As believers gathered for worship in the village of Ihala Yakkura on the morning of 2 February, a mob of around 150 people, led by Buddhist monks, arrived and disrupted the service by questioning the owner of the premises. The pastor called the police, who were able to maintain peace until the service concluded, even though the mob remained present.
After the service, the pastor went to speak to the monks and the police. During this time, the monks attempted to assault the pastor, but the officers intervened. The attackers insisted that because theirs was a “Buddhist village”, no Christian worship would be allowed. Even though the pastor had been invited by villagers, the police sided with the monks and falsely stated that the church needed state permission to conduct worship activities. After making a formal statement at a nearby police station, the pastor was warned by the officer involved to not re-enter the village due to the threats made against his life.
That evening, the pastor went back to the village, taking along his wife, son and eight others. In their attempts to leave the area, they discovered that the road had been blocked. A mob then proceeded to accost the visiting Christians, physically assaulting them and causing damage to their vehicles. After an eventual escape, the believers were able to receive treatment at a hospital. A police report was filed and, the next day, five people were remanded in connection with the incident.
Source: National Christian Evangelical Alliance Sri Lanka (NCEASL)
- Pray for the physical and emotional healing of the Christians injured in the mob attack.
- Ask God to make a way for His ministry in the village to continue touching hearts and transforming lives.
- Pray for Sri Lanka’s governing authorities, that they will justly uphold the rights and freedoms of all citizens.
Post your prayer in the comments below.
Tags: attacked, buddhism, christian persecution, sri lanka, threatened
Blessed Lord Jesus from whom your whole church receives encouragement and growth, we humbly petition you for the believers in the village of Ihala Yakkura in Sri Lanka. Thank you for their faithfulness in meeting and witness. Pour out on them your grace to love and pray for their ‘enemies’. Strengthen the Pastor to faithfully lead and model ‘living the message’. Bless them corporately and individually in their witness to the Gospel that the Buddhist villagers might be transformed by the renewal of their minds. We pray for the recently elected President of Sri Lanka, Members of Parliament and other… Read more »