Right now, in India Ajay’s extraordinary faith is fuelled by you
As we go to the polls soon, so do our family in India. And their election outcome is crucial for the Church there.
Ajay* is one of our partners. His testimony depicts the generational persecution that believers in India face today. But also, how God equips the Church in India with extraordinary faith!
Ajay grew up knowing what persecution looks like…
His brother was the first in their Hindu family to follow Jesus. When his father, a Hindu priest, discovered his son’s new faith, he persecuted him relentlessly. Eventually, Ajay’s brother was forced out of their home. As his brother left, he gave his father four crucial parting words: “Jesus still loves you.”
The words pierced Ajay’s father’s heart and over the next few years, his heart was transformed. The entire family accepted Jesus as their Saviour.
Praise the Lord! Stories like these fuels me to continue my work and press on in prayer.
View prayer points for India here>>
But now the persecution was against Ajay’s whole family. They were constantly oppressed and eventually kicked out of their village.
They settled in a nearby town and here they started a church. But the family hadn’t left persecution behind… Their new village is in India’s Manipur State. And in May 2023, Ajay saw just how violent persecution can be when Hindu extremists attacked their village.
Extremist groups attacked their home and the homes of other Christians. Ajay remembers them shouting for Christians to come out. “The extremist groups vandalized church buildings, breaking the glass windows and the doors,” Ajay remembers. “After setting the church on fire, they began to attack the houses, throwing bricks and stones and smashing the doors with axes. All the vehicles belonging to Christian families were burned.”
Thousands of Christians were attacked and had to flee. Some pastors were forced to sign an agreement stating they would return to their previous faith and not rebuild their churches. If they refused, they were threatened with dire consequences.
You stood with them in prayer and support. This meant that help was immediately available.
Even though he had his own family to care for, Ajay felt an additional responsibility for the pastors and other believers. The aid Ajay and his family received has helped him continue his work with Open Doors, conducting persecution preparedness trainings and providing practical aid to other persecuted believers.
During the violence, Ajay clung to his faith: “Matthew 5:10-11 inspires me: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.’”
And his extraordinary faith is inspiring to me.
Regular violence in Manipur State is ongoing. Ajay still lives in the same area, continuing the ministry, serving, and helping pastors conduct their ministries. He’s committed to helping believers to be salt and light, no matter the situation.
“God has been protecting us,” he says. “These people might destroy our buildings, but they can never destroy God’s people.”
When people in India find Christ… persecution is almost sure to follow. Your support means that they are supported, never alone and strengthened to stand.
Thank you for your support and prayers for our persecuted family. This is what we are praying into and supporting over these next few weeks! Click here to see how you can pray and support>>
Together we can fuel the extraordinary faith of our family, like Ajay in India.
Peace
Lynette Leibach
Open Doors Southern Africa
P.S. Join in a special online prayer gathering on 28 May 2024 to pray for the elections in both India and South Africa. More information to follow.
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