Source:         www.MNNonline.org

Date:            January 25, 2008

India (MNN) -- President of the All India Christian Council Joseph D'Souza says the Christmas-related violence in Orissa, India has stopped, but now nationalist Hindus are angry. They've started a hate-literature campaign against Christians because of the 600,000 people in the Khandwal area, D'Souza says 100,000 have come to Christ. "What has happened to that community after they have come to Christ: there is a clear transformation both socially and spiritually, and it's visible to all. It's a threat [to Hindus] because these are visible symbols that will only end up drawing more people away from the Christian faith." Ministry has been affected by the violence, says D'Souza. "Any evangelism or evangelistic activity will be attacked. So people are just waiting to see what goes on. However, the witness of people in that area has not died down. We have an incredible number of stories of people who have been willing to die rather than recant or go away from their faith."