The ultimatums of violence and death took place Nov. 16 as protesters shouted anti-Christian slogans to prohibit the programs offered by the Bridge of Hope Center to 100 impoverished low-caste and Dalit children.
Anti-Christian Death Threats Force Closure of Bridge of Hope Center for Children in India11/26/2013 A local Gospel for Asia-supported children's education and healthcare center in a cluster of villages in eastern India has been forced to close because anti-Christian extremists marched on the facility, demanded its closure and issued death threats to the staff.
The ultimatums of violence and death took place Nov. 16 as protesters shouted anti-Christian slogans to prohibit the programs offered by the Bridge of Hope Center to 100 impoverished low-caste and Dalit children.
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Shouting religious slogans, a mob estimated at 1,000 people has destroyed a Christian church under construction in northern India, according to a report received from church leaders in the region. The attack occurred Aug. 25. With the building demolished, the mob began to beat the pastor, his mother and church members, who were able to flee and went into hiding for the night. The extent of their injuries is not known. No deaths were reported. "It is our desire that these who are persecuting will know the love of God for them," said K. P. Yohannan, Gospel for Asia (GFA) founder and president. The Christian community in Kandhamal district, Odisha state (formerly Orissa) is this weekend marking the fifth anniversary of a wave of violence in which an estimated 90 people were killed and at least 54,000 displaced. Much of the violence was brutal in nature, including sexual violence and burning or burying victims alive. The long-term impact of the 2008 violence, which was the culmination of decades of anti-Christian hate speech and smaller-scale attacks in the area, continues to be felt. Against the backdrop of a rising number of acquittals of perpetrators of the 2008 violence, the Christian community still faces harassment and violence. Reportedly, 29 girls from their community were sexually assaulted in the last year alone. This Sunday with an event at the Friends Church campus in Yorba Linda, Calif., members and supporters will launch the NOT TODAY Coalition, a non-profit organization that seeks to end human trafficking in India. The event will be held at the Friends Church campus in Yorba Linda, Calif. at noon, and will feature special guest Joseph D'souza, president of the Dalit Freedom Network in India, as well as various multimedia presentations. The Coalition takes its name from NOT TODAY -- the movie, a feature-length film, which released earlier this year, produced by Friends Media, highlighting the plight of human trafficking in India. Joseph D'souza is available for media interviews, as is Brent Martz, producer of NOT TODAY. Two Canadian Women Take First Skydive 'Leap of Faith' to Fund Bicycles for Pastors in Asia6/24/2013 Dany Dias and Janine Jalbert of Ontario, Canada, will make their first skydive June 29, not as thrill-seekers, but in a leap of faith to promote their passion to fund bicycles for pastors in India to reach remote areas of ministry. Their unique expedition is posted on www.MyGFA.org/leap, where their goal of raising $1,100 for bicycles already has been met and has now increased 10 times to $11,000. MyGFA.org is a new section of the Gospel for Asia (GFA) website where anyone can promote a unique GFA ministry support effort. Grammy-nominated and Dove Award-winning Christian recording artist Kari Jobe—along with an impressive list of global partners—is lending her support to the exciting new film Not Today in the fight against human trafficking. Gripping, entertaining and ultimately redemptive, Not Today helps audiences put a human face on the worldwide problem of modern slavery and exploitation. “We all have to play a role and do our part to fight against the plague that affects 27 million people and growing,” Jobe said. “It’s so incredibly dark, and I feel a responsibility to do what I can. Most of these victims are girls like me, and I can’t imagine what life would be like in that place.” TLM Canada's donors support the Vizianagaram VTC in India. This VTC supports youth to gain vocational skills if they are between the ages of 15 and 25, are cured of leprosy, are from leprosy-affected families, or have other physical disabilities. One of the greatest challenges facing those with leprosy is the need to earn a living. The stigma associated with leprosy and a lack of skills make getting a job very difficult for those with leprosy or who have family members with leprosy. On Saturday, February 16th, Steven Mosher will be exposing the reality and dangers of sex-selective abortion as part of a Symposium at Regent University Law School, in Virginia Beach, VA. Mosher, who is the President of the Population Research Institute, is an internationally recognized authority on demographics and population issues. Mosher first encountered Sex-Selective Abortion in China, where it has reached epidemic proportions as a result of pressures generated by the one-child policy. Up to 100 million girls are missing from the populations of China, India, Korea and Vietnam because of this practice. Mosher will present recent statistical and anecdotal evidence that this practice has reached America's shores. Not a week goes by without a Christian being attacked somewhere in the south Indian state of Karnataka, where more than 40 incidents of violence on Christians have been reported this year.
Each attack deepens the sense of insecurity among Christians, who account for 1.9 percent of the 61 million people in Karnataka. But it is mostly Christians from small, independent groups who bear the brunt of hostilities. On Human Rights Day, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) welcomes the increased global attention on the right to freedom of religion or belief in the past year, and encourages the international community to translate this into action to protect and promote this universal human right.
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Walter Blackwood
Associate Pastor with The Bridge Community of Faith in Kelowna BC Canada. Archives
May 2017
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