Phil J. reports on India that not only are people left homeless from the flood but also Christians are running for their lives from radical Hindus in Orissa and some Christians have been martyred. Read the story and the background. That first link has a document from the Evangelical Fellowship of India that you can use to show your concern.
Facts: 5000 Christians in India gathered last weekend to protest what they are calling India’s “worst ever violence against Christians”.
Guardian reports (Sep 1) 14 dead, 60 churches burned, and 3000 homes destroyed so far.
Latest news on Orissa here.
Technorati Tags: christianity, india, religion
Thanks for keeping us posted on the church in the 2/3 World. Persecution is a fact of life there in Orissa as it is for many Christians in many places here in the Developing World. Orissa has produced many martyrs for the faith – including Australian Baptist missionary Graham Staines, who had dedicated his life to ministering in this part of India, was burned alive in his vehicle along with his sons (ages 7 and 9) back in 1999 by an angry mob of Hindus. In the decade since, many thousands of Indian Christians have been martyred there. My prayer is that the church in India will be strengthened, not discouraged, in this difficult time and respond in love and forgiveness to the angry, violent and militant Hindus who are persecuting them…as well as for the Indian government to quell this civil unrest and to give the Christians in India equal protection under law.
thanks Greg. The story of Graham Staines and family is on that link to Phil because they were associated with his ministry.
WOW, no US citizens included – no big deal!? Ore was there a TV-thing on, I just did not see? Ore, did I forget, that we got freedom of press – meaning, we don’t have to publish/broadcast every thing!?
Thanks Andrew 4 getting this on your blog!
Found some stuff:
in english:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7591217.stm
in german:
http://www.tagesschau.de/ausland/indien108.html
In the India North Territory region for The Salvation Army, Salvationists in Orissa have also been directly impacted by recent civil disorder and are in need of our loving thoughts and prayers.
Two Salvation Army churches have been amongst those churches which have been destroyed together with the home of a Salvation Army officer; 100 Salvationists are in hiding. The Salvation Army Boy’s Home has also been destroyed with 30 children and the Salvation Army officers who care for them are under police protection. We pray for the Territorial leaders of The Salvation Army there and their staff.
Please dont spread lies