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India

• Christians facing opposition in Karnataka

  In Karnataka state, a mob of about 20 Hindu extremists beat a pastor to unconsciousness. While he was hospitalized with resulting head and neck injuries, as well as broken ribs, the assailants returned the next morning to further harm him. The relentless attacks left Pastor Samuel Kim in serious condition. Guards are now posted outside of his hospital room so he can safely recover.

  Meanwhile, a Christian-run child-development centre in the state that was accused of forcefully converting Hindu children to Christianity has resumed operations. A local politician levelled the accusations, but the centre re-opened in late October after the Hindu parents of the children who attend the centre met with the accusers and denied allegations.

  Please pray that the escalation of attacks will cease and that the unreached people will have opportunities to hear the Good News and receive God's salvation. Also pray that those hurt in these attacks will experience complete healing.

  Go to the India Country Report to learn more about our persecuted brothers and sisters in this part of the world.

• Attackers target prayer meeting

  A group of Christians in Maharashtra state were recently beaten up and accused of forcibly converting people. Hindu fundamentalists attacked a prayer meeting and a number of Christians, including women and children, were beaten. One man was hospitalized.

  Hindu leaders persuaded the Christians not to lodge a complaint -- for the sake of community peace -- but later accused the church's pastor, Ruzi D'souza, and other church leaders of being involved in forcible conversions -- a common accusation against the Church in India. On the basis of these claims, local police subsequently arrested 11 Christians.

  The Hindu activists reportedly returned to the pastor's home during the night and attacked those present, causing further injuries.

  Pray that the Lord will heal the injured. Ask God to take away any fear the believers may be feeling and instead give them a spirit of faithfulness and unity in Christ Jesus. Pray that the accusers will see that the message of the gospel is a free gift, not by coercion, and respond in faith to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

  Go to the India Country Report to learn more about our persecuted brothers and sisters in India.

• Christians attacked and arrested during baptisms

  Pray that the perpetrators will come to know the Lord.

  About 20 Christians celebrating a baptism were attacked and beaten by Hindu militants before being arrested by local police. The Christians, including 10 believers who were being baptized, were accosted by members of Hindu nationalist groups in the district of Balasore, Odisha (formerly called Orissa) state. The militants burst into the ceremony, beating and insulting the minister, Jayaram Marandi, as well as those gathered. Police then forced the 20 Christians onto a truck to detain them for interrogation.

  The Orissa Freedom of Religion Act includes anti-conversion laws that prohibit conversions that occur "through force, coercion or fraud." Since these laws allow the government to conduct investigations into conversions, they are often abused to excuse the persecution of Christians.

  Please pray that the believers, including those who were just baptized, will find strength in their identity as God's beloved children (Romans 8:15). Please pray that those who persecute Christians will be brought to justice and that they will receive God's forgiveness and hope.

  To learn more about the suffering Church in India, please visit the India Country Report.

• Restrictions on religious freedom struck down

  Himachal Pradesh High Court in India Photo: India_2012 / Flickr

  The Himachal Pradesh High Court in India has struck down a law which made it compulsory for those seeking to convert from his or her religion to give a 30-day notice to the District Magistrate before conversion. The verdict in the landmark anti-conversion case challenged both the Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act of 2006 and Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Rules of 2007.

  The Court also struck down rules making it mandatory for the state to inquire into every religious conversion. These rules did not provide sufficient safeguards outlining the time frame for such an inquiry or even who should conduct the inquiry. Unfortunately, many other provisions restricting religious freedom will stand.

  Praise the Lord for the Evangelical Fellowship of India and the legal team who fought for these freedoms. Please pray that India will continue to recognize and respect the religious freedom of citizens to worship, gather together, and evangelize. Pray that, in the meantime, Christians in India will be bold in their faith despite threat of persecution.

  To learn more about the suffering Church in India, please visit the India Country Report.

• Update: Four years after violent attacks, Christians still suffer

  Tens of thousands of Christians were forced to flee their homes following the 2008 attacks. Many remain displaced.

  About 10,000 Christians remain homeless four years after Hindu militants destroyed over 5,000 homes while plundering and setting hundreds of villages ablaze in Orissa State (now called Odisha State), India. Violence broke out in 2008 in Orissa following the assassination of the leader of a Hindu ultranationalist group. Although a Marxist group claimed responsibility, Hindu militants blamed Christians and launched widespread attacks (for more information, click here). During the violence, tens of thousands of Christians fled their homes, dozens were killed, and hundreds were injured.

  Today, many families that were affected by the violence continue to live in ghettos, and Christians who refuse to convert to Hinduism are often victims of social, economic and political discrimination. According to a fact-finding visit by a group of journalists, activists and writers, there has been no justice for victims and compensation for lost homes and churches has been inadequate or non-existent.

  Please remember these suffering brothers and sisters in your prayers. Praise God for their perseverance, and ask Him to continue to provide them with His strength and grace for each day. Please pray that their homes and communities will be restored. Pray that their passion for Christ will be the light that draws others to Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16).

  To learn more about the suffering Church in India, please visit the India Country Report.

• Christians tormented with music, then attacked

  For months, a group of Hindu extremists in southern India had been blasting high-volume movie music at the prayer meetings of a local Christian ministry. In early July, the harassment crossed the line to assault when the Hindus burst into the prayer meeting of EndTime Ministries, knocked three worshippers unconscious and ripped the clothes off a widow, ministry officials say. The assault occurred in the village of Romagonadanahalli in central Karnataka, a fast-growing, comparatively wealthy state in southwest India.

  The Christians lodged a police complaint against the Hindu extremists, who filed a counter complaint against EndTime pastor, identified by the single name Mounesh. Both sides appeared in court on July 27, where the magistrate told Pastor Mounesh he should not conduct worship services in homes. EndTime Ministries has no building of its own; meetings and worship services typically are held in the pastor's house. EndTime Ministries has stopped all Christian activities in the area. Mounesh has moved services to another area for safety reasons.

  Pray the Lord will give grace and strength to all believers affected in the attack. Pray the Lord will give wisdom to Pastor Mounesh to know how best to serve Him and the congregation. Pray for the perpetrators as well as those in authority in the region.

  To learn more about the suffering Church in India, please visit the India Country Report.

• Trio of anti-Christian attacks

  Christians and church buildings throughout India have been attacked recently.

  Christians were attacked in three different states in India on July 15.

  In the village of Sainagara in Karnataka, Pastor Nathaniel Shubas of Immanuel Pentecostal Prayer Hall was beaten by more than 20 Hindu activists. The attackers beat and insulted him, dragging him for more than one kilometre to the Vidyanagara police station where they accused him forcing Hindus to convert to Christianity. The officers arrested the pastor and charged him with "deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs."

  In the second attack in the tribal village of Thavalpada in Maharashtra, about 50 Christians who were singing devotional songs were attacked by approximately 10 Hindus led by the local leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Hindu ultra-nationalist party. Unlike in Karnataka, the police arrested the attackers.

  In the third attack in Dabar Patli village in Haryana, Hindus demolished a church building under construction, arguing that most of the villagers were opposed to the building.

  Please pray for a quick and complete healing for Pastor Nathanial. Pray that those who falsely accuse believers of forcible conversion will see that salvation is a free gift, not coercion, and respond in faith to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9). Please pray that the church in Dabar Patli will be rebuilt and that its members will lead many to Christ. Pray that Christians in India will be representatives of Christ's love and grace to their persecutors.

  For more on persecution in India, go to the India Country Report.

• Attacks on Christians in Odisha

  This church was destroyed by Hindu militants in August 2008.

  After believers rescued a pastor in Odisha (formally called Orissa) state, India, who was brutally beaten on his way home from a prayer service, about 50 Hindu militants terrorized the 12 Christian families, beating them, looting their homes and attempting to rape some of the girls. Some of the attacked Christians remain unaccounted for and it is believed they have fled into the jungle.

  Violence is not new to this area of India. In August 2008, Hindu militants launched attacks on Christians in Kandhamal district. The violence left dozens of Christians dead and thousands of homes and churches destroyed. Many more were forced to leave their homes (for more, click here).

  A few days prior to the recent attacks on Christian families, local police seized more than 50 homemade bombs and 12 charges of dynamite hidden in a hut in the village of Gambhari in the district of Puri. Police believe the explosives would have been used in anti-Christian attacks.

  Please pray that the injured pastor will fully recover from his attack and be empowered to continue to preach the gospel. Please pray that the Lord will protect believers throughout Odisha and guard their hearts with the peace that can only be found in Christ (Philippians 4:7). Pray that the Church in Odisha state will continue to grow.

  For more on persecution in India, go to the India Country Report.

• Hindu extremists attack Christians

  Champa Pawar, Jaikant Pawar's widow. Photo: Compass Direct News

  Hindu villagers in Chhattisgarh state, India, recently attempted to prevent the burial of a convert to Christianity by brutally attacking a group of believers. Jaikant Pawar, 31, of Balgal village, Kanker district, died in April. When more than 40 Christians at the family's house were taking his body out for burial, about 300 Hindu villagers surrounded the house and attacked. The assault continued for about six hours.

  "The extremists were mocking us and said that Jesus, who calmed the storm, sent rain and who also raised up the dead, must also raise up Jaikant Pawar, and they forced us to pray," said a Christian leader. "They threatened to pull off my skin if Jesus did not make Pawar alive again."

  The villagers also beat two women -- Ganga Bhai and Suki Bhai -- both 60 years old. Two Christian children who were about 10 years old were also pushed and thrown until they fell unconscious.

  Later that night, the Hindu extremists told the Christians to remove the body from the village or be killed, so the believers carried the body to a police station about 10 km away. However, police were unwilling to register a report. Officials eventually summoned the attackers, who then falsely accused the Christians of beating them. Police warned the villagers not to disturb the Christians again, but reports indicate that Christians are being threatened again.

  Please pray that these brothers and sisters will receive God's protection from their attackers and that their faith will be a witness to their assailants. Please pray that all believers in India will rely on the Lord as their strength and their shield, and that they will be empowered to take the gospel to every corner of India for His glory. Pray for healing for those wounded in these attacks.

  For more on persecution in India, go to the India Country Report.

• Update: First murder conviction issued after 2008 massacre in Orissa

  A church that was destroyed in the 2008 violence

  Kartik Paramenika has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Ramesh Digal in Orissa, India. The conviction, which was handed down in March, is the first for any of the murders that occurred during widespread mob violence against Christians in Kandhamal, Orissa, in August and September of 2008 (for more, click here).

  Kartik had led a mob to Petapanga village in 2008, where he killed Ramesh and burned down his home. Ramesh had worked as a cook in a school at which Kartik was headmaster. In addition to the life sentence for the murder, Kartik was also sentenced to five years for arson and was fined 5,000 rupees.

  Convictions are difficult in India as witnesses are often threatened and harassed. Dr. John Dayal, a member of the Government of India's National Integration Council, said, "Justice remains the critical issue in Kandhamal where a combination of circumstances, including lacunae in investigations and coercion of witnesses, has resulted in a long series of acquittals. This conviction will help begin to rebuild faith in the judicial system. We must also congratulate the public prosecutor for securing this major success."

  Please pray that more people responsible for the 2008 murders will be brought to justice. Please pray that witnesses to the crimes will be protected by the Lord and that their courage will not falter despite intimidation and threats of violence. Pray that those who perpetrated violence against believers will repent and seek forgiveness from Jesus. Ask God to help those affected by the 2008 attacks to forgive and love their attackers.

  For more on persecution in India, go to the India Country Report.