They are not alone

Many of you will remember hearing the stories of horrific violence that took place against Christians in Odisha (formerly Orissa), India, back in 2008. Christians in the district were blamed for the murder of a prominent Hindu leader, which sparked a string of violent attacks against hundreds of villages. At least 50 people were killed, 4,000 homes were damaged or destroyed and around 30,000 people were affected by the violence – many of them having to flee to the cover of surrounding forests and refugee settlements. But, mercifully, they weren’t alone.

Thanks to the generous giving of BMS World Mission supporters at the time, families forced to flee weren’t abandoned. We were able to help distribute food parcels and hygiene packs to people who had nothing. BMS supporters provided a lifeline for people whose lives were irreversibly changed. After a few months, the violence began to subside and people began to leave the camps and return to their homes – or at least, they tried. Because they were Christians, some of their neighbours refused to let them move back in. Some people found themselves living in tents on the outskirts of their former villages. Or being prevented from drawing water from the well. Some places were too dangerous for people to return to at all. And yet, in the face of such persecution, God was – is – still at work.

“Fellowships are still running. That means it’s a victory for the gospel.” Many of you will also know about BMS worker Ben Francis, and the amazing work that our partner Biglife does, sharing the gospel in hard-to-reach places. Even in places like Odisha. “Odisha, it’s still not a place where you can go out and preach like that,” says Ben. “All of them are in danger when they are sharing the gospel.” But these brave, bold Christians knew that God wanted them to be there, to share their own stories and testimonies of how God has transformed their lives. And, miraculously, despite the historic and ongoing persecution in the area, people are opening their hearts to Jesus.

People like Raakhi*, Supriya*, Praanvi*. All three of them were brought up in Hindu families, but all three of them found themselves searching for more. Raakhi longed for peace in her life. Both Supriya and Praanvi struggled with health issues. They couldn’t find the solutions to the problems weighing them down, until they found the Christian fellowships running in their area. And despite the risks, despite the persecution, all three of them gave their lives to Jesus.

But this isn’t the end of their stories – for these women, and for the many other people turning to Christ across Odisha. “That area [where these women are] is a dangerous area. You could be killed over there for being a Christian,” says Ben. Christians in Odisha will still face persecution because of their faith. People haven’t forgotten the violence from 2008. But they weren’t alone 13 years ago – and they’re not alone now. They have their brothers and sisters at the fellowships in their villages. They have a loving Father upon whom they can lay their burdens. And they have you, UK Christians, remembering them in your prayers and supporting them from afar.