The Battle for Ganesh

As some of you know, my father went to India earlier this year to meet and encourage a group of Indian evangelists who are planting house churches.  On Monday he received an email from one of them.  I am pasting excerpts from it below, without correcting the English or altering any details. 

Ganesh a 12 year old boy born to fanatic Hindu parents and among 3 children he is the last one. He heard God’s story (Through mega voice) in one of our house church where he went to play with other children. To his surprise as he heard the God’s story, though he did not understand any things but he was amazed after hearing. And the Lord put a hunger in his heart to know more detail on the story and he was led to our house through our church children. and we make him watch the story on the laptop and he was not only able to listen but was able to see, he felt so fascinated and was convinced that God loves him and Jesus is his God.

And his parent came to know that he is going to a Christian home and learning about Christian God, and they threatened him, slapped on his cheeks, pushed him down and expressed their anger on him. Told him it is shameful for them to have other god’s and if the society will come to know they will not be able to put up their head. But the Lord is working in such a way in that boy that he even removed the religious mark on his for-head and the parent forcefully put the mark o his head again. You can see the mark on his forehead on the picture. And they restrict him very strictly yet he loves so much being with a Christian home, singing, hearing God’s word and having fellowship with Christian children.

and today he escaped somehow from his house and came to our house again, and the parents came to know somehow that he is in our house so both parents came running and very angry on us saying, we have done some witch and his boy is always saying Jesus, Jesus, Jesus at home. And in front of our house they scold us with abusive language and as our Hindu neighbor heard they also came running to watch what happened. And the parents told our entire neighbor that we have done some witch and their child is mad of Jesus. We just kept silent and talked nothing before the people in front of our house and as a family we were just praying in our heart, though we had no word heard outside but our heart was filled with joy that we did not feel ashamed or fear. They beat him and dragged and took Ganesh from our house.

A picture of Ganesh

We know Ganesh is having hard time at home and they are watching him where ever he is going. Ganesh feels insecure and fearful in his house and he loves the fellowship of Christian home. Ganesh is quiet a silent boy but very courageous and He is crazy to grow more in God’s love.  Please pray for him so that this boy will be more courageous to stand for Jesus and his parents Rammurthy and Devi, and 2 other children at home will know the love of Jesus.

The pastor did not mention this in his email, but my guess is that Ganesh was named for the Hindu god Ganesha.  Pray for him and his family!