another update on Hopegivers in India
For the second week in a row, anti-Christian hate groups and local police have continued a siege against the 2,500 orphaned and abandoned children protected at the Emmanuel Hope Home in Kota, Rajasthan. The Kota home is funded by Hopegivers International, based in Columbus, Georgia. Eight American volunteers are among the staff working to feed and care for the children at the Kota orphanage...
Rajasthan Hindi language newspapers quoted an extremist leader identified as Mr. Agrawal offering a reward of $52,000 to anyone who will capture and behead the Thomases. Agrawal is a reported member and high-ranking official of the strongly anti-Christian groups Shiv Sena and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
To counter the well-organized campaign of terror, slander, frivolous lawsuits and intimidation, Hopegivers has started an Emergency Defense Fund in an effort to cope with the illegal actions of the local government and the onslaught of civil and human rights violations that are occurring in the state of Rajasthan. Contributions are being collected at www.hopegivers.org. Hopegivers is also working with the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi to speed up an investigation from the central government and asking the prime minister and president of India to intervene for the sake of the children and to protect the lives of non-Hindus all over the country...
Emmanuel Ministries has been based in Kota since 1960 and has operated social services without regard to caste or creed in Kota since 1973—with a major focus on Dalits, the so-called untouchable caste of Hinduism. On Feb. 28, the police revoked, without due process or hearing, all the operating licenses of Hopegivers-supported bookstores, churches, hospitals, leprosy and HIV-AIDS outreaches, orphanages, printing presses, schools and other institutions. Rajasthan's government has also recently threatened to cut off electricity and water to the Hopegivers' orphanage and hospital in Kota.
All of Hopegivers' Kota bank accounts have been frozen and two of the business administrators of the mission and orphanage were arrested and have now been held for over three weeks without charge. As a result, the hospital, orphanages and schools in Kota and throughout Rajasthan are operating on a cash basis and living day-to-day.
When asked about what should happen to the 2,500 children of the orphanage, Kota officials have echoed militant groups that have called for Hopegivers' orphans to simply be sent back to the streets from which they were rescued. Hopegivers has offered to bus the orphans to some of their other 86 orphanages throughout India, but local government and police have refused to provide security.
Dr. Samuel Thomas, who is currently directing Hopegivers from an undisclosed location in India says, "Some militants would rather see 100 million children living on the streets of India than to see us—non-Hindus—care for 10,000."
Letters, emails and faxes are needed now to help rescue the persecuted in Rajasthan.
For details, please contact info@hopegivers.com.
Rajasthan Hindi language newspapers quoted an extremist leader identified as Mr. Agrawal offering a reward of $52,000 to anyone who will capture and behead the Thomases. Agrawal is a reported member and high-ranking official of the strongly anti-Christian groups Shiv Sena and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
To counter the well-organized campaign of terror, slander, frivolous lawsuits and intimidation, Hopegivers has started an Emergency Defense Fund in an effort to cope with the illegal actions of the local government and the onslaught of civil and human rights violations that are occurring in the state of Rajasthan. Contributions are being collected at www.hopegivers.org. Hopegivers is also working with the National Human Rights Commission in New Delhi to speed up an investigation from the central government and asking the prime minister and president of India to intervene for the sake of the children and to protect the lives of non-Hindus all over the country...
Emmanuel Ministries has been based in Kota since 1960 and has operated social services without regard to caste or creed in Kota since 1973—with a major focus on Dalits, the so-called untouchable caste of Hinduism. On Feb. 28, the police revoked, without due process or hearing, all the operating licenses of Hopegivers-supported bookstores, churches, hospitals, leprosy and HIV-AIDS outreaches, orphanages, printing presses, schools and other institutions. Rajasthan's government has also recently threatened to cut off electricity and water to the Hopegivers' orphanage and hospital in Kota.
All of Hopegivers' Kota bank accounts have been frozen and two of the business administrators of the mission and orphanage were arrested and have now been held for over three weeks without charge. As a result, the hospital, orphanages and schools in Kota and throughout Rajasthan are operating on a cash basis and living day-to-day.
When asked about what should happen to the 2,500 children of the orphanage, Kota officials have echoed militant groups that have called for Hopegivers' orphans to simply be sent back to the streets from which they were rescued. Hopegivers has offered to bus the orphans to some of their other 86 orphanages throughout India, but local government and police have refused to provide security.
Dr. Samuel Thomas, who is currently directing Hopegivers from an undisclosed location in India says, "Some militants would rather see 100 million children living on the streets of India than to see us—non-Hindus—care for 10,000."
Letters, emails and faxes are needed now to help rescue the persecuted in Rajasthan.
For details, please contact info@hopegivers.com.
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