India returned to the United States, his organization said Wednesday, January 31.
Hopegivers International (HI) Founder Bishop M.A. Thomas arrived at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Airport on Tuesday, January 30, although the travel permission he received from India’s High Court only allows for a short visit during a prescribed window of dates, the group said.
"We’ve been waiting for a long time now. We are overjoyed and praise God for this reunion," said Bishop Thomas in comments obtained by BosNewsLife.
Bishop Thomas, along with his son Samuel Thomas, left for India last February and both had their movements closely followed throughout 2006. Samuel Thomas was not able to accompany his father as his next travel permission hearing was scheduled for mid-February.
In 2006 both Thomas’s reportedly had to work underground for a period of time after the hard-line Hindu-led government in the tense state of Rajasthan accused them of violating laws and forced conversions, charges they strongly denied.
JAIL TERM
Samuel Thomas spent 47 days in jail for allegedly "causing communal disharmony."
Various "anti-Christian elements" also waged what HI described as "an intense campaign of systematic slander" lawsuits and intimidation against Emmanuel Ministries, the chief recipient of US-based HI’s support in India.
Local authorities also tried to close down EMI operations, including Hopegivers-supported orphanages, the hospital and leprosy or HIV-AIDS outreaches, printing presses, bookstores, churches, schools and other institutions.
"2006 was a year of great difficulty. But we serve a God who answers prayer and this is a great start to 2007," said Executive Director Michael Glenn.
MORE DIFFICULTIES
Despite the apparent difficulties experienced by both men and other staff members, HI said it has continued working with orphanages, schools and churches.
"Students and field workers are fully operational and continuing to faithfully minister to India’s poor and downtrodden with food, medicine, education, clothes, blankets and other aid," the group stressed.
Bishop Thomas said he was looking forward to "fellowshipping with my friends and family once again." He said he had "missed" them and spoke of an anticipated "wonderful time of healing and revival."
He quoted the Bible book of Isaiah as saying that "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." (With reports from India and BosNewsLife’s Stefan J. Bos).
