Teaching Team
Persecution in India
I am sure many are aware of the growing violence in India directed towards Christians. Going back as far as 1999 the state of Orissa along India's east coast, horrific attacks on Christians have been on the rise. In December 2007, a number of Christian establishments were destroyed including 5 churches, 48 local village chapels as well as two seminaries, six hostels, and four convents. The violence has only increased in the past year.
The violence is headed by Hindu extremists who are often found "wielding machetes." "Christian homes, orphanages, and churches have been burned down, whilst 16 people have been killed. In one of the worst incidents, a young woman was burned alive when she tried to protect children from an attack on their Christian orphanage." The young woman was a 20 year old in an orphanage at Khuntpalli village in Bargarh district.
One of the most recent Christian leaders to condemn the violence is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams of the Anglican Church. While Christian leaders have requested the Indian government to apprehend the perpetrators of the violence the only measure taken thus far is the increased protection of Christians in the main towns "this has not been the case in rural areas."
A group known as the Barnabas Fund "has been assisting victims of the Christmas violence with food aid, clothes, replacement bedding, medical expenses, trauma counselling and school materials for children, and to help repair churches." Still, much needs to be done to assist the 16,000 Christians that have been forced to flee and the nearly 8,000 plus that have sought shelter in refugee camps. Let us all seek to help our brothers and sisters according to our individual means and above all let us remember the persecuted in our prayers.
*The contents of this blog are from here. Last accessed 03 September 2008.
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Shalom Brother Reed,
Where financial aid be sent to?
**Brian's response: Please contact the Barnabas Fund on the best way to accomplish this. Their website is: http://www.barnabasfund.org/
D.A. Fluker Jr. | September 4, 2008 1:24 PM