Nine missionaries with Gospel for Asia were arrested recently after a run-in with anti-Christian extremists.
The missionaries were distributing tracts and evangelizing when the trouble began in Orissa. According to Gospel for Asia (GFA), the extremists began harassing the missionaries, who were eventually taken to the police station. Police released the nine and reportedly told them to refrain from preaching for two months in order to keep the peace. The missionaries refused, but were released anyway. Daniel Yohannan, a spokesperson for GFA, says persecution is common for Christians in the area. "There's always persecution in Orissa and some of these other places......As of right now, things have settled down a little bit, but people expect persecution to come. When people follow Christ in Orissa, they know that they're facing persecution either from family or outside," he admits. "And so we praise God that things have calmed down a little bit, but we know in the future things can start up again at any moment. And yet God will still be faithful in spite of that." Christians have faced constant scrutiny after last year's riots following the death of a leader in the World Hindu Council. Many Christians were killed in the aftermath, even though Maoist rebels claimed responsibility for his murder.
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