It is with a heavy heart that I write this email.
We have had several associates inform us of the atrocious situation of persecution that is taking place in Orissa, India. According to our sources, Christian leaders, pastors and their families are being burnt alive. Churches, homes and orphanages are being bombed or torched and in all this the government is doing nothing. When they do try to help, militants who blocked roads to the affected areas are hindering them. One of the latest news report stated that a gang went on a rampage and bombed a Christian orphanage. All the children were able to escape, but the lady cook was burned alive.
The reason for this latest, in an ongoing state of persecution, is the mob death of Swami Laraswati, a top leader of the VHP. The swami’s ultimate goal was to have India declared a “Hindu nation,” and to half the growth of both Christianity and Islam on the subcontinent. Hindu radicals are using his death as an excuse to increase their attacks on Christians in Orissa. The state of Orissa is directly northeast of the state of Maharastra where Prakash Institutes are located.
It has been reported by GFA (Gospel for Asia) that one of their missionaries was attacked while in route to conduct Sunday services. “He was attacked by a mob and they were almost setting him on fire, but the fire did not catch. By God’s grace the police rescued him and have taken him into custody.” GFA is still trying to get him released.
WHY is that so difficult???? This is India.
Having seen first hand how quickly a gang can get out of control, I can only imagine the plight of these Indian believers, forced to run for their lives
Last week, in protest of the deplorable actions against Christian in Orissa, all Indian Christian Institutes were closed. That included all classes at Prakash. Each and every one the Christian pastors and leaders of Nagpur gathered together at All Saint’s Cathedral and had a meeting with the collector (big-wig government man) of Nagpur.
As of yesterday, the situation in Nagpur is OK, but it doesn’t take long for the fundamentalists to create an unnecessary state of affairs. Christians are already on their hit list. The radical fundamentalists organization RSS, which specializes in organizing street gangs, is headquartered in Nagpur. We thank the Lord for our trustworthy relationship with a prominent Hindu extended family that has been able to give us a degree of protection for our campus from this radical group.
Please pray for the safety of these targeted believers of Orissa and for the continued protection of the Prakash family and campus.
