Pray for the persecuted


Meet Christine, a Sonlight mom living in India with her five children! Click on the photo above to read a letter from Christine and her children about the ways persecution is affecting their life and ministry work in India.

In India, the laws say that people can choose their own religion and worship freely. People are supposed to be treated equally, whether they choose to be Christian, Hindu, Muslim, or any other faith.

But as we've talked about in other weeks, most people in India are Hindu. Many of these Hindus believe India should be a Hindu nation and that Christianity is a "foreign" religion. They see Christianity as a threat to the power and control they have had enjoyed for many centuries over the lower castes and Untouchables.

Because of this, many Christians in India are treated badly for following Jesus. This is called persecution. Sometimes Christians are called bad names or even kicked out of their homes by their own families for choosing to follow Jesus. Christians are sometimes put in jail on false charges. And sadly, some people in India hurt and even kill Christians.

The message of persecution is: "STOP."

In Acts 4, Peter and John were told to STOP speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John would not STOP. They said "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard."

The apostles suffered a great deal of persecution because they would not stop telling everyone the Good News of Jesus. John was imprisoned. Peter was crucified.

Listen to Mission India President Dave Stravers talk about persecution in India during a recent radio interview with Family Life Network's Sarah Harnisch — a Sonlight mom whose family is also doing the Rice Bag Project!

But the Bible says they rejoiced "because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." (Acts 5:31).

Persecution is very bad right now in India. Christians in some areas in the state of Orissa have been suffering persecution for over two months. Their homes and churches have been set on fire. Their friends and family have been hurt. People have died. And the only reason they are suffering is because they love Jesus.
You can read more about the situation in Orissa here.

Just like the apostles, Christians in India will not STOP preaching the name of Jesus.


Pray for believers in Orissa, India, where over 400 churches have been destroyed by people who want to stop the Gospel from spreading.

In spite of all the persecution and violence, they are still believing ... reading ... meeting ... teaching ... witnessing. And by helping teach women how to read and write, you are showing the love of Jesus to many families in India!

You can pray for Christians in India who are suffering persecution.

Next Sunday, November 9, is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Christians from many countries will be praying for their persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ in India and all around the world.

Here are some ways you can pray:

  • Ask God to provide clean water, food, and shelter for believers in Orissa, India, who have lost their homes, their clothes, and their land.
  • Pray that God would comfort the children in Orissa who are frightened by what is happening in their villages.
  • Pray that Jesus would change the hearts of people who want to hurt Christians. Pray that they would change from "Sauls" to "Pauls." (Acts 8:1-3; Acts 9)
  • Pray that Christians in India will not be scared to tell others about Jesus. Pray that God will make them brave and bold.
  • Praise God that literacy classes are blessing mothers in India like Meenaben. Pray that they will know the hope and joy of following Jesus.