Fasting and Praying for His Persecutors
September 2, 2009
Doru and his pastor, GFA-supported missionary Tarun, angered villagers by giving them Gospel tracts. The villagers then tried to kill Doru, but he doesn't want revenge. He wants them to know Jesus loves them. |
Doru Nathi lay beaten and bleeding, left for dead on the side of a desolate road in Assam, India. The men who attacked him were furious about something he'd done earlier in the day; the severe beating was their revenge. What upset the attackers was that Doru and his pastor, Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Tarun Akansha, had shared the love of Christ with the people of their village.
Doru and Tarun had decided to spend a day at the village, distributing tracts and other Christian literature. The people of the village gladly accepted the materials. But soon a few people got angry after they read the tracts. They tore the literature up, sought out Tarun and Doru and hurled insults at them. The missionaries returned to their homes greatly discouraged.
That evening, some of the anti-Christian extremists came to Doru's home and kidnapped him. They dragged him back to their village and brutally beat him. With blood pouring out of his nose and mouth, they dumped him on the side of the road to die.
This is how his family found him. They took him home but were unable to obtain medical treatment for his injuries. They did not have adequate transportation from their remote village to get him to the hospital, nor did they have the money to pay for any treatment.
When word reached Tarun, he rushed to Doru's house. Tarun was distraught at the turn of events. Doru is an elder in the church where Tarun serves as pastor, and the two men are close. Tarun joined Doru's family in praying fervently for Doru's recovery. The Lord heard their prayers, and about midnight Doru regained consciousness and began talking again!
As Doru continued to heal, many in his village advised him to file charges with the local police against the men who attacked him. But Doru thought back to what he had learned while attending Tarun's church. He decided that he didn't want revenge, even if he was legally entitled to see his attackers brought to justice. He really just wants them to know that Jesus loves them. So rather than press charges, he has decided to fast and pray for his attackers.
He wants them to come to know Jesus, just like he did.
Doru asks for prayer that his body will completely heal and that his attackers will choose to follow Christ.
Prayer was also requested for Tarun, that the Lord will encourage him and use him continuously to share the love of Christ with the people in his village. Also pray for his protection.
