Story number 1 for 5 Mar 2002

(India)–Our newscast begins today in India. Deadly religious violence flared over the weekend, claiming in its wake, over 500 lives. As this week begins, the rioting between Muslims and Hindus seems to have tapered off, following police intervention. Operation Mobilization’s Peter Dance says it was a close call for their team members. “Some rioting had gone on around our team bases, where the team members live, of course. In fact, one of our women’s teams were very fearful because the rioting was very close to their home. But, they were okay, and there was no damage to their home or themselves.” Dance says the tension does have an impact on their evangelistic work. “Pray for a calm to come to Gujarat itself. One of the things I always fear is communal violence does escalate, and bring in a lot of people that are not involved in it at all; then, they get affected.”