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Missionaries Face Severe Opposition in India

By Joseph DeCaro, Worthy News Correspondent

NEW DELHI, INDIA (Worthy News)-- Several Gospel for Asia missionaries are encountering intense opposition, but persecution is not uncommon in this part of the world: entire families have been forced to leave their homes and villages because of the cause of Christ.

Cousins Jadhav and Paavan -- first-year students at a Gospel for Asia-supported Bible college -- remain faithful to Jesus despite opposition from both family and friends.

When Paavan's father died, both cousins faced resistance from their fellow villagers when it came to buying rather than burning the body: though cremation is a traditional tenet of Hinduism, most Christians in Southern Asia choose burial.

After their decision to bury Paavan's father, the villagers soon began avoiding both cousins and the rest of their family who believed in Jesus; the villagers also prevented them from drawing water from the village well, so the family is in great need of prayer.

Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Nabarun Gupta also run into opposition in the village where he is ministering; during one of his many encounters with the locals, an elderly villager verbally confronted Nabarun.

"You are a child born yesterday," he said. "Are you really trying to teach me? I am not interested in your tribal gods and religion because I have my own. Why are you trying to misguide the local youth? You should be chased out of the village."

Today, Nabarun isn't allowed inside the village to meet with his fellow believers who, in his absence, have been struggling in their faith as there is no one there to support them.

Nabarun asks for prayer that the eyes of the villagers will be opened and that they will come to know the Lord; pray also that the believers who have lost their faith will come back to Jesus.