party. While the so-called "anti-conversion laws" appear to protect against forced conversions, in reality, they discriminate against minority groups by forbidding them from any form of evangelism.

  The National Council of Churches in India announced that the sudden spurt in anti-Christian violence is a "signal" that Hindu nationalist groups like the BJP and RSS "are going to use the communal card in the most blatant way" -- by teaching majority-Hindus that minorities like Christians and Muslims present a threat to the Hindu nation. To learn more about the country of India, click here.

  While the spiritual forces of darkness in the heavenlies may try to hinder the Gospel from going forth, we know according to God's Word that the enemy's wicked schemes won't succeed -- for greater is He who is in us, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). May this be a living reality for the Christians in India who need the Lord's strength and empowerment to continue faithfully serving Him amid opposition. Also pray that the eyes of the spiritually blind will be opened so that they can clearly see and acknowledge Jesus as their Saviour -- the Lamb of God who valiantly conquered the power of sin and death on the cross so that they may have eternal life.

• Convert Helps Network of 300 Churches!

  
  Sukdev (centre) is grateful for the
  audio Bible VOM has provided.

  As Christians, we've been called to proclaim the Gospel by sharing the truth of God's Word. But what about the many believers around the world who are unable to read the Scriptures? Fortunately, as Romans 10:17 tells us, faith comes by "hearing" the Word, not only by reading it. Technology like the micro SD cards that The Voice of the Martyrs ministry is distributing throughout the world will help illiterate Christians learn the Bible and discover its invaluable truths.

  One such Christian is Sukdev, who left Hinduism to follow Christianity a decade ago. Sukdev wanted to learn more about the Bible so he could better share the Gospel with Hindus in his village. As the 48-year-old evangelist couldn't read, his young daughter Luxmi would often have to read the Bible to him when she wasn't at school or doing housework. She would also try to accompany her father whenever he met with villagers to teach them about Jesus so she could read the Bible verses aloud. However, since Luxmi wasn't always readily available to assist with the evangelistic ministry, Sukdev longed to have instant access to the Scriptures.

  Then one day, his desires were fulfilled. The Voice of the Martyrs provided him with a micro SD card containing audio files of the Bible in multiple languages, along with helpful discipleship materials. During this past year, VOM has distributed more than 15,000 of these SD card Bibles in India as part of the ministry's efforts to get a Bible to every believer.

  "(Sukdev) was so grateful that he was moved to tears," reports a VOM ministry worker. "With this tool in his basic mobile phone, he could suddenly go anywhere, anytime to share the Gospel." Today, Sukdev travels into new districts baptizing new believers, making disciples and planting churches in some of the most remote and difficult places of India. In many of these areas, public transportation is not available so he often walks several kilometres from village to village.

  "Since I have learned the truth, I have to share it," Sukdev announces. After years of faithful witnessing, he now helps lead a network of more than 300 house churches! May God's ongoing protection, provision and blessing be upon all those in India who are involved with this thriving ministry outreach.

• Couple Immersed in Frigid Water

  
  Villagers immersed the couple in frigid water for 17 hours.
  Photo: Flickr / pranav (cc)

  A Christian in Jharkhand state succumbed to illnesses that had incurred when villagers immersed him and his wife in frigid water last winter because they refused to deny Christ. Upset that his family had left their indigenous religion, tribal residents of Kubuaa village immersed Bartu Urawn and his wife up to their necks in a cold pond. The couple was in the water from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. the next morning, at a time when the temperatures were hovering at about zero degrees Celsius.

  Their son, Beneswar, reports that after suffering illness and two bouts of paralysis due to nerve damage suffered in the 17-hour ordeal, 50-year-old Bartu died on January 20th. "All throughout the night, they were in the cold water shivering, and I along with 15 to 20 villagers were witness to the brutality," Beneswar explains. "The villagers kept asking my father if he is ready to forsake Christ and return to the Sarna (tribal religion) fold. He reiterated every time, 'I will not deny Christ.... I will continue to believe till my last breath.'"

  After pulling the couple out the next morning, the villagers hit Bartu and his wife, and again pressured them to renounce Christ. After the gruelling ordeal, the couple fell seriously ill. In time, Bartu's wife recovered, while he became immobilized from paralysis. Despite some measure of recovery, his body later became stiff again from a second attack of paralysis on January 20th, and he was unable to move his arms and legs before he died. To add to the family's trauma, the same villagers would not allow his burial to take place, insisting that the entire family return to their ancestral faith.

  Relatives informed police of the circumstances leading to Bartu's demise, but officers considered it a "natural death." Instead, they arranged for villagers to attend "peace talks" in February and to cease from their attacks on the Christian family. The family has since returned to their home where they are living in fear. To learn more about the persecution of Christians in India, review our country report.

  Please pray for Beneswar, his mother, along with other family members and friends, as they mourn over this unexpected loss -- asking the "Prince of Peace" to comfort and strengthen them. May they be encouraged knowing that Bartu's steadfast commitment during the ordeal is being acknowledged by God Himself who promises to render justice on their behalf and reward all who remain faithful. Also intercede for the villagers who committed this needless crime, praying that they will cease their persecution of the family; repent of their wrongdoings; and come to realize the truth of the Gospel and the salvation that's available through God's Son, Jesus Christ. Even in the midst of their grief, may Bartu's family bear witness to His everlasting gift of salvation.

• Grandmother Murdered for ''Disturbing the Peace''

  
  Victim's son, Sukura, and his family.
  Photo: Open Doors via World Watch Monitor

  An Indian grandmother was viciously murdered, apparently because her Christian faith was "disturbing the peace" in her village. The incident took place in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, followed by other serious attacks on vulnerable Christians in the state during the past year, including the rape and murder of a 14-year-old girl.

  During the evening of October 16th, some villagers went to Samari's home asking for her son Sukura. When she told them he was out, they dragged her outside, pulled off all her clothes, and beat her to death. They then burnt her body a few hundred metres from her house.

  When Sukura returned home the next day, he couldn't find his mother. While searching near her house, he found bloodstains and a bag with the clothes she had worn the previous day. He asked the neighbours what had happened, but noticed they seemed to be hiding something. Eventually they told him the horrific news.

  Sukura immediately reported the incident to police. They arrested the village chief who confirmed the details of the murder. The chief was detained for two days while the police made further inquiries, which led to the arrests of four people from the village.

  Six months earlier, some of the villagers had complained about Sukura's family to local Naxalites -- militant communists operating in India who are known to have murdered many Christians in the past. The villagers told the Naxalites that Sukura's family was "disturbing the peace" of the village and must be killed. The Naxalites then abducted and detained Sukura and his family for three days, before letting them go.

  "The Naxalites told the villagers that we were innocent; that we were praying for the welfare of the community and not disturbing the peace," attests Sukura. Despite this, the villagers continued to threaten the family. To learn more about persecution in India, check this webpage.

  Pray that the Lord will walk closely with this family as they continue to come to terms with their terrible loss. May the members of their church and others of the community be of great support and encouragement to them. Also pray that this tragic death will not be in vain. May the testimony of Samari, her son Sukura, and their family, be used by the Holy Spirit to touch the hearts of many -- including the perpetrators -- leading them to eternal salvation through the provision of God's Son, Jesus, who willingly paid the price for their sins.