It has been a very long time since I last gave you an update about India. Sometimes I receive reports of believers being beaten by extremists, like the one you can see in the picture — many such cases come from the state of Chhattisgarh. Some of you may have also read about the three pastors who were ambushed and killed , they were trying to bring peace between two tribes in the state of Manipur.
A few incidents make headlines, some are covered by local news channels, and many are never heard about at all. At times we feel helpless, but there are also moments when I deeply feel, as believers, that we wish we could have done something.
That is exactly how I felt when I heard about Pastor Harikesh, who tragically took his own life. He served the Lord faithfully for 25 years with Youth With A Mission, ministering in one of the hardest spiritual regions in India — Varanasi. So many lives were touched through his ministry. Two years ago, his son died in an accident, and after that things slowly went downhill. Financial struggles, health challenges, persecution, and the weight of ministry became too much for him to carry alone.
He left behind Sister Panna, his wife, and their children — Deepika (11th grade), Ansh (7th grade), and Vaishal (4th grade).
When I heard this news, my heart broke. I could not stop thinking, “What if someone had stepped in to help? What if his children’s basic needs had been supported? What if someone had simply been there to walk alongside him?” The entire pastor community in Varanasi was shaken by this tragedy. It also brought a deep conviction and urgency about the need for unity among believers and pastors.
Some of you may wonder, “What kind of pastor would do something like this?” I am not saying what he did was right, but being on the front lines, speaking with the wives of arrested pastors and meeting families after men come out of jail, I cannot fully express how much support, encouragement, and hand-holding they need during those moments.
People are going through unimaginable hardships. Some are imprisoned, others are crushed by financial burdens. Often, it is not even the suffering in jail that breaks them the most. What destroys them emotionally is watching their wives struggle, seeing their teenage daughters suffer, and knowing their children lack security while they are unable to protect or provide for them.
We have been working alongside these families in their darkest moments. One of the greatest burdens many fathers carry is the pain of not being able to provide for their families. I have personally interviewed many of them.
That is why we are trying to help not only in crisis, but also in prevention and restoration. If needed, we help enroll children in college through the BTJ Martyrs Scholarship fund. If a father has been killed or imprisoned, we help surviving family members start small businesses. This has given many families hope for a new beginning and renewed strength to continue sharing the Gospel.
They are no longer forced to beg for survival. Instead, many are now helping others. We have helped start a laundromat, spice businesses, and even a general store for one pastor with four children. We are also encouraging pastors to unite and embrace Business as Mission (BAM) initiatives so they can find stability, dignity, and hope while continuing ministry.
I will share more testimonies about BAM in my next update.
Please continue to pray for the persecuted church in India — for strength, unity, provision, and hope. Even in the midst of suffering, God is still moving powerfully.
