Hopegivers founder returns to US

The founder of Hopegivers Internation, Bishop M.A. Thomas, has finally been allowed to return to the United States, January 30, after nearly a year of imposed travel and other restrictions.

Though the travel permission received from the judicial authorities only allows for a short visit during a prescribed window of dates, Hopegivers supporters and well–wishers of the humanitarian outreach were ecstatic with his return.

Bishop Thomas is only allowed to be away for 20 days, after which he will have to return to India. He is praying his son also will be allowed to travel.

"God is God, and we are completely on the victory side. I thank God for that," he said.

Bishop Thomas and his son, Dr. Samuel Thomas, the present president of Hopegivers had gone through a nightmare in 2006.

As early as January 2006, when some local supporters of Hindu fundamentalist outfits claimed that the mission body had written and published a controversial book, "Haqiqat," which allegedly denigrates Hindu spiritual leaders, gods and goddesses, the state government of Rajasthan had targeted Hopegiver's indigenous partner, Emmanuel Mission International (EMI) based in Kota.

Following the complaint, EMI came under severe attack with death threats being leveled against the mission leaders by Hindu extremists groups.

EMI was also forbidden from holding an annual graduation ceremony for hundreds of orphans and Dalit Christian students, scheduled for February 25, 2006.

Accusations were also made that the mission body had "illegally imprisoned" little children in the Emmanuel–run orphanage.

Acting on the complaints, arrest warrants were issued against Bishop Thomas and his son, Dr. Samuel Thomas forcing both to go into hiding initially. Though Bishop Thomas was later granted anticipatory bail by the court, Dr. Thomas along with a few other EMI staff workers were arrested and languished in jail for over a month till their bail was secured.

In the meanwhile, EMI faced severe hardship with the state Registrar of Societies revoking the registrations of EMI institutions, on the pretext that they had violated procedures required by law.

Besides, the bank accounts of EMI institutions were also frozen forcing the mission group to survive on day–to–day offerings and donations.

Subsequently, in October 2006, the High Court passed an order, allowing restoration of the registration and operation of bank accounts.

Dr. Thomas is scheduled for his next travel permission hearing in mid–February.

"They (the Hindu radicals) hate Christian mission work. They think we are going to make everyone Christian," Bishop Thomas said.

"I very much look forward to fellowshipping with my friends and family once again. I have missed you all greatly and I know this will be a wonderful time of healing and revival. As it says in Isaiah, 'those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength and mount up on wings of eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.' Please continue to pray that Dr. Samuel Thomas will get the same permission and be allowed to return to the USA very soon as well," he added.

"2006 was a year of great difficulty. But we serve a God who answers prayer, and this is a great start to 2007," said Hopegivers executive director Michael Glenn, noting that despite restrictions placed on the EMI in 2006, and the ensuing fallout that occurred, Hopegivers' work in India has continued to move forward.

Admitting that 2006 had been a year of ordeal for them, Glenn said, "This is going to keep us sharp, it's going to distract us, but things like this also make us better."

"All Hopegivers–supported Hope Homes, schools, churches, students and field workers are fully operational now and are continuing to faithfully minister to India's poor and downtrodden with food, medicine, education, clothes, blankets and other aid," the mission group said.

EMI operates the Emmanuel Bible Institute Samiti, Emmanuel Anath Ashram (Orphanage), Emmanuel School Society, Emmanuel Chikitsalaya (Hospital) Samiti, and Emmanuel Believers Fellowship. The organization leads a native church movement and serves over 10,000 children through humanitarian and educational work.