UPDATE: 11/19/2010

Thank you for praying for Vinay Sen, the landlord of the Gospel for Asia Bridge of Hope center who we told you about in a previous email. Vinay was being scrutinized for renting his building for use as a center.

The landlord had to provide verification of the lease to the local officials and pay a small fee to record it. The matter appears to be resolved and the situation is once again peaceful.

Join us in praising the Lord for allowing this Bridge of Hope center to remain open and bless the children of this village.


First update: from 11/16/2010

At Bridge of Hope centers, children don't just learn reading, writing and arithmetic but also how God loves them.

Many families, like this one, have been blessed through Bridge of Hope and support the ministry.

A storm brews over this Bridge of Hope center (above), but a figurative storm rages over the Bridge of Hope center threatened by anti-Christian forces.

Because of the workings of anti-Christian extremists, the landlord who owns the building where a Bridge of Hope center operates has been charged with breaking the law for renting out his building to the center.

This opposition to the Bridge of Hope center and to Vinay Sen, the landlord, started when a village official accused the center of trying to force the Bridge of Hope children's parents to convert to Christianity under the pretense of social work.

The Bridge of Hope parents openly refuted these allegations.

Police visited the Bridge of Hope center and also spoke with Vinay Sen to take information about the center. Concerned, the Bridge of Hope staff compiled a petition for the district magistrate. In this document, the parents of the Bridge of Hope students stated their desire to keep the program going because of its positive effect on their families.

In spite of the petition, Vinay received mail on November 5 that charged him with breaking the law and summoned him to court. When he informed the Bridge of Hope office, some Gospel for Asia-supported leaders in the state intervened.

Five leaders personally visited Vinay and reviewed the subpoena. They noticed that, strangely, the document had no signatures from court officials. On November 8, they asked Vinay to go with them to the district magistrate's office, where they explained the situation.

The situation remains unresolved. It follows several false accusations made in the past against this Bridge of Hope center. Gospel for Asia-supported staff in the area request prayer for the following:

  • God to melt the hearts of those opposing the center.
  • the village official to support the center and its work for underprivileged children