In the Indian state where Pastor Laxman* lives, an anti-conversion law is in place to prevent people from leaving one faith for another. After his church grew from three to 250 members, Hindu extremists began accusing Laxman of forcing people to convert.
Despite his church being destroyed by extremists he continues to lead his fellowship through small groups and is receiving ongoing support from Open Doors partners in his ministry.
Source: opendoorsuk.org/prayernews
*Name changed for security reasons
SCRIPT:
*Laxman (name changed for security reasons)
“They say that we give people money to convert Hindus to Christianity.”
People in the Indian state where Lakshman lives. An anti conversion law is in place to prevent people from leaving one faith for another. After his church grew from 3 to 250 members, Hindu extremists began accusing Lakshman of forcing people to convert.
Laxman
“They called one believer the thought of threatening him. Now look, your name is on the list and the government will run a bulldozer over your house. If you want to stop this from happening, you have to sign this paper and we will have your name removed. That’s how you can escape this journey. So he became scared and they made him sign a blank piece of paper.”
“Once they had his signature, they wrote all kinds of things against me. They wrote that I perform religious conversions by giving money, that I give people money and make them change their religion.”
Once the police had this falsified statements, they came to arrest Lakshman in the middle of church.
Laxman
“We were conducting a prayer meeting where 250 people were gathered while we were praying around six or seven policemen arrived in a van. They burst in through the back door and took hold of me and started beating me. I asked them, Sir, why are you doing this? What happened? Please tell me. They did not stop or listen to my requests, but kept beating me. I thought that someone would come and save me. But no one came forward.”
Laxman was taken to the police station where he continued to be mistreated.
“One of them was kicking me. Another was hitting me with a stick while the other was abusing me, using filthy language. When all of this happened, I was very disheartened, upset, and in great pain. Then a sweet sound came to my ears. I heard a very sweet sound. It was a voice, speaking of verse from the Lord, which says, Do not be afraid, for I am with you. Then I found courage and I totally forgot all my pain. That sound was so sweet. And I found a new strength, courage and power. In that moment.”
After six days, Laxman was released on bail. He returned to find that the church building had been destroyed. The police are monitoring him and the other Christians, but he’s determined to keep leading the believers in his village.
Laxman
“We are not able together in the church, but we are still gathering in small groups. This ministry is not ours, but the Lord’s. So no one can stop it.”
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