SRI LANKA – Pastor and congregation attacked

PRAYER ALERT

A Christian pastor and his congregation in Sri Lanka were violently assaulted by a Buddhist monk and his associates during a service last Sunday.

Release partners say the sustained attack began shortly before 10am when the monk set upon the pastor as he went on an errand, a short distance from his New Life Church in Neluwaththuduwa in the district of Colombo.

As the monk began to insult and attack the pastor with a tree branch, the pastor fled to his church – only to be ambushed by 20 young men who beat him and accused him of attacking the monk.

The mob then raided the church where a service was being held and began to attack the 70-strong congregation, including the pastor's two sons, aged 19 and three. Other members of the congregation managed to shield the pastor's wife from blows with a wooden club.

When police arrived to disperse the mob, five Christians, including the pastor, were taken to a local police station for interview, along with the monk and some of the other assailants. The pastor was able to register a case against his attackers. 

This attack comes just a week after a violent mob armed with clubs, knives and swords attacked a Methodist congregation in Valachchennai (Prayer Alert, June 21).

http://www.releaseinternational.org/sri-lanka-pastor-and-congregation-attacked/

(Source: Release partners) 

For a country profile of Sri Lanka, click here.

• Pray God's peace and blessings over this pastor, his family and the New Life Church congregation. Pray also for their protection.
• Pray that the authorities in Sri Lanka, including the police, will act swiftly and decisively to curb this anti-Christian violence.