You’re helping believers like Vikas to stand strong in India

When Pastor Vikas* was 18 years old, he became ill. He tried all sorts of things to get well but nothing worked. One day he met a Christian man who invited him to a church service. Out of desperation, he went along to church.

During the service, the lyrics of a song they were singing resonated with him. “It was as if the scales fell from my eyes,” he recalls. “I began to dislike my old faith and all the idols.” Vikas then gave his life to Christ.

Two years after he became a Christian, he faced opposition from his community. “I got a lot of threats. But I never stopped believing. My faith became so strong,” says Vikas. After a year of training and learning more about God, he eventually became a pastor.

Unfortunately, in 2015 the persecution became more severe. One day three policemen interrupted a church service, saying, “You’re converting people to Christianity. You speak against our gods and goddesses.” But many of the church members testified that they became Christians when they were healed as they prayed with Vikas to the true God. The police left when no one would testify against Vikas.

Sadly, after that incident, journalists wrote stories accusing Vikas of tricking people into converting to Christianity.

In 2018, the police once again raided his home while he was conducting a night of prayer. This time they arrested him and put him in jail. Thankfully, some of the members of Vikas’ church contacted Open Doors’ local partners who were able to get him out on bail the next morning.

“If you weren’t there for me, they probably would have filed a case against me. No one would have been there to fight for me,” says Vikas. That day Vikas was reminded that he isn’t alone – thanks to generous friends like you.

Shortly after his imprisonment, he was invited to attend training run by Open Doors’ local partners to help strengthen him to face the persecution. He says, “When I went to the training, I [realised] there are many people standing next to me. Thank you for your prayers for me.”

Vikas is sharing with others all that he learned at the training. “I now encourage people because I know they’re not alone. They’re also supported by [your] prayers. I try to help them to prevent them from backsliding.”

Thank you for strengthening and equipping our brothers and sisters in India, so they can stand strong as Hindu extremists seek to make India a Hindu state.

*Name changed for security reasons.