Installment #18 - Persecution Watch - Bangladesh

Buddhist villagers in southeastern Bangladesh beat a young father and drove him from his house for converting to Christianity. The Buddhists warned Sujan Chakma, 27, not to return to his home after beating him on Dec. 18. “They threatened me that if I come back to my home, I will be in great trouble,” he said.

Chakma, who converted to Christianity about four months ago, has returned home but is still in danger. He is often unable to provide for his wife, Shefali Chakma, 26, and their 6-year-old son, as locals opposed to his faith refuse to give him work as a day laborer.

The Costly Call

I've just finished reading both of these absolutely amazing books. They are both a compilation of 20 stories each of first person accounts of the persecution faced when converting to Christianity around the world. The first book is a story of 20 different people raised as Muslims from 18 different countries. The second has 8 stories from former Muslims, 4 from former Hindus, 4 from former Buddhist, and 4 from former Secularist/Communist.

The saddest thing was that the majority of the persecution was a result of their family members who disowned them and then turned them over to authorities. These books chronicle everything from beheadings, to major torture, to abandonment and everything in between. They are two of the most heart wrenching books I have ever read. It will definitely challenge you to pray for those around the world who accept Christ from these backgrounds and in countries that don't allow such freedom.

However, that is not the whole story. The thing that the books and stories have done the most for me is challenge me big time to look at my life and what I'm willing to do in order to tell others of Christ, no matter the cost. Every one of these people never once faltered in sharing Christ despite and often times in the midst of brutal torture. They counted everything as lost except that they had Christ and their lives are a living testimony of that faith.