Pastor and Family Traumatized in Church Attack

^{Marthoma Church Logo}

The Shivanapura Marthoma Mission station includes a small congregation in the village of Shivanapura, forty-five kilometres from Bangalore. At around midnight on July 15, the mission station was attacked by a group believed to be Hindu militants who are opposed to its work. Rev. Alexander Tharakan was locked in the living quarters of the church along with his wife, his two-year-old child and his seventy-year-old mother. The mob then proceeded to cause extensive damage to the property. According to VOMC sources in India, Alexander and his young child were "terribly traumatized" because of the attack.

Pray that this family will rest in the knowledge that the Good Shepherd walks with them through this difficult time (Psalm 23). Ask God to give the adults the strength to leave justice in the hands of the Heavenly Father (Rom. 12:17-21). Pray that they will be able to rebuild their facilities without any further opposition from those around them.

For more information on the suffering experienced by Christians in India, click here. A video report on the increasing violence against Christians in India is also available at https://www.vomcanada.com/.

India

India Information

Current Ministry Projects
VOMC assists persecuted Christians with legal support and rehabilitation assistance, and cares for children of martyrs by providing them with a safe place to be nurtured physical and spiritually. VOMC also partners to equip Christians in India with Biblical training and works to strengthen and support marginalized and persecuted Christian women. Additionally, VOMC helps to provide medical assistance to believers who have faced injuries after being attacked.”

Project Funds: Families of Martyrs, Equipping the Saints, Legal Defense, Relief and Development, Women’s Ministry, Medical Fund
Country Information
Population
1,399,179,585 (2023 est.)

Ethnicity (%)
Indo-Aryan (72), Dravidian (25), other (3)

Religion (%)
Hinduism (79.8), Muslim (14.2), Christianity (2.3), Sikh (1.7), other (2)

Leader
President Droupadi Murmu (2022)

Government type
Federal parliamentary republic

Legal system
Based on English common law; separate personal law codes apply to Christians, Hindus and Muslims.

Source: CIA World Factbook
Pray for India
Despite the intimidation and violence that have taken place in many of India's states, may Christians wisely yet unashamedly preach the Gospel. Pray that indigenous Christians and foreign missionaries will minister in ways that do not hint at fraudulent conversions, unmasking the intentions behind the anti-conversion legislation. Intercede for India's leaders, that they may reign with justice and righteousness.