Blessings,

Marty

 

Dear prayer supporter,

 

Christmas and New Year greetings to you  from BCM families of Barakhama, Orissa.

 

I am deeply dispaired to inform you about the attack on Christmas Day at our BCM churches. At 11 am, while all believers were gathered to celebrate the Christmas, the fundamentalist Hindu who are known as Bajrangdal and RSS attacked the churches and the believers. They beat the men with rods and kicked the women, pulling their hair and smashing them to the floor. They continually beat even the youth and children. At the same time another group started to demolish the churches with fire. Seeing this situation the people ran to their houses to hide themselves, but the Hindus followed them and burnt the believers houses. Within two hours more than 123 house were smashed. The mob was so severe it separated the children from the parents and other family members, so that they could not find their own children during the rush of the hazardous situation. Separated and alone, they did not know where to go. No one has saved even a piece of cloth to cover up during this chilly winter. It is pathetic to see the children under the trees in the jungle without food to eat or drink. Till now some of our pastors are missing with their families, and their whereabouts is unknown.

 

Police have deployed forces in the area, and more than 700 victims are without shelter. 47 houses out of 123 distroyed are from BCM families, others are from different denominations. Pastor Bimal Raj from Khajurnal has lost his house and a BCM church. The same day they attacked our BCM pastors in other places. They are: (1) Pastor Patitapaban Pradhan at Nandini; (2) Pastor Pratap Diagal and his BCM church at Padhanpada; (3) Pastor Ranjeet of Barakahma at Kotodi; (4)Pastor Jasawant and (5)Ananio at Telepanga; and (6)Pastor Asish of Mundaringaon.

 

In total, 9 BCM pastors lost all their belonging and their recently harvested food was destroyed. Apart from Barakahama, 19 BCM believers houses are completely burnt by those culprits.

 

Details are here below:             

 

Churches demolished - 4

Churches Burnt          - 2

CNI,Catholics and

others                         - 24

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                                    30

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Believers houses burnt-

At Barakhama           -47

Nandini                       -6

Khajurinal                   -5

Kotodi                         -3

Telepanga                    -3

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                                     -6 4

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 Please continually pray for these brothers and sisters of Christ who are suffering today for the sake of Christian faith.

Remaining with seeking your fervent prayer.

In His bond,

Pastor Nayak.