Hindu extremists are being blamed for the beheading of a Seventh-day Adventist pastor in Orissa, India late last week, local church leaders reported. Since then, at least 15 Adventists have been reported killed.

Samuel Naik, pastor of the Phulwani Adventist Church, and his mother were killed during anti-Christian violence sweeping the region of India, said Gordon Christo, communication director for the Adventist Church in Southern Asia.

Naik's wife committed suicide earlier this week after hearing of their deaths, Christo said. She had allegedly been raped during the attacks.

The outbreak came after unidentified attackers killed a Hindu religious leader and four other individuals. Hindus are blaming Christians for the deaths, while the Indian government cited Maoist rebels.

One Adventist school in Jeypore was attacked last Sunday, and another school in Khurda was closed for several days, Christo said.

"They broke the gate and all the glass doors and windows of the children's home, the cafeteria, the girls' hostel ... and a few staff quarters," said Arun Panda, principal of the Jeypore school.

Panda said the mob attempted to light several vehicles and some equipment on fire after pouring diesel on them, but nothing burned.

"We believe it is a miracle of God," Panda said.

Let me get this staight....

An Adventist Pastor is beheaded and his mother is killed. His wife is raped and commits suicide. 15 SDAs killed. But there is a miracle because some "equipment" was saved. Huh?

Can anyone explain about a God who would do that?

I think they are rightfully looking for anything positive in a very terrible ordeal.

One day this kind of thing that is happening in India will also happen here in America, but will affect many more than just a local church. Many will die for their faith, yet God will be in our midst performing miracles. Just because evil things happen and people are martyred doesn't mean God is not active.

A friend of mine who is not a Christian travels to India often. He tells me that he is not surprised at the reports he's read from me about these terrible killings. The wonder is they do not happen oftener. Truth is they probably do happen oftener but we just don't hear about all of them.