Husband & Wife in Prison for Obeying Jesus

Pastor Samarendra Singh and his wife, Susmita Singh, have been called by the Lord to serve Him, and he has been serving the Lord faithfully for over two decades.

According to the Bible, God has created us in our mother’s womb, and He has sent each one of us with a purpose. We may not know what is going to happen tomorrow, but the One who has called us has absolute control of our lives. Even the hairs of our head are in His records. Every step I take is in His records. So, when our Lord has chosen us and called us, it’s mandatory to follow what He says; our personal choices are immaterial.

We read about God calling Abraham in the Bible, Genesis 12:1–3, where God instructs him to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household. This call signifies a divine initiative, where God chooses Abraham to be the patriarch of a great nation. The call is both a test and a promise, requiring Abraham to leave behind his past and step into an unknown future.

Samarendra, hailing from Gajapati district in Odisha, has deep roots in ministry. Samarendra’s father, a deacon and church elder, prayed earnestly for his sons to serve the Lord. Two of them, including Samarendra, answered that call. Susmita also comes from a family where serving the Lord is of greatest priority; her parents served with Blessing Youth Mission.

Their marriage was arranged through prayer and purpose. Susmita had always desired to marry someone dedicated to God’s mission. Together, they’ve raised two children—a daughter now 17 and a son 14. As a family, they pray continually for God’s will in their children’s lives.

Over the years, Pastor Samarendra faced numerous hardships wherever the Lord sent him. From the days of the Kandhamal riots in Odisha to various instances of hostility across multiple districts, he has stood firm. In one village, he faced opposition for refusing to contribute to local religious celebrations, and in another, he was threatened by a man whose family had embraced the Christian faith. But God was always his shield and defender.

The couple’s latest call was to go to a district in Uttar Pradesh. One Sunday, while conducting a small worship gathering, their fellowship was disrupted by a mob accusing them of religious conversions. Despite the simplicity of their gathering and the purity of their intent, they were taken away, separated from their children, and placed behind bars.

“God had a purpose for me there.”
Those were Susmita’s words as she recounted her time in prison. Though the environment was harsh, she entered with peace, believing that the Lord had led her there. At first, some inmates accused her falsely, but one woman—haunted by a murder she had committed—opened up to her. Susmita shared the love and forgiveness of Jesus. That night, the woman slept peacefully for the first time in two months.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.” – Isaiah 43:2

This promise really came through for this faithful couple who for 20 days were separated not only from each other but from their children. Samarendra, placed in a different facility, fasted and prayed, drawing strength from the examples of Paul and Silas in prison. He ministered to young inmates, aged between 19 and 23, encouraging them to turn their lives toward God.

Susmita, meanwhile, found courage in the story of Daniel and his friends who stood firm in the fiery furnace. She said she never once asked God to deliver her, only that He would be with her—and He was.

“Even if He does not [deliver us], we want you to know… we will not serve your gods.” – Daniel 3:18

Though they couldn’t openly read the Bible or worship, both continued in silent prayer, drawing strength from the Spirit within. They trusted that their suffering was not in vain.

Upon their release, the first thing they did was return home to their children. They knelt together in prayer, thanking the Lord for His unfailing presence.

Their story is a testimony that faith tested by fire emerges refined. Even in the darkest valleys, they held onto the hope that comes from Christ alone.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” – Matthew 5:10

“Those who are persecuted and suffer for their witness to Jesus Christ, including death, are pleasing in God’s sight.” – Bro Shibu Thomas, Founder, Persecution Relief.