This comes from Remo at the Reaching Hand Society in India
Greetings in Jesus' Name.
This email comes to you from Khoirput, a village 60 Kms northeast of Malkangiri at the foothills of the Bondo Hills. This is a place where dad and mom first started the work as missionaries with Indian Missionary Society (IMS). A part of my childhood was spent here. IMS now has a church, a hostel for tribal boys, missionary couple (John and Rosemary) and an evangelist and his family (Rev. Christadass) stationed here.
On the 22nd Aug 2005 two missionaries and 4 evangelists (Mr. John, Mr. Immanuel, Rev. Christadass, Mr. Paul Chalan, Jesupadam Chalan and Somnath Muduli) when returning from a upper Bondo village were stopped by a group of 25 youth from the RSS and the Bajrang Dal and were relived of all the tracks, books and Bibles and were told to come for a meeting the next day in Khoirput. The whole of next day from 10:00 AM till 6:00 PM they were kept in a room with about 50 RSS and Bajrang Dal activists hurling abuses and threats to life. During this time they were slapped repeatedly. The four evangelists were forced to sign on a blank paper (the two missionaries refused to sign) and were handed over to police demanding an arrest. The police took a statement from them and released them at 10:00 PM.
The next day (24th Aug 2005) the RSS and the Bajrang Dal organised road blockades and disrupted traffic on the main road demanding the immediate arrest of the six persons.
RHS missionaries from Mundiguda (3 Kms from Khoirput, where we have our missionaries placed) and two missionaries from Malkangiri came and stayed with the people here in Khoirput for moral support and prayer. Mummy had been making daily trips on the 23rd, 24th and 25th Aug 2005. I started from Chennai immediately (I was there working on a tsunami rehabilitation work with a partner agency) and have been here from the 26th Aug 2005. I leave for Mundiguda after I send this message to spend a few days with the missionaries and believers there to encourage and support them.
The last three days have been quiet peaceful, except for the verbal threats and abuses that are hurled at us every time they see us at the market.
In my best opinion this is not going to be the last of the incidents. I believe that in the days to come property will be damaged, bodies will be injured and lives will be lost, but we need to go on.
Will appreciate your prayers for all the missionaries working in this area. Will keep you posted of all further developments in this regard.
Some points to praise and pray specifically for
1. Praise God for the protection so far.
2. Praise God for the courage and strength for the people when they went through the trial and now as they get on with the task at hand.
3. Pray for continued protection and strength in the days ahead
4. Pray for the RSS, Bajrang Dal and others who cause the trails that the Lord will be merciful towards them and all those who are tested would continue to love them.
5. Pray for the Churches and believers to stand united.
Thank you for standing with us so far. We really appreciate it.
Closing with prayers
Remo