 |
| G___ M____, her family, and the three remaining chickens |
G___ M___ sits amidst the ruins of her homestead, wiped out
by Cyclone Phailin, which struck Odisha State in India in early November 2013.
Only three of her 30 chickens were saved as her shed was washed away in flood
waters. Now she and her family must rely on charity and government assistance
to survive. Evangelism Resources’ School of Evangelism is mobilizing to meet
her needs, and those of many others, primarily from the Kaibartta Unreached
People Group.
 |
| The M___ and S___ families now live in tents |
It’s hard for those of us who have never experienced this
kind of loss to imagine the devastation. Homes are built in only a very
rudimentary way, so the force of the storm surge destroyed everything. Crops,
livestock and agriculture are the only means of subsistence for many in Odisha,
so the ruination of an entire season’s crop is catastrophic. Many will not even
have seed to sow in the spring for next year’s harvest. Many survivors have
only the clothing on their backs.
 | ||||
| C___ M____ S___'s house was destroyed |
As the Bible says in Matthew 5:45, God “causes his sun to
rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the
unrighteous.” Certainly Christians have not been spared the ruinous effects of
the storm. They are among the thousands who have lost homes and now live in
temporary shelters. Most people in the
region are hungry and thirsty. They don’t know when, or if, help will arrive.
The cyclone that struck the Philippines a month later was
also devastating, but it drew media focus away from the disaster already weeks
old in Odisha. Our School of Evangelism (SOE), under the leadership of D.B.
H., has been actively ministering to needs since the moment the flood
waters began to recede. The campus was the staging ground for government search
and rescue operations, and is still seen as a beacon of hope for people who
have nowhere else to turn.
 |
| H____, a Christian. His house was destroyed. |
Along with provisions and material support, SOE staff and
students are also sharing a very important message: the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Please pray with us that their
efforts to share the love of Jesus with families in crisis will be fully
funded, and that people will respond to their generosity with curiosity to know
more about the God whom these Christians serve.
Please pray for this effort, and give, if the Lord prompts
you, through our online giving portal at:
Designate your gift to “Kaibartta Cyclone Relief.”
If you would like to receive a weekly e-mail with information on projects like these, send an e-mail to Evangelism Resources at: eroffice@qx.net and ask to subscribe to the "Friday Foto" and/or the weekly "Prayer Hotline."
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