When the Newsong LA film team was in India, one of our greatest blessing (besides the crazy delicious food) was the wonderful beautiful people of India and the ministry workers we became friends with there. Unfortunately, it is common that the workers of our Lord's ministry of Love is met with resistance. The Sardar family have face persecution in the form of repeated Visa denials. Here is their urgent prayer request. Please pray for them and God's ministry in India.
Dear Beloved Who Pray,
It has been an eventful season for us...Thanksgiving in India was amazing! The Truthseekers family along with 68 guests from the U.S. washed the feet of the lower caste. We gave them a moment where we could look up into their faces and express the love of Christ. We caressed the feet of those who, in some places, are not allowed to wear their shoes. Not allowed to touch a cup. Not allowed to walk a path or enter a door or study in school. This is simply by means of their birth. It is impossible to describe the evil of this system on paper. When you come, you can see it.
In the midst of the joy of the season as we celebrate the birth and life of our Saviour, we are experiencing evil of a different kind. I am including an excerpt from my last letter, so I won’t have to re explain, but just give you an update for prayer.
My Visa Battle
continues to rage. Upon our return to Indiana, it became clear that the Indian government was not going to give me a visa without much prayer and persistence. This has been a decade long battle, and we are weary. My name is on the blacklist, so it is always a complication for me to enter and exit India. I was told at my departure that I would not be able to re enter, so it cast a shadow over our entire summer. However, through much prayer and persistence, I was granted a 3 month tourist visa. We are in process of applying for an extension as we work with the home ministry department and our dedicated friend and lawyer to get my name removed. No one that we know in the history of this list has ever been removed. Also, no one has been placed on it that is married to an Indian national. Above all else, this situation needs to be bathed in prayer. The case the government has “built” against me is absolutely false. We believe it has been one of Satan’s deepest strongholds, and we also believe God has his purpose for not releasing it until now...even if we don’t understand. We also believe the spiritual climate is shifting and we are on the winning side!
Above is the history...the update is on December 18th a brief letter was delivered to me by the Home Ministry.
It said, “Your request for an extension of visa has been considered and denied. You are therefore advised to go back within the validity of your present visa, December 20, 2007.” I wrote a rebuttal letter stating the impossibility of my return by that date and the reasons why. For the last 2 days, Sunil has been meeting with high profile government officials. We had a meeting with the President’s personal secretary and others. Phone calls and inquiries have been made, but yesterday Sunil was told that I would need to buy a ticket to leave until the case is settled. We still have hope to settle it without my departure as that would be an incredible emotional trauma for our family for a myriad of reasons. Sunil says about the only people who could make a decision to reverse the order are the Home Minister or the Prime Minister. The personal secretary of Sonia Gandhi is also involved.
In the meantime, we have Christmas festivities and friends coming abroad to celebrate the New Year with us. We feel a cloud over our celebrations, but we are, as I said above, on the winning side. Whatever the outcome, God is bigger than all these authorities combined. It is in HIS Hands! However, our contribution is fervent prayer, and Friends, we are asking you to mobilize whatever prayer you can on our behalf.
We will keep you informed!
May the beauty of His presence rest with you in this season!
Pam for us
