Open Doors: Sri Lanka (direct post)

Attacks on Bible School in Sri Lanka Continue

A Provincial Council member, identified as Winton Appuhamy, assaulted a security guard at a Bible college in Lunuwila two weeks after an attack on the institution’s students. Appuhamy appeared at the college gate at midnight on March 15 and assaulted the unarmed security guard. After beating the security guard, he left, threatening to return and rape female students who are residents at the college. When Appuhamy was arrested by the police, he claimed that he had acted out of patriotic concern, accusing the school of harboring Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists.

In the previous March 2 attack, a group of masked men had beaten the Bible college students as they walked from the railway station to the school, injuring nine of them. Rev. Lal Vanderwall, Diocesan Overseer of the Believers’ Church said “There were about 10 men on motorbikes who assaulted them, kicking and beating them with fists and rods”. Read Full Report

Please pray:

• For God’s protection over our brothers in sisters in Sri Lanka. As in Psalm 37:39, "He is their stronghold in time of trouble."
  
• For compassion toward our enemies. “The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” Psalm 145:8

Compass Direct: Bangladesh, India

In opposition to her conversion, unknown attackers set a 70-year-old Bangladeshi woman ablaze, leaving her with burns over 70% of her body. Please pray for healing for her and for courage to stand in her faith despite this hideous attack.

In the wake of Christmas violence against Christians in Orissa State in India, Christians are again being told to convert or die, and that there will be additional attacks against them. At least 4 Christians were killed, and 730 houses and 95 churches were burned in the earlier attacks. The Hindutva group, Rashtriya Swayemsevek Sangh (RSS) is responsible for inciting the violence, which included forced reconversions to Hinduism.