Faces of the Persecuted
Persecution comes in many forms. Take a look at a few recent stories that show what Christians in India are enduring.
Dviti: Expelled.
Dviti was moved by the message of love, forgiveness, and compassion when she heard the Gospel through Church Planter Sulhara. But when Dviti placed her faith in Christ, her in-laws — who she lived with — kicked her out of the house, separating her from her husband and children.
Then, after nine months of Dviti’s prayers, her husband and children received Jesus as their Savior. While the family remains cut off from relatives, they are reunited and active in the local church.
Bismeet: Robbed.
Financial burdens and illness overshadowed all happiness in Bismeet’s home. So, when Church Planter Raajas told Bismeet about Jesus, he was intrigued. Bismeet gave his life to Christ, and while this didn’t fix his problems, it restored his joy and peace.
When the rest of the village found out, they were outraged. While Bismeet and his family were sleeping, locals broke into their home, stealing the money and gold Bismeet had been saving for his daughters’ future. He was devastated.
Yet even after this attack, he and his family continued to trust in God’s plan, surrounded by a supportive church community.
Raif: Prohibited.
Every day while the other children in his Bible Club played games, Raif sat quietly off to the side, reading the book his Bible Club leader had gifted him.
The Bible Club leader, Kaara, finally asked him why he didn’t want to join the other activities, and his answer was heartbreaking. Whenever Raif opened the Scripture-based book at home, his dad scolded him. The Bible Club was the only place Raif could read about Jesus freely.
Full of compassion, Kaara affirmed Raif and shared more about the Savior. Right then and there, Raif confessed his sins and received Jesus into his heart! Now, he prays that Jesus will change his parents. In the meantime, God has filled him with boldness and wisdom to navigate opposition at home.
Avyan: Threatened.
Three years into Church Planter Avyan’s ministry, people across his region of east India could say that they followed Jesus because of his work.
But one Sunday, an organized group of anti-Christian activists surrounded Avyan’s house. They hurled insults at him and his family, and then threatened to kill Avyan and harass his wife and children. Shortly after, another local believer heard that the activists had a plan to physically attack Avyan.
Avyan, his wife, and their two children had to flee for their lives. Now, they request your prayers for their safety and the future of the ministry.
Yugap: Beaten and Marked.
Yugap knows he is called to serve God’s Kingdom, but lately it hasn’t been easy. Earlier this year, Yugap — who disciples a group of five Adult Literacy teachers — attended a prayer group with a local pastor. During the gathering, anti-Christian extremists attacked, beating up Yugap and the pastor.
The extremists then dragged them to the local temple and marked their foreheads to symbolize the local religion. Though Yugap and the pastor were the victims in this incident, they were brought to the police station afterward. Thankfully, they were not charged, but the effects of the attack continued long after that day. Following the beatings, Yugap began to experience vision issues and is now seeking medical attention.
These two men desperately need your prayers as they seek to be bold, courageous, and steadfast in their faith.
