How can we as a Church be involved in providing hope, as they live day to day with these residual effects? Recently I have been reading articles with headlines such as “The feeling is fatal”, “Nuns unshaken by violence against them in Orissa”, “Orissa violence: Worst ever in India’s history”, all concerning the persecutions of Christians.
I’m especially interested in India because recently we hosted a group of people from North India as part of a celebration 100 years of mission work. While they were here, they received word that some of their churches had been affected by the violence.
Even though New Zealand is so far away, we experience the ripple effects of this violence as our brother and sisters in Christ are persecuted.
One of the articles, titled “Death toll of India’s anti-Christian violence crosses 60”, stated that at least 61 Christians have died in the ongoing wave of anti- Christian attacks in various Indian states, mainly in the eastern state of Orissa.
The article went on to say, “14 of the 30 districts of Orissa are affected by the violence that has destroyed over 4,400 houses and 151 churches and injured more than 18,000 people. Two women have also been gang-raped in the state.
The violence has rendered over 50,000 people homeless.”
This violence is due to the fact that people follow Christ. As we hear about what is happening in India, we need to remember that this persecution is happening all around the world. Thousands of people are dying because of their faith in Christ. It’s easy for us to forget that consequences can still affect survivors of such persecution years later.
This issue of the Gazette looks at some of these consequences and how our own Presbyterian people, in Madagascar, India, and Africa, have been engaged in God’s mission to the orphaned, the abused, and the dispossessed.
Yours in Christ,
Stuart