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Photo of S. Stanley from Salem Voice |
On February 10, a Christian man named S. Stanley (58) was murdered by a group of rioting youths in front of his house in Pavaloor, Kerala state. According to VOMC sources, the youths gathered around Stanley's home and started to shout words against Christianity. After he and his wife came outside to ask them to leave, the mob started throwing stones at the house and tried to force their way through the locked gate. When Stanley went inside to telephone the police, they jumped over the gate and entered the house. Stanley was killed as they stabbed him several times in his back, neck and stomach and also assaulted his wife.
On February 6 in the village of Bashabri in Assam state, Rahbindra Narzaree and his wife were beaten by Hindu villagers for refusing to "reconvert" to Hinduism. Villagers have been ostracizing Narzaree and his family since he converted to Christianity two years ago. Although Narzaree briefly gave in to their pressure and reconverted to Hinduism, he later declared that he remained a Christian. The villagers responded by calling him and his wife to a meeting on February 6. During this meeting, they denounced him for refusing to return to Hinduism. They also attacked him and his wife with sticks. Fearing for their lives, the couple took refuge at a local police sub-station and then moved to Narzaree's brother's house. Their assailants have not been apprehended.
On the night of February 8, three Christian workers of the Church of Nazarene were attacked by a group of Hindu militants, according to a February 9 report from the Evangelical Fellowship of India. Rev. Ravi Shambhakar, Mr. Ramprakash Sahu and a man identified as Satpute were attacked while they were showing the "Jesus Film" in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Satpute was immediately rushed to the hospital. The others received minor injuries. The team's projector and sound equipment were also damaged. When the Christians went to file a complaint about the incident, the police replied with a letter that claimed the Christians were in the wrong. A hearing date was set for February 13.
Pray that those who mourn for Stanley will find comfort in the fact that Christ is victorious over death and that those who die in Christ will be raised with Him. (1 Corinthians 15:50-58). Ask God to heal those who were injured in the attacks. Pray that, in the midst of persecution, Christians in India will persevere in their faith and not grow weary or lose heart (Hebrews 10:32-39; 12:1-3). Pray that those who persecute will come to repentance and receive salvation.
VOMC has recently released a new video on the increasing persecution of Christians in India. A preview of the video is available on https://www.vomcanada.com/. To purchase the thirty-minute DVD, go to our online catalogue.
For more information on the persecution of Christians in India, click here.
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