Family of Christian evangelist in India targeted by tribal villagers
by Jordan Hilger, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – A Christian evangelist in India was targeted by tribal animists in his village, the assailants attacking his wife, mother, and 11 month-old son when he was discovered not to be home and destroying much of his property.
Podiya Tati, 30, was 93 miles from his home in Tikanpal village for a painting job when tribal worshippers broke in and began mercilessly beating his family, his 28 year-old wife sustaining injuries that prevented her from walking for over a week.
“They did not [even] care for the little child in my wife’s arms,” Tati explained to Morning Star News. . “They beat my wife with the wooden rod, which hit my son on his leg and hips.”
Tati, part of the indigenous Gond tribe, became a Christian when prayer from Christians in a neighboring village healed him of Tuberculosis.
In addition to the injuries to their bodies, Tati’s family suffered the loss of a year’s worth of grain in their storehouse that was burned by the assailants, as well as the loss of a $500 well Tati had installed, which the villagers filled in with stones.
India has risen from 31st to 10th on Open Doors USA’s World Watch list over the past seven years.