Loving greetings in the name of Jesus Christ from the Kandhamal, Orissa, where your brethren are undergoing much persecution and need your prayer and encouragement.
The effected brethren are still in fear and despair in their own villages. Several of them are staying in relief camps. Their houses have not been renovated. Some have just started with much fear because the miscreants who have not been arrested are moving freely in the village and are threatening to break and destroy their houses again. Others, especially in the village of Barakhama, are not in a position to start building because they have been forbidden to construct anything on the destroyed site. In Budrukia village many are discouraged from constructing houses because after being assured they would receive 50,000 rupees from the government, they have been told they will receive half that amount.
Those staying in relief camps are getting rations from the government. Since Dec. 24 they have no smell of meat or fish. They do not have money to buy meat outside the camp. Personal life has been broken. Those who are not staying in the relief camps are under much pressure to renounce their faith and are not allowed to earn a livelihood. Most go hungry. They are secretly being provided rations from benevolent organizations.
The worship places or churches which have been destroyed in various places have not been renovated or repaired. There is no assurance from the government of any compensation for the destruction and damage of churches. The victims are not openly coming out for Sunday worship. For many Sunday worship has been closed in the effected villages and towns since Dec. 25. In most places believers are in panic and afraid to pray, sing and read the Bible openly. Missionaries and pastors are not staying in the villages because they feel that their presence may cause more problem to local believers, who also cannot assure them of protection of life and property.
The faith of the persecuted brethren who have lost everything except life is to be admired. They are more strong than before and they are willing to share their rations and food and clothing with fellow sufferers, even if they do not have plenty.
Many of their Bibles were burned when their houses were torched; some were forced to bring their Bibles under threat of death and they were burned in front of them. They cry for Bibles now.
The believers in Budrukia are bold enough to gather outside under a tree for prayer in the morning and evening. Some of them are praying and singing in the tents. Many are wandering, forsaking their houses and property. When they see us visiting them they gather happily with faces shining. They shake our hands and say “Praise the Lord.”
The culprits whose names have been reported to the police station now move freely. They absconded for a while when the police were searching for them, but they have not been arrested and are causing more tension to the peaceful living of believers. They are now bold enough to cause more destruction. Unless the culprits are booked and arrested the situation will be uncontrollable. One of the demands of the Kandha leader was not to arrest the Kandhas or, if arrested, to release them soon. Otherwise, they would again call for a strike. So the government is not taking any strong action against the offenders. Believers are telling their leaders not to visit their villages for safety. They may be attacked by these miscreants.
The schools, training centers, dispensaries and other benevolent institutions run by Christians which were attacked and destroyed by the miscreants are not functioning now, so hundreds of people and children are suffering very much.
Some 15 girls who lived in a Jalespata hostel have been removed because they belong to the Christian community. Because of that some of them are unable to pay exam fees for the public school examination in March. We are planning to assist them so they can appear at the supplementary exam in September or October.
We have taken these steps:
• Visiting and consoling. We are risking of our lives to visit the believers in their own villages and the relief camps about three times a week.
• Distribution of relief materials. Many have responded to the situation of suffering brethren and have come forward to provide food materials, clothes, blankets, study books for children and some cash.
• Representing their cause to the state administration. We have met with the district magistrate and told him to take action to see that Christians enjoy the freedom of religion granted by the constitution of India.
• Sending news through the Internet. We sent news to many mission organizations for prayer and participation. Many are praying for us.
• The government still has not allowed any relief measures to be taken directly by private agencies. Pray that the government will rethink this issue for the good of the victims.
• Effort to release the innocents on bail. There are 28 believers in the police custody. Christian advocates are trying to release them on bail.