HEROIC CHURCH MEMBER GIVES HIS LIFE...
	With the nation of Sri Lanka still reeling from the devastating bomb-ings that ripped through three churches over Easter Weekend, some staggering stories of heroism are beginning to emerge. One such incident occurred moments before a huge blast at Zion Church in Batticaloa, when a brave and quick-thinking church member saved innumerable lives. His name was Ramesh Raju. On the fateful day of the bombings Ramesh's wife, Chris-hanthini, was teaching a Sunday School class, which was held just before the main Easter Service. Once the class had finished and in anticipation of the church-wide celebration, the children headed outside to the courtyard for snacks. It was at this point that Ramesh, a 40-year-old building contractor, spotted a man he didn't recognize. Though puzzled by the stranger's presence, there was something else that imme-diately set off alarm bells in Ramesh's mind - the man's burgeoning backpack, which appeared to be weighing him down as he sauntered through the courtyard towards the church doors. Without delay, Raju rushed towards the man, demanding to know what he was doing there and why he was carrying such a large bag. Flustered, the man told him the backpack contained a video camera and that he had come to film worshippers inside. Still not satisfied, Ramesh con-tinued to quiz the unwelcome visitor before ordering him to leave. “My husband sensed something was wrong, and informed him he'd need to get permission first,” Chrishanthini told the BBC. Assured that Ramesh was taking care of the situation, Chris-hanthini ushered the children into the main church, which was packed to rafters with some 450 worshippers. Moments later, the ground was shaken with an enormous explosion. Realizing that his cowardly plan had been thwarted, the bomber detonated his explosive device outside the church gates - Ramesh was killed instantly! Raju, who was buried on Monday, will never know how many lives he saved during those final moments, but the families of the survivors will forever look upon his heroics with an eternal debt of gratitude. Though this is some comfort to Chrishanthini in her time of mourning, she said that her faith is the only thing that has the power to sustain her during these excruciating days. “I love my Jesus, I love my Jesus,” she cried, with tears pouring down her face. The Easter Sunday terrorist attack on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka took the lives of 253 people, according to the Sri Lankan Health Ministry. [Source: Rajini Vaidyanathan, BBC News, Faithwire, Joel News International 1123, 26/04/2019].