Pray for Persecuted Believers in India

Article Published online in the Baptist Standard:

Christians attacked in eastern India
By Staff
Published: August 27, 2008
WASHINGTON (BWA)—Christians are under attack in the state of Orissa in eastern India, where more than 600 churches have been demolished, 4,000 Christians forced to flee from their villages, and at least 25 killed as a result of violent persecution, Baptist World Alliance officials reported.

“Unfortunate events have taken place in Orissa in recent days. These began with the senseless killing of Hindu Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati. … I am disappointed by the false claim that Christians have responsibility for this murder, and I am saddened by the atrocities being visited on Christians in Orissa,” Baptist World Alliance General Secretary Neville Callam said.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad religious leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his associates were murdered in the Kandhamal District of Orissa Aug. 23. Although a Maoist group claimed responsibility for the murders, supporters of the slain leader claim that Christians were behind the killings. Hindu fundamentalists have launched a series of attacks against Christians in retaliation.

Since Aug. 24, churches, schools and other institutions, prayer rooms, and homes of Christians have been ransacked and burned. Christians have been assaulted, and reportedly at least 25 have been killed—some burned alive or cut into pieces.

In an Aug. 26 e-mail to the BWA, Swarupananda Patra, General Secretary of the All Orissa Baptist Churches Federation, said “All Christian villages (are) empty in Kandhamal as Christians, old and young, sick and pregnant mothers (are) hiding in forests exposed to the non-stop monsoon rains without food.”

Kandhamal is the hardest hit, with at least eight Christians killed and almost all Christian homes demolished, he reported, but Christians in the districts of Balasore, Bargarh, and Kalahandi are also experiencing severe persecution.

P. Ramesh Kumar, Principal of the Balasore Technical School, reported to the BWA on Aug. 25: “We are all under immense danger and threat from these groups. … Please continue to uphold us in your prayer particularly for the safety of Christian brothers and sisters who are now hiding themselves in jungles.”

“I appeal to the governing authorities in India to intervene to save the lives of the many who are being victimized in the current crisis,” Callam said. “Respect for the principle of religious liberty and the sacredness of human life requires nothing less. I also appeal to all Baptists worldwide to pray God’s protection for our brothers and sisters in Orissa.”

Patra also appealed for prayer. “Now we have no request except prayer from our Baptist world as we do not know how to face tomorrow.”



This is not the first time Christians in Orissa have experienced violent attacks. In December 2007, Hindu militants burned about 90 churches and 600 homes, killing 10 people.

Several Baptist conventions and unions in Orissa state are member bodies of the BWA, with total membership in Orissa of nearly 500,000 baptized believers and about 3,500 churches.

Transitions

As many of you may know, Austin and I are in a transition time. We just moved last week to Colorado Springs where Austin will be stationed at Fort Carson, CO as an army chaplain. I am so very proud of him for all that God has done in and through him to get him to this place where he will be able to minister to soldiers and serve his country. I am excited about the call God has placed on my heart and life for this type of ministry as well. It is much more new to me (Austin grew up an army brat and a pastor's kid), but I am nonetheless excited and passionate about the ministry to these men and women and their families. My role will be different, but I am excited about the new challenges that lie ahead.

We drove across country this past week from upstate NY to Colorado. We had many tireless hours on the road, but we briefly saw Chicago and many fields of corn in Nebraska--not even kidding there was corn everywhere!! When we reached Colorado Springs Saturday evening, I was completely amazed!! It is amazing! The mountains are everywhere and are the most beautiful backdrop ever. Everytime we go outside, I am thrown by their majesty and beauty. I keep saying, "Whoa, can you believe we live here!" I tried to post pics, but we have bad internet in the hotel, I will post them soon!

Of course, to move to a new place, you must leave an old. That is hard as well. As we went to church Sunday, we dearly missed our Outpouring family in Oswego. We miss our relationships and our comfortable, familiar fellowship. Here, we know no one and it feels sort of lonely. But, we know this is just the season and soon we will become familiar with this place and it will be home. We will always miss our Outpouring friends, but we know that this is where God has us. We are truly blessed as we follow after Him!!

PS. Thanks for those who have been praying for us during our time of loss. Thanks for the comments you have left even if you didn't know what to say. And if you didn't , but wanted to, that's ok too! We are blessed to have godly friends and family who pray for us.

Love,
Heather

A Story for Those Who Have Experienced Loss

This is a story I read on another person's blog talking about the loss of a baby through miscarriage. It was really encouraging to me and although I shed tears when reading it, I can't help but feeling eased by the thought of our sweet child in heaven.

Derek is the nephew of a dear friend. I met him 7 years ago when he was 11 or 12 years old. He came over to dinner with them because they were babysitting him while his mom was on her honeymoon. Derek and his dad were in a horrible car accident 3 years prior, and his dad had died. Derek, himself, died 3 times (at the scene and in the ambulance). Paramedics were able to revive him each time, but he ended up in a coma that lasted for 2 months. His mom never left his side in ICU the whole time. He was all she had left. and she prayed he would wake up. and worried how she would tell him about what had happened. Would he even remember the accident?

One day, about 2 months later, Derek woke up. Before she could even tell him about the accident or ask him anything, he told her "Dad's in Heaven". She was shocked that he knew that! When she asked him how he knew, he told her he'd been to Heaven 3 times. The first time he went, he saw his dad there and talked with him. The second time he went, he told her he met his 4 brothers and sisters. He described them, what they were like, and that there were two boys and two girls. She was speechless. See, Derek was an only child. She'd had 4 miscarriages, early on, before he was born. She'd never told him about them. (tears again) The third time he went to Heaven, he met Jesus. He showed Derek around, and then told him he had to go home, and be with his mom, that it wasn't his time to come There yet. But He wanted Derek to tell everyone he met about This Place, and what It was like...

When I met Derek, he'd just finished interviewing with 20/20 to share his story. But his mom had decided at the last minute not to air it for fear they would diminish what he had experienced. Derek was a lively boy, with scars on his face and body from the plates and screws that had been put in during multiple reconstructive surgeries. His aunt told me he would at times be humming a song in the car, on the way somewhere, and his mom would ask him what it was because it was so pretty. He always told her, "I don't know the name of it... it's one of the ones I heard the angels singing while I was in Heaven".

I tell you his story for this reason friends: I asked him one time when he was running by me, to PLEEEASE tell me what did Jesus look like? He was too busy playing to entertain me. I even offered to pay him five dollars if he'd tell me! Nope, too busy, not now. I begged him later to tell me what his brothers and sisters looked like (fighting back tears, trying to act cool and nonchalont, imagining my own unborn babies up there). He said, "they looked just like us, like kids, running around and playing!"

Ladies, I'm sorry for the long comment. But I had to share this because my heart is beating out of my chest as I type. For those of you out there who've lost a little one before you got to hold them, Derek's story has brought me more hope and encouragement for what my babies are doing right now as I live my life here without them, and the eternity we'll have together one day when I WILL hold them, than I could ever put into words here.

In the Refiners Fire

There are definitely things in life you go through that you wish you could change. Sometimes you feel that not talking about them will change the fact that you are going through it...but it doesn't. As the body of belivers, we are called to rejoice and mourn with one another. I thought about that statement about 2 and a half months ago when I found out that I was pregnant. Many people do not tell people until they are through their first trimester because of the risk of loss in early pregnancy. I couldn't help it! I was so excited that as soon as I told Austin, all of our family quickly were told along with many friends. We talked about waiting, but we had been praying for a while for a child and I was so sure that God had provided our answer. At eight weeks I saw the heartbeat and it was amazing! I was so excited to be pregnant and even more excited to be a mom. What a gift! I took all the care in the world and our friends and family celebrated with us and took extra good care of me and my little one as well. We had dreams and goals for this little one and the body of believers who knew our news joined in on those dreams. It was a time of rejoicing. Then almost 2 weeks ago, I found that our dreams were not happening as planned and our little one went to be with Jesus. We were devastated and heartbroken. And I thought back to that decision I made to tell because we are called to rejoice and mourn with fellow believers alike...And I wouldn't have done anything differntly. The prayers that have gone out and those who have mourned with us, has actually helped Austin and I grieve and praise God even through this trial. I don't write this to bring attention to us or our loss, but to bring glory to God. He is holding us so tight...I have never felt Him so close. If I could wish to have it different, in my humaness I would, but God knows something bigger, better. Our little one has purposes yet to fulfill on this earth, but they will have to be fulfilled through us, his/her parents. I know God will use this brief life and our devasting loss to minister to a hurting world. I know many of you have gone through something similar and maybe more quietly and that is fine, but know that the fellowship of God's people in suffering is amazing. I could sit on the why me's for an eternity, but God knew that we could handle it and He grieves with us. He wants to use our hurt for good...ours and others. The best you can do for us is pray and take encouragement from the joy that God is bringing even while we are still hurting.

Love,
Heather