Earlier this week we were greatly encouraged when 300 people at an early morning prayer meeting in London were praying into the situation, and exactly at that same time, but five hours ahead in India, the police decided to drop murder charges against Masih das and Sarita. Our hopes were raised for a good resolution for what we saw as a spiritual attack on these two.

But recent developments have totally knocked the wind out of our sails.  If what local people are saying is correct, then it looks if the depraved, enemy of God’s work in the world has managed to put an end to this beautiful ministry, to the poorest of the poor, in one of the most deprived parts of the world by one simple diabolical act.

What an insider at the police station investigating the murder is saying, if found to be true, is abhorrent saying that the boy was killed for being an inadvertent eyewitness to sexual activity involving a senior boy and a 12-year-old girl.

It’s being said that in the small hours of Monday, the 10-year-old boy had spotted a senior boy and a girl in a compromising position in a room on the ground floor. Two more senior boys who were also attached to the girl were present at the spot. Scared, the boy returned to his bed, but the trio had later hauled him out of bed and bludgeoned him with a brick where building work was going on to extend the hostel.

Though the police are not coming on record to say so, one of the three boys apparently confessed to this being the reason for the murder.

This is devastating, beyond belief.

Masih das and Sarita have worked among these tribal villages for Jesus at great personal cost for fifteen years. It could destroy them. Those of us who have been involved in some way with this significant church planting work are like them heart broken.

They got up every morning at 4am to prepare food for the 38 children and get them already for school at 6am. Washed all their clothes; helped them with their homework, taught them Bible stories, played cricket with them, had fun times, showed them how to grow tomatoes, how to cook … Parents used to show up begging them to take in ‘just one more’

But at the moment it certainly looks as if it’s the end of Bethany House’s ministry. Its reputation has been ruined.

Please pray it may not be so; we really need to see the Tomb Buster show his hand. Please remind Him of Roman’s 8v28.

Masih das and Sarita have nowhere safe to go at the moment; this was their life and their home.