Det här brevet fick jag från den missionsorganisation Eva och jag stöder. Ett team hade besökt Orissa distriktet där många kristna förföljs.GOSPEL FOR TRIBALS SOCIAL SERVICE SOCIETY (GTSSS)
Regd. No. 1164/94, (Orphanage)
H.No. 5-59, Peddathanda, Khammam Rural, Khammam - Pin: 507 003, AP. INDIA
Phone: 0091-8742-242666, Email:
gtsssjacob@gmail.com ; website:
www.gtsss.orgTo 18th February 2009
Dearly respected Rune and Eva Lundblad,
Greetings to you in the Most Exalted Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, they also may be obtain this salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal Glory. II Timothy 2:10.
Sub: Orissa report on my personal visit – Regarding.
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http://www.gtsss.org/Orissa_report_09.htmI just came back to home last night from Kandamal District, Orissa State. My team and my self left our mission station on 9th February and arrived back to Mission station on 15th early morning. My people and my family fasting and praying until we come back home. On the night we are coming from Orissa there was big train accident taken place in Orissa, over 18 people were killed and over 200 people were badly injured. Thank God we are not in that train. Recent great persecution in Orissa for Christians is world known fact. 70000 thousand Christians became homeless , 4000 homes destroyed ,3000 people missing and 77 people burned or hacked to death and 450 churches burned and destroyed. Many people read in Christian magazines, heard by others, and they saw through Media. Unfortunately many Christian leaders even in India could not able to visit this area due to terror of attacks and fear of death. I would like to share with you following few lines from my heart beat on my personal visit to this area how we felt, experienced and served. Thank God for bringing us back home safely.
I was planning to take good number of people along with me to go and help those believers, but many people have cancelled at the last minute due to fear and other reasons. I thank God for my medical team and some of the senior brothers who joined with me. The day we were leaving to go to Orissa we prayed and prepared for any out come that happens to us. I have hundred papers report in my mind, but I want make it very brief and cut down just for few pages. I wish you would take few minuets for following few lines. Due to situation I could not able to write everything like names. You are welcome to pass this matter to your friends if you wish.
Our Traveling : After 24 hours traveling we have arrived in Rourkela Railway station. Then we need to travel 14 hours on rough and dirty roads .So we hired two jeeps for our team for the rest of the week traveling. Brother Paritosh Nanda who is native of Orissa and faithful brother helped our team in translation and guidance. Then we have headed to Kandhamal District. When we arrived to the area we could sense strong hold of demonic powers. We were seeking God's help in every hand. On the same midnight we visited couple of villages and believers. At 1.30 AM we have come to a village called Darangibadi where we stayed for two nights .It was endless traveling on the mountains and in the valise in terrible woods. We see know people but the sounds of wild animals. When we were stopping in the villages, natives were gathering around us with suspicious look. Some of my team members taught they never go back home.
Present condition of the area:
All though it is almost 6 months after terrible world known persecution took place in this district, still thousand of believers living under fear. Churches that were broken and burn down never opened and built again. Hundreds of churches were isolated. Many believers just praying within themselves, but they could not able to gather for prayers or meetings. There are two types of suffering believers.
(1) Believers not in camps: When the persecution taken place on 24th August, thousands of Anti-Christian together attacked Christians, churches, Christian homes, schools, orphanages and etc.. As they were killing missionaries, believers and burning down homes, thousands of Christians run into forest. Some people were in the forest for 2 to 4 weeks. Then they still stayed in the forest and some secretly came back to their villages and staying under small tents where their previous homes were burn down.
(2) Believers in camps: During the persecution Indian government sent army to the area to protect Christians. They came and collected some suffering Christians and put them in camps in many places. Those who are in the camps just staying under small tents surrounded by Army. We have personally visited some of the camps, but authorities did not allow us to pray or distribute humanitarian help. We took bibles, clothes and Rice along with us to distribute them. Believers came out and begged authorities at least allow us to come to them to pray for them, but they did not allow us. One gentle man came from the camp and told us that he is already been to prison 3 times for bringing Bibles to those people without permission. We have organized brother Parithosh and some leaders in the camp to get permission, so we can give them some materials. We kept some bibles, clothes and other things with brother Parithosh, so that they will go and distribute when they allow them. Some believers in the camps told us they were treated very harshly and it is nothing but terrible prison. These innocent believers who lived independently now they are struggling in the camps. They want to come out of the camps to have free life, but Anti Christians announcing that you can not come back to your villages unless you become Hindus. Many believers also scattered all over the cities and hiding themselves. They have only one way to come back to their villages that is if they accept Hindu faith openly.
What we distributed
We have distributed 2500 Kilos Rice, Clothes, organized medical camps, 155 Bibles, 15 Bicycles. We have visited 13 places and a camp.
What impact we have made :
When we visited number of believers in the forest, they were telling that we are the first people who came right to their place to visit them .Some Christian leaders came to this area, when they saw the condition of the area, they never even entered into those forest villages and mountains and immediately they left area for their own safety. But we thank God we have privilege of traveling day and night to reach these people where they are. Through translation I have spoken with hundreds of suffering believers in different villages and in forest. For many Christians this is the first time they gathered for fellowship after the 6 months. After 6 months they sang first song openly as a group. They were so broken, depressed of the situation. When they saw us coming to the place where they are, their hearts revived and encouraged. We helped them with Rice, Some medical needs, clothes , Bicycles and some Bibles. Our help is like a drop of water in the dry land. Every place we went, we hugged believers and we cried and we shared God's love to them.
About Brother Digeel :
Brother Digeel is a missionary working in the area where the persecution started. He told me that on the day Anti Christians brought the dead body of Guru (Priest) to place called K. Naugam, thousands people gather together and running to Christians homes and churches and just killing and burning homes like anything. Then many people run into forest. He was one of the Christian leaders in the area. So he run to the forest and his family as well. But they did not go together. He was in the forest for 21 days without knowing where his family is. His wife with 3 children with other believers staying in the forest in different places. During their stay in forest they went through many poi sanative snakes and wild animals. God spared them among all these situations. Finally he met his wife and children alive and he left that town and came to different place to live. Secretly when he went back to visit his house, it become ashes and they lost everything . His life is under constant fear. He is staying in a Hindus house. He is a leader for 15 native tribal missionaries in the area, who had similar experience. Also collected 17 children whose parents were killed during the persecution. Some children lost mother and some lost father.
When we met these 17 children, my heart went for them. I always love children. Because I feel the way they feel as orphans. Many people have no idea what is suffering and heart cry of a child whose father and mother died in the small age . I spend some time with these children. Now I am praying how can I help these children on monthly basis to support them for their food, House rent and education.
Hindu lady testimony:
When brother Digeel came to this new place this lady given her house for rent. Then he brought 17 orphans. This lady is from high cast family and working for Orissa government. But she has great love for these children whose parents were killed. When Anti Christians attacked this place to kill this missionary, she spared and hide them inside. We stayed two days in her house in a small room. On the last day I call her and thanked her for giving her house for two days rent. Then I shared my testimony how I met Jesus. I asked her if she could opened her heart for Jesus. By listening these words, she fell down on my feet and began to cry like a baby. Holy spirit of God began to work in her life. She was crying and crying. She said I am like dust of your feet and I am unworthy to touch you people feet. Then she said, please do not give me rent because you people are angels from God. We begged her to take the money, but she did not. Finally she said sir, when you come next time please stay in my home and I will help you. She said she wants to join with our team to help suffering Christians.
Brother Digeel told us that this is unusual. Thank God for convicting her heart. She did not made promise to follow Jesus, but we know Holy sprit of God is working in her heart. We gave her a Bible.
Missionaries :
We had privilege of providing 15 Bicycles to 15 missionaries whose homes were burn down, Bibles were burn down and lost all their belongings, because of their faith in Christ. I do not know how to write about their suffering with my poor English. If we see situation of these missionary families how they are hiding, living in rented homes secretly yet they are seeing every possibility to preach the Gospel, it touch our hearts. I met many missionary families. I myself adopted a missionary family to support from our own family. When I told with my wife and children that we need to help this missionary family from our own family, my family so delighted. Now we are keeping this missionary family picture in our mission station and we are praying for them and we want to help them whatever the way we can from our end. Some of my staff and team members who came with me also accepted two missionary families to send them small amount every month for their basic needs.
My wife Elizabeth and I we have emptied our clothes and distributed in Orissa. We can not explain the joy we have in our hearts. Many of our poor believes collected some clothes and some money to give to those suffering believers. We pray that the Lord would touch hearts of many people to become sponsors for many persecuted missionaries.
Our future plans :
God's willing my team and myself, we are praying to go back to Orissa in the last week of March 2009 to take more Bibles, Bicycles, clothes, Rice and etc… This time we visited some suffering believers villages, forest and one camp. Next time we are planning go to 3 camps where thousands of believers looking for freedom and safety. Kindly pray and if the Lord would allows you to be blessing to those brothers and sisters, you are welcome to join your hands with us to take much humanitarian help and spiritual encouragement as well. I am also praying and preparing my personal requesting letter to president of India, Priminister of India and human rights to consider to help these suffering believers.
Kindly pray for God's wisdom and God's protection on my family and my team.
Bishop. M. Jacob
GTSSS- India
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