This interesting convert I met during my visit to Kandhmal’s persecuted Christians. Ten years ago Niladri Kanhar, of Telepala village, Kandhamal district, Orissa, India had vowed to eradicate Christianity from Kandhamal within 2010. With his Hindu fundamentalist group he tortured Christians and used occult upon them. In this tribal area, occult is widespread causing much suffering. One cause of Christianity’s progress here is that Christ can deliver and protect true believers from occult spells.
Soon he had to flee to far off Bombay to evade police case for assaulting Christians. There his sympathetic Marwari employer told him to bring his whole family, promising support and he complied. But all fell sick immediately. Though his rich employer paid them for best treatment, they aggravated as no diagnosis was possible. Then one day his wife, who was possessed from many years ago, by Maha Luxmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, fell into a trance. Maha Luxmi said that unless they worship her, returning home immediately, they shall never be cured. She promised to give them wealth too. So they returned and all of them were healed without any medication. They also began to prosper.
Then some envious neighboring witch doctors leagued to turn occult against them. Again the whole family fell sick. Regular monthly possession by Maha Luxmi ceased. All their possessions were spent on medical expenses and witch doctors to no avail. They fell to starvation level. Knowing his predicament, Pastor Chitrasen of neighboring village kindly enquired when he met him. Before, he would have abused the pastor, but now he was humble enough to communicate. Pastor told him to believe in Christ who can deliver. He did not answer.
A few days after, Maha Luxmi possessed his wife after a long time. He asked her “why all these? You promised to make me rich. Now we are starving and dying!” She said “I am bound by occult now. I have just fled to inform you that tomorrow there will be death in the family”. Then she went away.
Next day his long sick daughter died. He brought her corpse to a hospital nurse and then to a doctor. They all declared her long dead. Now he ran to the pastor leaving it there and told about it. Pastor Chitrasen Digal, told him to believe in Christ and pray to him. Both he and pastor prayed to Christ for the child’s life. Then he ran again to the body of the child. He found her breathing and the body becoming warm. Doctor was amazed. From that day he believed openly, to be baptized and Hindu fanatics’ persecution started on him. I shall narrate only the most recent one.
That time he has taken refuse in the district town Fulbani’s army guarded refugee camp, as they had demolished his house and looted everything. Here the fanatics surrounded him at night finding him outside camp on the deserted street. He surrendered to them and his soul to Christ. They began to beat him with iron rods. One came to finish him by sword. But others forbade, having a superstitious fear about spilling Christian’s blood. When they thought him dead, they poured a poisonous plant’s juice into both his eyes and ears to destroy them permanently, if he ever lives.
Police placed unconscious him in the hospital after several hours. Though the Doctors could save his life, they gave up hope of restoring his sight and hearing. But as papers publicized his story, Govt. sent him to the best hospital in the capital. There Church people took charge of him and brought the best doctor to operate on him repeatedly. They took charge of his family also as the camps were being closed by the government. Helping Catholics requested him to convert to Catholicism from his Pentecostal faith, but he refused,
Now his sight and hearing are partially restored and he is released from the hospital recently. He is living with his wife in a rented shanty in Fulbani town. When pastor told him to ask Christ about his future, he asked. He said to him “what has happened to me will happen to you too.” He said “Amen”. This narrative I got from him and corroborated by witnesses.
An excerpt from my book "Christ, my refuge from Jehadists' swords"
Soon he had to flee to far off Bombay to evade police case for assaulting Christians. There his sympathetic Marwari employer told him to bring his whole family, promising support and he complied. But all fell sick immediately. Though his rich employer paid them for best treatment, they aggravated as no diagnosis was possible. Then one day his wife, who was possessed from many years ago, by Maha Luxmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, fell into a trance. Maha Luxmi said that unless they worship her, returning home immediately, they shall never be cured. She promised to give them wealth too. So they returned and all of them were healed without any medication. They also began to prosper.
Then some envious neighboring witch doctors leagued to turn occult against them. Again the whole family fell sick. Regular monthly possession by Maha Luxmi ceased. All their possessions were spent on medical expenses and witch doctors to no avail. They fell to starvation level. Knowing his predicament, Pastor Chitrasen of neighboring village kindly enquired when he met him. Before, he would have abused the pastor, but now he was humble enough to communicate. Pastor told him to believe in Christ who can deliver. He did not answer.
A few days after, Maha Luxmi possessed his wife after a long time. He asked her “why all these? You promised to make me rich. Now we are starving and dying!” She said “I am bound by occult now. I have just fled to inform you that tomorrow there will be death in the family”. Then she went away.
Next day his long sick daughter died. He brought her corpse to a hospital nurse and then to a doctor. They all declared her long dead. Now he ran to the pastor leaving it there and told about it. Pastor Chitrasen Digal, told him to believe in Christ and pray to him. Both he and pastor prayed to Christ for the child’s life. Then he ran again to the body of the child. He found her breathing and the body becoming warm. Doctor was amazed. From that day he believed openly, to be baptized and Hindu fanatics’ persecution started on him. I shall narrate only the most recent one.
That time he has taken refuse in the district town Fulbani’s army guarded refugee camp, as they had demolished his house and looted everything. Here the fanatics surrounded him at night finding him outside camp on the deserted street. He surrendered to them and his soul to Christ. They began to beat him with iron rods. One came to finish him by sword. But others forbade, having a superstitious fear about spilling Christian’s blood. When they thought him dead, they poured a poisonous plant’s juice into both his eyes and ears to destroy them permanently, if he ever lives.
Police placed unconscious him in the hospital after several hours. Though the Doctors could save his life, they gave up hope of restoring his sight and hearing. But as papers publicized his story, Govt. sent him to the best hospital in the capital. There Church people took charge of him and brought the best doctor to operate on him repeatedly. They took charge of his family also as the camps were being closed by the government. Helping Catholics requested him to convert to Catholicism from his Pentecostal faith, but he refused,
Now his sight and hearing are partially restored and he is released from the hospital recently. He is living with his wife in a rented shanty in Fulbani town. When pastor told him to ask Christ about his future, he asked. He said to him “what has happened to me will happen to you too.” He said “Amen”. This narrative I got from him and corroborated by witnesses.
An excerpt from my book "Christ, my refuge from Jehadists' swords"