05/12/2019 Sri Lanka (International Christian Concern) – As reported by World Watch Monitor, Sri Lanka’s Christians are continuing to grapple with the aftermath of the Easter Bombings that killed 257 people. In those attacks, terrorists targeted three churches and three hotels.
Arasaratnam Verl lost his son, Jackson, sister, Verlini, and his brother-in-law, Ranjith, in the bombing of Zion Church in Batticaloa. In an interview with World Watch Monitor, Verl said, “My son Jackson and my sister died on the spot. Jackson was the captain of his basketball team. He used to compete in many places like Jaffna, Colombo. He’s the best in everything. He’s my only son.”
While still struggling with this tragedy, Verl, like many other Sri Lankan Christians, has turned to his faith for comfort.
“Jesus died on Good Friday, and on Easter Sunday, he was raised back to life,” Verl explained to World Watch Monitor. “My son, sister, and brother-in-law died, but they were raised to new life with Jesus on that day.”
Among the 257 killed in the Easter attacks, about 180 were killed at the three churches. The weight of this tragedy continuing to be felt by hundreds of Christian families across Sri Lanka. As these Christians continue to grapple with the loss of so many, it is important for the global Church to remember to pray for their recovery.
