Mintu in Assam

While all the information is coming in about the attacks on our Christian brothers and sisters in Rajasthan, I got another phone call from the Northeast corner of India, Assam. Mintu, a recent graduate of our Bible College, is church planting in the state of Assam. Since June, he's already planted a church and trained someone to care for it and is in the process of planting another. He's full of zeal for the Lord, yet often discouraged. He's alone in the work, unmarried and without a partner in ministry.

Last month he called me and told me he was getting married. Good news! But the road ahead of him is still very hard. Last night he called and said that 2 days earlier there had been a terrorist attack and a bomb had exploded right in front of him. Two people were killed before his eyes.

The terrorist attacks in the state of Assam have become so frequent that people do not even go out of their homes after 6PM. He asked for prayer and shared his struggles in sharing the Gospel and planting churches in such a violent environment. Please pray for him.

Angry

Mostly that's the attitude of Indians (and me) over this hostage situation and attack. Angry that the politicians in this country cannot even agree enough with each other to be able to travel to Mumbai together. Angry that even after all these bombings, terrorist attacks, etc. there is still no kind of central intelligence in India; state wide police/intelligence don't cooperate with other states, obviously, there is a huge lack of information and proper action.


We've been having like two Major terrorist attacks a month here in India for several months, and still something like this Mumbai situation can occur. It's mind boggling and it surely makes me angry.

No One Ever Listens To Me

Remember the few times I mentioned terrorism in India and how it doesn't make international news?? Yesterday when I connected to the Internet, low and behold, what was the top story on MSN.com? Terrorism attack in India.

I don't want to say I told you so, but I've been trying to tell you. Actually, these terrorists focused on American and British citizens and, as far as I know, now about 40 hours later, a hostage situation is still going on.

The attack is in Mumbai at several locations, one being the Taj Hotel. I've passed it many times, never been inside, too rich for my blood.

However, this is comforting. Yesterday, around noon, a man from our local police station's Foreign Nationals Registration Office came to meet me. They were personally going to all the foreigners in the city. He wrote a document in the local language with all my pertinent details and I signed it. I guess it said, I am alive and well.

Continue to pray for a quick solution to the ongoing hostage situations and against the increasing amount of terrorism occurring in India.

Big News In India

Yet not anywhere else. It amazes me how terrorism in India doesn't make it to international news - like at all.

Since Friday there have been 2 major terrorist attacks in Bangalore and Ahmedabad. Over 25 bombs exploded in public places. More unexploded bombs are being discovered in major cities all over India. Seventeen unexploded bombs were found in a city 1 hour south of us and 17 bombs exploded in a city 3 hours North of us on Saturday night.

I think they caught somebody or someone snitched and that's why they're finding the unexploded bombs.

Oh, and India has no Federal Bureau of Investigation. They're thinking of creating one - I think that would be a wise idea. Apparently, it keeps getting put on the back burner because some states are against the interference - and I actually get that - I do read loads of detective type novels. The locals hate it when the feds step in. But all in all, I think they're necessary.

Anyway, we're fine, unharmed and unalarmed. But pray for the peace of India.