Your gifts, prayers and advocacy are making an enormous difference for your Indian brothers and sisters. As the Indian church continues to face two crises – persecution and pandemic – your support is helping your family survive.
Shanti’s shocking story
Shanti* and her family were viciously attacked by Hindu extremists while leaving a prayer meeting. They’d already fled their previous village after receiving threats. In India, believers from Hindu backgrounds face the worst persecution – as well as violence and rejection, they are often the target of destructive lies.
In Shanti’s case, her attackers filed a false complaint with the police – alleging that Shanti and her family were forcibly converting Hindus to Christianity. They were arrested and imprisoned. Shockingly, the police even beat Shanti and her family.
But Shanti stayed strong: “I have experienced the love and peace of Christ in my life,” she says. “My family and I can never leave Christ.”
You are standing with Shanti – and the Indian church
Thanks to your gifts and prayers, Open Doors partners in India are helping Shanti and her family. They’ve paid medical bills, provided groceries and shown Shanti that God loves her.
“I am so grateful to God for this organisation, who stood by us in this difficult time,” says Shanti. “God indeed places encouragers during tough times to build up our faith.”
And you’re making a difference on a broader scale, too. Thanks to invitations being sent by 5,900 Open Doors supporters, 38 MPs and representatives attended a briefing on Christian persecution in India. Five MPs requested further information from Parliament, and Brendan O’Hara MP formerly called for a debate on the topic. Each step brings the Indian church closer to religious freedom – thank you so much.
You can keep the momentum going
Your support means such a lot to the Indian church, and they are so grateful. There’s still much more you can do – on 15 August, could you answer the call of the Indian church and raise awareness of their persecution by posting a #StandForTruthIndia selfie on your social media?
Head to opendoorsuk.org/standfortruthindia to see all the ways you can stand for truth and continue sounding the alarm on Christian persecution in India.
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