Even after his home was destroyed, Maulik continued to share the Gospel of Christ in the village and now ministers to 65 believers.

ORISSA, INDIA (ANS) -- Marala heard the angry shouts of the anti-Christian fanatics as they drew closer to her home. She knew they were out to attack her family—their prior threats rang in her ears. Now it appeared their actions would measure up to their words.

Marala gathered both of her small children and rushed to the house of a neighbor—a neighbor who didn’t despise her family for their devotion to God and His ways.

She stayed there in the safety of a fellow believer’s home as her own home was destroyed under the cover of the night.

But Maulik and his family would not support a man who opposed Jesus Christ.

When Marala’s husband, Maulik Sadar, came back from his monthly meeting at Gospel for Asia’s Orissa, India, state office, he found the house he had built with his own hands in smoldering ruins, with all his belongings scattered throughout the village.

Maulik, a GFA missionary, knew the reason behind the extremists’ rage.

Just the day before, an election had taken place to determine the village leader. All the villagers campaigned for a man who was staunchly devoted to their preferred religion and against Christianity. But Maulik and his family would not support a man who opposed Jesus Christ.

The villagers warned Maulik of the consequences they would face if he was not willing to vote for their candidate, but he stood firm in his decision.

The night they found out of Maulik’s supposed treachery, they set out to destroy his house and all that was in it.

Their rage and their actions, however, weren’t severe enough to force Maulik and his family to leave the village. Despite strong opposition, they continued reaching out to the villagers with the love of Christ.

Presently, Maulik ministers to 65 believers in his church in Orissa. The fanatics have calmed their resistance toward him, and a temporary church building is planned.

Maulik asks for prayers concerning the church building, that
the Lord will provide all the necessary wood and other materials to begin construction at the earliest date possible. He also requests prayers for protection over his family and that the Lord will continue to use him to further extend God’s Kingdom.

Read another story about Maulik and how he tried to calm an anti-Christian crowd.

Orissa, India, was once known as a strategic maritime empire in the ancient world.