Recent Attack on Christian Family in Sri Lanka
Pastor Charles*, a local pastor in a small village in Sri Lanka’s northern province, recently hosted a wedding ceremony for his immediate relatives at his home. Christian hymns were played and decorations lit up the house of Pastor Charles as his relatives arrived for the special occasion. During the celebrations, he spotted a villager who was uninvited, entering the house. The villager started disrupting the peaceful atmosphere by shouting at Pastor Charles.
“Stop playing these hymns!! I want you to play secular Tamil songs instead of these Christian hymns,” cried out the villager. However, Pastor Charles stood by his convictions and resisted. When the intruder realized that his request was denied, he became aggressive. The colourful lights and decorations that lit the house of Pastor Charles were pulled down by the angry man within a matter of seconds. The guests were horrified as the villager went on to destroy the furniture that was at Pastor Charles’s house.
In the midst of this, Pastor Charles’s brother stepped forward with the hopes of diffusing the situation but was also met with violence, as the villager began attacking him. The police arrived moments after the villager left. “The police who arrived at the scene did not show much interest in taking any action. They simply asked me to lodge a complaint.”
When Pastor Charles was trying to lodge an official complaint at the police station, he was met with some resistance. The police did not show much interest in this case, and they were very hesitant on recording the complaint. “It’s almost as if the police are in total support of the group involved in this attack,” Pastor Charles said.
Pastor Charles and his brother were surrounded later that night on their way back from the police station by a group of 15 people with metal and wooden poles in their hands. The gang went on to brutally assault Pastor Charles and his brother in the dead of night as they remained helpless. Pastor Charles’s brother was severely beaten up by the gang to the point where he suffered seven fractures in both hands and legs.
*Representative photo used*
Pastor Charles and his brother were rushed to the hospital, only to realize that the Hospital has run out of medicine due to the ongoing economic crisis. They were later transferred to a hospital in a nearby city where the brother of Pastor Charles underwent a 4-hour surgery. An Open Doors field partner shared that several metal plates and screws were inserted into his legs and arms. Pastor Charles’ entire body was severely bruised. The blows from metal poles have wounded his forehead so badly that Pastor Charles received 13 stitches.
This inhumane act has deeply traumatized the entire family. Pastor Charles was deeply disturbed to a point where he is now afraid of the darkness. Anxiety starts to creep in as the sun goes down because the darkness is reminiscent of the traumatic event. Setting foot outside his house has also become a huge challenge.
Local field partners were able to gather with Pastor Charles and his family. They were able to listen to their story and pray for them as a family. He and his family were touched by their acts of kindness. They were assured of prayers and support.
Please Pray
- Pray that Pastor Charles will be healed both physically and mentally. The traumatic event has scared him terribly to the point where he is now afraid of the darkness. Pray that God’s peace will prevail over Pastor Charles’ mind and family.
- Pastor Charles’ brother suffered the most from the attacks, with 7 fractures including both hands and legs. He is currently bedridden. Local field partners said that the slightest movement causes him to experience a lot of pain. Pray that God will heal him miraculously.
- Pastor Charles serves in a small village located in the Northern District of Sri Lanka where a majority of the population consists of Hindu believers. “I need God’s strength and wisdom to continue this ministry,” he said. Pray that God will give Pastor Charles and his family supernatural wisdom that will enable them to serve faithfully and effectively in this Hindu Village amid this persecution.
