Kande Martyred in India by Armed Mob

Bindi met her future husband in 2017, when her father brought a young coworker named Kande to their home in India’s Jharkhand state. Among their earliest conversations was a discussion about someone named Jesus, whom Kande was eager for Bindi to know.

“He told me about his life-changing experience with Jesus and the peace he had been experiencing,” Bindi recalled. “He helped lead me to accept Jesus as my Savior.”

Although Bindi’s parents held animist beliefs, they approved of their daughter’s decision to follow Christ as well as her desire to join Kande in marriage. After the wedding, the newlyweds moved into a home Kande had built in a nearby village, where they were the first — and only — Christians in the Hindu community.

As they got to know their neighbors, Bindi and Kande often shared the gospel with them and prayed for those who were sick. Soon, however, their Christian faith caught the attention of village leaders. And some in the community started calling them names, eventually leading to threats of violence against the couple. “With prayer and our trust in God, we continued our journey with Jesus,” Bindi said.

An Unthinkable Attack

Kande served at his church in a nearby city and, even after a long day of construction work, never missed a prayer meeting or Bible study. Out of obedience to Christ, he also helped the poor in various ways.

But his active faith continued to irritate local leaders, who eventually asked Kande to publicly renounce his Christian faith at a community meeting. In response, Kande gave a thorough explanation of his decision to follow Christ and said he could not reject Him.

Radical Hindus soon visited Kande at home, pressuring him to participate in a puja ceremony honoring Hindu gods and to contribute to various Hindu causes. When he refused, the radicals threatened to kill him.

Each time Bindi and Kande faced persecution, they prayed for strength to endure the attack. And Kande often read from the Sermon on the Mount: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

In 2018, shortly after the birth of their first daughter, a group of young men barged into their home, threatening and verbally abusing them for their Christian faith. When Kande responded boldly, the men grabbed Bindi’s mother, who was there helping with the baby, took her into the nearby jungle and sexually assaulted her. Four of the men were later convicted and are currently in prison.

Losing Her Pillar of Faith

The violence didn’t end with the assault of Bindi’s mother or the arrest of her attackers. The family continued to receive threats for refusing to renounce their faith, and on the evening of June 7, 2020, Kande got an anonymous phone call from a man threatening to kill him. Kande told his wife about the call, and they immediately prayed about it.

Then, at about 8 p.m. that evening, during the family’s regular prayer time, someone knocked loudly on their door. When Kande looked outside, he saw a group of armed men. “If God is willing to take away my life, it is His will,” Kande told Bindi. “If God wants to save me, He will save me. No matter what happens to me, you should not give up your faith in Jesus. In difficulties, you must continue to follow Jesus. Our Lord is able to provide for you even if my life is taken away.”

Moments later, one of the men broke down the door and dragged Kande out of the house. Bindi followed the mob, begging them to spare Kande’s life. When the men chased her away, she ran to a church member’s home, where she spent the night.

The next morning, Kande’s body was found on the side of the road leading to his church. His throat had been slashed.

After Kande’s murder, Bindi and her two daughters moved in with her parents. Although her father had never objected to her Christian faith and her mother had even come to faith in Christ, Bindi’s father suggested that maybe she should stop following Jesus. His wife had been sexually assaulted and his son-in-law murdered, and he simply couldn’t handle it anymore. He worried about losing Bindi, too.

But in reply to her father, Bindi repeated something she remembered Kande once saying: “I will live for Jesus or die for Jesus,” she said, “but I will never turn back.”

Moving Forward in Christ

Bindi has not returned to her home because Kande’s killer is still free and she fears another attack. But her husband’s murder hasn’t deterred her from following Christ. In fact, it has inspired her to do so more faithfully. “I saw a deep love and commitment from Kande toward Jesus Christ,” she said. “Kande’s life example is helping me to keep following Jesus.”

Bindi said one of the things she misses most is Kande’s steadfast faith. Family prayer and Bible studies are different now. “I still think of Kande’s last words and the way that he remained faithful and trusted the Lord until his last moment of life,” she said. “I must also trust the Lord and continue to follow Jesus.”

Despite the great loss she has suffered, Bindi said she would try to forgive Kande’s killers. “I would dare to tell them, ‘My husband is in eternal peace. Why did you do this? Look at these two small girls; they are now fatherless.’”

Bindi said she has learned more about God’s faithfulness and purposes since Kande’s death. “God has provided what I need,” she said. “God is teaching me to remain strong so I can make other women strong.”