NEWS FROM INDIA

Ralph Gloeckner reports

Many thanks to everyone who responded to our call for help for those in India during the height of the pandemic. This year was and is a crisis for everyone and yet also an opportunity at the same time. Amid everyone’s personal struggle, we do not forget our neighbours, whom we can help in one way or another.

Our Workers and Leaders in India have been active since the total lockdown started late March. Leaders of our larger Rays Of Joy congregations were able to use their resources to stream online worship services daily,  enabling families to be encouraged and stay in faith. In addition to this, with police approval, they distributed food or groceries to the poorest in need.

Successful emergency aid

So far, as a result of the donations for emergency aid over the last 3 months, we have been able to give financial help to more than 46 leaders and church planters. This has provided necessities for many families in each local community to survive. In addition, another 5 families in each of our worst-hit communities were helped with monthly food supplies. Altogether there were 375 families that received help from the emergency aid donation.

Read the stories 

from families to find out more:

Stories of families helped across India:

From the Delhi region:

Jagpati's 

family lives in Delhi. She works as a cleaning lady and her husband as an auxiliary worker. They both lost their jobs due to the lockdown. The supplies soon ran out, and everyone else refused to help. In their hopelessness and need, the church were able to bring them food and they were overjoyed and thankful.

Mahesh 

Kumar lives in the Chandervihar. As a rikshaw driver, there were no passengers due to lockdown. And therefore, he was unable to bring home food in the evening from the earnings. With no savings, they had to go hungry. the church in the community saw the need and brought help in this time of need..

From the Jagdalpur region (C.G.)

Sangeeta Dass 

worked in a print shop. So she could take care of her bed-ridden father and her young sister. After two months without work, there was nothing left and she prayed to Jesus, whom she only met this year. She was so surprised at the help given after her prayers.

Maya Masih,

 a church leader, who had pioneered 2 congregations, was financially provided in his old age by a Christian businessman. As a result of the lockdown the business had to be closed and the pension, for Maya Masih, ceased too. Our help showed him how faithful God continues to be.

From the Mandala region (M.P)

Parvati Kashyap

 from Geedam suddenly had no further earnings as an auxiliary worker. The son also lost his job. However their newfound faith in Christ gave them hope, even though everything saved was used up. Food help was sent by the church and strengthened their belief.

Jamadar 

from Deori village lost his job in construction. He scraped up the last of the supplies and did not think he and his family would survive. However, his doubts about God vanished when he received the donation from his new family, the local church community.

From the Seoni region (M.P)

Usha and her husband from Jantanagar work as day laborers. Now that both of them were unable to find a job, they went into debt to survive. However all of their fears and worries about the future were blown away when they received emergency aid contrary to expectations.

Many thanks to all those that have donated and helped many families in need all across India.