Pray BFF Letter #134
August 28th, 2008
Special Prayer Bulletin
There is a special urgent situation that I want to report on but first let me share a praise item.
Praise the Lord that support for the trip has greatly increased to over $7,000! This leaves about $5,000+ for the Lord to bring in. Do join us in giving thanks.
Persecution outbreak in Orissa
I have visited Orissa at least three times. My heart is a bit sensitive to the needs there in Orissa (see short movie below). 
Earlier this year, persecution broke out twice. Just this week it has become severe and continues until now. It appears that the communists (Maoist in India) killed several Hindu priests, and the radical Hindus are using this to blame Christians for the murders and instigating hatred against Christians in the State of Orissa.
Right now the report says 6 Christians have been killed and 125 Christian homes have been destroyed. Fifteen churches burned. I suggest you watch this report by Gospel for Asia (map from them) at the address below. Remember this is not a place where people have insurance! They need to run to the jungles for safety.
Report Gospel for Asia
See the fervor of the Orissa pastors from 2006.
Update on Orissa persecution news.
Note: Please be at ease about our north and south India trips. Although the southern India trip to Andhra Pradesh is near the southern border of Orissa, there should not be any difficulty related to this persecution of the believers. Do pray, though, for safety as always!
Pray for Friday Aug. 29, 2008
In response to this outbreak of persecution in Orissa, a large Christian organization in India is calling all the Christian schools around the country to close on Friday to get the rest of the country's attention.
"We call for all church and Christian educational institutions of Catholic, Protestant, Independent, and unaffiliated Christian denominations in the service of society to close for one day," said Sam Paul, AICC National Secretary of Public Affairs. The AICC is supporting the call from church networks -- including the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, the Evangelical Fellowship of India, and the National Council of Churches in India -- to close Christian schools on Friday, Aug. 29, 2008."
There are many good Christian schools throughout India as well as in public service. Pray that God would hold back the persecution. Join me in prayer that God would use these incidents to multiply the Christians in Orissa threefold.
___________________________________________________
Rev. Paul J. Bucknell, President
Biblical Foundations for Freedom
www.foundationsforfreedom.net
Email: info@foundationsforfreedom.net
Phone: (+01) 412-398-4559
3276 Bainton St., Pittsburgh, PA 15212 USA