Standing firm after her home was set on fire
Priya is a devoted Christian who has run a small middle school for 15 years in a village in Uttarakhand, India. She rented the school building from an elderly landlord who valued her work in giving poor children access to good education.
The school has served hundreds of children whose families could not afford other options. However, after the landlord passed away recently, his son came under pressure from Hindu radical groups to target Priya and her husband. He did not approve of her Christian faith, and wanted to remove her influence in the village.
For months, Priya noticed growing hostility from Hindu radicals in the area. Anti-conversion laws and rhetoric spread by groups like the radical Hindu groups such as RSS and Bajrang Dal had been fueling suspicion toward Christians. A majority of people assume that Christian social work is a cover for conversion efforts.
Facing pressure
Radicals pressured the new landlord to enforce strict terms against Priya. In the past, occasional late rent payments, caused by the school’s tight finances, never led to conflict. Goodwill between them had held. Under this new pressure, the landlord began accusing Priya of running a conversion racket. He demanded she leave the property or pay rent immediately.
On the night of April 24, before Priya could respond or arrange for the payment of rent, radical villagers set her house on fire. She protected her family, but the fire destroyed all of her belongings, furniture and important documents.
Frontlines support
Priya filed a complaint with local police and higher authorities. Police are investigating. She has been given temporary shelter while the police investigations continue. Frontlines team members have been in touch with her and are supporting her family as they rebuild their lives once again. Priya and her husband are determined to stay in the village and continue their outreach efforts through their small school.
Please pray
Prayer for provision and protection: Pray for Priya’s safety and provision as she rebuilds after the fire. May the Lord grant her favour with the new landlord and enable her to continue the good work of running the school.
For justice: Pray for justice and a swift, fair police investigation.
For the Christian school not to be shut down: Pray that the school, with its focus on Christian values, can keep serving children despite the pressure.
