Christians in India need prayer. They are being severely persecuted. The following letter was sent by a pastor in India to a ministry in the United States. Please pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in India.

Intense persecution in India

This letter from an Indian pastor describes some of the horrors

(His name is withheld for his protection)

September 29, 2008

Jesus said, "If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.... If they persecuted Me they will persecute you... for they do not know the One who sent Me." John 15:19-21

OPPOSITION TO THE GOSPEL: Day by day opposition is on the upward trend. Our neighbouring states are very much in turmoil and the influence is definitely being felt in our areas too. One of our believers' houses was set on fire in their absence. We thank God for not causing any loss of life or damage to persons. But the loss is so complete, that the family members are left with the clothes they wore and all the rest was reduced to ashes. Immediately, they are shifted to church premises, provided with food and shelter. Fellow believers responded well and provided used clothes to elder members and children. This poor family recently accepted Christ as their Saviour, and the neighbourhood did not like it, hence the henious act against them. Even then the family is quite firm to live a witness for Christ.

Kindly pray for them. Presently church is meeting their costs, and children education fee etc. More important that their faith is kept intact.

FURNACE OF FIRE: As all of you know by now, through your news channels, that a handful of states surrounding Andhra Pradesh are a furnace of fire in which Christian families, pastors, leaders are being thrown into. The states under anti-Christian rule are Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat. Even congress ruled state Maharastra as anti-Christian now. As per the details obtained through reliable sources:

Number of Christian leaders/pastors killed are 28 (officially), while actual number exceeds 100.

323 villages are affected/attacked, huts/houses burnt/destroyed, fields crops destroyed, poor believer families fled their homes and scattered into jungles or fled to relative homes. They were hunted and many got killed in the chase. Men, women, old and young, children are without food, shelters for weeks. Some managed to reach rehabilitation camps and living in tent houses with little relief and in fear.

148 churches were burnt or fully destroyed as per official estimate. The real figure exceeds 250. Those tribal areas are still under tension and trouble continues to date. There is no way help can be reached.

In about 11 camps set up by Orissa government, over 13,000 Christian families are taking shelter. Many are leaving these centres for lack of facilities, but as many are reaching these camps in distress. Curfew is declared and no outsiders or any new face can visit these areas.

Over 10 districts in Orissa are under this unrest, and persecution of Christians are continuing to this day. Same is the story in Karnataka state, churches are being attacked/destroyed. Violence is on the increase there, too. Many pastors were kidnapped, some killed. A few days ago 4 pastors were killed in Maharastra, also in Madhya Pradesh the number is not known. The disturbances in these states are in the entire states, and the trend is spreading to neighbour states which were not known for violence before.

Government states are a failure in keeping up law and order, even Centre (Central Government) is not so serious about it, because Christians are a small force and politically are of no advantage to them. It is learned that the aim of Hindu militant groups - PJP - is to wipe out Christianity from these states by 2010. This clearly makes it plain how angry is Satan with us.

Christian community receives no help from any quarter within India. Our only help is the Lord Himself. Astonishingly , people who are being burnt in severe fiery tests, are firm in their faith and willing to suffer, even to die. This is seen irrespective of denominational differences, which further amazes us.

Many Christian families are crossing borders and taking shelter in small churches. They even reached some of our churches in cities. It is a great burden to take care of them, at the same we cannot simply look at their distress, but extend what is possible, and share the misery ourselves.

Churches in these areas, including Andhra Pradesh, are going through difficult times, for which you need to ask all our friends to pray with great burden. It is difficult to say how we can address this issue now. Our only resource, strength and refuge is our Lord. We are safe as on today, bodily, but that does not necessarily mean times will be so in future. We too need to prepare ourselves to difficult times ahead. We pray that Lord will stand by us to stand up for His name till the end.

All other ministry wings are doing fine. Ministry to widow women, Poor, Children. We not to wish to waste any time with in our reach, and every opportunity is being converted to Gospel advantage.

Dear brothers, friends, and churches, please remember believing families in sufferance for Lord's name, also for the families who lost their loved ones for Christ's name. Many are homeless, in total helplessness, hungry and without clothes, and shelterless. Forget not when you kneel down before the Lord.

 "...we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are

     •   hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed...

     •   perplexed, but not in despair

     •   persecuted, but not forsaken;

     •  struck down, but not destroyed

— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body."   2 Corinthians 2:7-10