11/30/2023　India　(VOM) Since 2020, Pastor Santosh has been harassed and pressured by members of the Hindu nationalist group RSS. His church has been vandalized, he has been threatened and hit, and the group has repeatedly pressured the police to file charges against him for conversion of Hindus. In October 2022, he was jailed for a month without bail. “When a person goes to jail, he breaks,” Santosh said. “I felt broken, too. After coming out of the jail, I was terrified. I did not go anywhere for months. I was afraid about what next I would see. People in the streets would hatefully see me as if I was a criminal.” In the aftermath of his arrest, Santosh’s church has not been able to reopen, but he continues to visit congregants at home to pray with and encourage them. His case is still pending. Please pray… Pray that the Lord will strengthen Pastor Santosh and heal him of the trauma he experienced during his imprisonment. Pray for a just resolution to his court case. Pray that the Lord will usePastor Santosh to be a blessing to his church members when he visits them, and may it also be a time of blessing […]

11/9/2023　India　(VOM) Hindu radicals disrupted a worship service last year, accusing Pastor Ramesh Verma of breaking anti-conversion laws. Police arrested Ramesh and placed him in jail. For the first 15 days, Ramesh asked God why he allowed this to happen. But when his son brought him a Bible and other prisoners became interested in what it had to say, Ramesh’s perspective changed: he began to minister to his fellow prisoners and lead them to Christ. He and his younger son distributed 60 New Testaments in the prison. After three months in jail, Ramesh was released on bail, but the church has been forcibly closed and his evangelism efforts are restricted while the case is pending. The family has faced considerable hardship from the arrest and detention, including job loss and rejection by family members. Nevertheless, Ramesh continues to visit and encourage church members while he awaits a verdict. Please pray… Praise the Lord for Pastor Verma’s Bible distribution and faithful witness while he was in prison. Pray that there will be fruit from those efforts, and that the prisoners who trust in Christ will grow in their faith and find a church to attend. Pray that the Lord will provide for Pastor […]

11/2/2023　India　(Open Doors) The use of anti-conversion laws in India to target Christians has been highlighted in a letter sent by the UN to the Indian government in August, which has been made public after they failed to respond to it. Human rights experts from the UN wrote and warned the Indian government that anti-conversion laws are a “tool of persecution”. The laws are used by Hindu nationalists to falsely accuse Christians, often after they have attacked the Christians and destroyed their homes and churches. Most cases that go trial are dismissed because there is no evidence of forced conversion, but such attacks and trials cause Christians much trauma and financial loss. Please pray… Praise the Lord that the UN has officially condemned the Indian government for its blatant religious persecution of Christians. Pray that there will be a change in the government’s policy toward religious minorities. Pray that the attacks against Christians will decrease, and those who attack them and falsely accuse them will be prosecuted.

10/24/2023　India　(ICC) In a rare instance of protecting Christian converts instead of persecuting them, an Indian court recently ruled to uphold true freedom of religion as guaranteed by the country’s constitution. Last year, two families converted to Christianity from Buddhism. In response to what tribal leaders saw as forced conversion, mandates were issued prohibiting others from employing, assisting, or interacting with the converts until they rejected their new religion and returned to Buddhism. The families sought help from the court. After three months of waiting, the court delivered an unexpected ruling, reprimanding the tribe for the treatment of the two families and threatening fines and even arrest for anyone continuing to harass them for their religion. Christian communities have hailed this court ruling as a victory for Christians in India, coming during a time when persecution from Hindus is at an all-time high. Please pray… Praise the Lord for this court decision that upholds freedom of religion. Pray that the court decision will also have an impact on the persecution of Christians by Hindus. Pray that the Indian government will be more proactive in honoring and enforcing the freedom of religion guaranteed by the constitution.

10/12/2023　India　(VOM) Lavanya’s whole family came to faith in Christ after she was miraculously healed from paralysis and other disabilities she had struggled with since birth. Lavanya, age 8, loved to travel with her father, Prakash, when he would share the gospel with others. Prakash was warned by Hindu radicals to stop his evangelistic outreach. In January, while Prakash and Lavanya were traveling home via bike from a neighboring village, some people who had threatened Prakash followed them in a vehicle. They caused Prakash to crash his bike, seriously injuring both Prakash and Lavanya. Months later, Lavanya died from her injuries. The community has been greatly affected by this, and it is reported by Christians in the area that many villagers have come to the church to repent and hear the gospel. Please pray… Praise the Lord for the faithful witness of Prakash and Lavanya, and that God is using this tragedy for His glory. Pray that many of those who have repented will truly put their faith in Jesus Christ and be saved. Pray for the Lord’s to comfort Prakash and his family, and continue to use them to spread His love and truth in their village and surrounding villages.

5/18/2023　India　(VOM) One day, Drithi was worshipping with about 25 other believers when the service was interrupted by a group of radical Hindus who demanded that the church members return to Hinduism. Many of the believers were beaten, including Drithi and her father. Sadly, because of this attack, 14 of the 15 families who were worshiping that day returned to Hinduism, leaving Drithi and her father as the only believers in their village. She said, “In life or death, we will follow the Lord.” Please pray… Pray for Drithi and her father to remain strong in the Lord and that God will strengthen them as the only Christians in their village. Pray that those who returned to Hinduism will see their error, repent and return to Christ. Pray that the Lord will draw more people to Himself in this village, including from among the Hindus who attacked Drithi’s church.

5/18/2023　India　(VOM) Prakash, Sangeetha and their daughters, Lavanya (8) and Shalini (5), belong to a Hindu community in Karnataka State, India. Lavanya was born with severe disabilities, including paralysis, and no medical treatments helped. The family met a Christian pastor who shared the gospel with them and prayed for the child. Lavanya began to recover and was eventually able to walk; then, the whole family came to Christ. Prakash shared their testimony in the village, and they started prayer meetings in their house. Early in 2023, the Hindu radicals of the village warned Prakash not to share the gospel. On Jan. 16, while Prakash and Lavanya were traveling home on a bike from a neighboring village, some who had threatened Prakash followed them in a vehicle and rammed the bike; both Prakash and Lavanya were seriously injured. Please pray… Pray that the Lord will heal Prakash and Lavanya physically, and also heal the emotional trauma of this attack. Pray that the Lord will strengthen and comfort Prakash’s wife, Sangeetha, and help her to care for her husband and daughters. Pray that the Lord will soften the hearts of the Hindu villagers toward them and Jesus.

4/13/2023　India　(VOM) Six Christian families in a village in Chhattisgarh State, India, have experienced community pressure from the time of their conversion. They were socially excluded, and the adults lost their jobs. Last summer, Hindu radicals disrupted their church service and took the Bibles of all the believers. One Christian suggested that the intruders read the Bibles they confiscated, which angered them. The next day, the group returned with representatives from the media. One believer responded to media questions by sharing his testimony of faith, which further angered the Hindu mob, which then went from house to house, damaging the homes of the Christians. The persecution has continued, and these brothers and sisters have asked for prayer. Please pray… Pray that they would remain faithful to the Lord in these hard times. Pray that those who have lost their jobs will find work and that their needs will be met as they take care of their families. Pray that God would work in a way that reveals His truth to the Hindu villagers and that others in the village and that will turn to Christ.

3/30/2023　India　(VOM) Over the last several months, hundreds of Christians in the eastern part of India have been forced to leave their villages because of their faith. Hindu radicals employ a systematic effort to attack Christians, forcing them from their homes, assaulting them, and vandalizing and destroying churches and homes. Hindu leaders have publicly declared that Christians are not wanted in the area. Persecution of Christians is growing worse throughout India under the rule of India’s radical Hindu government. Please pray… Pray that pastors and believers will be strengthened in their faith and will not be controlled by fear. Pray that the Lord will give believers peace and comfort, and that He will provide for their material needs. Pray that the Lord will usher in a new government that will honor the constitution and uphold freedom of religion for India’s religious minorities.

3/13/2023　India　(VOM) Pastor Maan, who ministers to tribal people in Andhra Pradesh state, requests prayer for members of his church who are being forced to leave the Christian faith by Hindu radicals and local leaders. In Karnataka state, another 15 families were recently “reconverted” to Hinduism by force. This type of forced reconversion, called ghar wapsi, often involves intense psychological and social pressure. It is very common and even state-sanctioned in India under the principle of Hindutva, or “Hinduness,” that declares all Indians must be Hindu. Please pray… Pray that the Lord will continue His work in the hearts of these new believers who have been forced to “reconvert” back to Hinduism. Pray that they will continue to pray to Jesus and not truly apostatize, and that the Lord will show them what they should do. Pray that these believers will be able to encourage one another in their faith.