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India

• Pastors Beaten in Madhya Pradesh

  On November 30, Pastor Hatey Singh Gundiya and Pastor Gokul Gundiya were waiting for a bus in the village of Umria in Madhya Pradesh, India when a group of people approached them and asked what the two were doing in "their" area. According to a December 4 report from the Evangelical Fellowship of India, the group were members of the militant Hindu Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Two members of the mob beat the pastors with sticks until witnesses who recognized the pastors began to object. A police report has been filed and the pastors were sent for medical treatment.

  Pray that these pastors will be healed of their injuries. Pray they will take comfort in the fact that God commends those who suffer for doing good (1 Peter 2:20-21). Ask God to enable them to continue their ministry and proclaim the gospel boldly and lovingly.  Pray that their persecutors will come to know Jesus Christ as Lord.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.

• Persecution of Christians Continues

  Religious persecution in the world's most populous democracy continues unabated, as Christians suffer in multiple ways throughout India. The following accounts are some of those received by VOMC this week:

  (a) On November 17, Hindu militants set fire to a church building in the village of Dubbaka in the Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh, according to the All India Christian Council (AICC). Gasoline was poured on the wooden doors of the Pentecostal church. When the villagers noticed the smoke, they managed to extinguish the fire that had destroyed the doors.

  (b) AICC also reported that the St. Ann's School in Armor, Nizamabad district, was attacked on November 16. The day before, a student had attended school wearing black clothes as part of a Hindu ritual. The school talked to the parents about the importance of wearing the school uniform. When militants heard of the incident, they attacked the school, damaging vehicles and furniture. They also threatened to make the Catholic nuns parade naked.

  (c) Earlier this month in Nizamabad district, Pastor Praharshi was visiting a home for prayer on November 3 when a large group of youth surrounded the home. According to a November 27 report from Compass Direct, he and other believers in the house were severely beaten.

  (d) Also on November 3, Hindu militants attacked four pastors of an Assembly of God church in Kerala state, according to Compass Direct. The four -- Lallu Pappachen, Manoj Babu, K.J. Ebenezer and B. Jayachandran -- were taken to hospital for treatment. After the victims lodged a police complaint, their attackers destroyed equipment, furniture and the compound wall of the church.

  (e) Pastor Ashis Kumar Muna (25) was asked by his uncle on November 15 to pray for a Hindu woman suffering with tuberculosis and kidney problems in Rourkela, Orissa. According to the Global Council of Indian Christians, as he began to pray, the woman's daughters suddenly began to accuse Pastor Ashis of trying to force them to be Christians. Police were called and Muna was arrested. A petition for bail was rejected and Muna was sent to jail to await trial.

  (f) According to Evangelical Fellowship of India, Subash Kalappa Chougle, a worker for Pioneer Ministries in Karnataka state was taken into police custody on November 15 on false charges of rape. Subash was on his way to hold a prayer meeting in the small town of Khanapur, near Belgaum, when four girls asked him to come and pray for them at their house. Solomon Bijja, a co-worker stated that later "the four girls with the help of a local Hindu fanatic group went to the nearest police station and one of the girls who is below 20 years of age lodged a complaint against Subash stating that he kidnapped and raped her."  Subash's bail hearing was to take place today (November 29) at the Bangalore High Court.

  (g) The Evangelical Fellowship of India also reported that a mob consisting of BJP and Bajrang Dal activists and local residents disrupted an meeting in the region of Rajaji Garden and Jagadhri Workshop, Utteranchal.  A Christian preacher, A. M. Samuel, and several others were beaten and the temporary shelter in which he was addressing a gathering was ransacked in the late evening of November 15.  The mob alleged that the preacher's purpose in coming to the community was to convert Hindus to Christians.

  Pray that Indian believers will rejoice in the opportunity to grow in Christlikeness through the ongoing opposition to their faith (James 1:2-4). Ask Christ to help them set Him apart as Lord without giving in to fear (1 Peter 3:14-17). Pray that those injured will recover quickly from their injuries.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. New video reports on ways that VOMC is assisting persecuted Christians in India are also available on our multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Prominent Church Worker Murdered

  Bashir Ahmad Tantray. Photo from Global Council of Indian Christians' (GCIC)Persecution Update

  A Christian convert from Islam was murdered by two unidentified Muslim militants on November 21 in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India.

  According to a November 21 report from Compass Direct, Bashir Ahmed Tantray (50) was shot and killed while he was waiting by a bus stand in the village of Mamoosa, Barmullah. Eye-witness accounts claim that two young Muslim men came to the bus stand at 10:10 a.m. and started to inquire about bus timings. Then one of the militants took out a pistol and fired three rounds at Tantray at point-blank range.

  Tantray converted to Christianity ten years ago and had since been an active and widely known Christian worker in the state. A local Christian told Compass Direct, "There is no doubt among the people, both Christian and Muslim, here that he was killed because of his identity as Christian worker."

  Tantray is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons.

  Pray that those who mourn for Tantray will find comfort in the fact that Christ is victorious over death and that those who die in Christ will be raised with Him. In view of this promise, pray that Christians in India will continue to give themselves fully to the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Pray that persecutors of Christians will come to repentance and salvation, just as Paul did. (Acts 9:1-19).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here. The second part of a new video series on persecution in India was added this week to VOMC's multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Families Driven from Homes for Converting

  Nine families from the Bodo tribe in the northeastern Indian state of Assam were forced from their homes on November 14 for converting to Christianity, according to a November 20 report from Compass Direct. The families lived in four villages in the Kokrajhar district of Assam. The difficulties began after a church meeting was held in the village of Haldibari on November 13. The meeting infuriated adherents of the Bodo tribal religion, who resolved to expel the Christians. Twenty-five villagers attacked the homes of the Christians in their village and then moved on to the neighbouring villages of Moflabari, Jamduguri and Basdari. Security forces were rushed to the area to assist the families, who took shelter in an area school. At last report, seven arrests had been made, though all had been released on bail.

  Ask God to give the Christians who have lost their homes a deep assurance of His never-ending love, even in the midst of very trying circumstances (Ephesians 3:14-19). Pray that these persecuted believers will echo Peter's sentiment and determine to obey God regardless of what man says (Acts 5:29). Pray that the violence in this area will cease. 

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.

• Hindu Militants Harass and Accuse Pastor, Threaten Converts

  Supporters of the pro-Hindu group, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have accused Pastor C. Samuel John, the owner of an orphanage in Lakkavalli, Karnataka state, of forced conversion, according to a November 13 report from Compass Direct. The Hindu militants have also threatened local converts to Christianity.

  On November 8, BJP supporters filed a complaint with the police against Pastor John that alleged that he was visiting slums and villages in the area and inducing Dalits to convert to Christianity. John denied the allegations and asked that his accusers provide proof of their claims which they were unable to do.

  A few days later, on November 12, BJP activists threatened, harassed and interrogated residents of the village in order to gain information about the orphanage, which they say is a center for the forcible conversions. The following day, a BJP supporter identified only as Nagesh went to Pastor John's house and threatened to prevent local converts from joining any church in the area.

  The activists have threatened public demonstrations against John's alleged conversions but local authorities and Dalits are reported to be supportive of him.

  Ask the Lord to keep Pastor John safe from harm and to allow him to continue his ministry. Pray that Indian Christians will set Christ apart as Lord and not be controlled by fear (1 Peter 3:14-17). Ask that their persecutors will come to repentance and receive salvation, just as Paul did (Acts 9:1-19).

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here. A new report from India from Crossroads Communications on some of the ways VOMC is helping those persecuted for their faith in India is available on the multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Local Politician and Associates Attack Christians

  A local politician and his associates attacked six Christians in Bamhni, Chhattisgarh state, according to a November 13 report from Compass Direct.

  The village council called Purun Patel, a local politician with strong connections to the state's BJP party, and a group of Christians to a meeting at approximately 3:00 p.m. on November 9. Local sources claim that Patel has been harassing Christians villagers for over a year. During this meeting, the council read a letter that the Christians wrote the council appealing for protection from Patel after he and his associates verbally abused them on November 5 while they were assembled for Sunday worship.

  After the letter was read, Patel stood up and verbally abused the Christians. He and his associates slapped several Christians and severely beat four of them. They pushed one woman against a wall and kicked another, who is pregnant, in the stomach. The village council merely watched the attacks in silence.

  When the Christians fled to the local police station, police would not help them. Police refused to file a complaint until the general secretary of the Chhattisgarah Christian Forum called the police station on November 10 and insisted that the complaint be treated seriously. No arrests have yet been made. 

  Pray that the Christians in Bahmni will be free to worship without fear of attack. Ask God to grant full healing to those who were injured.  Pray that the lives of these Christians will teach their persecutors Christ's love and forgiveness (Romans 12:14, 21). Pray that the unborn child of Sukbati Mandavi, the pregnant woman, was unharmed.

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.

• Four Christian Youths Arrested in Karnataka

  Police in the state of Karnataka arrested four Christian youths on October 27 on charges of forcibly converting Hindu people, according to a November 3 report from Compass Direct.

  The Christians, identified only as Robin, Karen, Ashya and Flavin, were arrested after Girish Kundapur, the leader of a Hindu organization, filed a complaint alleging that they were "visiting the houses of Hindus and misleading the people" in their home area of Mabukal. The youths refute this allegation and say that they were not encouraging conversion but only preaching their beliefs. Police are still investigating the conversion charges.

  Pray that the charges against these Christians will dropped. Pray that those who accuse them of forced conversion will see that the Gospel message is one of a free gift, not coercion. Pray that they will respond in faith to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8-9).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.

• Christians Forced to Worship Hindu Deities

  Over the past week, Indian Christians have been forced to worship Hindu deities in Karnataka state, according to two reports from Compass Direct.

  According to a November 3 report, when Hindu villagers in Kurumaradikere noted on October 29 that local Christians had not participated in the annual Depavali festival, they demanded that Pastor Naik (39) and the eleven families of his congregation worship Hindu deities as a "gesture of symbolic repentance."

  At a meeting called by local leaders, they interrogated the pastor about whether or not he taught his congregation to reject Hindu deities. They threatened and insulted the Christians and physically assaulted one man by repeatedly slapping him. They also demanded that every church member worship at the village temple. Eight of the eleven families in Pastor Naik's congregation gave in to the demands. The local council chief ordered that the three families who refused to cooperate be ostracized from the village. Pastor Naik has gone into hiding out of fear of further persecution from government officials. The pastor of a nearby village told Compass that a local politician named Raja Naik had instigated the persecution.

  On November 6, Hindu militants also forced Christians in the village of Bevainahalli to bow down before Hindi deities, according to a November 7 Compass Direct report. At 5:00 p.m., two Hindu priests and a group of twenty to twenty-five Hindu militants from the Rashitriya Swayamsevek Sangh (RSS) militant group and its youth wing, the Bajrang Dal, stormed through the village shouting threats to those in Christian homes and ordering the occupants to go to a site near the village temple. Christians who questioned their orders were slapped and told to keep walking.

  Once the Christians were gathered together, one of the Hindu priests began to speak against Christianity and told them to "reconvert" to Hinduism. The Christians were then marched to the temple and forced to bow down before the gods. The Hindu priests applied the vermillion marks on the foreheads of each man and woman and told them to eat of the Hindu offering.

  Pray that Indian Christians will confidently entrust themselves to God so that they can preach the gospel without hesitation (2 Timothy 1:5).  Pray that God will use the faithfulness of those who dared to set Him apart as Lord to bring about mercy in the hearts of their persecutors, as it did in the heart of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3:28-29). Ask the Lord to keep Pastor Naik safe from harm. Pray that God will work in the hearts of those who denied Him and lead them to repentance.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here. Recent video reports on the persecution in India and what VOMC is doing to help are available on our multimedia website, https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Christians Beaten for Refusing to ''Reconvert''

  Two converts of a church in the district of Shahdol, Madhya Pradesh have been beaten for refusing to return to Hinduism, according to an October 27 report from Compass Direct.

  On the morning of October 19, Santu Prasad Barmaia and Kunjan Prasad Barmaia were attacked by as many as twelve villagers while on the way to farm their fields. A local Christian reported that both men suffered internal injuries as a result of the attack.

  These two men, who are the only Christians in their village, have been threatened and ostracized by their Hindu villagers since they converted to Christianity four years ago. For the past year, villagers have even refused to allow them to take water from the common drinking well unless they "reconvert" to Hinduism. Although Barmaia and Barmaia filed a police report that identified their attackers by name, the police have yet to make any arrests.

  Pray that these men will be assured that although the authorities ignore them, the Lord hears their cries (Psalm 34:17). Ask God to strengthen these men to lovingly and boldly proclaim the gospel (Ephesians 6:18-20). Pray that they will heal quickly from their injuries.

  For more information on the persecution facing Christians in India,click here. To view video reports about the persecution facing Christians in India and ways VOMC is working to help them, go to https://www.vomcanada.com/.

• Updates from India

  (a) On September 10, Pastor Haroon Jonathan was arrested on accusations of "hurting religious sentiments" and "forced conversion" (for more details click here). According to Compass Direct, police had promised Haroon that he would be released on bail on October 16, but they have reneged on that agreement. In order for him to obtain bail, police have to file formal charges, which they did not do before the courts shut down for an October 18-October 26 Hindu festival. It is not yet known when the charges are scheduled to formally be filed.

  (b) On October 27, Karnel Nayak, pastor of the Good Shepherd Community Church in  Manikeswari, Orissa, was released on bail after two months, according to the All India Christian Council. Nayak had been falsely accused of rape by some disgruntled church members, who also instigated the destruction of Pastor Nayak's home (for more information, click here).

  For more information on the persecution of Christians in India,click here.