GLOBAL PRAYER NETWORK: Hindu extremists terrorize Indian pastor and pregnant wife, set fire to church

Minggu, 22 Mei 2016

Hindu extremists terrorize Indian pastor and pregnant wife, set fire to church

By Mark Ellis & Chad Dou, Special to ASSIST News Service

CHHATTISGARH, INDIA (ANS - May 20, 2016) -- “Where is your Jesus?” the Hindu extremist growled, pressing the edge of a sword against Pastor Dinbanhu Sameli’s neck. “Now, say, ‘Jai Shri Ram (Victory to the god Ram)’.”

Sameli, 30, and his pregnant wife, Meena, invited the two men inside after they showed up and asked for prayer on April 17, 2016. Once they stepped through the door, the pair turned vicious.

When questioned about the presence and protection of Jesus, Sameli responded: “We believe He is with us.”

In addition to demanding praise for their Hindu god, the suspects ordered the couple to stomp on the Bible – an act which they refused.

“Why don’t you believe in Ram?” the assailant shouted. After roughing the couple up and hurling threats and insults, the Hindu extremists doused the place with fuel and set fire, burning Bibles, materials and worship instruments.

Remarkably, the church building in the remote village of Karanji, India, was saved from significant damage.

After the attack, the couple immediately filed a police report. A police superintendent said they have stepped up patrols in the area and were confident they would soon make arrests.

Pastor Sameli and his wife are no strangers to hate crimes. Last year, a gang from the militant Hindu group, Bajrang Dal, shouted “Jai Shri Ram!” in front of the church building and vandalized it painting the slogan on the front doors and walls, World Watch Monitor (WWM) reported.

For more information, please go to: https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org.

Photo captions: 1) Pastor Sameli and his wife (Photo: Suhas Munshi/Catch News). 2) Pastor Sameli's church and home in the troubled Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, central India, 2016 (WWM). 3) Dan Wooding welcomes Mark Ellis to the set of “Windows on the World.”

About the writers: Mark Ellis is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service (www.assistnews.net), and also founder of www.GodReports.com), a website that shares stories, testimonies and videos from the church around the world. He is also co-host for "Widows on the World" with ANS Founder, Dan Wooding, which is airred on the Holy Spirit Broadcasting Network (http://hsbn.tv). Chad Dou is a student at Lighthouse Christian Academy in Santa Monica, California.