Believers in two Indian states banished

Pray for believers in South Asia.

Christian believers in two Indian states were expelled from their villages because they chose to follow Jesus, reported Gospel for Asia (GFA).

“Once again, we are seeing how our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering persecution for His sake all across Asia,” noted GFA President K.P. Yohannan. “These two incidents clearly show the cost of discipleship in India and other South Asian countries.”

One incident took place in a high-caste Orissa village known to be a center of religious extremism.
GFA-supported national missionary Galoknath Jena established a regular prayer meeting in a family’s home in a high-caste Orissa village. The family was the first in the village to follow Christ, and they were among just a handful of believers that formed the first Christian fellowship there.

The rest of the village was angered by the small group of believers. When the husband died suddenly, village leaders began to verbally abuse and harass the wife, daughter and grandchildren. The believers responded in silence and prayer, infuriating the leaders.

The leaders forced the family to leave the village. Taking their few worldly possessions with them, the family took shelter in the home of a GFA leader in a village about 25 kilometres away.

Yohannan said a young man in Uttar Pradesh received Jesus as his Saviour about six months ago, and the local leaders banned him from his village. His entire family has been excommunicated from their society, said Yohannan.

Please take a moment to pray for these families that are suffering greatly simply because they have placed their faith in Christ. Pray the Lord will continue to hold them up. And pray also for those who persecute them, that their eyes will be opened to the true love of the living God.

Threatened by her own son

In the South Asian village where he serves, Gospel for Asia-supported pastor Tarik Pradhan has witnessed people’s lives change as they chose to follow Jesus, reported ASSIST News. But as people have joined the fellowship of believers, anti-Christian fanatics have begun opposing Pastor Tarik’s ministry and the congregation.

On February 20, Pastor Tarik was leading a prayer meeting in Hemali’s house. During this time of worship and prayer, Hemali’s older son, Kamraj, and a group of villagers approached the house. They intended to beat the believers with rods and other weapons.

When Hemali saw the group of men, she sent Pastor Tarik and the rest of the believers out of the house through another entrance. Kamraj and his companions entered the room but didn’t find the congregation. Angry, they threatened Hemali and the other believing family members, saying that if they continued to go to church, they would kill them.

This threat has put stress on Hemali and her family. Pastor Tarik requested prayer for the family to stand firm in the Lord and for the following needs:

• Kamraj to open his heart to Jesus and commit to serving God.
• The believers in the congregation to remain strong in their faith.
• God to prevent further hindrances from stopping the Sunday worship services.

Please lift these petitions to the Lord, and also ask the Lord to strengthen Pastor Tarik as he ministers in this village.

Anti-Christian extremists in South Asia use religious festivals to harass Christians

In one South Asian state, Christians in two different villages have been harassed and intimidated by anti-Christian extremists, who are using their religious festivals as opportunities to humiliate the believers, reported Gospel for Asia.

People in Pastor Jakson Kinar’s village erected a statue of a local goddess directly in front of the place where his small congregation meets. They then sang loudly in front of the idol to disturb services. When an annual religious festival was underway, the villagers put up a stage with loudspeakers and increased their harassment of Christians.

Bagirathi Singh, who is pastor of a church in another part of the state, said his congregation of 34 believers is experiencing similar difficulties. Political leaders from the village have threatened believers, warning them not to attend services. Government services are also being withheld from some believers.

During local religious festivals, villagers often demand believers continue contributing money to pay for the religious festival, even after they choose to follow Jesus. Some of the believers have paid the money out of fear.

You can read the full Gospel for Asia report here.

"This is truly a time we need to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our brothers and sisters, holding them up in prayer before God's throne of grace. Please pray with me for our faithful workers and believers in this area, and for those who oppose them, that they will be transformed by the power of God's love." — GFA President K.P. Yohannan

South Asia pastor falsely charged with theft

Pastor Mandal was accused of
stealing a motorcycle, much like
this one.

A Gospel for Asia-supported pastor has been accused of stealing a motorcycle by a group of anti-Christian extremists in his village in South Asia, reports ASSIST News Service and Gospel for Asia.

Mandal Bhaskar is the pastor of a rapidly growing church of about 100 people. After a funeral service on December 15, members of the deceased’s family observed a local custom by washing his body in a nearby river. Extremists, who oppose Mandal’s ministry, used this opportunity to stage a false theft. One of them rode to the ceremony on a motorcycle but arranged for it to be taken during the event, making it look like a theft.

The next day, Mandal’s opponents tried to confront the pastor by standing in front of his house and yelling at him to come outside and answer their accusations that he had stolen the motorcycle. Mandal was not at home, but his brother heard the commotion from his home nearby. He stepped out to talk to the men and assured them his brother did not commit the crime.

The men attacked Mandal’s brother, who was badly injured before neighbours were able to break him free from the mob’s grip. The accusers then made their way to the police station and filed a theft report accusing Mandal of the crime. The police immediately summoned Mandal to the station. The police released Mandal after taking his statement. Local law enforcement officials have not yet made a ruling in the case.

Pastor Mandal says that the extremists making false charges against him represent the many other residents of the village who feel threatened by the rapid growth of the church. He believes the theft scenario may have been put together to prevent him from conducting a Christmas program in the village.

Please pray God will give Pastor Mandal and his family the grace and strength to face this situation. Pray the Lord will touch the hearts and lives of the villagers making the accusations. Pray for the believers in Pastor Mandal’s church to stand strong in the face of opposition.