Distributing Christmas gifts, like this sewing machine, and celebrating Christmas with a party caused problems for some Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries. |
Christmas celebrations have raised the ire of anti-Christian extremists in two villages where Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries serve.
In one area, it was a Christmas gift distribution that caused the disruption. GFA-supported missionary Nareng Ganesh serves as pastor of a church in a village where many residents received gifts from the Gospel for Asia Christmas Gift Catalog. The people who received the blankets and sewing machines that day were happy, but the local leader of a radical anti-Christian group was angry.
“By distributing blankets and machines you are forcing people to convert to Christianity,” he told Nareng.
Nareng said this same group has also been harassing many of the believers in his church. He asks for prayer that the harassment would stop, that the people could live peaceably together and that the extremists would come to understand the love of Jesus.
Christmas Party Stirs Anger
Gospel for Asia-supported missionary Benila Donram had a Christmas worship service and celebration at her home earlier this month. Benila and her husband invited several people from the village, and everyone had a good time. They told her they enjoyed the program they presented.
Unfortunately, Benila’s father-in-law, Sri Makh Donramo, became angry about the program. He is a staunch follower of his traditional faith and is angry his son and daughter-in-law chose to follow Christ. He believes that by celebrating Christmas they are neglecting their ancestral religion.
He is now trying to force her to have a party to celebrate his faith.
Benila asks for prayer that Sri Makh will not force her to have the alternative party and that he will fully understand the love of God during Christmas. Benila also asks for prayer that she and her husband will remain faithful and stand strong in the Lord.
