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| Strong Hindu and Buddhist populations make persecution of Christians common in Nepal (Photo courtesy of VCM) |
Nepal (MNN) ― A strong Buddhist population in Nepal recently rose against a group of Christians and drove them out of their village with their pastor.
According to the Voice of the Martyrs, Canada, the Nepali pastor was accused of bringing a foreign religion into the village and teaching ideals that were offensive to society.
Attackers also accused Christians of bribing and coercing other villagers into converting, an act frowned upon by society.
While the anti-conversion laws are not officially in effect in Nepal, anti-conversion law language has been used by the Nepali government in their ongoing process of drafting a constitution.
On top of forcing Christians out of their village, one member of the opposition reportedly sexually abused the six-year-old daughter of a Christian family.
A worker with the Voice of the Martyrs helped the believers resettle in another village and prayed with the family of the assaulted six-year-old girl.
Nepali Christians only make up 2.8% of the population. Over 75% of the population is Hindu which, up until 2006, was the official religion of the country.
While persecution is not as common as it used to be in the 1990s, it is still a major issue for believers there. Attacks against Christians are especially frequent when one converts from the Hindu or Buddhist faith.
Please pray that Christians may begin to gain religious freedom in Nepal. Pray for the healing of the girl who was sexually assaulted and for strength among the ousted believers.
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