The people of Orissa need help!

Do you remember Siani and Suphala, the young couple who have the orphanage for 56 children in Orissa, Indiana? There is serious trouble in their region and I wanted you to know about it. Siani asks for our prayers. This is what he wrote:

Today in the world all Christians are with peace and joy celebrating the Birth of Jesus. But in Orissa, Christian brothers and sisters facing a serious persecution in this joyful season. Two Christians were killed and more than 12 churches and several Christian institutions, Christian houses and shops were burned by Hindu fundamentalists and hundreds injured on Christmas night in Kandhamal & Phulbani District of Orissa State in India.

RSS, Viswa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal with their joint effort set fire on churches. Two Christians were killed in Barakhamba village and others were fleeing from villages to jungle. Dozens of vehicles were set on fire. The violence began on December 24, when about 500 men attacked a tent displaying the nativity scene that Christians of various denominations jointly put up in a small town called Bamunigam.

In Balliguda block of Phulbani district, five churches were damaged including Church furniture, the sound systems, and the tents were burnt. An English medium school was attacked and the computer training center was vandalized. A Christmas celebration was stopped during the worship service of church.

In Nuagam Block of the same district, a church in Kdupakia village, another church in Sirtiguda, Gosukia and Jangungia villages were assaulted and furniture and church properties were destroyed and a cross was broken down.

In Chakapad Block, of Phulbani district, a church was torched while Christians were having a Christmas feast. The food was destroyed and several were almost killed.

In Phringia Block, of Phulbani district, a Catholic church was destroyed by a bomb planted by fundamentalist. Pastor Junas Digal was tonsured and brought to temple and forced to bow down to the deity.

In Raikia of Phulbani district, shops belonging to Christians were reportedly destroyed. The Hindutva fanatics were marching in a procession and holding weapons. The Christians were ordered to stay inside their homes.

In Phulbani headquarters, a Baptist church and a Catholic church were not allowed to conduct Christmas celebrations. An orphanage run by a Catholic priest was attacked and three vehicles were torched.

Carmel Convent School in Phulbani town was attacked and the school buses and vehicles were broken and torched. A delegation of Christian leaders from Phulbani met the District Collector to insist on safety measures for the Christian minority.

The church violence came after a Hindu leader called Swami Laxmananand Saraswati, who has campaigned against what he calls the "forced" conversion of low-caste Hindus to Christianity, was attacked on Christmas Eve.

Over the past decade in Orissa, Christian houses and churches have been set on fire, tribal Christians have been harassed and boycotted, and pastors and other Christians have been killed.

A Hindu man Dhara Singh is serving a life sentence for burning alive an Australian Christian missionary Graham Staines and his two sons as well as a Catholic priest in Orissa in 1999.

Graham Staines, who had worked for three decades with lepers and sons, aged eight and 10 died when a Hindu mob torched a jeep in which they were sleeping.

As the communal fire in Orissa continues to spread, senior Christian leaders met the Prime Minister and requested him to intervene to curb the attacks on the minority community by mainly the fundamentalist Hindu groups in the state.

New Life Missionaries were attacked by anti groups and still they are in jungle hiding their lives. More than 20 Platoon force have been sent to each churches, Christian organization for security.

Please pray for God’s protection and send your donation to Worldwide Christian Schools to help Siani and other Christians rebuild churches, houses and help the persecuted families in Orissa.

Pastor Siani Harpal

New Life Power Gospel Fellowship

Kesinga-766012

Kalahandi, Orissa, India

Phone 0091-6670-223324

Cell: 0091-9437426938

Email: nlpgforissa@yahoo.com