With our connections through Sisters in service we are aware that persecution of Christians in Orissa is on the rise.
Please pray for believers that are suffering from the ongoing attacks in the state of Orissa. All of our partner ministries have trained leaders, families and churches that have been destroyed, many are in hiding.
“We are very much afraid of the situation. We can’t move out from house for number of days. Sir kindly come and rescue us” from Smita, 23 years old, WEMOS team leader Orissa.
“Following the killing of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Lakshmananda, the death toll continues to rise. Christians are not responsible for the killing of Swami, however the Christians became easy target for the fanatics to attack and kill. 
It is just as Nero blamed Christians for the great fire of Rome, VHP and Bajrangdal activists torch churches for the killing” reports Dr. Selva Raj.
“The fundamentalist groups are going from village to village destroying Churches, burning houses, attacking and killing Christians. It is reported that thousands of extremists have been brought from Gujarat and Chhattisgarh to perpetrate this violence which has spread to all the districts of Orissa. Their agenda is to wipe out Christians and Christianity from India starting from Orissa.” Thousands have been driven from their homes, many have already been killed and several others are hiding in jungles or the safe places for fear of being beaten, arrested or killed. Some have even been burned alive, others arrested. Well over 500 churches and 1000’s of believer’s homes have been burned to the ground. All of this is after the attack of December 2007 where many of these in this state had already been suffering without shelter or livelihood.
“Christian community is saddened by the response of the Government so far to tackle the situation in Orissa that has become the boiling pot of crooked political agendas of the Sangh Parivar.”
The situation is tense. “The work is extensive and spread out and we are widely separated from each other …..(but) our God will be fight for us” Nehemiah 4:19,20. Please pray.
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it is false to report that the Hindu community is out with a vengeance to wipe out Christianity in India. no rational being in this day and age is hell bound on ethnic cleansing. it may be possible in smaller community but not in the largest democracy with its multitude cultural diversity. Indians are peace loving people and has been the most non violent society in the entire history. barring a few outburst over the period of time. the anger in Orissa is not about a particular person been killed and an entire community been targeted. the anger is about a group of people who are hell bent in converting as many Hindus as possible. through a series of preaching, hypnosis and monetary titbits. its been happening for a long time and there is no denying of this. with funds from good Christians pouring in from around the world for good reasons, these groups use the money to convert, forcefully,,,, though they may argue no one can be forced, extreme persuasion targeting the weakness of the people, is forceful conversion. and this is happening in the backward regions of India, and orissa is one of the target region of the so called Christians….
there are 2 sides to every coin..
Hindus are the most non violent People in the world. but they do have their religious emotion.. How would you feel if a hindu walks to a sunday mass and call Jesus a Satan…
Jesus is a Noble god. he would want those who really embrace him from their own will. Not those who was forced and bought for pennies. \
Raj…
Thank you for your post. And I agree with a lot of your concerns. If you read carefully the article doesn’t lump “all” Hidu’s into one lump, but only the extremists.
I am fully aware of the general peace loving people of India as both of my parents were born and raised there and I have inherited a great appreciation for the culture and the people.
That said, there was a definite sweep among extremists to eradicate Christianity and the lives lost and homes ruined is evidence of that. I do agree, however, that coercion of any kind for the purpose of conversion is not acceptable. To coerce someone to be a Christian goes against the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is not a reflection of true Christianity.
If that has happened then those “Christians” are really not Christians, but only religious zealots under the guise of Christianity. They are not part of the family of God.
I disagree with your assessment of Jesus. He is noble, but he is so much more. He bore the wrath of God the Father for my sin on the Cross, paying the penalty that I deserved.
He is not a god, but The Great God and Savior, the Christ, the Son of God.
And clearly, He would not be pleased with the violence.