ICC Note:
Anti-Christian ideologies continue to take hold of the island nation of Sri Lanka. Over the past 2 years, Buddhist nationalism has taken the country by storm and has led to a dramatic increase in attacks on Christians. On December 12th, a group of unknown attackers attempted to burn down the Jeevana Diya Church. The pastor of the church and his family live on the church premises and were barely able to escape the flames with their lives. Please pray for a reduction in the levels of persecution now being seen in Sri Lanka.  
12/20/2013 Sri Lanka (Christian Post) – At approximately 1.45 a.m. on December 12, the pastor of Jeevana Diya Church and his family were awakened by a fire. The church premises which is annexed to the pastor’s premises had been set on fire by an unidentified group of persons. As the church premises had been built by wooden planks, the front portion of the premises was completely burnt down by the fire. The pastor together with his family ran out of their house escaping the fire just in time.
The pastor immediately called the emergency police hotline.  The police officers arrived and investigated into the incident and informed the pastor that either petrol or kerosene oil had been used by the perpetrators for the arson attack on the church.
Earlier this year in September the pastor similarly faced a violent attack led by Buddhist monks and villagers. A case was also filed stating the pastor’s church as an “unauthorized place of worship” in the Magistrates Courts, which is presently ongoing.
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