Photo: Flickr / B. Sutherland (cc)
On April 25th, a mob of militants in Jalalabad village of Ghazipur District, Uttar Pradesh, beat Manoj Kumar and his wife Pushpa Kumari - along with ten other Christians - with sticks, accusing them of forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity. The same mob, supported by the village president, tried to force the believers to drink water from the Ganges River (considered holy by Hindus residing in the country). Despite the attack, the victims refused to participate or deny Christ.
In the villages of the Uttar Pradesh state, temperatures can soar to 40 degrees Celsius. Yet the militants are now refusing to sell water from their boreholes to these ostracized Christian families. Since water is required to irrigate the fields, the shunned believers' crops are dying in the sweltering heat. Even local police and the village chief have not intervened to restore the water supply, despite the Christians' appeals for help. Other reports addressing the challenges faced by Christians in India are available at our India Country Report.
May the Lord's reassuring presence be with these victimized Christians as they come under intense pressure to recant their faith. Pray that He will strengthen their resolve to stand strong in the midst of hostility, while granting them the grace to reflect His loving character before those opposing them. Please join us by prayerfully petitioning on their behalf, imploring that the urgent need for life-sustaining water be supplied so they can nurture their crops, livestock and families' daily needs. Also, intercede for the salvation of the other villagers, asking the Holy Spirit to work mightily in their hearts so transformation can take place in individual lives and, as a result, the village of Jalalabad as a whole.
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