Story number 2 for 11 Dec 2002

(India)–We turn our attention next to India where, despite harsh penalties, people are coming to Christ. Dr. Samuel Thomas is with Christ For India, a Bible Pathways affiliate. Dr. Thomas has devoted his life to evangelizing the lowest Hindu caste known as the “Dalits”. He says under the country’s religion laws, new converts face brutal penalties for accepting the Gospel. “The restriction is that whoever baptizes spends four years in prison. And then, whoever receives the baptism, that is the Dalit that receives the baptism, he will have to come up with 22-hundred dollar fine and spend 200 years in jail.” Despite those severe consequences, many are still turning to Christ. Thomas urges prayer for those new believers. “Pray for the safety of our pastors, pray for wisdom for Christians all over India that none of them may be afraid by seeing this mass conversion but on the other side be encouraged and even be willing to die for the sake of the Gospel.”