Tags
India
-
Five Nuns Beaten by Militants in Madhya Pradesh
Five sisters of the Franciscan Clarist Congregation (FCC)--Jincy (40), Sayujia (27), Pavitra (26), Sweta (26) and Anna Maria (27)--were beaten by twenty Hindu militants in the city of Indore, Madhya Pradesh on October 25. At approximately 8.30 p.m. the militants surrounded the house of a local believer, where the nuns were attending a prayer meeting, and accused the nuns of forcibly converting local Hindus to Christianity. When the meeting was over, the militants attacked the nuns and were stopped only when police arrived and took the women to safety. All five were injured and Sister Jincy is in serious condition due to the head injuries she sustained in the attack.
Pray for healing for these five faithful believers. Pray that they will take comfort in the fact that God commends those who suffer for doing His work (1 Peter 2:20-21). Pray that Christians in India will not give in to fear but rest in the fact that the Good Shepherd walks with them through their trials.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Militants Disrupt Prayer Service, Beat Believers
Pastor Victor Periera was beaten by Hindu militants and a group of local villagers who were angered by his organizing of prayer meetings that were attended by Hindu tribals in the Thane district of Maharashtra state on October 23. Pastor Periera was conducting a prayer service at a local church when the attackers barged into the building. The militants shouted curses against the Christian faith and beat the pastor along with several other believers present. Pastor Periera's rib was broken in the attack.Ask God to give healing to Pastor Periera. Pray that he and his congregation will abandon all glory for themselves and embrace the fellowship of Christ's sufferings (Phil. 3:7-10). Pray that nonbelievers in India will come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Pastors Beaten and Detained
The Voice of the Martyrs has received several reports of attacks on Christian pastors in India in recent weeks.
On the morning of October 11, Pastor Ganesh Murthy (42) was attacked by two Hindu militants along with fifteen men while he was distributing literature and praying for local people in the village of Rampura, Karnataka. The militants verbally abused him, beat him and dragged him to the local police station where he was detained on charges of forcible conversion. The militants also tried to forcibly convert Pastor Murthy to Hinduism by promising to meet the financial needs of his wife and three children if he complied. However, the pastor refused the offer and stood firm in his faith.
At approximately 2:30 a.m. on October 14, Pastor Joseph Thadikal (58) and his wife, Ammini, were attacked in their home by two Hindu militants in the Vayandu district of Kerala. Both sustained serious head injuries. Pastor Thadikal, who pastors the local New Indian Bible Church, has been living and working in the area for ten years. He has twice received threats from militants who oppose his Christian work.
Thank the Lord for the boldness of faith of these believers amidst intense persecution and pressure. Pray that their passion for Christ will be a light that draws others to Jesus (Matthew 5:14-16). Pray for healing for Pastor Joseph and his wife. Pray that Pastor Ganesh will be released.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Christian Worker Martyred
Ajay Topno, a missionary with a Christian media organization, was shot and killed in the Ranchi district of Jharkland state on September 19 for converting three tribal families to Christianity, according to a September 28 report from Compass Direct. Local Christians reported that villagers had been angered by the recent conversion of these families to Christianity. On September 11, the villagers drove the families from their homes. Then, after a meeting on September 14, the villagers forcibly "reconverted" the families to Hinduism and then arranged for a local criminal to murder Topno. Topno went missing from his home on September 16. His body was found in a jungle near the village of Sahoda three days later.
Thank the Lord for Ajay's life as a cross-bearing disciple of Christ. Ask God to comfort those who mourn for him. Pray that Indian Christians will be emboldened to follow in their Saviour's footsteps and remain faithful to Him at all cost (1 Corinthians 4:9-14, 16).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Christian Attacked by Militants in Karnataka
A Christian named Jayanthi (38) was attacked by her neighbours while she was being visited by a group of local Christians in her home in the district of Banaswadi, Karnataka on September 20. Jayanthi and her family have recently been experiencing harassment from local people because of her faith. Her husband has left home in fear of violence. Jayanthi was previously beaten by her neighbours in mid-August after an incident involving another local Christian, Uma Jasmine, who had been beaten for sharing her faith with Jayanthi (click here for more).
Pray that God will enable Jayanthi to proclaim the Gospel even while suffering (2 Timothy 4:16-18). Ask Him to strengthen and protect Jayanthi, her husband and two children during in this time. Pray that Christians in this area will boldly proclaim their faith in Christ despite persecution.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Militants Beat Pastor, Disrupt Church Service in Chhattisgarh
Pastor Pradyuman Meshram (35) was beaten and severely injured when 20 young Hindu militants joined by approximately 20 local residents disrupted a worship service in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh on September 23. The assailants first stood outside the church building and called for Pastor Meshram to come out. When he refused to do so, they forcibly entered the building and beat him until some of women present were able to rescue him. The militants then went outside and destroyed some of the church members' two-wheelers. When the police took the militants to the police station, a large group of local people gathered outside the building and complained that the Christians were involved in forcible conversion activities and conducting noisy meetings.
Pray for healing for Pastor Meshram. Pray that he and his congregation will keep their eyes on Jesus, finding their encouragement and strength in Him (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3). Pray that those who persecute Christians in India will come to repentance and accept Jesus Christ as their Saviour.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Three Christian School Girls Assaulted by Militants in Orissa
Three daughters of Pastor Abraham Burdhan were molested by Hindu militants and chased down by a tractor while on their way to school in Nuagada Village, Orissa on September 12. The assailants were the same militants who attacked and seriously injured their father in late March (click here for more). This attack has made other local believers' children fearful to attend school. Over the past month, armed Hindu militants in the area have been daily threatening Christians and are determined to kill all believers in the village.Ask God to give these girls healing from the emotional and physical scars of their assault and fill their hearts with His love (Matthew 5:43-44). Pray that Christians in this area will rely on God to be their Protector and Guide in this time (Psalm 46:1).
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Christians Beaten, Church Burned by Militants
At approximately 12:00 p.m. on September 12, a Christian named Xaxa (52) was beaten by Hindu militants in Annuppur district, Madhya Pradesh. The militants had reportedly targeted him in an attempt to protest against the central government. One of the assailants was a man who attacked Xaxa in June after accusing him of running a school in order to convert people. Xaxa is reportedly suffering severe pain from the injuries he sustained.
On September 15, six Gospel for Asia (GFA) Bible college students were attacked by Hindu militants while distributing Christian literature and evangelizing in Gujarat. According to a September 17 GFA report, the militants accused the believers of trying to forcibly convert people to Christianity. Their literature was confiscated and burned. One of the students managed to escape during the attack in order to get help from GFA leaders. The remaining five were taken to the local police station but when the leaders arrived, they had been released without charge. None of the believers were severely injured.
On September 16, Pastor Virendra Singh (50) his wife Bhavana (45) and his daughter Rushali (14) were on their way to their church in the village of Bhadwadi when they were beaten by approximately 150 Hindu militants. The militants accused the family of forcibly converting people to Christianity. Both the pastor and his wife received minor injuries. The militants then went to Pastor Singh's church and burnt it to the ground. The 500-600 believers present fled the building. Bibles, religious books and musical instruments were destroyed. Prior to the incident, Pastor Singh had registered a report with the local police asking for protection because the militants had threatened to kill him.
Pray for healing for Xaxa. Pray that the Bible college students will be emboldened to continue spreading the gospel (Acts 4:29-31). Ask God to give safety and strength to Pastor Singh, his family and his congregation as they recover from the attack.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Christians Beaten by Militants
Pastor T. L. Angam Haokip (31), who runs an orphanage and a Bible college, was attacked by approximately thirty-five men on the morning of September 8 in the village of Geddalahalli, Bangalore. Pastor Haokip was driving when the men walked in front of his vehicle and forced him to stop. They asked him if he was a pastor and when he said "yes" they pulled him out on to the road. The men accused him of "ruining" the nation and beat him in front of several witnesses. They tried to crush his legs with boulders and also kicked him in the neck. Pastor Haokip received severe injuries to his back and chest and his jeep was destroyed. He tried to file a complaint at the local police station but it was rejected and he was told that a complaint had been registered against him for negligent driving.
On September 9, Pastor Sudhakar and four Christians visiting from Singapore were attacked by members of Hindu militant groups while leading a worship service at the Bethel Gospel Church in the village of Amberpet, Hyderabad. According to a report from the All India Christian Council, approximately three hundred believers were gathered when the militants forcibly entered the church building and began to shout curses against Christianity. The intruders beat Pastor Sudhakar with a rod and also beat the four visitors. Prior to the attack, the militants had filed a complaint at the local police station alleging that the pastor and the Singapore team were involved in forcible conversion activities.
Pray for healing for those injured in these attacks. Ask God to bless the ministry of these pastors and other Christian workers spreading the Gospel in India. Pray that the Lord will work in the lives of the persecutors and lead them to faith in Christ.
For more information on persecution in India, go to theIndia Country Report.
-
Pastor Kidnapped and Beaten by Militants in Karnataka
In the past week, Pastor Mark Jaikumar (43) was twice kidnapped by militants in the village of Chelekere in Karnataka.At approximately 10:00 p.m. on August 22, the pastor was gagged and abducted from an orphanage by five Hindu militants. The assailants took him to a nearby garden where he was stripped, beaten and accused of converting orphans. The assailants tried to kill him by crushing his head with a large stone. They fled when they heard the sound of a motorbike, fearing that they had been followed. Pastor Jaikumar was hospitalized with internal injuries.
Three days later, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Pastor Jaikumar was kidnapped from the compound of his church, the Divine Gospel Church, by four men armed with knives. He saw the men sitting in a car with its engine running near the church gate and assumed they needed help. When he went over to offer his help, they forced him into the car and drove off, blindfolding him and confiscating his cell phone. The men cursed his Christian faith and talked of how they were going to kill him in order to put an end to his conversion activities. After driving around for five hours, the pastor’s blindfold was removed and he was forced onto a bus, accompanied by one of the men. When the bus stalled he was able to tell the driver of his situation and contact his family who helped to rescue him.
Thank the Lord for bringing Pastor Mark home to his wife and three young daughters. Ask God to give him physical and spiritual strength as he recovers from his injuries.
For more information on persecution in India, go to theIndia Country Report. Video reports on persecution in India are also available at www.vomcanada.com.
