On Saturday, Sept. 27, my mother came to me with a troubled expression. Her voice trembled as she spoke to me. “You must leave the village!” she urged. “I heard it with my own ears — the villagers are plotting to kill you and attack your family. You need to go now to save your life!”
I was shocked but remained calm.
“I believe in God, the same God who healed my wife from her sickness and gave us peace and hope,” I told her. “No one can take my life without his will.”
A few minutes later, my younger brother came to me, tears rolling down his face.
"They are planning to kill you."
“Please, leave. If you stay, we may never see you again,” he pleaded. “They are planning to kill you. If you go, at least we’ll know you’re safe somewhere.”
The concern in his voice moved me deeply. I turned to my wife and told her about the situation. I said I would leave for now and return once things settled down. That evening, I quietly left my village in Central India.
The next morning, around 9 a.m., I received a phone call from my brother.
“The entire village is at your house,” he said. “They’re demanding to know — will you deny Jesus or let your house be destroyed?”
I told him with a firm heart, “When my wife was on her deathbed and we had no hope, Jesus healed her. He gave us life. How can I deny him now? Even if I must give my life, I will not deny Christ and his rule in my life.”
The Hindu nationalist mob ridiculed my wife and mocked her.
“Leave this village and don’t look back,” one of them screamed at her. “Go to your God, let him protect you!”
"My God will save me and my family.”
“I have experienced God’s love,” my wife replied. “He healed my deadly sickness. My God will save me and my family.” With that, she too left the village.
Soon after, the mob destroyed our house. They damaged everything we owned and declared that I was excommunicated from the village — all because I follow Jesus and attend church.
My wife, our children, and I fled our village, traveling nearly 80 kilometers (50 miles) to find safety. We are now staying with fellow believers, Christians we got to know through church.
I accepted Jesus three years ago. A friend had introduced me to the church and prayer when my wife was seriously ill, almost at the point of death. I had taken her to many hospitals, spent all I could, but nothing helped. She couldn’t even move without my help.
But through the prayers of a pastor and the faith we had in Jesus, she was miraculously healed. That day, we knew the love and power of God, and we gave our lives to Christ.
Since then, the persecution started. From the day I accepted Jesus, I have faced opposition. But through it all, the Lord has been faithful.
I will continue to follow Jesus, no matter what.
I will continue to follow Jesus, no matter what. It may be difficult to return to my village because the people there have vowed to make the entire village Christian-free. But I know God is with me. I need to start my life from scratch; I know God will help me as I trust in him for love and care.
— from Sameer Patel (a psuedonym)
Originally published by International Christian Concern. Republished with permission.
Since 1995 International Christian Concern has worked to bring relief to persecuted Christians in need. They team up with trustworthy partners on the ground to develop and implement both immediate aid and long-term assistance projects. They then monitor projects to ensure faithfulness to biblical principles and wise stewardship of funds. They continue to work in Nigeria, helping brothers and sisters in Christ there to overcome ongoing attacks from Islamic extremists.
For nearly three decades, ICC has developed a unique approach focused on Assistance, Advocacy, and Awareness. They exist to bandage the wounds of persecuted Christians and to build the Church in the most challenging parts of the world. You can explore and share an overview of their ministry and the phenomenon of global persecution by downloading an ICC primer here.
