vision-india.org

India Takes Step Toward Cashless Society

Administrator — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:00:18 +0000

http://www.infowars.com/cashless-society-india-implements-first-biometric-id-program-for-all-of-its-1-2-billion-residents/

His Three Comings: A Christmas Musical

Administrator — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 19:11:15 +0000

On Friday, December 2nd, 2011, Vision India is pleased to present His Three Comings: a Christmas Musical. All proceeds go to House of Hope orphanage for Christmas.

Kick off your Christmas season with this unique celebration of the reason for the season. Music will be performed by Chad and Connie Awtrey, Benjamin and Jessica Johnson, and guest harpist Arnold McQueen.

Tickets are $10 and include gourmet cupcakes, Starbuck’s Coffee, or other beverage choice.

Event Information
Friday, December 2, 2011
7 o’clock p.m. in the Life Center
@ Burlington Assembly of God
821 Tucker Street

Download the PDF formatted flyer here.

To purchase tickets or for more information
call (336) 227-4588 or
email info@vision-india.org

September 15 – Court in India Questions State’s ‘Anti-Conversion’ Law

johnsonr — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 23:29:58 +0000

NEW DELHI, September 15 (Compass Direct News) – The High Court of northern India’s Himachal Pradesh state on Monday (Sept. 12) questioned one of the many disputed provisions in the state’s “anti-conversion” law in a lawsuit filed by a Christian group. “One of the two judges immediately recognized that there should be no question of the district magistrate [administrative head] granting permission or conducting an inquiry into whether a person’s faith is genuine,” a representative of the Evangelical Fellowship of India’s Advocacy Department, the main petitioner, told Compass. The source quoted the judge, Justice Surjit Singh, as saying, “If I am dying and I want to change my religion, will I wait for some babu [official] to tell me I can do it?” The mandatory provision in the “Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act of 2006” to advise authorities of one’s intended conversion 30 days before one converts was one of the many clauses cited as being “contrary to law, arbitrary and against the basic tenets of jurisprudence” by the petitioners. At the same time, both judges seemed concerned about alleged inducements to convert, “and the biggest hurdle is to overcome this prejudice,” the source added. The court scheduled the next hearing for Sept. 26, requesting the state’s head attorney appear to before it. “We expect the court to hear both sides,” the source said. “However, a final ruling in the matter cannot be expected immediately.”

Walking “the Walk”

johnsonr — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 00:03:36 +0000

A Vision India pastor was was attacked by a mob of radical Hindus just a few kilometers from his home in Takabali this past July. He was left, sprawled on the road, with a broken leg. This was not the first time this leg had been broken. During the persecution in 2008, this pastor’s home in Padhanpada, was destroyed along with his belongings. The villagers beat him and the village leaders refused to allow him to re-build on his property. He moved his family to a village eight kilometers away, but daily he walked to his former village to minister to the people. It was during one of these treks that he was attacked and his leg was first broken when he was jumped by angry Hindus. The surgery needed to restore his leg was provided through the Vision India emergency fund. Prayers for healing went up and he made a quick recovery. Now that his leg has been broken a second time, he is, currently, unable to walk and in great pain This pastor covets prayers of recovery and safety for his family. He is eager to once again walk “the walk” and share the good news with those who have never heard.

July 6 – Homes On Fire For Jesus Christ

johnsonr — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 01:14:16 +0000

A single room thatched hut, the home of a Vision India pastor in the Gajapati district, was burnt to the ground on the morning of July 6th by Hindu extremists. All of their earthly belongings were destroyed. The pastor and his wife were ministering in a nearby village at the time of the raid. Four other huts in the district were also set fire and destroyed – all homes of fellow believers. There is no report of any physical harm. Neighbors who witnessed the crimes were restrained by fear to intervene. Our Indian brothers and sisters are now living in the ruble of what were their homes. Still, they continue taking care of their fellow believers and teaching the Word of God daily. Vision India has provided clothing and immediate personal needs, but would like to help them re-build. The materials to rebuild a hut and provide basic items (cooking utensils and blankets) will cost approximately $600.

August 19 – India Protesters Push For Change

johnsonr — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:08:50 +0000

India (MNN) — Recent protests in India brought the question of whether or not the country could risk facing its own “Arab Spring.” Dave Stravers with Grand Rapids, Michigan-based Mission India says, “India is fed up with governmental corruption and injustice. They’re demanding a new standard of accountability and a new standard for actions from government officials.” While there are some parallels with the Arab Spring, Stravers thinks that India’s diversity will take it a different direction. “There have been non-violent protests, demonstrations at government buildings. I think this is actually good news. I attribute this, partly at least, to the success that the Gospel has had in the last 10-15 years in India.” The message of the Gospel brings hope, and hope brings change. “When people learn that there’s a God who loves them, that they’re human beings, and that they have potential, then there’s a whole change, a kind of a transformation in attitude.”

August 17 – Pastor Ordered to Close Church

johnsonr — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:22:10 +0000

Chhattisgarh, India, August 17 (Compass Direct News) – After receiving a letter from Hindu extremists demanding the closure of Grace Church in Dhamtari, district government officials on Aug. 6 stopped the church’s worship service, warning those present that they could be attacked if they continued to hold services in the area. The Global Council of Indian Christians reported that the officials warned that if there is anymore Christian worship at Grace Church, the Christians would be responsible for any subsequent rioting. The church, led by Pastor Rohit Sahu, discontinued meeting, but area Christian leaders are taking steps to solve the matter.

August 3 – Police Arrest Pastor and His Evangelistic Team

johnsonr — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:18:37 +0000

Andhra Pradesh – In Ramagundam, Karimnagar, police on Aug. 3 arrested a pastor, five of his evangelistic team members and a local bystander after Hindu extremists filed a complaint against them of forceful conversion. All India Christian Council representative Moses Vattipalli told Compass that the Christian team was on an evangelistic outreach that included scrawling Bible verses on the rocks of a hill near a Hindu temple when the extremists appeared and began verbally abusing them, took their cell phones and beat them. The assailants forced the Christians to erase the Scripture verses and manhandled an onlooker who had been reading them, according to Vattipalli. Six Christians and the bystander were charged with promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and were sent to the district sub-jail of Karimnagar, he said, adding that they were released on bail after two days.

July 31 – Hindu Mob Beats Christians

johnsonr — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:16:29 +0000

Uttarakhand – A mob of about 300 Hindu extremists in Makhdoompur on July 31 beat Christians at a church service and accused Pastor Bachan Singh of forceful conversion. The All India Christian Council (AICC) reported that as the church was about to take the Lord’s Supper, a large mob of Hindu extremists gathered, accusing the congregation of forceful conversion. Those the extremists beat included women and children as the extremists demanded that the Christians stop all church activities, according to the AICC. Local police arrived after about 25 minutes and stopped the commotion, and no one was seriously hurt.

July 29 – Pastor Accused of Forceful Conversion

johnsonr — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 19:14:50 +0000

Chhattisgarh – Police in Bilaspur, Kawardha district on July 29 arrested Pastor Diwarkar Kumar after an attorney along with Hindu extremists filed a complaint against him of forceful conversion. A source told Compass that on July 28 Rani Matle visited a lawyer for help in submitting a legal request to the church stating her wish to attend a seminary. Another lawyer, Naval Kishore Pandey, learned that Believers’ Church Pastor Diwaker Kumar had advised her to do so and contacted a local Hindu extremist group, which filed a complaint against Kumar of forceful conversion. Subsequently police took Kumar and Matle into custody for questioning, the source said. Matle told police that there was no forceful conversion and stated that she willingly chose to follow Christ, and police released the pastor without charges. The next day, however, police summoned Kumar, Matle and her father to the station and forced Bharat Matle to sign a First Information Report (FIR) against Kumar “for deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs,” the source said. The FIR also cited sections 3 and 4 of the Chhattisgarh law outlawing forcible and fraudulent conversion. The pastor was sent to Pandariya Jail and was released on bail on Aug. 5.