Orissa: Christian leaders astounded as thousands swarm convention

Christian leaders in Orissa's Kandhamal district are astounded after thousands of Christians swarmed a local convention, exhibiting their unshaken faith amidst fear and violence.

According to the Ecumenical News International (ENI), more than 5,000 Christians attended an evangelistic convention organised by the Church of North India last month. Most of them walked more than 10 kilometers to the venue that was accessible only via a mud road, it noted.

The convention also contained an ordination ceremony of three individuals who were ordained as full-time pastors and another 12 candidates as honorary pastors.

The ENI quoted Rev. Subendra Pradhan, one of the three ordained, as saying, "The fear is there, but we trust in God," adding "I am not worried about what has happened. I decided to be a pastor long ago and there is no question of not going back."

Bishop Bijay Kumar Nayak, who conducted the ordinations, expressed surprise at the responses of the Christians who were recently victims of one the largest anti-Christian violence in the country.

However, although the violence has increased the faith of Christians, there is still fear of leaving relief camps or returning to their villages due to the continual threats by Hindu extremists. To provide a sense of security, the convention itself was guarded by 50 volunteers who were holding long wooden rods.

According to sources, 50,000 Christians were forced to abandon their homes and flee for protection during the mayhem. Of the 50,000, at least half are believed to have left the Orissa state seeking shelter in neighboring cities. Some of them have been provided with accommodation by the government of Kerala and Tamilnadu.

The violence which was sparked on August 23, 2008, in the aftermath of the killing of local VHP leader, saw orphanages razed down, nuns raped, homes destroyed and entire families threatened and hounded out of their homes. 75 people were killed and 200 churches destroyed.