Pray for Stephen in Tamil Nadu, India

As you may know, the Baptist Bible Hour has an affiliate ministry Good Samaritan in Tamil Nadu, India. Pastor A. Gunasekaran (or "Brother Guna") spearheads the efforts there and has done a heroic job of coordinating the many gospel labors in that area. Each month the Baptist Witness , our monthly publication, is translated into Tamil.

Since 1999, 14 churches have been constituted and 16 fellowships are on the way to being constituted; 6 orphanages or community childcare facilities have been started, serving over 260 orphans and destitute children; a community health care effort provides pre-natal and post-natal care, first aid, and nutritional instruction to the people in poor communities; a mobile clinic functions in about 25 villages to meet the needs of the people where they are; functional literacy classes serve the school-going children in 30 different villages.

This morning we received the following prayer request for the work there:

One of our most faithful ministers is Brother Stephen. He is very faithful and courageous. The first church he pastored was at Thinnipatti. There we had to build a parsonage for him, because the Hindus would not allow him to rent a house in the town.Now he is pastor at Regadahali. He has done a very good work there. Very recently some cruel men stirred some of the people in town against him. He was severely beaten by a mob. Some people got him to a house and locked him in it to keep him from being killed. The mob waited outside the house past midnight, hoping to kill him. Finally someone got hold of the police and rescued him.

Now the enemy has been visiting in the homes of some of the people who have been going to the church Stephen is pastoring and are stealing their affections away from that church. Stephen is broken hearted. Much of his hard and faithful work has been destroyed. Brother Guna has gone there to comfort and advise Stephen. Please pray diligently for this dear brother and for the situation.

We serve a Mighty God Who hears and answers prayer. Let us go to the throne of grace with all our hearts.

Please lift up the name of Stephen before the Lord and pray that the name of Jesus will be lifted up among the nations, and especially in Regadahali at this time.