$250 To Kill a Pastor , and other Persecution Accounts

It is good, in the freedom we enjoy, to consider the fortunes of Christians elsewhere. Some endure suffering that our thinking does not have categories to describe.

Here are two examples:

The first from today's news, courtesy of Nova Scotia Scott, concerns three Chinese Christians specifically.

They have been sentenced to 're-education through labour', which means they will be sent to work-camps for a year. The crime they are punished for is organizing an "illegal" gathering of Christians in a private residence.

Pray for them. Consider contacting officials on their behalf, as well.


The second example is very close to my heart. Only while composing this did I realize there are breaking developments, so I will pass them along, too.

Orissa (an Indian State, here's a map) has had enormous backlash against Christians, especially in the last year. I personally know -- and once stayed as a guest of -- one of the people martyred there last summer.

I was going to post a summary of the effects (I remember reading the official count of dead was approx. 50, not counting the injured or the tens of thousands homeless or displaced) but can't remember where I read it. I'll link to this, instead, a news report giving an overview of what happened.

I have commented on events there, and detailed sources for same in earlier posts.
If you'd like to know some of the back-story behind the Persecution, there is a video, here.

My blood ran cold when I read about the bounty on Christians' heads there. "The going price to kill a pastor is $250" They are also encouraged to burn down homes. There was an attempt, at one point, to poison the water at refugee camps where they were already suffering with substandard food.

Here is the latest development there: relief camps are being shut down, Christians there are being sent out with roughly $200.00 US in local currency, and told to find somewhere to go. In many instances, the Hindus in their hometowns will only allow their return if they renounce their Christian beliefs.