American Pastor trapped in India: "Pray for me, I miss my family"
Rev. Bryan Nerren's passport has been withdrawn. The judge who should decide on his case "is on vacation this week". His biggest concern is for his disabled daughter: "She understands that there is something wrong and is getting sick".
New Delhi (AsiaNews) - "Pray for me. I miss my family". This is the message of American pastor Bryan Nerren, who has been stuck in India since the beginning of October. Arrested for violating - despite himself - Indian airport regulations, he is free on bail, but in fact he is trapped in the Asian country. The Delhi authorities have withdrawn his passport and he cannot travel. "I'm fine," he reassures, but "nothing has changed. This week the judge is on vacation. "
Rev. Nerren, leader of the International House of Prayer Ministries in Shelbyville (Tennessee), is stuck in Siliguri, West Bengal. On 5 October last he landed in India to hold conferences in the country and in Nepal. The pastor had money with him to visit different communities and make donations.
He is not new to charitable works: his organization "Asian Children's Education Fellowship" raised over 60 thousand dollars for earthquake victims in Nepal in 2015. After a first stop in the capital, the port authorities found the money, questioned it and then passed. At the second stop in Bagdogra (West Bengal), he was arrested and his documents were withdrawn.
At the moment the pastor is forbidden to leave. His hearing, scheduled for October 22, was postponed to December 12th. His family has launched an online petition on the platform of the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), asking that he be returned home and calls him a "hostage of India". So far the petition has collected over 93 thousand signatures.
In these conditions, the main concern of Rev. Nerren is for his disabled daughter. "My daughter Laura - he says - is 29 years old and is disabled. She cannot speak, walk, or take care of herself. She's not eating well and she's getting sick. She realizes something is wrong and getting worse. I take care of her for 50% of my time. "
Speaking to AsiaNews Rev. David, an Indian Christian activist, appeals to the whole Church: "Let's pray for the pastor. What he says is very sad. He needs our prayers. " (A.C.F.)
(Photo credit: American Center for Law and Justice)
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