India (MNN) — As the number of Christians who are persecuted for their faith in Christ continues to grow, Christians are being asked to join together for a time of fasting and prayer. It’s being called the “All India Global Day of Prayer.” It’s being held tonight and tomorrow.
Hopegivers International’s Bill Bray says their institutions, schools, hospitals, orphanages and their 20,000 churches will be joining other Christians around the world in prayer to, “intercede for the crisis situation in India and the persecution that’s going on there in these last months. We’ve had nine months of persecution there ourselves.”
Hopegivers only recently was allowed to reopen their ministries in Rajasthan after their licenses and bank accounts were seized and their key leaders jailed.
Bray says, “All over the nation there’s almost daily report of this increased wave and pressure on the believers.”
The situation isn’t over for Hopegivers. President Samuel Thomas still faces anti-nationalism charges, Bray says. “Twice this month we have been called to appear before the courts and both times the prosecuting attorneys from the other side have said they needed more time.” The case has now been postponed until October 27.
Prayer for this case and other persecution against Christians will continue around the clock on October 13-14 as local groups pray at different times.
Despite the persecution, Bray says Christians are continuing their evangelistic work. “They’re cautious; they’re careful. They’re not doing public evangelism like they used to — street meetings and tract distribution — but they’re doing a lot more quiet witnessing one-on-one and continuing all the activities.”
According to Bray, it’s been painful for the church, but it “is forcing the Christians to witness to their neighbors as Jesus witnessed to the religious fanatics of His day. He couched His words and did His acts with great sensitivity to religious extremism.”
If you’d like to receive daily Hopegivers prayer requests you can register at www.hopegivers.org.
