India Update!

I recently received an update from our India Trip Team Leader and wanted to pass it on to you to include you in my trip as well as to ask you to join me in praying for India. This update makes me nervous and at the same time makes me want to go to India even more. It is clear that the Christians in India need encouragement and support and the country is in dire need of Christ's love. Here is the email that the missionaries in Calcutta have sent to us:

I just spoke with [the Pastor] on the phone from Orissa. He says that things are much worse than even what the reports we’ve read are saying. The government is 100% for the radical Hindu groups that are attacking Christians, burning churches, killing and raiding. The Baptists and Catholic communities have been hit the hardest. Many Christians want to retaliate with violence by joining the terrorists hiding in the jungles. Many Christians must hide out in the jungle at night for safety. No where is safe for them. [Pastor] is there with his son, and others – who speaks the local language. They are meeting tomorrow – which will be our tonight – with 20 Christian pastors to fast and pray and seek the Lord for wisdom and guidance. He is asking for our sincere prayers. He wants to know what to do to help. We had two missionaries in this area for about a year, but they have since fled. There are some Christians there who have no pastor that were baptized under our care. [Pastor] believes that the Lord has a plan for this area and that many will be reached for Christ through this conflict. The people he has talked to are so very grateful that he came – they feel that there are not alone and they’ve been told that we are praying for them.

Please continue to pray and let others know what is happening. This hasn’t hit the world news reports yet, and it needs to. Indians in other areas feel that this is barbaric and is a stain on India. We must pray that the dark deeds of Satan against the church be revealed. Pray for God’s Spirit to lead and guide His people though this very difficult time of persecution. He is their ever present help in time of need. Pray to the Prince of Peace to rule and reign in Orissa.