What India's election results mean for Christians

------=_Part_3909162_1252522072.1718638706870 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_Part_3909163_2020211262.1718638706870" ------=_Part_3909163_2020211262.1718638706870 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable [ hurch/] Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 Seven-year-old Roshan* remembers the day his family was told to leave their= home. After they decided to follow Jesus, Roshan=E2=80=99s family was shun= ned by their wider Hindu family, followed by their whole village.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Following Jesus meant that his mother lost her financial security and her l= ivelihood, leaving Roshan and his brother without food, the shelter of a sa= fe home and the opportunity to attend school.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 When we think about the 360+ million Christians in the world who face high = levels of persecution and discrimination for their decision to follow Jesus= , we may tend to think about the men and women who risk so much.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 But persecution is no respecter of age.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 Throughout the world, children like Roshan also pay a high cost, especially= if they or their parents left the community or tribal religion to convert = to Christianity.=C2=A0 =C2=A0 This Christmas, will you pray with us for the youngest voices of persecutio= n?=C2=A0 25 prayers for children of the persecuted church [= rg/en-US/stories/25-prayers-children-persecuted-church/] We=E2=80=99re sharing 25 prayers you can pray for kids like Roshan whose ma= in Christmas wish is for safety and peace in their homes and communities.= =C2=A0 =C2=A0 I=E2=80=99m reminded of how vital our prayers are for these children when I= read the words of Ermias, a father in Ethiopia with twin boys (pictured ab= ove) who know persecution firsthand. =C2=A0 =E2=80=9CChildren are the next generation for the gospel,=E2=80=9D Ermias s= ays. =E2=80=9C=E2=80=A6 They are the hope for the Church.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0 Next week, I=E2=80=99ll be taking you on a daily trip around the world to i= ntroduce you to more of these children and share their Christmas prayers. S= o make sure to check your email each day. =C2=A0 Thank you for praying for the hope and future of the Church. =C2=A0 =C2=A0 In Christ, =C2=A0 Ryan Brown CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 P.S.=C2=A0Check out our monthly prayer calendar.=C2=A0It=E2=80=99s a great = way to lift up your persecuted family each day. Click HERE to download! [ht= tps://www.opendoorsus.org/getinvolved/pray/prayer-calendar-nov-dec-2023] =C2=A0 =C2=A0 For more information about Open Doors US, visit www.opendoorsus.org [https:= //www.opendoorsus.org/en-US/] [ [ [ =C2=A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobili= zing prayer, support and advocacy in 22 countries and supporting Christians= in the 70 countries where they face the greatest cost for their faith. If = you have any questions about your donation please contact info@opendoorsus.= org [mailto:info@opendoorsus.org], or call 1-800-896-5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0FAQs =C2=A0 [ e=3DFCM5w39iAc3NVlzj4wpig_D7LZquKGNs1eQ3NLeDrmB6G7TQ5hzH3rEqW8FITOVu&recipi= entid=3Dcontact-cb73e8b21491ed11aad06045bd8a3c0f-2d5c40eaf52245ffb5465e0676= 396eca&utm_source=3DClickDimensions&utm_medium=3Demail&utm_campaign=3DOD%20= US%20Announce&esid=3D51c0f86c-a108-4d17-a0d3-6c590ccd1bc7]| Privacy Policy = [ |=C2=A0Unsubscribe [htt= p://elink.opendoorsus.org/uu/3/eyJhaSI6NDU0NjEwNTQsImUiOiJ0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3= aW44NkBnbWFpbC5jb20iLCJyaSI6ImNvbnRhY3QtZTI5NmE3M2VlOWJjZWQxMTgzZmU2MDQ1YmQ= 4YzU5M2MtNDhmMDBiNjY3N2FjNGQ3Mzg5ZTdhYTRmZGQ1NmM3MGQiLCJycSI6InAxLWIyNDE2OS= 01MzQ5NGQxYmMzZjE0ZTYxYTkwYjBhZThjMWZjNDIwZCIsInBoIjpudWxsLCJtIjpmYWxzZX0/q= dLsbIxRo_9iQwisAWWKGg] =C2=A0 ------=_Part_3909163_2020211262.1718638706870 Content-Type: text/html;charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 3D" Dear {NAME}, =C2=A0 On April 19, India began to vote in its parliamentary e= lection. The election, the largest in human history, took six weeks to fini= sh the voting. Results began to be released last week. And, [in a stunning resul= t, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won](3D")=E2= =80=94but with significantly less support than advance and exit polls predi= cted.=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0 What this means for India=E2=80=99s Christians is that they may be = able to hope for a slowdown in the Hindu nationalist rhetoric that has driv= en so much persecution over the last decade. =C2=A0 [Read what the election result= s mean for Christians](3D".=) Open Doors= partner Rahul Reddy*, who has a bird=E2=80=99s eye view of Indian politics= , explains that the uptick in the profile of the opposing party can be good= news for people who belong to minority religions, including followers of J= esus.=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0 =E2=80=9CAlthough the election seems to favor the communal party, the emerg= ence of [an opposition] bloc should be applauded,=E2=80=9D Reddy says. =E2= =80=9CThey have become a formidable opponent to the ruling party and have f= ought neck and neck. Now, there is an opposition that can counter the natio= nalist government in cases of tyranny and oppression.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0=C2=A0= =C2=A0=C2=A0 This is encouraging for Indian believers, who have seen increasing violence= and oppression by Hindu extremists who believe true Indians must be Hindu.= =C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0 =E2=80=9CThis election gave a gift of democracy compared to the past two te= rm elections that have been biased,=E2=80=9D=C2=A0Reddy says, adding that t= he results are =E2=80=9Cclear evidence of the beginning of the fall of hatr= ed politics.=E2=80=9D =C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0 Join us in thanking God for this newfound hope, and ask that He will protec= t His people in India as they continue to follow Him.=C2=A0 =C2=A0=C2=A0 India remains an incredibly difficult place in which to follow Jesu= s, so please don=E2=80=99t forget your family in your prayers!=C2=A0= g> =C2=A0 =C2=A0 In Christ, =C2=A0 Ryan Brow= n CEO, Open Doors US =C2=A0 P.S.=C2=A0[Check out our monthly pr= ayer calendar.](=3D")=C2=A0It=E2=80=99s a great way to lift up your p= ersecuted family each day. [Click HERE to download!](3D"htt=)= > =C2=A0 *represen= tative name used for security reasons =C2=A0 =C2=A0 For more= information about Open Doors US, visit [www.opendo= orsus.org](=3D") 3D" 3D" 3D" =C2= =A0 =E2=80=9COpen Doors US is part= of the global ministry of Open Doors, mobilizing prayer, support and advoc= acy in 22 countries and supporting Christians in the 70 countries where the= y face the greatest cost for their faith. If you have any questions about y= our donation please contact [info@opendoorsus.org](3D"mailto:info@opendoorsus.org"), or call 1-800-896= -5285=E2=80=9D. =C2=A0 =C2=A0[FAQs =C2=A0](3D")| [Privacy Policy](3D") |=C2=A0[Unsubscribe](=3D")= span> =C2=A0 ------=_Part_3909163_2020211262.1718638706870-- ------=_Part_3909162_1252522072.1718638706870--