Be sober,be vigilant

Masked men attack Christian prayer meet
Apr 18 2010
A group of masked men attacked a Christian prayer meet in remote Sarni area of Betul district in Madhya Pradesh, police said on Sunday. Locals claimed that a man died in the resulting melee after he jumped into a well in panic.
According to eyewitnesses, the man died due to the ruckus on Saturday night created by the miscreants, allegedly belonging to "rightist organisations".
"The incident took place around 8.30 pm at Saliya village where around eight to nine masked men forced their way into the Christian prayer meeting, attacked the organisers, damaged their vehicles and fled," Sub-Divisional officer (Police) Abhishek Rajan said.
"Later, the police found a body floating in a well, located 400 meters from the prayer venue. According to the locals, the man was attending the meeting and jumped into the well in panic when the miscreants attacked," he said.
"The police are yet to ascertain whether his death was related to the attack as his body was found floating within two hours of the commotion while medical experts say that it takes at least 12 hours for a body of a drowned person to surface," Rajan said.
Several attacks on Christian meets have been witnessed in the past in tribal-dominated Balaghat district also with the latest one on April 15 when some miscreants, allegedly belonging to rightwing Hindu groups, stormed a function organised by a Protestant group and attended by over 5,000 people.
Father Lijo Antony, assistant parish priest of the lone Catholic church in the area, said: "Hindu groups tried to forcibly enter the venue alleging the programme was aimed at converting gullible tribal people."
The police imposed prohibitory orders in the area after the incident. The administration also gave protection to 23 Protestant pastors working in the area, the priest said.
Although the district is in Madhya Pradesh, it comes under Nagpur archdiocese in Maharashtra.
Source URL:http://www.deccanchronicle.com/latest-news/masked-men-attack-christian-prayer-meet-216

Please continue to pray for the advancement of God' s kingdom in India

Like I said in my comment ,life is very difficult for me as a single , physically challenged woman in a male dominated, very often hostile and intimidating society.I feel very insecure at times.The demons of crime and discrimination hover around us, breathing down our necks. But self pity is one enemy I have learnt to keep at bay. Self pity is the first crack in the wall before the entire wall comes crashing down.

Sometimes feeling very weak myself I have encouraged and admonished others.

"My health may fail and my spirit may grow weak,but God remains the strength of my heart,He is mine forever" Psalm 73;26

This afternoon, when the lights went out for the umpteenth time in the 110* heat I read the following poem from Henri Nouwen 's book 'With Open Hands

Hope means to keep living

amid desperation

and to keep humming

in the darkness

Hope is knowing that there is love

it is trust in tomorrow

it is falling asleep

and waking again

when the sun rises

In the midst of a gale at sea

it is to discover land.

In the eyes of another

it is to see that you are understood...

as long as there is hope

There will also be prayer...

And you will be held

in God' s hands.

"For I satisfy the weary ones

and refresh everyone who languishes." Jeremiah 31;25 (Bible)

Churches burnt in Punjab

A few days ago I read in the newspapers that Christian schools in the north eastern city of Shillong had complained about a school text book containing a caricature of Christ with a cigarette and beer can.They withdrew the book from their syllabus. The publish hing house apologized and recalled the objectionable books and people who returned the books got their money back.
But things were not so in Punjab. Below is a media report.
India consists of a multi religion society. We must learn to respect each other 's views and
live peacefully.Christian are soft targets as we silently bear persecution.
We are also ridiculed and mocked just as Jesus was.

A northern Indian industrial town was put under curfew today following violence over pictures caricaturing Jesus. It was lifted at 1 p.m. today [Feb. 22]. Suspected Hindu radicals reportedly attacked three churches after a general strike called by some Christians turned violent at Batala in Punjab state’s Gurdaspur district on Feb. 20. Christians were protesting posters showing the Sacred Heart of Jesus with a beer can in one hand and a cigarette in the other that had appeared in Jalandhar, another city in Punjab, earlier in the day. Father Michael Anikuzhikattil, parish priest of Gurdaspur, told UCA News that a general strike was in force in Gurdaspur district on Feb. 21. According to him, “the objectionable posters” hurt Christians, who form 25 percent of the district’s population. The priest said more than 1,000 Christians attended a meeting with the district officials earlier in the day.
."Father Peter Kavumpuram, the local diocesan spokesperson, said that as soon as the posters appeared, a Catholic delegation led by Bishop Anil Couto of Jalandhar met authorities to seek action against those responsible. The government took two days to arrest the culprits. Police yesterday [Feb. 21] arrested Pritpal Singh, an Ayurveda doctor responsible for putting up the poster. His accomplices were arrested today. Father Kavumpuram said Catholic and other established Churches, did not organize protests following the administration’s assurances. They urged people to keep calm and accept the incident as part of their Lenten penance, Father Kavumpuram added. However, other smaller Christian sects ignored the plea and organized protest marches in various parts of Gurdaspur. They met at a Methodist church in Batala and went to the local administration office to submit a memorandum. On their way, someone in the group shouted slogans against a Hindu radical group and that triggered violence. The Christian protesters looted shops and destroyed some motorcycles. Police and local people beat up this group. Then, a Hindu mob attacked two churches and burned another, all belonging to Protestant Churches. The police arrested many Christian youths. Father Kavumpuram said as soon as the Hindu radicals retaliated, leaders of the Christians protesting fled the scene. About 300 Christian youths from the affected areas attended a meeting the Catholic Church convened at Fatehgarh on Feb. 20 to take stock of the situation. Church leaders urged the youth to refrain from indulging in violence.

10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5 New Testament

All men will hate you because of me

This took place on Sunday April 19th ,2009

A mob of about 100 militants of the Hindu fundamentalist party Bajrang Dal attacked a church in Saavner area of Nagpur and vandalized it, according to reports reaching the state police headquarters in Mumbai yesterday. The attack took place at 11.00 a.m. when 70 members of the Christian community were praying in the church. The incident led to tension and panic in the city. Police beefed up security in the area and appealed to the people to not to believe in rumors and help in maintaining peace and harmony in the city. According to police sources, the Bajrang Dal militants attacked the church on the suspicion that it was being used for converting Hindus to Christianity.
The police have registered a case against four accused persons, who are reported to be absconding. The Hindu militants damaged chairs, tables, fans in the church and a minibus that was parked in the church compound.
(Source Arabnews)

-------------------------------------------------

An armed group of Hindu radicals attacked a 100-year-old church in Saoner near Nagpur on Sunday, April 19. Saoner police said that just about 10 minutes before the attack, some persons claiming to be from VHP’s Ramtek unit came to the police station and handed over an application asking for action against religious conversions taking place in Saoner.
They warned of a vigorous movement against the church’s action of allegedly targeting economically weaker section and converting them into Christianity offering them enticements. The allegations, said priest Reverend Mark Sakharpekar of the church, were baseless. He said this was the first attack of its kind on the church.
CH Wakade, superintendent of police, Nagpur rural, said that these men then headed straight to the church. “The police station personnel had accepted the complaint and assured them that they would look into the issue of conversion through unfair means. Ten minutes later, the police station received information about attack at the church. It seems that the moves were planned,” he said. SP said that special squads have been formed to round up the culprits at the earliest.
Sakharpekar had just begun his sermon when the attack began. It triggered panic among the devotees. The church is hardly a kilometre from the police station. The priest’s wife Pushpa Sakharpekar, who is in a shock after the attack, tried to reason with the assailants but to no avail. The other women too protested. A sharp trident like weapon was hurled at the priest. However, he escaped unhurt. One of the attackers told him that ‘next time will be worse’. Two worshippers, Aruna Telkhande and Preeti Dongre, received minor injuries.
The late 19th century church comes under the Church of Scotland Missions and is affiliated to United Church of Northern India. “It was a merciless attack. I was shocked to see them barge into the church with sticks and weapons during the worship. They hurled a sharp trident at me. Some of them were known faces. One Pandit Bharadwaj even brandished a pistol to intimidate me,” said Sakharpekar. “Sonu Bariya was one of the attackers. We know him since his mother often came for the morning service. He too visited the church on several occasions. Both Sonu and his mother had recently discontinued their visits to the church,” he said.
An unidentified man had barged into the Saoner church in the night and tried to vandalise the St. John’s Mission High School’s computer room some days back. Sakharpekar had not taken the matter to police station then. “We had no idea who had then tried to break open the computer room. He had claimed to be sent by someone but that name was unfamiliar,” he said. Sakharpekar had raised the boundary wall of the church and school premises.
An offence of rioting, trespassing and defiling place of worship and insulting religious feelings has been registered against the culprits.

(Source cbcsite)

____________________________

Jesus said; All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.Matthew 10;22

His words have proved to be true all through the centuries..

What I just don 't understand is that the right-wing Hindu fundamentalists accuse the church of "false" or "forced" conversions.

I want to tell them that there are no false or forced conversions in Christianity. True conversion has to be of the heart otherwise it is of no value. And if anyone pretends to be converted he is doing so at the peril of his own soul because God cannot be fooled.

The pretend converts slide back into where they came from. The ones whose names are written in the Lamb 's Book of Life will receive the crown of life .

Please pray for our safety too.

____________________________

The second day of voting passed off peacefully today. There was a low voters turn out because of the blistering 110 ' heat.

Sunday Blessings - Remember Orissa

Hindu fundamentalist groups issued a warning to the Government that if by Dec 15th the murderers of their leader are not arrested they would strike back at Christians in Orissa on Christmas Day.

On Dec 15th the Hindu organization's ultimatum to the government expired . Their demands have not been met: even though the police have detained two more people for questioning in connection with the murder of a Hindu leader on August 23, no one has been actually charged with the murder. The stage is now set for them to carry out their threat to force everything in Orissa to close on Christmas Day. Since Christmas is already a holiday, they are expected to march out against anyone celebrating Christmas.They are likely to turn violent.

In the mean time the Maoist (communists) who have already claimed to have killed the Hindu priest, have sent a threat letter to another important Hindu leader in Orissa - the Shankarachariya of Puri.

Christians in Orissa and everywhere else are in grave danger.

Prayers are needed.

______________________________

I am writing with a rather heavy heart .

Today after church a strife like situation developed in a business meeting.In a leadership position you cannot be a people pleaser , sometimes you have to say "No" which leads to someone trying to step on your face.It involved me and a husband and wife. I explained my position and the husband took it very decently but the wife was very hostile.She has been that like since several days.

My Mom and I were deeply affected by this.In the evening the Lord sent a lovely Christian family to cheer us up and we had a long talk with my sister and BIL ending with a prayer time over the Internet which comforted us. Please pray for us.My mother is feeling very low and depressed and I am having occasional anxiety attacks....the devil 's fiery darts.

Also a man who did some building work for the church presented us with a unfair extra bill after we paid him. He is a vicious man and could be of formidable danger to us.

Goliath has reared his ugly head.Prayers are needed.

_______________________________
My chosen advent song for this Sunday is The Friendly Beasts