You are all aware of Covid-19 pandemic. It is in peak now in India. It is moving like a tsunami. Every day we see and hear things that are surrounding us in a highly fearful and life-threatening way. Last week I was so troubled myself (not afraid, though) that I found myself not knowing how to write anymore.
Today we had a conference call with our evangelists who are serving in Tamil Nadu. Each one shared their own experience and the problems they are facing in their own surrounding area.
Here are some things they have shared:
In the Ooty area Evangelist David Issac’s own street was sealed down. People cannot come out of the house. Last week they had 7 infections but now there are 82 infection cases. The numbers are increasing every day. Believer’s cannot come together for the last three and half months. They don’t have the access to internet or zoom meetings. And no work, no money to care their family. We already helped two times with groceries. Please pray for the Lord to protect and care for them.
The tsunami area evangelist David’s place was locked down three and a half months ago. Three weeks ago his own village was sealed down. In this area and in surrounding villages, 90% of people are labour class on daily wages. They are really struggling and fearing for the infection and struggling to help their own families. We helped this village two times with groceries, and many more times we helped the most needy people. This place name is called Sembadhaneruppu.
The Evangelist Abraham’s place is called Kalakasthinadhapuram, Tharangai Block. In his village the family members of a high caste have came back from other cities. Those people were found positive on Covid 19, so the whole village was sealed down for more than three weeks. Many are old people, widows in this church (Assembly). Every day there are two things threatening their lives, one is Covid 19 pandemic the other one is hunger. 95% of people from this village and from surrounding villages are from labor class.
Also evangelist Somu’s place Mudikandanallore is having the same threats and same problems.
Through media and news you probably know what is happening in India due to Corona-19 pandemic. People used to go and work in big cities, and now because of the lockdown and no employement, many have returned to their home villages. These people have no jobs in their home villages as well. In Tamil Nadu, Tharangambadi Taluk, Nagappattinam district, many people are really facing the problems of having no job, hence no food.
The government has a project called MGNREGA guaranting to give 100 days job opportunity to its citizens. With the outburst of the Covid-19 pandamic this project was stopped. In some places job is given to those below 40 or 50 years only. Above that age people may not get any job. I hope you understand what I am trying to say. Please pray with us. If they are sick there is no money to go to the hospital, as almost all the government hospitals are full because of Corona-19 pandemic. Sometimes if they have money also they can’t go to a private hospital also, because the private hospitals would not admit people fearing they are infected. Every day we see the people dying without any medical help.
In India as per the UNICEF survey above 70% of Indian are below poverty line. For below poverty line people get some not good quality rice from the government. It is a known fact that this rice is not good for eating. Last week one of the widow called me and said that she boiled the rice without curry and that her family ate it with water, because there was no money to buy things to make curry. By seeing this we need to help this people. Through this the doors will open for the Gospel. This is also the good opportunity to show the Christ love.
In Hunsur, Karnataka also city and many villages are under lockdown because of the Corona positive cases.
Many people are leaving Bangalore permanently because of Corona impact. When the news reported asked why your leaving Bangalore people said instead of dying Bangalore without medical help, without bed in the hospital we will die in our own villages, and we will eat porridge in our own village. Taking small amount of rice pouring more amount of water and whole family will drink the porridge instead of earning normal food in Bangalore. As per today news millions of people left Bangalore. Nobody comes in, most of people left. This is one more danger as they are carrying Corona infections to their villages where is there is no medical facilities. It is already spreading on the community level.
Coronavirus India News Live Updates: India’s COVID-19 cases crossed the 7 lakh-mark on Tuesday with 22,252 new cases and 467 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total positive cases stand at 7,19,665 including 20,160 deaths, 2,59,557 active cases, and 4,39,948 people have been treated and discharged so far, according to the Ministry of Health. The country has now overtaken Russia to become the third worst hit nation in the world, only after US and Brazil.
With no decrease in coronavirus cases in India, the Ministry of Human Resource and Development on Monday announced that the final-year exams in universities across the country would be conducted by September-end this year. Opening up possibilities of conducting the examination in multiple mode, the ministry said that universities could conduct these in online, offline or blended mode.
Around 90 per cent of total infections in India are from ten states — Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka Delhi, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Haryana.
Prayer requests:
1. Because of Covid-19 schools are not open, the academic year 2020-21 should have started on 27 May 2020. But government came with the new solution that start online classes from 1st level to 12th level. We need to provide tabs for our BCH orphan and destitute children. It cost minimum 10,000/- INR (each 135 USD). We need at least 50 tabs.
2. Also please pray with us for our church building roof work.
Thank you once again for all your prayers and supports.
Yours in the Lord’s service
Raju Adullam and Team
Bethel Ministries, Hunsur, Karnataka.