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CWNews.com --100 HUNTLEY STREET, Canada – It's written on each one of their faces - the joy and commitment that a tiny Indian congregation feels as they worship God. But the freedom to do so has come at a steep price.
One female member of the congregation, Manikyamma, said, "They started opposing us. They even went to the extent of taking sticks, and came and attacked our house where we were gathered together."
Manikyamma lives in the small village of Petrula in southern India. She had only been a Christian for five years when she faced a perilous test of her faith. But even though she was terrified, she refused to stop worshipping Jesus. She said she was ready to die.
"I'll go to Heaven," Manikyamma said, "so it doesn't matter. I'll go and be with the Lord."
Miraculously, the church survived. But troubles in their village continued. Cut off from family and social functions, they were even refused work.
Manikyamma said, "As Christians, we face so many problems. But we never regret it because the God who takes care of things is there with us. He can help us do away with the problems."
For those living so close to starvation, being refused the work that keeps their meager income flowing can be the difference between life and death. A full one-third of India's 1.1 billion people live below the poverty line. Disease and suffering are everywhere.
When you see people living in poverty, most of us want to help. But food and aid is just a short-term solution. That's where organizations like Farms India come in.
Farms India gives micro-loans of $50 to $400 to help the poor start small businesses.
As a long-time board member, Rev. Sudhakar believes this approach makes a difference far beyond the pocketbook.
"Often times, poor people are not even treated as people worthy of respect, as individuals," said Rev. Sudhakar, "because India is a class-oriented society. And so once they are able to do something to generate some resources, they begin to feel confident about themselves. And even others, you know, change the way they look at these people. And so it definitely builds their own understanding of who they are and their sense of self-worth."
Over the past 25 years, Executive Director of Farms India Dr. M.J. John has seen the program turn people's lives around. But Dr. John found himself challenged to make a difference among another growing problem in India society.
He said, "Until we started working with the poor, I did not realize the gravity and the depth to which people are persecuted. Persecution comes from neighbors, persecution comes from language groups or ethnic groups, and probably I would say the worst form of persecution is from within the families themselves."
And it is a problem that has been growing at a shocking rate in India. With only a small number of attacks against Christians for 30 years, believers were stunned in the late '90s when they increased almost ten-fold.
And it is a trend that continues to grow as Christians face social isolation, unemployment, beatings, and even death.
"Persecution is part and parcel of Christian life in India," Rev. Sudhakar said, "particularly in the rural settings."
Manikyamma knows all too well the suffering of women, especially those in mixed religious marriages. As the first convert to Christianity in her radical Hindu village, life became unbearable at home.
She said, "I found opposition from my husband. He started beating or harassing me to insist on Hindu traditions. And so many troubles I faced in the initial stages of my belief and faith in the Lord."
But Manikyamma's brand-new faith was strong, and she refused to give it up.
"I came to know that He is a great God who paid a great price. Therefore, I bore all these troubles and I didn't carry these troubles as big hurdles in my pathway as a Christian," Manikyamma said.
But help soon arrived, in an unusual way - a loan from Farms India.
"I bought a buffalo," Manikyamma explained, "and with that milk, I am drinking and then selling some of that milk. Because of that, I am able to clear some of my loans and save some. And things started becoming good."
You wouldn't think a micro-loan would help lessen persecution, but bringing home an income does help women like Manikyamma.
It's stories like these that interested the Voice of the Martyrs - Canada.
Chief Operations Officer Floyd Brobbel said, "Helping the poor and Christians who are poor does not necessarily stop persecution, but it puts them into a better position where they are able to take care of themselves -- where, in some instances, we hear of, for example, poor Christians in communities who are unable to get relief aid because they are discriminated against. If you are able to help them become self-sufficient, then they are able to purchase, get things that they need in order to survive."
Brobbel says partnership with local ministries like Farms India is vital to their work.
"We're able to work with an organization that knows what is going on, knows the extent of persecution - with the churches they work with, know why the church is being persecuted, and so they are the experts in the country. And so they are able to tell us what they need, and what the church needs," said Brobbel.
And help sent to suffering Christians from half a world away has a profound impact.
Dr. John asks, "Why, why do they help? We say we are part of the same universal church, the body of Christ. We must be grateful to the Christians in Canada, and the church in Canada, who is willing to open their eyes and help you. And I find that, especially the smaller churches, take it very positively. They are really elevated, especially the oppressed people. They feel very elevated to see that someone else is standing with them."The Voice of the Martyrs - Canada and Farms India knows they alone can't stem the tide of persecution, but are committed to do their part to make a difference.
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