India (MNN) — Anti-Christian sentiments appear to be on the rise across India.
Voice of the Martyrs, Canada says in recent months there have been three brutal attacks on believers in three separate Indian states.
One attack occurred in Kerala state. A pastor and his children were eating dinner in the home of a convert to Christianity from Hinduism when Hindu extremists stormed in. They abused the pastor and his children and then dropped large boulders on the pastor's car.
Just before that, Hindu extremists disrupted a prayer service in Pandhi village in Chhattisgarh state. For two days the attackers threatened and assaulted attendees with their fists and leather belts. They also tore down the believers' tent.
In a third atrocity, a group of Christians in Haibasa district in Jharkhand state were forced to leave their village after a series of attacks by local villagers. In the last of the attacks, a violent mob shut down all exit points to the village before assaulting Christians with iron rods, axes, arrows, and other sharp weapons, severely beating four Christians.
Other believers, including children, were locked in a room where the assailants attempted to burn them alive. Thankfully, police arrived before they could carry out the murders.
The Christians took refuge at a local church, but at last report, they are living without necessities, says VOM.
Out of India's 1.2 billion person population, only about 2% follow Christ. Believers are often met with hostility. Pray that Christians in India will find strength in Christ to bear the persecution and to continue to proclaim the Kingdom.
Pray for the safety and peace of the victims of these recent attacks. Pray that their attackers might come to know the Lord.
