(9-23-08) Randy Johnson of Vision India just spoke with Tarun and he said things are still tense in Orissa but the Indian Central Government is applying a lot of pressure on the state government to take more action.  Concerning this I received another news email in which Founder and President of Gospel for Asia,  K.P. Yohannan  said, "The Central Government, today, proclaimed that unless you stop doing this, we are going to take action, which means they will simply dismiss the local government."  It has invoked Article 355 of the Constitution warning the state administrators of Orissa and Karnataka.  Pray that the Orissa and Karnataka governments comply.  In reference to this it should be noted that the Orissa government is receiving threats from the militant Hindus of action if they try to stop them.

Yohannan also said that militant Hindus are preventing aid from getting to believers that are still in hiding after the attacks began in August.  Tarun confirmed this and asked us to continue to pray for those needing the aid. 

Tarun also said the militant Hindus have stepped up attempts to forcefully reconvert people back to Hinduism.  Those left in the villages are the sick and the elderly who forcefully have their heads shaved and then are paraded in front of police and media saying they have reconverted when most have not.  Please pray for these suffering people.

Tarun said the House of Hope children are still safe at the relief camp, as well as the staff. 

Here is a thought from Randy about the situation in Orissa.  In Acts 8:1 it says, “And Saul was there, giving approval to his (Stephen’s) death.  On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”  What is happening in Orissa sounds very similar, but Acts 8:1, as you know, is not the end of the story.  In Acts 9 it goes on to say “Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”  “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”” (Acts 9:1-6 NIV)  In all the killing and violence God touched Saul, the man we call “Paul” who repented and went on to be used mightily by God.  

It is easy in the face of all Satan is doing to lose sight of the fact that God is at work and ultimately in control.  In the ministry of Vision India we have seen some of those persecuting the Church come to Christ and become pastors and evangelists.  In this wave of persecution lets pray together that God touches some of the radical Hindus and makes them just as radical or more for Him.  I pray that we see some that become a modern day “Paul” in the mission field of India. 

(9-22-08) A quick update from Orissa, India.  Violence and destruction of property continue.  Some police and military still refuse to protect the Christians and most believers still fear returning to their villages.  The sick and elderly were unable to leave villages.   Yesterday Hindus went to a Christian man in one of the camps and told him his father was dying and he needed to go back to his village.  On the way to the village they killed him.  Tarun asked that we pray that the Lord would rebuke the spirit of killing. 

Tarun said the children from House of Hope are doing fine and continue to have daily Bible lessons and prayer in the relief camp.

Please continue to pray for India and in particular that the believers in Orissa will stand firm in the face of persecution. 

(9-10-08)Tarun continues to stay out of the Kandhamal district.  He does speak with his wife daily who updates him on the status of the children at House of Hope.  Two children are currently in the hospital and others have been sick. This is due to the unsanitary conditions of the refugee center and there are now reports of the Hindus poisoning the water with reportsof others in the refugee centers being hospitalized.  Today news indicated violence has spread into other states, but on the brightside, overall violence is down and Kandhamal has been quiet the last two days.

Mission Network News reports:

India (MNN) ― Orissa State, India, is still reeling from the recent weeks of violence against Christians.

However, churches have reopened this week, despite the fact that thousands are still afraid to go home.

Scott VanderKooy with Worldwide Christian Schools says their partners have returned to the school and orphanage after fleeing for their lives. "The leader of that school project is also a pastor, so his family was on the target list. As of today, things are operating, not as normal, but they are operating."

Yet thousands of Christians are still sheltering under police guard in makeshift camps on church grounds, school campuses and police stations. At last count, 53 people had been murdered, and 60,000 others, mostly Christians, fled to the camps and forests following the August 23 murder of a popular Hindu leader. 

Riots, peppered with reprisal violence, flared between Christians and Hindus and left dozens of churches and homes burned. The Prime Minister has threatened to use force to stop the violence in Orissa and offered aid to the victims of the anti-Christian clashes.

Although church leaders were targeted, VanderKooy notes that Christian school ministries seem to have enjoyed a unique protection. "A lot of Hindus send their children to these Christian schools. These schools are very much a part of their community, and typically their communities, even though they may be predominantly Hindu, recognize value from those Christian schools. So far, these Christian schools seem to be kept safe."

The school is a ray of hope in this region. It was established in May 2005 with the goal of providing education for poor and orphaned children.

The WWCS field partners for New Life write, "We feel that children are a vital part of the Great Commission, and we must invest in the lives of those who need it. We assure you that your help and love will help us to reach these children and win them for Jesus." 
There are reports elsewhere that are causing more concern for other groups working in India.  The violence that set Orissa ablaze seems to have spread to Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Chhattisgarh states.

According to Compass Direct, Christians in Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, were shocked Sunday when suspected Hindu extremists burned down the 86-year-old St. Bartholomew Church of North India.

In Chhattisgarh state, about 20 Bajrang Dal extremists boarded a train at the Durgh railway station and took four babies from two nuns of the Missionaries of Charity and two women helpers. Accusing the nuns of forced conversion, they turned them over to railway police. Subsequently the Hindu extremists beat a nun and a driver sent to help.

In Karnataka state, Christians leaders reported that about 30 attackers on motorcycles and in an SUV stormed into a church and abducted the pastor, but not before tearing up Bibles, hymnals and curtains and beating church members. The attackers then took Pastor R. Babu away, releasing him only after forcing him to sign a written declaration stating that he would not go back to the village or continue any church activities.

Please continue to uphold the believers in Orissa in prayer. Pray that, in their sufferings, they will draw near to the Lord, trusting Him to meet their needs. Pray for comfort for those who have lost loved ones.

http://www.mnnonline.org/article/11647